Cold Agglutinins and Cardiac Surgey: a Case Report.

Cold agglutinins (CA) are autoantibodies whose clinical significance depends upon titer and thermal amplitude. Patients, which undergo cardio-pulmonary bypass and especially hypothermic cardioplegia myocardial protection, represent a challenge regarding operative management, as tissue temperature should be maintained above the threshold of agglutination. We report on a case in which the presence of CA was discovered during elective aortic valve replacement surgery, and managed with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and continuous retrograde warm blood cardioplegia administration.

Cardiac Surgery in Patients with Dialysis-dependent End Stage Renal Failure: Single Centre Experience.

Background: Patients under dialysis have a high cardiovascular risk and they are at increased risk when submitted to cardiac surgery.

Aim Of The Study: to evaluate morbidity, early and late mortality, and predictive factors of mortality in patients under dialysis who underwent cardiac surgery.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was performed including all dialysis dependent patients who underwent cardiac surgery (coronary, valvular or combined procedures) in our institution between 2007 and 2014.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Non-ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction and Left Main or Multivessel Coronary Disease.

Current recommendations on the optimal revascularization strategy in Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) with left main (LM) or multivessel coronary disease (MVD) are based upon randomized clinical trials conducted in stable coronary artery disease. In a real-world contemporary observational registry, we compared the long-term outcome of NSTEMI patients with LM/MVD (n = 1,104) submitted to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or optimized medical therapy (OMT). The primary end point was 5-year all-cause mortality.

Pulmonary Hypertension in Valvular Heart Disease Surgery: Risk and Prognosis.

Introduction: Left heart disease is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension (PH), and when present is associated with higher surgical risk.

Objectives: Analyze the effect of PH severity on morbidity, early and late mortality in patients with pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) over 30mmHg that underwent valvular heart surgery.

Methods: Retrospective observational study including all patients with PH, defined as PASP>30 mmHg that underwent isolated valvular heart surgery, between 2007 and 2016.

CABG: To CBP or Not To CBP - A Propensity Score Matched Survival.

Introduction: Over the past 3 decades two main strategies have been employed for surgical coronary revascularization (CABG): on- pump CABG with cardioplegia (ONCAB) and off-pump CABG (OPCAB). The objective of this study is to evaluate the short-term and long-term survival of the two strategies.

Methods: This study consists of 8-year cohort, retrospective single-center analysis with an intention-to-treat design.

Elective and urgent coronary surgery in octogenarians.

Objectives: To analyze the influence of surgical myocardial revascularization on early and late mortality in octogenarians and compare the survival rates with age adjusted general population.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2014, 182 octogenarian patients underwent elective or urgent coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate the in-hospital mortality predictors.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenator assistance as bridge to recovery in a case of tachycardiomyopathy.

Sustained tachycardia is a rare, usually reversible, cause of dilated cardiomyopathy. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a useful method for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and short-term support for reversible cardiac failure refractory to conventional therapy. The present case consists of a 17-years-old male who presented with symptoms of cardiac insufficiency and tachycardia.

Coronary artery bypass grafting in octogenarians: long-term results.

Introduction: As surgical revascularization is becoming more frequent in octogenarians, we reviewed our data to analyze the impact of coronary artery bypass grafting on short- and long-term morbidity and mortality.

Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 101 consecutive patients aged 80 years or older, who underwent coronary artery bypass in a single cardiac center between January 2002 and December 2007. The patients were divided into two groups: off-pump (64.