Impact of respiratory infection in the results of cardiac surgery in a tertiary hospital in Brazil.

Objective: To assess the impact of respiratory tract infection in the postoperative period of cardiac surgery in relation to mortality and to identify patients at higher risk of developing this complication.

Methods: Cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Recovery of Cardiothoracic Surgery, using information from a database consisting of a total of 900 patients operated on in this hospital during the period from 01/07/2008 to 1/07/2009. We included patients whose medical records contained all the information required and undergoing elective surgery, totaling 109 patients with two excluded.

Use of EuroSCORE as a predictor of morbidity after cardiac surgery.

Objective: To evaluate the use of the EuroSCORE as a predictor of postoperative morbidity after cardiac surgery.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the charts of 900 patients operated on and admitted to the intensive care unit postoperatively at the Royal Portuguese Hospital of Recife. We included all patients with complete medical records, excluding those who died during surgery, underwent transplantation or correction of congenital heart disease.

Assesment of the EuroSCORE as a predictor for mortality in valve cardiac surgery at the Heart Institute of Pernambuco.

Objective: To assess the applicability of the European Risk System in Cardiac Operations (EuroSCORE) in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery at the Heart Institute of Pernambuco.

Method: 840 patients operated on between 2001 and 2009, who medical records contained all the informations to calculate the EuroSCORE were included in the study. Hospital death was the end-point of the study.

Should the diabetics have the internal thoracic artery skeletonized? Assessment of sternal perfusion by scintillography.

Objective: To assess, by scintillography, the effect of using bilateral internal thoracic arteries (BITAs) - prepared by two different techniques - on the sternal perfusion.

Methods: 35 patients undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were divided into two groups: Group A (18) had both ITA's dissected using skeletonization technique and group B (17) as pedicle preparation. There was no difference in the two groups relating gender, age and demographic characteristics.

Intracardiac correction of tetralogy of fallot in the first year of life: short-term and mid-term results.

Objective: To evaluate short-term and medium-term results of intracardiac correction of tetralogy of fallot in the first year of life.

Methods: From January 1996 to October 2004, 67 consecutive infants ranging in age from 1 to 11 months (mean: 7.2 months) and weighing from 4 to 10 kilograms (mean: 7.

Left thoracotomy for reoperations in myocardium revascularization.

Objective: To describe patient selection criteria, surgical technique and early outcomes in patients undergoing reoperative coronary artery bypass surgery (RECABG) through a left thoracotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB).

Methods: Eight patients with patent grafts to the anterior interventricular branch of left coronary artery (four of which had also patent grafts to the right coronary artery) requiring revascularization of the circumflex coronary system had redo-CABG without CPB through a left posterolateral thoracotomy.

Results: There was no in-hospital mortality or serious postoperative complications.