A Rare Cause of Right Heart Failure in An Adult: Congenital Gerbode Defect.

Gerbode defect is a rare defect describing a left ventricle to right atrium shunt with symptoms dependent on the size and degree of the shunt. It is either a congenital defect detected in infancy, or an acquired case reported in older age. Diagnosis by means of echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging is of paramount importance before surgical correction is contemplated to achieve a good prognosis.

Coronary artery bypass graft for stent occlusion in a patient with essential thrombocythemia.

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a rare myeloproliferative disorder characterized by pathologic expansion of the megakaryocytic elements in the bone marrow leading to persistent thrombocytosis and platelet dysfunction. The incidence of coronary artery disease can reach 9.4% and this is accompanied by high incidence of acute myocardial infractions.

Coronary artery bypass graft in an isolated single coronary ostium with triple vessel disease.

Single coronary artery (SCA) is a rare congenital anomaly whereby only one coronary artery arises from single coronary artery ostium of the aortic trunk and supplies the whole heart. The incidence of this anomaly is 0.0024-0.

Termination of Electrical Storm After Double Valve Replacement Using Sympathectomy.

Electrical storm is a fatal condition unless aborted. Various treatments are available, each with its own limitations. Here, we present a case in which all forms of therapy failed except sympathectomy, which terminated the storm successfully.

Right Atrial Mass Mimicking a Myxoma as a First Presentation of Antiphospholipid Syndrome.

Antiphospholipid syndrome is characterized by recurrent spontaneous abortion, recurrent arterial/venous thrombosis, and thrombocytopenia. The presentation of an atrial mass mimicking a myxoma in this syndrome is exceedingly rare, leading to misdiagnosing of the condition and further risking recurrence due to lack of anticoagulation. In this report, we present such a case that was mistakenly thought to be a myxoma.

Ischemic mitral regurgitation in a patient with dextrocardia and situs inversus totalis.

Dextrocardia with situs inversus is a rare condition. Few previously published cases have addressed the observation of isolated coronary artery disease or isolated mitral valve disease in these patients. However, the occurrence of ischemic mitral regurgitation in such cases has never been previously reported.

VEGF-mediated cell survival in non-small-cell lung cancer: implications for epigenetic targeting of VEGF receptors as a therapeutic approach.

Aims: To evaluate the potential therapeutic utility of histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) in targeting VEGF receptors in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Materials & Methods: Non-small-cell lung cancer cells were screened for the VEGF receptors at the mRNA and protein levels, while cellular responses to various HDACi were examined.

Results: Significant effects on the regulation of the VEGF receptors were observed in response to HDACi.

Mid-term outcome and angiographic follow-up of endarterectomy of the left anterior descending artery in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Background And Aim: With the advancement of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs), more patients with diffuse coronary artery disease are referred for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The use of coronary endarterectomy may be useful in such cases. We reviewed our experience with left anterior descending artery endarterectomy as an adjunct to conventional CABG.

Effect of Preoperative Atrial Fibrillation on Postoperative Outcome following Cardiac Surgery.

Atrial fibrillation remains the commonest arrhythmia encountered in cardiac surgery. Data on the effect of preoperative atrial fibrillation on postoperative outcome remain limited. We sought to assess the effects preoperative atrial fibrillation on patients' outcome following cardiac surgery.

Pattern and presentation of blunt chest trauma among different age groups.

We assessed the presentation and mechanisms of blunt chest injuries sustained in different age groups, and the impact on management options. We retrospectively reviewed the records of 486 patients with blunt chest trauma who were treated between 2004 and 2007. They were stratified into 3 age groups: pediatric, adult, and elderly.

Short-term outcome of solitary kidney patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery.

Objective: The outcome of patients with solitary kidney undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery is unknown. We sought to assess the in-hospital mortality and complications in these patients compared with patients with normal renal function.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data over an 8-year period of all patients who underwent cardiac surgery.

The effect of preoperative renal dysfunction with or without dialysis on early postoperative outcome following cardiac surgery.

Objectives: Although previous studies have shown increased mortality in renal dysfunction patients undergoing cardiac surgery, there is lack of data on the pattern of postoperative complications that occur in such patients and their distribution among dialysis and non-dialysis dependent renal dysfunction.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data over 8 year period of cardiac surgery patients. Our cohort consisted of 3598 consecutive patients divided into: normal kidneys (n = 3276, 91%), renal dysfunction (n = 277, 8%) and dialysis (n = 45, 1%).

Cross-clamp time is an independent predictor of mortality and morbidity in low- and high-risk cardiac patients.

Objectives: We sought to assess the effects of aortic cross-clamp time (XCL) on outcome following cardiac surgery in low- and high-risk patients.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected departmental data of all patients who underwent cardiac surgery over 8-year period. Our cohort consisted of 3799 consecutive patients subdivided into low-risk (Euro SCORE < 6, n = 2691, 71%) and high-risk (Euro SCORE ≥ 6, n = 1108, 29%).

The risk of arrhythmias following coronary artery bypass surgery: do smokers have a paradox effect?

Smoking is reported to increase the risk of arrhythmias. However, there are limited data on its effects on arrhythmias following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). This is a retrospective review of a prospective database of all CABG patients over an eight-year period.

Successful thrombolysis of a thrombosed prosthetic mitral valve using a synthetic tissue plasminogen activator: a case report.

Introduction: Prosthetic valve thrombosis is a rare but life-threatening condition that requires careful evaluation and prompt treatment. While surgical intervention remains the gold standard, thrombolytic therapy is now emerging as a potential substitute. Various thrombolytic treatments including streptokinase, urokinase and recombinant tissue plasminogen activators have been reported with variable success rates.

Lower limb compartment syndrome following coronary artery bypass surgery: a rare entity.

Lower limb compartment syndrome following coronary artery bypass surgery is a rare complication that is easily overlooked. Here we report a case of lower limb compartment syndrome that was diagnosed and treated promptly in a 53-year-old man, thereby preventing a potentially lethal outcome.

Excision of a left atrial myxoma in the presence of a calcified ascending aorta: a surgical challenge.

Atrial myxomas are rare tumors that require surgical excision. However, in the presence of a severely calcified ascending aorta, such excision becomes rather challenging and difficult. Here we report a case of a left atrial myxoma in a 64-year-old woman with an extensively calcified aorta that was successfully excised using cardiopulmonary bypass beating-heart technique without the need for cardioplegic cardiac arrest and aortic cross-clamping.

Coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with polycythaemia rubra vera - a rare indication with a spectrum of complication: a case report.

Coronary artery bypass surgery for coronary artery thrombosis in patients with polycythaemia rubra vera has been rarely described. The main issue with such patients is their risk of both bleeding and thrombosis and as such the ideal postoperative management of such cases is unknown. Hereby, we describe a case of a 62-year-old man with polycythaemia rubra vera who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery.

Sternotomy after retrosternal esophagogastric anastomotic disruption: a case report.

Disruption of cervical esophagogastric anastomosis after retrosternal stomach transposition remains a dangerous complication. We report a case of cervical gastric disruption after retrosternal gastric transposition in a 36-year-old man that required sternotomy for reanastomosis. After sternotomy, gastric mobilization was possible, in order to gain sufficient length for a new cervical esophagogastric anastomosis.

Regulation of EP receptors in non-small cell lung cancer by epigenetic modifications.

Background: Cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 is frequently overexpressed in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and results in increased levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE(2)), an important signalling molecule implicated in tumourigenesis. PGE(2) exerts its effects through the E prostanoid (EP) receptors (EPs1-4).

Methods: The expression and epigenetic regulation of the EPs were evaluated in a series of resected fresh frozen NSCLC tumours and cell lines.

Headscarf pin tracheobronchial aspiration: a distinct clinical entity.

Foreign body (FB) aspiration is commonly seen in children and less commonly in the elderly. However, due to some social and cultural factors, a distinct group of tracheobronchial FB aspiration is increasingly recognized. We sought to assess our experience with such entity.

Complex bronchial ruptures successfully treated with primary reconstruction and limited lung resection.

Bronchial injuries are rare (1.0%-2.8% of all trauma cases) but potentially fatal, with 80% of patients dying before reaching a medical facility.

Short-term and long-term outcome in low body mass index patients undergoing cardiac surgery.

Objective: We sought to assess the effect of low body mass index (BMI) on short- and long-term outcomes following cardiac surgery.

Methods: This is a retrospective review of a prospectively collected departmental database over a 6-year period. Patients were eligible for the study if the BMI was <25 kg/m(2).