In situ skeletonized bilateral thoracic artery for left coronary circulation: a 20-year experience.

Objectives: Our goal was to analyse the outcomes in a patient population using a standardized technique for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) consisting of total arterial myocardial revascularization utilizing the in situ skeletonized bilateral thoracic artery for left coronary circulation. We also explored potential predictors of long-time unfavourable outcomes.

Methods: Patients undergoing total arterial myocardial revascularization using in situ skeletonized bilateral thoracic artery for left coronary circulation between January 1997 and May 2017 were included prospectively in this study.

Surgery for anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries: a multicentre study from the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association†.

Objectives: We sought to describe early and late outcomes in a large surgical series of patients with anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries.

Methods: We performed a retrospective multicentre study including surgical patients with anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries since 1991. Patients with isolated high coronary takeoff and associated major congenital heart disease were excluded.

Anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries: Early results on clinical management from an international multicenter study.

Background: Anomalous aortic origin of coronary arteries (AAOCA) is a rare abnormality, whose optimal management is still undefined. We describe early outcomes in patients treated with different management strategies.

Methods: This is a retrospective clinical multicenter study including patients with AAOCA, undergoing or not surgical treatment.

The Side Effects of the Most Commonly Used Group of Antibiotics in Periodontal Treatments.

Antibiotic combinations are preferred for the treatment of periodontal diseases, with the aim of hitting the bacterial flora, according to its characteristics-aerobic, anaerobic, gram-negative, and gram-positive-with certain antibiotics that act on certain bacteria. The aim of this study is to analyze the side effects of the antibiotics used. Data on the side effects (preferably expressed in percentages) of some antibiotics, the favorites in periodontal recipes, are gathered from the literature.

Deep sternal infections after in situ bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting for left ventricular myocardial revascularization: predictors and influence on 20-year outcomes.

Background: The incidence and potential factors influencing deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) in a cohort of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) was explored. Furthermore, we studied influence of DSWI on long-term survival, major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) and repeat coronary revascularization (RCR).

Methods: The study cohort consisted of 1,325 consecutive patients who were divided in two groups: patients experiencing DSWI (n=33, group 1) and those who did not have sternal infection (n=1,292, group 2).

Localized constrictive pericarditis compressing and obstructing the right ventricular inflow tract due to a giant anterior calcified cardiac mass. A case report.

Introduction: Localized pericardial constriction is a rare form of constrictive pericarditis CP. Depending on the CP location, clinical presentation may be variable, including compression and obstruction of right ventricular inflow tract(RVIT), coronary obstruction, or pulmonary stenosis.

Case Presentation: A 72-year-old man presented a 2-year history of dyspnea and atrial fibrillation.

Successful surgical employment of Impella recovery system for right ventricular failure after previous aortic valve replacement.

A 58-year-old woman underwent aortic valve replacement. On the second postoperative day the patient referred a sharply chest pain, and an emergent coronary angiography revealed total occlusion of the right coronary artery. An intra-aortic ballon pump was placed and the patient underwent emergent off-pump coronary revascularization of the right coronary artery.

Early and Mid-term Outcome of the St. Jude Medical Regent 19-mm Aortic Valve Mechanical Prosthesis. Functional and Haemodynamic Evaluation.

Background And Objectives: The aim of the present study is to report the early and mid-term clinical and haemodynamic results of the St Jude Medical Regent 19-mm aortic mechanical prothesis (SJMR-19).

Materials And Methods: Between January 2002 and January 2012, 265 patients with aortic valve disease underwent AVR (Aortic Valve Replacement) with a SJMR-19 (St Jude Medical Regent Nr.19).

The burden and epidemiology of community-acquired central nervous system infections: a multinational study.

Risk assessment of central nervous system (CNS) infection patients is of key importance in predicting likely pathogens. However, data are lacking on the epidemiology globally. We performed a multicenter study to understand the burden of community-acquired CNS (CA-CNS) infections between 2012 and 2014.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support for life-threatening acute severe status asthmaticus.

Introduction: Status asthmaticus is a life-threatening condition characterized by progressive respiratory failure due to asthma that is unresponsive to standard therapeutic measures. We used extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to treat patients with near-fatal status asthamticus who did not respond to aggressive medical therapies and mechanical ventilation under controlled permissive hypercapnia.

Materials And Methods: Between January 2011 and October 2015, we treated 16 adult patients with status asthmaticus (8 women, 8 men, mean age: 50.

Surgical treatment of a giant unruptured aneurysm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva: a case report.

Background: A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare cardiac anomaly which may be acquired or congenital. The main associated symptoms are conduction disturbances, myocardial ischemia, and syncopes.

Case Presentation: In this report we describe a 52-year-old Albanian woman from Kosovo with an unruptured aneurysm of 74×60 mm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva presenting dyspnea, jugular distension, and tachycardia due to cardiac compression.

A rare coronary anomaly consisting of a single right coronary ostium in an adult undergoing surgical coronary revascularization: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Coronary arteries originating from the right coronary ostium in the ascending aorta represent a very rare anatomic presentation. Also, the presence of a single coronary ostium is an extremely rare finding.

Case Presentation: We present the case of a 74-year-old Albanian man from Kosovo.

"Extroverted Cuff", a novel modification of the elephant trunk technique for distal anastomosis of ragged descending aorta.

Background: The elephant trunk technique has been applied in various situations including distal aortic dissection, entire aortic replacement, proximal aortic aneurysm, proximal aortic dissection, and Marfan's syndrome. The elephant trunk technique remains a challenge in cardiac surgery. Here we report a modification of this surgical approach.

Cellular cardiomyoplasty into infracted swine's hearts by retrograde infusion through the venous coronary sinus: An experimental study.

Objectives: The aim was to create a model of myocardial infarction with a borderline myocardial impairment which would enable evaluation of the retrograde cellular cardiomyoplasty through the venous coronary sinus in a large animal model.

Materials And Methods: Fifteen (study group) and 10 juvenile farm pigs (control group) underwent distal left anterior descending artery ligation. One month later the study group animals underwent sternotomy and a murine myoblastic line C2-C12 was injected at a constant pressure of 30mmHg, into the coronary sinus.

Early Clinical Outcome of Acute Poisoning Cases Treated in Intensive Care Unit.

Introduction: A variety of factors have influenced the significant incidence of morbidity and mortality of acute poisoning and the timely recognition and properly management of critically ill poisoned patients is a key component. The aim of this study is to reveal the reasons for ICU admission of acutely poisoned patients, the main factors influencing the course and outcome of patients in relation with clinical approaches applied, available resources and infrastructure of treatment.

Materials And Methods: This is a retrospective study based on most reachable variables extracted from patients' medical records and ED registers of patients admitted at the medical ICU of "Mother Teresa" University Hospital in Tirana over two (2012-2013) years.

Early and mid-term outcome in terms of functional and hemodynamic performance of the st. Jude regent 19-mm aortic mechanical prosthesis versus 19-mm carpentier edwards aortic biological prosthesis.

Background: The aim of the present study is to compare the early and mid-term clinical and hemodynamic results of the aortic valve replacement (AVR) with a St Jude Medical Regent 19-mm prosthesis (SJMR-19) versus Carpentied-Edwars bovine pericardial 19-mm valve (CE-19).

Methods: Between January 2002 and January 2012, 265 patients (Group I) and 58 patients (Group II) with underwent AVR with a SJMR-19 and CE-19 respectively. There were no significant differences between groups regarding the demographic and preoperative echocardiographic data.

Antituberculosis drug resistance patterns in adults with tuberculous meningitis: results of haydarpasa-iv study.

Background: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to antituberculosis drugs is an increasingly common clinical problem. This study aimed to evaluate drug resistance profiles of TBM isolates in adult patients in nine European countries involving 32 centers to provide insight into the empiric treatment of TBM.

Methods: Mycobacterium tuberculosis was cultured from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 142 patients and was tested for susceptibility to first-line antituberculosis drugs, streptomycin (SM), isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RIF) and ethambutol (EMB).

Unusual localization of a primary pleomorphic malignant fibrous histiocytoma on the mitral valve: a case report and review of the literature.

Introduction: It has been reported that cardiac malignant fibrous histiocytomas occur more frequently in the left side of the heart, especially in the left atrium, but rarely invade the mitral valve. We present a case with a giant malignant fibrous histiocytoma with an unusual localization involving almost the entire left atrium, mitral valve, and left superior pulmonary vein.

Case Presentation: We describe the case of a 54-year-old woman from Kosovo admitted to our emergency department with dyspnea.

Primary Cardiac Synovial Sarcoma Originating From the Mitral Valve Causing Left Ventricular Outflow Tract Obstruction.

An 11-year-old boy was admitted with complaints of syncope and convulsion. Echocardiogram revealed a mass measuring 2 × 4 cm related to the mitral subvalvular apparatus. The mass, which appeared to be attached to the anterolateral papillary muscle, protruded into the left ventricular outflow tract causing intermittent obstruction.

Does the St. Jude Regent 17-mm Offer Better Outcomes Than the Hemodynamic Plus 17-mm Aortic Valve Mechanical Prothesis?

Objective: The aim of the present study is to report the early and mid-term clinical and hemodynamic results of a prospective trial investigating the clinical performance of the St. Jude Medical Regent 17 mm (SJMR-17) versus St. Jude Medical Hemodynamic Plus 17 mm (SJMHP-17).

Surgical excision of a giant calcified amorphous tumour of the right ventricle and right pulmonary artery.

A cardiac calcified amorphous tumour (CCAT) is a rare non-neoplastic intracavitary mass with unknown causes. We describe a 32-year old male presenting with progressive dyspnoea, cough and oedemas. The transthoracic echocardiography and contrast-enhanced angio-computed tomography demonstrated a 4 × 10 cm calcified mass into the right ventricle and total occlusion of the right pulmonary artery.

Acquired Gerbode defect following endocarditis of the tricuspid valve: a case report and literature review.

The Gerbode's defect is a communication between the left ventricle and right atrium. It is usually congenital, but rarely is acquired, as a complication of endocarditis, myocardial infarction, trauma, or after previous cardiac surgery. The acquired Gerbode defect with involvement of the tricuspid valve acquired after bacterial endocarditis can be challenging to repair.