Does harvesting of radial artery in the early postoperative period perturb the palmar blood supply and functions?

Objective: The aim of this prospective study was to assess whether the removal of the radial artery (RA) caused any alteration in the function or power of hand on postoperative 15th day.

Methods: The study group included 25 patients with objective or subjective complaints on postoperative 15th day regarding harvest site following coronary bypass surgery by using RA. Patients were examined for bilateral forearm function (soft touch and pin-prick neural sensation, handgrip power).

Coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with malignancy: a single-center study with comparison to patients without malignancy.

Background: There is debate on the timing and outcome of coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with coincident malignancy. In this study, we compared the outcome of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) in such patients with those without malignancy.

Methods: The patients were selected from those who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery in the last decade.

Novel intubation technique for transesophageal echocardiographic examination.

Pharyngeal intubation is a challenging problem during transesophageal procedures. The rate of unsuccessful intubation varies from 1.5 to 1.

Familial Mediterranean fever attacks do not alter functional and morphologic tissue Doppler echocardiographic parameters.

The aim of this study is to investigate the tissue Doppler echocardiographic (TDE) characteristics of acute familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) attack on young Turkish males. Thirty-four young males with FMF were investigated utilizing echocardiography both before and after FMF attacks. Echocardiographic findings were assessed by two cardiologist utilizing Vingmed system V echocardiography machine and a 2.

Harvesting of the radial artery: subfasciotomy or full skeletonization: a comparative study.

Background: Long fasciotomy of the posterior aspect of the radial artery (RA) for the purpose of sympathectomy is one of the surgical techniques for the preparation of this graft. We compared the early results of this technique with those of the RA graft harvested as a pedicle in the conventional fashion.

Methods: The study patients have been selected from the patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the RA graft harvested either with a long posterior fasciotomy (group 1) or as a whole with a pedicle in the classical manner (group 2).

[Missed aortic transection following blunt trauma: a case report].

Missed vascular injuries following blunt traumas can lead to fatal clinical conditions that require an emergency intervention. Aortic transection (AT) is the most fatal complication of these missed vascular injuries. In this case report an AT that developed following a blunt trauma is presented.

Combination sedoanalgesia with remifentanil and propofol versus remifentanil and midazolam for elective cardioversion after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in up to 50% of cardiac surgery patients and represents the most common postoperative arrhythmic complication. Elective cardioversion, a short but painful procedure, remains an option for patients who do not convert to sinus rhythm with medical therapy. Combinations of remifentanil (a potent analgesic with a short elimination time) with propofol (a hypnotic agent) or midazolam (a sedative agent) produce a synergistic interaction.

A new echocardiographic index for assessing left ventricular function and mechanism of mitral regurgitation and its relation to other echocardiographic indices.

Objective: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is a progressive disease of the mitral valve, which can be primary or functional. The assessment of left ventricular function in MR is still troublesome. In this study, we evaluated the validity of a new parameter, total dt, in patients with MR.

A complication of coronary angiography: fractured and retained intraaortic catheter.

The complications linked directly to coronary artery catheter itself are very rare. We presented a case in which the broken right coronary artery catheter was successfully removed from the ascending aorta. The removal of catheter was accomplished via an aortic incision, which was created for saphenous vein graft in the site of anastomosis during an emergency coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Diagnostic and surgical approach to a descending thoracic aorta saccular aneurysm case.

Descending aorta saccular aneurysms are seen less than fusiform aneurysms. All symptomatic saccular aneurysms must be operated. In this study, we present a saccular aneurysm case developed at the descending aorta 1 year after a motor vehicle crash.

[Superior vena cava syndrome caused by dialysis catheter].

The superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is an uncommon complication due to permanent hemodialysis catheters. Herein we present a case with superior vena cava syndrome resulting from dialysis access catheter placed in the subclavian vein. The patient was admitted with typical signs and symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome.

[Factors affecting the morbidity and mortality of surgical management of vascular gunshot injuries: missed arterial injury and disregarded vein repair].

Background: The aim of this study was to establish the clinical course and importance of missed arterial injuries and disregarded venous repair after surgery for gunshot injuries.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed on the operative results of 275 shotgun vascular injury patients' presented to our clinic between January 1992 and December 2004. All patients were analyzed from their medical files and operative notes.

Is the visual examination of LIMA graft sufficient for the decision reusing of this graft in redo coronary bypass surgery?

Redo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) compromises a growing proportion of CABG in the current era of revascularization. Intimal hyperplasia at the site of anastomosis between left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and left anterior descending artery (LAD) is not infrequently reported causing severe ischemic symptoms in some patients. An additional grafting to distal LAD territory is a proper decision for the surgical strategy in most of the cases.

Eleven-year experience in diagnosis and surgical therapy of right atrial masses.

Background: Tumors arising from the right atrium are quite rare, and require special care during differential diagnosis for their management. A review of surgical experience with right atrial tumors in 11 patients from our institution has been presented in this article.

Methods: Eleven cases, operated for a tumor mass in the right atrium in our institution between January 1993 and December 2004, were retrospectively reviewed for their clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, method of surgical procedure, and histopathologic findings.

Muscle sparing thoracotomy in pediatric age: a comparative study with standard posterolateral thoracotomy.

Alternative approaches to the standard posterolateral incision for thoracotomy have been developed to minimize its postoperative pain and wound related side effects. Muscle-sparing (MS) thoracotomy has been a well-known substitution to the standard posterolateral thoracotomy for this purpose; however it has not been studied in the pediatric age group in detail. We studied retrospectively the patients with thoracotomy for non-cardiac, thoracic surgical procedures.

Tricuspid insufficiency does not increase early after permanent implantation of pacemaker leads.

Background: Interference between pacemaker (PM) lead and tricuspid apparatus may cause tricuspid regurgitation (TR). However, data regarding TR in patients with implanted PM are controversial. Our aim is to find out the degree of TR in a group of patients before and following PM implantation in a prospective manner.

Comorbidity of constrictive pericarditis and hemophilia A.

Objective: To report a case of comorbidity of constrictive pericarditis and hemophilia A.

Clinical Presentation And Intervention: A 21-year-old male with hemophilia A was referred to our clinic and was examined with the subsequent evaluation of shortness of breath, leg edema and ascites. Clinical and laboratory examinations were performed.

Is it necessary to use a drain after harvesting radial artery? A randomized prospective study.

Background: Radial artery (RA) is a second choice after internal thoracic artery in coronary artery bypass operations. There are some complications in forearm after harvesting RA. We have prospectively compared the necessity of inserting drain in the forearm cavity after RA harvesting to prevent such complications.

Aortic elastic properties in young pregnant women.

This study aimed to investigate the aortic elastic properties of young pregnant women by comparing them with those of age-matched healthy females. The study group consisted of 21 pregnant women at a mean age of 26 +/- 1 years; 22 healthy women at a mean age of 25 +/- 1 years constituted the control group. Doppler-color echocardiographic variables and serum estradiol (E2) levels were measured from both groups.

Transcutaneous axillary artery cannulation.

The axillary artery may be an alternative cannulation site for patients with diffused atherosclerosis, aortic dissection, and aneurysm. There are different techniques for axillary artery cannulation that can be performed easily with a transcutaneous approach. Small incision necessity, less dissection, and good wound healing are other advantages of this technique.