TLR2 and TLR4 expression on blood monocytes and granulocytes of cardiac surgical patients is not affected by the use of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery is inseparably linked to the activation of innate immunity cells recognizing danger signals of both endogenous and exogenous origin via pattern recognition receptors such as TLR receptors. Therefore, we followed by flow cytometry TLR2 and TLR4 expression on blood monocytes and granulocytes of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using beating heart surgery (off-pump, n = 34), with use of standard cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), (on-pump, n = 30), and miniinvasive CPB (mini on-pump, n = 25), respectively, before, during surgery, and up to 7th postoperative day. TLR2 and TLR4 expression both on monocytes and granulocytes was significantly diminished already at the end of CPB being highly significantly decreased at the end of surgery in all patients' groups.

Controlled hemostasis in thoracic surgery using drugs with oxidized cellulose.

The authors demonstrate the possibility of improving surgical results by the reduction of perioperative bleeding in thoracic surgery associated with extended resection procedures. We focused on patients in whom the expected perioperative blood loss was greater than 500 ml. The first group consisted of patients with lung cancer stage III A after neoadjuvant chemotherapy had been indicated to extend the resection procedure.

Chylothorax--a rare complication after cardiac surgery (a case report).

Chylothorax is a rare but severe complication of cardiac surgery. The authors present the case of a 76-year-old woman suffering from ischemic heart disease, after coronary artery bypass grafting that included a left internal mammary artery pedicle graft. On the ninth postoperative day the left-sided fluidothorax developed.

The expression of CD38 ADP-ribosyl cyclase ectoenzyme in immune cells of cardiac surgical patients.

Background: This study was aimed at following the changes in the expression of CD38 ADP-ribosyl cyclase ectoenzyme on peripheral blood immune cells of patients undergoing cardiac surgical operations.

Patients And Methods: The expression of CD38 on lymphoid and myeloid cells was determined by immunofluorescence and flow cytometry in forty cardiac surgical patients assigned to surgery either using ("on-pump", n=20) or without the use ("off-pump", n=20) of cardiopulmonary bypass.

Results: There was a very rapid upregulation of CD38 expression in "on-pump" patients, becoming significant at declamping of aorta (p<0.

The effect of cardiac surgery on peripheral blood lymphocyte populations.

Background: Cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with some adverse postoperative complications caused by an altered immune response. An alternative approach to cardiac surgery, operating without the use of CPB (i.e.

Peripheral tissue metabolism during off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery: the microdialysis study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to monitor and compare metabolic changes in the skeletal muscle during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery with and without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) by means of interstitial microdialysis. Glucose, lactate, pyruvate and glycerol were assessed as markers of basic metabolism and tissue perfusion.

Methods: Twenty patients undergoing surgical myocardial revascularization were enrolled in this pilot study.

Expression of an activated form of integrin beta2 chain CD18 in cardiac surgical operations.

Background: Myeloid cells are extensively activated in patients undergoing cardiosurgical operations. It is supposed that this activation is more profound in patients operated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) ("on-pump") in comparison with patients operated without CPB ("off-pump").

Aims: To evaluate changes in the expression of a novel activation marker expressed on myeloid cells recognized by MEM-148 antibody.

The inflammatory response in cardiac surgery. An up-to-date overview with the emphasis on the role of heat shock proteins (HSPs) 60 and 70.

Cardiac surgical operations are associated with the development of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS). In most cases, the inflammatory response is apparent only in its subclinical form. In some cases, however, it can become clinically manifest or even life-threatening.

Essential PTX3 biology (not only) for cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

Inflammation has been recognized to form an integral part of the atherosclerotic process. Much consideration has been given lately to the role played in atherogenesis by C-reactive protein (CRP). Although not accepted unequivocally, CRP appears to be not only a marker, but also an active mediator of the atherosclerotic process.

Posttraumatic pneumopericardium: a sign of severe injury or radiodiagnostic rarity?

We present three cases of pneumopericardium following blunt chest trauma injury. All three patients were victims of road traffic accidents. All had multiple associated injuries and pneumopericardium was found as the additional finding.

Use of two parallel oxygenators in a very large patient (2.76 m2) for an acute "A" dissecting aortic aneurysm repair.

The very large patient (weight 142 kg, height 197 cm, body surface 2.76 m2) was referred to acute operation with dissecting type A ascending aortic aneurysm. The calculated blood flow was 6.

Vascular complications of the intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation.

From September 1994 to December 2002, 6,274 cardiosurgery operations were performed at the Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic. Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) was applied in 192 cases (3.1%).