Is there a Predictive Value of Hemoglobin A1C for Complications of Cardiac Surgery?

Objective: To investigate the effect of preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels for the complications of cardiac surgery.

Study Design:   Meta-analysis. Place of Study: Siyami Ersek Chest and Cardiovascular Surgery Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.

Successful stenting of a brachial artery occlusion following surgical retrieval of a twisted diagnostic catheter during transradial coronary angiography.

Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention via radial access has been progressively performed over the last three decades and has become standard of care. Even though the radial approach, compared with femoral access, is safe and is also associated with less bleeding in patients with myocardial infarction, it may be problematic in some cases. Here, we describe an 80-year-old woman with brachial artery dissection due to a twisted diagnostic catheter during transradial coronary angiography, who subsequently underwent surgical retrieval of the catheter.

Comparison of ultrasonically activated scalpel and traditional technique in radial artery harvesting; an electron microscopic evaluation.

Objective: Use of the radial artery (RA) as a conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has become increasingly popular in recent years. The aim of this prospective randomized study is to determine how the endothelial wall and blood flow of RA are differently affected with the usages of ultrasonic scalpel and conventional electrocautery in addition to effects of hypothermia and storage solutions. Histopathologic study was achieved by electron microscope to evaluate endothelium of the grafts.

[Left atrial myxoma with severe neovascularization: role of preoperative coronary angiography].

Cardiac myxomas are highly vascular tumors and there is no consensus on the use of coronary angiography to assess their vascularity. A 64-year-old male patient presented with complaints of exertional dyspnea, fatigue, arthralgia, weight loss, intermittent high fever, and palpitation. He had an 18-month history of stent implantation for the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Coexistent Brugada syndrome and Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome: what is the first clinical presentation?

The coexistence of Brugada syndrome and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a very rare phenomenon. We describe a 31-year-old patient without any previous cardiac disorder admitted to our hospital due to palpitations and concomitantly diagnosed as WPW syndrome and treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. He was later diagnosed with Brugada syndrome and followed-up 2 years without any symptoms.

Severe tricuspid regurgitation and atrioventicular block caused by blunt thoracic trauma in an elderly woman.

Background: Symptomatic cardiac injury after blunt chest trauma is relatively rare, and valvular injury is even more rare. The valves most commonly affected are tricuspid. Automobile accidents are mostly responsible for this type of injury.

Isolated left ventricular noncompaction: a small, noncompacted segment may cause serious complications.

Introduction: Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is a rare form of cardiomyopathy. Heart failure with deteriorated systolic function is the hallmark of this cardiomyopathy. Albeit it may cause ventricular tachycardia (VT) and systemic embolism, it is a rarity to see these complications in a patient with noncompaction and normal systolic functions.

Comparison of unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion at 16 degrees C and 22 degrees C systemic temperature.

Objectives: Unilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion can be performed with minimal manipulations to arch arteries, but whether it provides adequate brain perfusion remains unclear. Some authors believe that this technique can be inadequate without deep hypothermia. We investigated the reliability of unilateral cerebral perfusion at 22 degrees C hypothermia and the advantages of avoiding deep hypothermia.

Resection of a right coronary artery aneurysm with fistula to the coronary sinus.

We are reporting the successful surgical management of a challenging right coronary artery aneurysm with a giant fistula into the coronary sinus. We performed fistula division, coronary sinus size reduction, and complete resection of the right coronary artery aneurysm with bypass to the posterior descending artery.

Effects of normothermic organ bath and verapamil-nitroglycerin solution alone or in combination on the blood flow of radial artery.

Objective: Radial artery pedicle tissue cooling during harvesting is one of the major causes of vasospasm. We aimed to compare the effects of the pedicle rewarming method, normothermic organ bath, and one of the most preferred topical antispasmodic agents, verapamil-nitroglycerin solution alone or in combination on the blood flow of radial artery.

Methods: Consecutively randomized patients (n=80) undergoing coronary bypass were organized as four equal-sized groups.

Right coronary artery with high takeoff.

Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery is an extremely rare anomaly. We describe the case of a patient whose right coronary artery was arising from the ascending aorta with high takeoff. We diagnosed the anomaly incidentally during the operation.

Normothermia is the key for the treatment of internal thoracic artery spasm.

Background: Free flow of the internal thoracic artery decreases commonly after harvesting because of spasm. Tissue heat loss is inevitable during surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the internal thoracic artery pedicle rewarming method with topical papaverine applications in different thermal conditions.

[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.

Hybrid coronary revascularization in high-risk patients.

From January 2002 through June 2004, 17 patients (2% of all coronary cases) were treated with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting combined with percutaneous coronary intervention. There were 13 men and 4 women, whose ages ranged from 54 to 78 years (mean, 63.1 +/- 20.

Surgical therapy of pulmonary artery aneurysms: a report of 2 cases.

Pulmonary artery aneurysm is a rare condition that may be acquired rather than congenital. The natural history of pulmonary artery aneurysms is not defined yet, and management is still controversial. We present 2 cases of adult patients with pulmonary artery aneurysms who were treated surgically.

Role of physiological state 'normothermia' in internal thoracic artery spasm after harvesting.

Objective: Vasospasm is often faced after the operative preparation of internal thoracic artery. Different vasodilating pharmacological agents are being used to eliminate this problem. During the preparation of internal thoracic artery, normal, local, and systemic temperatures are lost.