Off-pump CABG for a patient with a brain tumor.

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump CABG) was performed on a patient with a brain tumor. A patient with effort angina of the left anterior descending artery (LAD), and diagonal branch stenosis was referred to us for CABG. He had a mass lesion in the brain that was diagnosed as meningioma involving the internal carotid artery and a middle cerebral artery. To avoid brain complications, we performed off-pump CABG using the internal thoracic and radial arteries to the LAD and a diagonal branch. Off-pump CABG was an effective method to avoid brain complications for patients with a brain tumor involving cerebral vessels.     

Left breast necrosis following cardiac bypass surgery

The following is a case report of left breast necrosis following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a woman previously treated for a stage I breast carcinoma. To our knowledge this is the first such report of its kind in the literature. We believe that breast tumor extirpation and internal mammary artery utilization in combination are not sufficient insults on the vascularity of the breast to account for necrosis, but rather we feel that a variety of conditions are necessary for vascular compromise to occur.     

Diagnosis of an intraoperative aortic dissection by transesophageal echocardiography during routine coronary artery bypass grafting surgery

Acute aortic dissection during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), though rare, causes significant morbidity and mortality. We report a case of postcardiopulmonary bypass aortic dissection in a 73-yr-old man who presented for CABG. The diagnosis was made by transesophageal echocardiography and allowed immediate treatment of the potentially lethal complication. IMPLICATIONS: Acute aortic dissection during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), though rare causes frequent morbidity and mortality. We report a case of postcardiopulmonary bypass aortic dissection in a 73-yr-old man who presented for CABG. Diagnosis made by transesophageal echocardiography allowed immediate treatment of the potentially lethal complication.     

Off-pump coronary artery bypass: early results.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on a beating-heart has gained the attention of cardiac surgeons and shown favorable initial results. However, only a few follow-up results have been reported. We report herein our one-year experiences of off-pump CABG performed at Shin-Tokyo Hospital. METHODS: Retrospective chart review was performed for patients who underwent off-pump CABG and conventional isolated CABG between 01/01/98 and 12/31/98. Preoperative, perioperative, and follow-up data were collected. RESULTS: Among 315 cases of isolated CABG, 94 cases were off-pump CABG (male/female 69/25, mean age 67.7). Mean number of distal anastomoses performed by off-pump CABG was 1.7 +/- 0.7 (42 cases of single-vessel revascularization and 52 cases of more than double- vessel revascularization). In off-pump CABG, there were no hospital deaths and 6 major complications including 2 incidences of perioperative myocardial infarction. Postoperative angiography before hospital discharge was performed in 56 patients (59.6%, 98 anastomosis) and revealed 5 occlusions, giving a graft patency rate of 94.9%. During the follow-up (11.4 +/- 4.1 months), there was 1 late non-cardiac death and 11 cardiac events. The event-free rate at 18 months was 94.0% in off-pump CABG, showing no significant difference from the event-free rate after conventional CABG (94.0% at 18 months, p = 0.135). Follow-up angiography was performed in 21 patients (33 anastomoses) at a mean interval of 3.6 months and showed 4 graft occlusions, giving a patency rate of 92.7%. CONCLUSION: Both hospital and early results of off-pump CABG were acceptable. Off-pump CABG can be safely performed in selected patients.     

Surgery for Advanced Gastric Cancer After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Using the Right Gastroepiploic Artery: Report of a Case

Ischemic heart disorders are often treated by coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA). We report the case of a 57-year-old man with a history of CABG using the RGEA, who underwent D2 radical total gastrectomy followed by Roux-en-Y anastomosis, with successful dissection of the #6 lymph nodes, while preserving the RGEA. The patient had a 9-month history of gastric cancer, during which time the Maruyama Vaccine (Specific Substance Maruyama, or SSM) was given as alternative therapy. This case report serves to demonstrate that radical gastrectomy can be safely performed after CABG using the RGEA, and that gastric cancer will progress in spite of SSM therapy.     

Surgical resection following combination chemotherapy with oral s-1 and biweekly docetaxel in a patient with advanced gastric cancer and a prior coronary artery bypass graft with the right gastroepiploic artery: Report of a case

Cardiothoracic surgeons commonly use the internal thoracic artery (ITA) and the right gastroepiploic artery (RGEA) when performing a coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Although the development of CABG surgery has enabled long-term survival in patients with coronary artery disease, malignant diseases are more common in older patients. We present the case of a 75-year-old man who had previously undergone CABG with the RGEA and had later developed advanced gastric cancer. We treated this patient with two courses of combination chemotherapy using S-1 and docetaxel as induction therapy, followed by successful tumor resection. Therefore, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was effective for preserving the CABG with the RGEA in a patient with advanced gastric cancer.     

Diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia susceptibility during CABG surgery

A 55-year-old man presented for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Malignant hyperthermia (MH) was suspected in his family. This case report describes a diagnostic approach to obtain a definite MH diagnosis by performing an in vitro contracture test at the time of CABG surgery in combination with molecular genetic investigations.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract    Coronary artery disease remains a major cause of mortality and morbidity with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report two cases of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) associated with SLE. The first patient (a 45-year-old woman) underwent CABG operation for left main and two-vessel coronary disease using cardiopulmonary bypass. Successful CABG was done using off-pump technique in the second patient (a 39-year-old woman) under hemodialysis therapy. Both patients showed good postoperative outcome without complications.     

Combined surgery for coronary artery disease and pheochromocytoma

PURPOSE: To report a case of severe coronary artery disease complicating pheochromocytoma, managed with combined coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and adrenalectomy. CLINICAL FEATURES: A 55-yr-old woman presented with poorly controlled hypertension and investigation revealed an active pheochromocytoma of her left adrenal gland. During medical preparation for adrenalectomy, she developed an acute myocardial infarct complicated with unstable angina. This required urgent CABG, and combined surgery for the triple vessels coronary artery disease and the pheochromocytoma was planned. We explain the details of medical preparation before surgery and the anesthetic considerations during the surgical procedure. Postoperative recovery was normal and no complication occurred. Even if the pheochromocytoma was malignant, her urinary catecholamines two months after the surgery were normal and remain normal after more than two years of follow-up. CONCLUSION: We report a patient who underwent combined CABG and adrenalectomy for pheochromocytoma. The CABG was done first, followed by the adrenalectomy with invasive monitoring. The procedure was well tolerated with cure of the two underlying conditions. So we propose that combined procedure should be considered in this clinical setting.     

Cognitive self-assessment one year after on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with significant cerebral morbidity. This is usually manifested as cognitive decline and may be caused by cardiopulmonary bypass. The primary objective of this study was to explore whether patients report more cognitive failures 1 year after CABG than preoperatively. Secondary objectives were to evaluate whether there is a difference in reported cognitive failures between patients undergoing on-pump and off-pump CABG and whether a difference between CABG patients and healthy control subjects exists. Finally the relation between objective and subjective cognitive functioning was quantified. METHODS: In this prospective study, the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) was assigned preoperatively and 1 year postoperatively to 81 patients who were randomly assigned to undergo off-pump (n = 45) or on-pump (n = 36) CABG. A control sample of 112 age-matched healthy subjects was included who were administered the CFQ once. RESULTS: No difference was found in the total CFQ score (p = 0.222) and CFQ worry score (p = 0.207) between 1 year after CABG and before CABG. There was no difference between on-pump and off-pump CABG (total score, p = 0.458; worry score, p = 0.563). A significant difference was found in CFQ total score between CABG patients and control subjects (p < 0.001), with control subjects reporting more cognitive failures than CABG patients. Finally, patients who showed cognitive decline in the Octopus trial did not have a higher CFQ total score (p = 0.671) and CFQ worry score (p = 0.772) than patients without cognitive decline 1 year after CABG. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggest that CABG does not result in a substantial proportion of patients with subjectively experienced cognitive decline 1 year after the procedure, irrespective of the type of surgical technique (on-pump versus off-pump).     

Simultaneous surgery for unstable angina and gastric cancer: a case report

This report describes a case in which an 81-year-old male underwent two operations simultaneously for unstable angina and gastric cancer. Successfully performed procedures were off pump CABG with bilateral IMA, and total gastrectomy. The post operative course was uneventful. Off pump CABG is an effective procedure in patient with malignant neoplasm.     

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting via a left thoracotomy in a patient with left main trunk disease

We report a case of multiple coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) via a left thoracotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass. A 54-year-old female with unstable angina pectoris associated with left main trunk disease underwent emergency CABG. Because the patient had a history of total arch and aortic root replacement due to type A aortic dissection, a left thoracotomy approach was selected. The proximal end of the Y-shaped saphenous vein graft was anastomosed to the left subclavian artery, rather than to the descending aorta, owing to the remaining aortic dissection. The distal end of the Y-shaped saphenous vein graft was anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery and the posterolateral branch without cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative course was uneventful. The results of this surgery seem to indicate that off-pump CABG via a left thoracotomy is a viable technique, especially for patients undergoing repeat CABG.     

Human cytokine responses to coronary artery bypass grafting with and without cardiopulmonary bypass.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with a systemic inflammatory response. This has been attributed to cytokine release caused by extracorporeal circulation and myocardial ischemia. This study compares the inflammatory response after CABG with cardiopulmonary bypass and after minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCABG) without cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: Cytokine release and complement activation (interleukin-6 and interleukin-8, soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2, complement factor C3a, and C1 esterase inhibitor) were determined in 24 patients before and after CABG or MIDCABG. The maximum body temperature, chest drainage, and fluid balance were recorded for 24 hours after operation. RESULTS: Release of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor receptors 1 and 2 was significantly higher (p < or = 0.005) in the CABG group than the MIDCABG group just after operation. After 24 hours, a significant increase in interleukin-6 was also found in the MIDCABG group (p = 0.001) compared with preoperative value. Body temperature and fluid balance were significantly higher after CABG (p < or = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting represents a less traumatizing technique of surgical revascularization. The reduction in the inflammatory response may be advantageous for patients with a high degree of comorbidity.     

Off-pump on-pump coronary artery bypass decision-making.

BACKGROUND: Coronary revascularization on the beating heart is an attractive to option conventional coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) but remains controversial. Our study encourages sufficient proper time for decision-making when changing CABG from off-pump to on-pump CABG. We report herein patients who changed from off-pump CABG to on-pump CABG. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 240 patients operated upon at Cardiology Hospital of Lyon University between July 1998 and July 2000, and at one unit of Cardiac Surgery, yielded 88 patients with off-pump coronary surgery (off CAB), 21 patients changed from off-pump CABG to on-pump CABG. The other 131 patients were operated on as on-pump CABG. RESULTS: There was no operative mortality. One month postoperative mortality was only one patient out of 21 due to cardiac failure and arrhythmias. There was no significant difference in the postoperative intensive care unit (ICU) time and length of hospital stay compared with off-pump CABG. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that a fair number of patients are potential candidates for off CAB. The only contraindication is the technical limitation or the surgeon comfort level. Changing from off CAB to on CAB can be decided for the patient's safety within the appropriate time intraoperatively without fear of more postoperative complications than with off CAB surgery.     

Coronary artery surgery results 2002 in Japan.

Over the past 30 years, we have reported on status and outcome of coronary artery bypass surgery in Japan. This report is focused on surgery performed last year, from January 1 to December 31, 2002. A total of 13,474 cases underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) of these, 12,552 underwent CABG only. The operative mortality for patients who underwent CABG only was 2.04% in 2002. Mortality for initial elective CABG was 1.02%. These are the best results obtained since surveys were started. The percentage of elderly patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery is rising annually. In 2002, 44.4% of patients were aged 70 years or older and 6.9% were aged 80 years or older. Mortality in elderly patients undergoing initial elective surgery is decreasing, with a mortality of 1.3% for patients aged 70 years or older and 2.0% for patients aged 80 years or older. Since 1996, the number of off-pump CABG (OPCAB) cases remarkably increased annually. This less-invasive procedure was performed on 5,628 patients in 2002, which is 41.8% of the total number of CABG cases.     

Off-pump coronary artery bypass

OBJECTIVES: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on the beating heart has become popular procedure in cardiac surgery and its initial results appeared favorable. We report our early and mid-term results of off-pump CABG performed at Shin-Tokyo Hospital. METHODS: Medical records of patients undergoing off-pump or conventional on-pump CABG from September 1, 1996, to August 31, 1999 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients underwent off-pump CABG were further classified into 2 groups; MIDCAB (Off-pump CABG for single vessel revascularization via a small skin incision) and OPCAB (off-pump CABG mainly approached via midline sternotomy) group. Their preoperative, perioperative, and follow-up data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Among a total of 995 cases of CABG, 194 cases were off-pump CABG (male/female 142/52, mean age 66.9). The mean number of distal anastomoses in off-pump CABG was 1.9 +/- 0.9 (1.0 +/- 0.0 in MIDCAB and 2.3 +/- 0.7 in OPCAB), which was significantly fewer than in on-pump CABG (3.6 +/- 1.1), with p < 0.0001. Intubation time (5.3 +/- 5.7 hours in off-pump CABG vs 13.1 +/- 24.2 hours in on-pump CABG), ICU stay (1.7 +/- 1.1 vs 3.2 +/- 3.0 days), and postoperative hospital stay (14.0 +/- 7.9 vs 18.1 +/- 12.1 days) in off-pump CABG were significantly shorter than in on-pump CABG (p < 0.0001). In the off-pump CABG group, there were no in-hospital deaths and 14 major complications, fewer than in on-pump CABG (8 hospital deaths and 114 major complications). Postoperative angiography before hospital discharge was conducted in 80 patients (41.2%) and showed 2 occlusions, giving a graft patency rate of 98.6% in the off-pump group. During follow-up (0.9 +/- 0.6 year) period, there were 5 non-cardiac deaths and 20 cardiac events in the off-pump group. The actuarial survival rate at 36 months was 94.6% for off-pump CABG, showing no significant difference from the rate for conventional CABG patients (95.2% at 36 month, p = NS) The event-free rate was 84.0% at 36 months in off-pump CABG patients; however, which was less favorable than on-pump CABG patients (88.0% at 36 months, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both in-hospital and mid-term results for off-pump CABG patients were acceptable. Isolated CABG can thus be safely performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. Advances in coronary stabilization have contributed to these improved results. The observed long-term cardiac events may be related to incomplete revascularization.     

Usefulness of one-stage coronary artery bypass grafting on the beating heart and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is commonly associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). Simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) under cardiac arrest and AAA repair may be considerably invasive. Recently CABG under the beating heart without CPB has been reported as a less invasive method. We report the combined operation of CABG on a beating heart and AAA repair for AAA patients with CAD, and compare it with a separate operation. A retrospective review of the records of consecutive patients who underwent elective combined procedure or single operation for CABG on a beating heart and/or repair of the AAA between May 1999 and October 2001 was carried out. Ten patients underwent combined procedures. A single operation, CABG on a beating heart or repair of AAA, were performed in 27 or 19 patients. There were no significant differences with regard to intraoperative blood loss, transfusion and postoperative intubation time among the three groups. There was no operative mortality for any of the three groups. All cases were discharged without severe complications and with patent coronary bypass grafts. There was a decrease in mean total hospital costs for the combined operation group compared with the CABG group plus AAA repair group (3.34 million versus 5.87 million yen). Combined CABG on a beating heart and AAA repair on a one-step approach appears to be a safe and useful therapeutic strategy for AAA patients with CAD.     

Aortic connector for coronary revascularization in a patient with Takayasu''s disease

Takayasu's disease affects the aorta and its major branches including coronary arteries, some of which may require coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, calcification of the aorta affected by Takayasu's disease often makes proximal anastomosis of a vein graft very difficult. In addition, since the major branches of the aortic arch are also frequently affected by it, the internal mammary arteries are unsuitable for use in CABG. We report a 60-year-old woman with stenosis of the left main coronary artery and heavy aortic calcification caused by Takayasu's disease whose severe angina was successfully relieved by off-pump CABG using mechanical aortic connectors for proximal vein graft anastomoses.     

Calcified amorphous tumors with excision in hemodialysis patients: report of 2 cases

We report 2 cases of calcified amorphous tumor (CAT) in hemodialysis patients. Case 1 is a 68-year-old man who had received hemodialysis for 11 years due to diabetic nephropathy with renal failure. He was admitted because of shortness of breath. After appropriate diagnostic testing, we found a 7 mm movable tumor on the side of the left atrium causing stenosis at the base of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). We suspected this to be a myxoma. We performed a myxomectomy and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The tumor had a stalk and hemogenesis on the surface. Case 2 is a 63-year-old man who had received continuous ambulatory peritoneal hemodialysis for 18 months due to diabetic nephropathy with renal failure. He was admitted because of subjective complaints of chest compression and shortness of breath. Ultrasound cardiography revealed 16 mm tumor on the posterior mitral valve leaflet with mild mitral regurgitation. We removed the tumor and placed a mitral valve prosthesis. Grossly the tumor was encapsulated with endocardium. On pathological examination, both tumors were CATs. CAT is a lesion characterized by calcified fibrin deposits. Preoperative diagnosis of these tumors is difficult. While many surgeons elect to conservatively watch these tumors among dialysis patients, when they are movable, there is a risk of embolism and we should remove the tumor early.