Preoperative atorvastatin treatment in CABG patients rapidly improves vein graft redox state by inhibition of Rac1 and NADPH-oxidase activity.

Background: Statins improve clinical outcome of patients with atherosclerosis, but their perioperative role in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is unclear. We hypothesized that short-term treatment with atorvastatin before CABG would improve the redox state in saphenous vein grafts (SVGs), independently of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL)-lowering.

Methods And Results: In a randomized, double-blind controlled trial, 42 statin-naïve patients undergoing elective CABG received atorvastatin 40 mg/d or placebo for 3 days before surgery.

Successful percutaneous aortic valve implantation via a stenotic left subclavian artery access.

Severe aortic valve stenosis may be tackled with percutaneous aortic valve replacement instead of surgical replacement. At present, two CE marked prosthetic valves are available. The CoreValve ReValving System is primarily designed to be introduced transfemorally, while implantation via subclavian arteries has been described in cases of unsuitable femoral access.

Management of catheter-related injuries to the coronary sinus.

Background: Although coronary sinus catheter-related injuries (CSCRIs) are rare, they are potentially lethal. The purpose of this study was to evaluate such injuries, the repair methods used, and to identify related risk factors for mortality.

Methods: A retrospective review of 10,552 cardiac surgical procedures from 1995 to 2000 in which retrograde cardioplegia was used revealed 10 cases (n = 10) of CSCRIs (0.