Floating Tumor of the Aortic Arch: A Case Report.

Background: Neoplasms of the aortic arch are rare tumors presenting a diagnostic challenge, regardless of whether they are benign or malignant. The most effective treatment method is surgical resection of the tumor.

Case Presentation: This case presents a 62-year-old woman with cerebrovascular ischemia and right-sided hemiparesis.

Gastrostomy Under Paravertebral Block in High-Risk Patients with Esophageal Cancer - Two Case Reports.

Here we present two cases of gastrostomy insertion via laparotomy in patients with malignant esophageal disease. Patients were ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status III and IV. The patients presented as very high risk for general anesthesia, so we decided to use unilateral left sided paravertebral block (PVB) on four thoracic levels along with contralateral local infiltration at the gastrostomy insertion site.

A combination of levobupivacaine and lidocaine for paravertebral block in breast cancer patients undergoing quadrantectomy causes greater hemodynamic oscillations than levobupivacaine alone.

Aim: To test for differences in hemodynamic and analgesic properties in patients with breast cancer undergoing quadrantectomy with paravertebral block (PVB) induced with a solution of either one or two local anesthetics.

Method: A prospective, single-center, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial was conducted from June 2014 until September 2015. A total of 85 women with breast cancer were assigned to receive PVB with either 0.

Does Diabetes Have an Influence on Regional Deformation Parameters in Patients with Normal Systolic Function during Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting?

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the recovery of regional myocardial function of the left-ventricular septal wall and the septal site of the mitral valve (MV) annulus by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI).

Methods: In 63 (32 diabetic and 31 control) patients having off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), including the left internal mammary artery (LIMA) and the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), TDI measurements were performed before operation (baseline), 5 min after LIMA-LAD revascularization (early reperfusion) and after completion of all anastomoses (after revascularization).

Results: Compared to the patients with diabetes, the controls had higher peak systolic velocities of the mid septal segments in the early reperfusion measurement (p = 0.

Levosimendan reverses right-heart failure in a 51-year-old patient after heart transplantation.

Primary graft failure in the early postoperative period after heart transplantation, remains a main cause of a poor outcome. Current treatment options include pharmacological (catecholamines and phosphodiesterase inhibitors) and mechanical assist device support. Pharmacological support with catecholamines is related to elevated myocardial oxygen consumption and regional hypoperfusion leading to organ damage.

Perioperative blood pressure control in hypertensive and normotensive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: prospective study of current anesthesia practice.

Aim: To analyze blood pressure changes during intra- and immediate postoperative period in patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: The study included 355 consecutive patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting between January 5, 2004 and December 30, 2005. Out of these patients, 325 were allocated into groups with preoperative history of hypertension (n=115) and without preoperative history of hypertension (n=210).

Early cardioprotective effect of sevoflurane on left ventricular performance during coronary artery bypass grafting on a beating heart: randomized controlled study.

Aim: To evaluate the cardioprotective effect of sevoflurane on a beating heart in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting with normal preoperative left ventricular function.

Methods: The randomized controlled study included 32 patients induced with sevoflurane and then randomized to receive either 1 minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) end-tidal concentration of sevoflurane (n=16) or propofol (n=16) 2 to 3 mg kg(-1) hour(-1). The acceleration of the aortic blood flow, cardiac index, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and central venous pressure were measured 5 minutes after anesthesia induction, at the beginning of ischemia, 15 minutes after ischemia, and 15 minutes after sternum closure.

Levosimendan in off-pump coronary artery bypass: a four-times masked controlled study.

We tested the hypothesis that levosimendan produced beneficial hemodynamic effects during and after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with good preoperative left ventricular function. Levosimendan at low dose (12 microg/kg), high dose (24 microg/kg), or placebo were administered in thirty-one patients in a randomized and four-times masked controlled study. Heart rate was not significantly different between experimental groups.

Hemodynamic differences in sevoflurane versus propofol anesthesia.

The aim of the study was to compare the effect of sevoflurane and propofol anesthesia on myocardial contractility during laparotomic cholecystectomy using transesophageal echo-Doppler. In the study, 40 patients were randomized into two groups, depending on whether they received sevoflurane or propofol anesthesia. Heart rate, cardiac index, stroke volume, left ventricular ejection time and acceleration were measured 10 minutes after induction of anesthesia, 1 minute and 25 minutes after incision.

Measuring cardiac output during dobutamine infusion after off-pump coronary artery bypass: comparison of transesophageal echo-Doppler and thermodilution.

Aim: To compare transesophageal echo-Doppler with thermodilution method for measuring cardiac output during dobutamine infusion after off-pump coronary artery bypass.

Method: Using transesophageal echo-Doppler and thermodilution methods, we measured cardiac output in 30 patients after off-pump coronary artery bypass, immediately before and 5, 15, and 30 min after the introduction of continuous dobutamine infusion (3 microg/kg/min). Paired t-test and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare the results obtained by two methods in this prospective study.