Robotic dissection of the right internal thoracic artery through median sternotomy.

The use of robotic systems in cardiac surgeries aims at decreasing the surgical trauma. The totally endoscopic myocardial revascularization, assisted by the DaVinci robot (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, California) is feasible and the learning process must be carried out in steps. The first step is the preparation of the left internal thoracic artery, through the totally endoscopic approach.

[Thrombosis in normal coronary arteries causing acute myocardial infarction in an alcoholic patient].

A case of a young patient, heavy drinker, who suffered an acute myocardial infarction (AMI), and whose cinecoronariography, early post unsuccessful intravenous thrombolysis, showed the presence of thrombi in multiple arteries is reported. A second cinecoronariography performed on the 7th day post AMI revealed normal coronary arteries. There were no plasmatic lipid or coagulation abnormalities, nor other risk factors for coronary artery disease.

[Evaluation of ischemic preconditioning on collateral circulation, ventricular function and clinical outcome in acute myocardial infarction].

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of ischemic preconditioning (IP) in collateral circulation (CC), early ventricular function and in hospital outcomes after myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods: We studied 97 patients with a 1st anterior MI within 6h of pain and isolated total proximal occlusion of the left anterior descending artery, divided in 2 groups: with (GA) or without (GB) angina before MI. Coronariography and ventriculography were performed prior to reperfusion.