An old but still valuable technique for popliteal artery stenosis: Endarterectomy via the posterior approach.

Isolated popliteal artery occlusions are rare compared with femoropopliteal occlusive diseases. Although endovascular procedures have gained importance in treatment, conventional surgery remains the gold standard. In this study, we reviewed popliteal endarterectomy and patch plasty using a posterior approach.

Bilateral Brachial Artery Aneurysms with Distal Embolisms in a Patient with Prolonged Crutch Compression.

Chronic axillary crutch use may lead to axillary or brachial artery aneurysms and associated axillobrachial thromboembolic complications. Most of these aneurysms remain asymptomatic and undiagnosed until a complication occurs. Early diagnosis and appropriate surgical management of the aneurysms is required for a favorable outcome.

Left ventriculo-pulmonary artery fistula.

The morbidity and mortality of complicated endocarditis remains a serious problem. Left ventriculo-pulmonary artery fistula after culture-negative native aortic valve endocarditis is quite rare. A very rare case of left ventriculo-pulmonary artery fistula arising as a result of culture-negative native aortic valve endocarditis in a 70-year-old patient with no underlying medical history other than acute cholangitis has been reviewed in the light of literature.

Pericardial SCUBE1 levels may help predict postoperative results in patients operated on for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Introduction: Signal peptide-CUB epidermal growth factorlike domain-containing protein (SCUBE1) is a newly described, secretable and measurable cellular surface protein associated with atherosclerotic lesions in humans, which may be involved in hypertension and cardiovascular pathologies. We aimed to detect normal SCUBE1 levels in pericardial fluid and investigate the effects of SCUBE1 values on postoperative outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Methods: Between February 2016 and March 2017, 184 consecutive patients were included in the study.

Ruptured Internal Carotid Artery Pseudoaneurysm 10 Years after Cervical Spine Surgery.

An iatrogenic internal carotid artery (ICA) pseudoaneurysm is an extremely rare complication of cervical spine surgery. Here we report an extraordinary case of massive hematemesis due to a ruptured ICA pseudoaneurysm caused by the laminoplasty plate 10 years after cervical spine surgery. Computed tomography angiography revealed a ruptured 4×10-mm left extracranial ICA pseudoaneurysm probably connected to the pharynx.

FOLFIRI-Mediated Toxicity in Human Aortic Smooth Muscle Cells and Possible Amelioration with Curcumin and Quercetin.

Systemic chemotherapy-mediated cell toxicity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and atherosclerosis. Life-threatening acute events of the FOLFIRI (irinotecan, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil) regimen are mainly due to DNA damage induced by antimetabolite and topoisomerase inhibition effects. However, the role of human aortic smooth muscle cells (HaVSMCs) in this process and the mechanisms of oxidative stress, DNA and protein damage and apoptosis have not been investigated.

Retinal ganglion cell complex and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses following carotid endarterectomy.

Purpose: To examine changes in retinal ganglion cell complex (GCC) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses by optical coherence tomography (OCT) in contralateral and ipsilatateral eyes of carotid artery stenosis (CAS) patients before and after carotid endarterectomy (CEA).

Methods: Forty-two consecutive patients diagnosed with CAS (70-99% stenosis rate) who underwent CEA were included in this prospective cross-sectional study. The indication for CEA was based on the Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study.

Clinical correlation of biopsy results in patients with temporal arteritis.

Objective: Temporal arteritis is systemic vasculitis of medium and large sized vessels. The lowest incidence rates were reported in Turkey, Japan and Israel. We aimed to investigate the results of patients with biopsy-proven temporal arteritis and those classified according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria from a low-incidence region for temporal arteritis.

Avoiding Liver Injury with Papaverine and Ascorbic Acid Due to Infrarenal Cross-Clamping: an Experimental Study.

Objective:: Ischemia-reperfusion injury after acute ischemia treatment is a serious condition with high mortality and morbidity. Ischemia-reperfusion injury may result in organ failure particularly in kidney, lung, liver, and heart. In our study, we investigated the effects of papaverine and vitamin C on ischemia-reperfusion injury developed in the rat liver after occlusion-reperfusion of rat aorta.

Impact of Surgeon Experience During Carotid Endarterectomy Operation and Effects on Perioperative Outcomes.

Objective: We evaluated the effect of surgeon experience on complication and mortality rates of carotid endarterectomy operation.

Methods: Fifty-nine consecutive patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy between January 2013 and February 2016 were divided into two groups. Patients who had been operated by surgeons performing carotid endarterectomy for more than 10 years were allocated to group 1 (experienced surgeons; n=34).

Comparison of early period results of blood use in open heart surgery.

Background: Various adverse effects of homologous blood transfusion detected particularly in open heart surgery, in which it is frequently used, lead researchers to study on autologous blood use and to evaluate the patient's blood better. Due to the complications of homologous blood transfusion, development of techniques that utilize less transfusion has become inevitable. We aimed to evaluate the effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

Impact of Experiencing Acute Coronary Syndrome Prior to Open Heart Surgery on Psychiatric Status.

Objective: The incidence of depression and anxiety is higher in patients with acute coronary syndrome. The aim of this study is to determine whether experiencing acute coronary syndrome prior to open heart surgery affects patients in terms of depression, hopelessness, anxiety, fear of death and quality of life.

Methods: The study included 63 patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery between January 2015 and January 2016.

A rare cause in etiology of left atrial mass: metastatic testicular germ cell tumor.

Although intracardiac metastasis of germ cell tumors is rare, it can be localized in the right or left heart by disseminating spread and give their cardiac symptoms depending on the location of metastatic mass. We present a 38-year-old male patient with a preliminary diagnosis of testicular tumor who was followed by the medical oncology clinic with cerebrovascular event and heart failure symptoms.

Evaluation of Pericardial Fluid C-Type Natriuretic Peptide Levels in Patients Undergoing Coronary Bypass Surgery.

 Neurohumoral and hemodynamic mechanisms have an effect on cardiac activity. C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is accessible in the cardiovascular system. The aim of this study was to determine whether CNP concentrations in pericardial fluid and blood are related to cardiac dysfunction in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

A Rare Etiology of Heart Failure: Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula Due to Stab Injury 17 Years Ago.

Background: Although traumatic fistula is frequently encountered, high-output heart failure due to fistula is a very rare condition. Despite an indefinitive history of trauma, arteriovenous (AV) fistula may develop insidiously, and therefore identification of a shunt is highly important for treatment.

Case Report: Here we report a 46-year-old male patient with heart failure due to traumatic femoral arteriovenous fistula developed following a penetrating stab injury 17 years ago.

Coronary artery bypass graft surgery in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate effects of congestive heart failure on coronary revascularization results in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and operated for elective coronary revascularization.

Methods: The data were collected retrospectively from 126 consecutive patients with left ventricular dysfunction caused by coronary artery disease between January 2007 and January 2012. Patients admitted to hospital with angina complaints without congestive heart failure symptoms were group 1 and patients with severe congestive heart failure symptoms were group 2.

Is it necessary to use an intraluminal shunt in symptomatic patients with contralateral carotid artery stenosis?

Background: We aimed to investigate our results of carotid endarterectomy operations in symptomatic patients operated by using an intraluminal shunt and without use of an intraluminal shunt in patients with contralateral carotid artery stenosis.

Methods: We reviewed the results of 144 carotid endarterectomy operations in patients with contralateral carotid artery stenosis from January 2007 to December 2012. These patients were allocated in 2 groups.

Surgical management of iatrogenic femoral artery pseudoaneurysms: A 10-year experience.

Background: Vascular complications of cardiac catheterization have increased in line with increasing number of percutaneous interventions. Open repair is the standard method of treatment for true and false aneurysms of femoral artery. We report results of patients operated due to femoral artery pseudoaneurysm after cardiac catheterization.

The effect of distension pressure on endothelial injury and vasodilatation response in saphenous vein grafts: conversion of a bypass graft to a dead pipe.

Introduction: Endothelial damage caused by high pressure applied for spasm relaxation during graft preparation is one of the most plausible theories explaining early graft failure.

Aim Of The Study: We aimed to demonstrate the extent of endothelial damage in saphenous vein grafts distended to different pressure levels by using immunohistochemical methods and in vitro tissue baths.

Material And Methods: Saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) of 25 patients who underwent isolated elective CABG surgery were used in this study.

The effects of sildenafil and n-acetylcysteine on ischemia and reperfusion injury in gastrocnemius muscle and femoral artery endothelium.

Purpose: We aimed to examine the effects of sildenafil and n-acetylcystein on ischemia/reperfusion injury in femoral artery endothelium and gastrocnemius muscle.

Basic Methods: 32 rats of Sprague-Dawley breed were randomly divided into four groups (n=8). Median laparotomy was performed, then a 120-minute ischemia was created by microvascular clamping of infrarenal aorta, followed by the release of clamping.

In vitro effects of L-carnitine on coronary artery bypass grafts.

Background: The gold standard treatment for multivessel coronary revascularization is coronary artery bypass grafting. The internal mammary artery and saphenous vein grafts are the conduits most frequently used for these operations. Spasm of arterial and venous grafts is a significant problem during the operation.