Impact of previous percutaneous coronary interventions on the course and clinical outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Despite the increasing number of patients after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) requiring coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), studies on the impact of these procedures on surgical revascularisation outcomes are sparse. Furthermore, advances in cardiology require reassessment of their potential prognostic significance.

Aim: We sought to assess the influence of previous PCI on CABG outcomes.

Implantation of mitral, aortic, and tricuspid bioprostheses due to infective endocarditis with necessary reimplantation of the bioprosthetic aortic valve.

The patient was admitted to the Department of Cardiac Surgery of the J. Struś City Hospital in Poznan due to infective endocarditis involving the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valves. Implantation of three biological valve prostheses proceeded without complications.

[Septic shock in 23 year old female patient after surgical correction of the nasal septum effectively treated in the intensive care unit].

A female patient 23 years old was admitted to the medical intensive care unit due to sudden loss of consciousness and seizures. At the time of admition observed lack of consciousness, seizures and severe critical condition was observed. Meningitis and septic shock were diagnosed.

[Isolated tricuspid valve infective endocarditis in a patient with a urological history].

Infective endocardits of the tricuspid valve (TVIE) occurs mainly in addicted-intravenous drug users, in the presence of intracardiac electrodes or central venous catheters, and in some congenital heart diseases; rarely, in other conditions. The authors present a case of a 61-year-old male with TVIE as a result of complicated transurethral resection of bladder papilloma. The onset of TVIE was insidious, with low back pain, followed by pulmonary symptoms.

Readmission to an intensive care unit after cardiac surgery: reasons and outcomes.

Background: Intensive care unit (ICU) readmission after cardiac surgery is believed to be associated with higher in-hospital mortality and may predict poor outcomes. ICU readmissions use resources and increase treatment costs.

Aim: To determine reasons for readmission to ICU, evaluate outcomes in these patients, and identify factors predisposing to the need for readmission to ICU.

Gigantic aneurysm of a venous bypass graft causing superior vena cava syndrome.

A case of a 66-year-old patient 13 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) admitted to hospital with typical ischemic chest pain and symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome (SVCS) is described. Non-invasive diagnostics confirmed acute coronary syndrome: non-ST-elevated myocardial infarction (ACS NSTEMI). Trans-thoracic echocardiography (TTE) revealed a gigantic tumor mass modeling the right atrium, causing chronic cardiac tamponade.

The effect of leukocyte reduction filters on inflammatory mediator release during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background: Extracorporeal circulation used during coronary artery bypass grafting triggers systemic inflammatory response with neutrophil activation which adversely affects ischaemic/reperfused myocardium. One method of myocardial protection during cardiac surgery is the use of blood cardioplegia. Its protective effect is related to cardiac cooling and metabolism reduction, oxygen supply from erythrocytes, and reactive oxygen species scavenging.

[Debranching of aortic arch as part of a complex cardiac surgery].

We present 54 year-old man diagnosed with an aneurysm of the ascending aorta and arch with aortic regurgitation and coronary artery disease. Surgery consisted of removing an aneurysm of the ascending aorta and arch of subtraction (debranching)cephalic brachiocephalic trunk and the common carotid artery and anastomosis of the descending aorta with vascular prosthesis and coronary artery bypass grafting. Postoperative course was uneventful.

[Severe tricuspid valve injury following blunt chest trauma--case report].

Tricuspid valve (TV) injury is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma, most commonly as a result of a traffic collision. The authors describe a case of massive TV regurgitation due to a rupture of the chorde tendinae to the anterior and septal leaflets in a 21-year-old man, the victim of a car crash. Concomitant organ injuries included, among others, multiple rib fractures, pulmonary contusion, open femoral fracture.

[Asymptomatic myxoma of the tricuspid valve septal leaflet].

We presented a case of asymptomatic myxoma of the tricuspid valve septal leaflet. The tumour was diagnosed accidentally during rutine transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography. It was resected and the septal leaflet repaired during surgery.

[Co-existence of severe aortic valve stenosis and recoarctation of the aorta treated surgically in childhood].

Coarctation of the aorta is treated surgically in most of patients during childhood. However, some of them experience recoarctation in future. A 57 year-old woman suffering from chest pain and decreased activity tolerance was admitted to the cardiac department.

[Severe tricuspid regurgitation due to ventricular pacing lead - a case report].

We present a case of severe symptomatic tricuspid valve regurgitation due to shifting of the septal leaflet of the valve toward the interventricular septum by a permanent ventricular pacemaker lead, making coaptation of the tricuspid leflats in systole impossible.

[Fungal endocarditis of mitral and aortic biological prosthetic valves].

We present a rare case of fungal (Candida albicans) endocarditis on the two (mitral and aortic) biological prosthetic valves. Vegetations were detected by transthoracic echocardiography and confirmed by transesophageal echocardiography.

[Quadricuspid aortic valve].

We reported a case of a 45 year-old woman who had a quadricuspid aortic valve associated with moderate aortic regurgitation. The valve abnormality was detected by transthoracic echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography showed mild thickening of 4 symmetric aortic valve cusps, a small rectangular central regurgitant orifice, and moderate aortic insufficiency.

Mitral valve repair in a patient with previous percutaneous annuloplasty with a CARILLON device.

A 67-year-old female patient was referred to our clinic for coronary artery bypass graft and severe mitral regurgitation (MR) treatment. The patient had a history of coronary disease and MR treated in 2007 with a CARILLON device. Left mammary and saphenous vein were used to graft the diseased coronaries.

[Intraventricular septum rending from inferoposterior left ventricular wall during myocardial infarction].

Intraventricular septum (IVS) rending from left ventricular wall after acute myocardial infarction is a rare and dramatic mechanical complication. We describe a patient, who survived after rending of IVS from left ventricular inferoposterior wall after acute myocardial infarction. This complication was diagnosed using transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography and confirmed by 64 MSCT.

Takayasu's arteriopathy with associated occlusion of right coronary artery, brachiocephalic trunk and left subclavian artery and aortic regurgitation. Cardiovascular approach leading to a successful outcome - a case presentation.

In a 37 year-old woman with Takayasu's arteriopathy angiography revealed occlusion of right coronary artery (RCA), brachiocephalic trunk and left carotid artery (LCA), as well as aortic regurgitation. She underwent a complex cardiovascular surgery consisting of aortic valve implantation, RCA grafting and implantation of vascular bifurcated graft anastomosed between ascending aorta and brachiocephalic trunk and LCA. The multi-slice computed tomography performed two weeks after the operation revealed preserved grafts patency.

[Massive infective endocarditis treated with triple bioprostheses implantation].

A case of a 50-year-old man admitted to the cardiology department due to massive infective endocarditis is presented. Diagnosis was confirmed by further investigations and patient was referred to cardiosurgery department. The surgery revealed destruction of mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve, thus three bioprostheses were implanted.

[Asymptomatic descending aorta dissection after cardiac surgery using extra corporeal circulation- a case report].

Subacute ascending aortic dissection following open heart surgery is a rare but potentially fatal complication. It is associated with dilatation of the aortic root or cystic medial necrosis. We present associated a case of a 65-year old patient with non-fatal ascending aortic dissection after coronary artery bypass grafting using extracorporeal circulation.