Coronary artery bypass grafting in a case with severe aortic atheromatosis associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm.

A 69-year-old man with coronary artery disease associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm underwent a one-stage operation utilizing a low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass. Ordinary cardiopulmonary bypass was abandoned as a result of severe atheromatous finding in the entire aorta. However, coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass was hazardous as a result of heart enlargement and deteriorating function. Therefore, the abdominal aortic aneurysm was first replaced with a bifurcated graft. Coronary artery bypass grafting with two arterial grafts was then performed successfully on the beating heart with the support of a low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass connected to the bifurcated graft.     

Iliorenal artery bypass grafting to facilitate endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Effective endovascular repair of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) requires adequate proximal and distal landing zones to allow secure endograft attachment. We report a patient with an infrarenal AAA originating 3 mm below the left renal artery with cardiac morbidity that precluded open AAA repair. Left renal artery relocation with retroperitoneal iliorenal bypass grafting was performed to lengthen the proximal landing zone, which facilitated successful endovascular AAA repair. Postoperative surveillance after 3 years showed aneurysm reduction with a patent iliorenal bypass graft. This case underscores the utility of a combined open and endovascular approach in treatment of a challenging aortic aneurysm.     

Coronary artery disease in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm

Selective coronary angiography to determine the prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) has been performed in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Thirty patients in this series consisted of 26 men and 4 women with an age range of 48-87 years (mean +/- SD: 67.5 +/- 8.2 years). As the atherosclerotic risk factors, cigarette smoking was present in 19 patients (63.3%), hypertension was in 18 (60%), hypercholesteremia was in 10 (33.3%), and diabetes mellitus was in 2 (6.7%). Cerebral vascular disease was present in 11 patients (36.7%). Regarding CAD, angina pectoris or old myocardial infarction was found in 9 patients (30%), and abnormal electrocardiography (ECG) was in 16 patients (53.3%). Coronary angiography prior to operation of AAA was performed to 22 patients (73.3%), and 15 patients (68.2%) among them had significant coronary artery stenosis, and 9 patients underwent myocardial revascularization (4 CABG, 5 PTCA). CAD was frequently complicated both in patients without symptoms or ECG abnormalities and in less than 65-year patients. In order to prevent fatal myocardial infarction, we recommend routine coronary angiography to patients with AAA. And if necessary, myocardial revascularization must be indicated prior to aneurysmectomy.     

Simultaneous endovascular aortic aneurysm repair and coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with abdominal aortic aneurysm and left main trunk lesion

To patients with severe coronary artery disease (CAD) and expanding large abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and AAA repair has been recommended. A 68-year-old woman had a CAD and an AAA 71 mm in diameter which was enlarging. Coronary angiography showed severe stenoses in the left main trunk (LMT), the left anterior descending artery and the circumflex artery. On-pump beating CABG and AAA repair with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) were performed simultaneously, because intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP) might be needed due to severe stenoses of LMT. Just after EAVR, on-pump beating CABG was performed. The patient was discharged 15 days after the operation. It was suggested that a simultaneous operation of CABG and EVAR might be safe and effective for high risk patients with CAD and AAA.     

Simultaneous abdominal aortic aneurysm repair during the on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

A case of simultaneous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is reported. A 74-year-old man was diagnosed with left main coronary disease and infrarenal AAA. Triple CABG and infrarenal AAA repair were performed simultaneously, by different surgeons, on CPB. The duration of CPB, aortic clamp time, and total operation time was 81 min, 33 min, and 245 min, respectively. The patient was extubated three hours after ICU admission and the postoperative course was uneventful. This method is useful for reduction of operation time, for blood salvage, and for adjustment of preload and afterload of the vulnerable heart during AAA repair.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with right aortic arch; report of a case

A 60-year-old man was admitted to another hospital because of chest oppression on effort. Chest X-ray showed radiographic evidence of a right aortic arch and double vessel coronary artery disease with 50% stenosis in the left main trunk was diagnosed by coronary angiography. He was transferred to our institute for surgical treatment of angina pectoris. Preoperatively, multi-detector row computed tomography (CT) was performed and it revealed a right aortic arch and an aberrant left subclavian artery with narrow left internal thoracic artery. A right internal thoracic artery was well demonstrated. Therefore, conventional coronary artery bypass grafting using a right internal thoracic artery and a saphenous vein graft was performed and his postoperative course was uneventful.     

Two cases of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting combined with abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Two cases of coronary artery disease coexisting with abdominal aortic aneurysm were treated with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting combined with repair of the aneurysm. The first patient was a 67-year-old man exhibiting a large pulsating abdominal mass. Abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a 9-cm aneurysm and coronary angiogram revealed a 90% stenosis of the obtuse marginal branch for which percutaneous transluminal angioplasty could not be performed. He underwent simultaneous single coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass, and bifurcated graft replacement. The second patient was a 71-year-old man who had acute myocardial infarction, and one month later underwent coronary angiogram which revealed three vessel disease in the coronary artery. Computed tomography revealed a 4-cm aneurysm, and angiography showed a 90% stenosis of the left renal artery. He underwent a single stage operation that involved three coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass, straight graft replacement, and reconstruction of the left renal artery using the saphenous vein graft. The postoperative course was uneventful in both cases. We currently recommend a single stage operation involving off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.     

Simultaneous carotid endarterectomy, coronary artery bypass grafting and abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.

A case with a disease triad of an ulcerative lesion in the left internal carotid artery (LICA), severe coronary insufficiency, and an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is presented in whom we performed simultaneous carotid endarterectomy (CEA), coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and Y-graft replacement of the AAA. The operative technique is detailed and justification of the simultaneous approach in such patients is discussed.     

Coronary artery bypass surgery prior to resection of abdominal aortic aneurysm in patients with unstable coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm in greater than 60% of cases. CAD continues to affect postoperative complication rates. Half of the deaths that follow resection of abdominal aortic aneurysms are due to perioperative myocardial infarctions. On evaluation for surgical resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm, six patients were found to have significant CAD. Each underwent coronary artery bypass surgery prior to elective resection of the aneurysm. No deaths or myocardial infarctions occurred following any of the procedures. We restrict our indications for coronary angiography to the evaluation of patients with unstable angina (pain at rest or after minimal exertion) in whom noninvasive studies reveal evidence of CAD, and for patients who are unresponsive to medical management.     

Abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture after coronary artery bypass grafting

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) rupture following cardiac surgery is usually fatal. The pathogenesis of this complication is not clearly elucidated and the optimal management of the combined pathology is controversial. We report the successful management of a 77-year old man who developed a AAA rupture in the early postoperative period after coronary artery bypass grafting. The factors that predispose cardiac surgery patients with concomitant AAA to increased risk of rupture are discussed.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting in a patient with pseudothrombocytopenia: case report

A 53-year-old female patient with coronary arterial disease who had been diagnosed with conventional coronary angiography was scheduled to undergo elective coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. Preoperative routine evaluations of the whole blood count revealed severe thrombocytopenia (6000/mm3). The patient received a consultation by the internal medicine clinic. With an initial diagnosis of pseudothrombocytopenia, the patient's operation was delayed, and she was referred to a hematology clinic for further diagnosis. The thrombocyte count in heparinized whole blood was in the normal range. A smear of a fresh, nonheparinized blood sample revealed thrombocytes in aggregations of 5 to 14, which confirmed the diagnosis. The patient underwent operation with cardiopulmonary bypass with normal heparinization, and no unexpected postoperative complications, including bleeding, occurred in the early postoperative period. She had an uneventful recovery and was discharged from the hospital on the seventh postoperative day. Later routine polyclinic control evaluations showed no complications. We think the possibility of pseudothrombocytopenia should be discussed with patients. With the correct diagnosis, such patients can be safely given the chance of operation with no more than the usual risks of coronary bypass surgery.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term results of coronary artery bypass grafting in Japanese patients who were followed more than 10 years after surgery, and, without resorting to actuarial methods, to determine the factors that influence long-term survival.Subjects and Methods: From January 1984 through December 1986, 376 patients received coronary artery bypass grafting at the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery of Juntendo University; it is these patients who comprise the subject of this study. Of the 376 patients, 328 were males (87.2%) and the mean patient age was 58.5 years (range: 32 to 78 years). Single vessel disease was present in 36 patients (10.8%), double vessel disease in 89 patients (26.7%), triple vessel disease in 150 patients (45.0%) and 58 patients (17.4%) with 50% of more stenosis of the left main coronary artery. The mean number of grafts used was 2.3 grafts per patient, while internal thoracic artery conduits were used in 66 patients (17.6%).Results: The 10-year survival rate for the entire series of patients was 81.4%. Patients receiving internal thoraci? artery grafts had a 10-year survival rate of 94.0%, superior to the 78.0% rate found in patients who received only saphenous vein grafts. Other risk factors associated with reduced survival rates, besides non-use of internal thoracic artery, were: advanced age, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, presence of left main coronary artery disease, and severely impaired left ventricular function. The 10-year cardiac event free rate in the total group was 80.4%. Of 70 patients who died during the follow-up period, 19 deaths were due to cardiac causes (27.1%), 19 due to malignant neoplasm (27.1%) and 13 due to cerebral vascular accident (18.6%).Conclusions: Univariate analysis revealed that: the use of only saphenous vein grafts (P=0.0055), advanced age (P<0.0001), diabetes mellitus (P<0.0001), hypertension (P=0.0282), presence of left main coronary artery disease (P=0.0140), and severely impaired left ventricular function (P=0.0075) are associated with reduced survival in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in this cohort of patients.     

One-stage thoracic aortic aneurysm treatment and coronary artery bypass grafting

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysm accompanied by ischemic heart disease presents a surgical challenge and has up to now shown a high hospital mortality rate. This report discusses the factors contributing to improved results in these cases. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of the records of 24 consecutive patients who had undergone replacement of thoracic aorta with combined coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between May 1991 and October 1998. Fifteen patients received total arch replacement (Arch-with-CABG Group), and the other 9 patients received the Bentall operation (Bentall-with-CABG Group). These results were compared with those patients who had undergone replacement of the thoracic aorta without CABG (Without-CABG Group). RESULTS: In the combined CABG groups, the overall operative mortality rate was 16.7%. In comparison with the Arch-without-CABG Group, there was a significantly longer cardiopulmonary bypass time and longer selective cerebral perfusion time in the Arch-with-CABG Group. However, no significant difference was observed in postoperative complications between the two groups. In addition, there was no significant difference in either actuarial survival or the cardiac-event-free rate at 5 years between the replacement of thoracic aorta with- and without-CABG Groups (83.1% vs. 90.4%, and 78.5% vs. 77.7%, respectively). No reoperation and no late death were observed during the follow-up period (mean 21.3 months). CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that replacement of the thoracic aorta combined with CABG can be carried out safely, and that revascularization for coronary artery disease is useful for preventing any occurrence of cardiac event.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement in a patient with a tracheostoma.

We report a 67-year-old man with a tracheostoma who successfully underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement. He had received both a tracheostoma just above the sternal notch after total laryngectomy. As the standard full sternotomy might cause mediastinitis, we performed the operation through a lower half sternotomy with a limited skin incision. Postoperatively the wound was covered with a sterile plastic drape to prevent infection from the tracheostoma. The postoperative course was uneventful.     

Coronary artery bypass grafting for a patient with hypothyroidism--a case report]

A 59-year-old female who had been treated for hypothyroidism was admitted with angina pectoris and underwent aorto-coronary bypass grafting. On closing of the sternum, there was unexpected bleeding from the suture line between the vein graft and the ascending aorta. Histological examination of the aortic wall revealed sparsity and disruption of elastic fibers and deposition of mucopolysaccharide without any findings of atheromatous change. It is concluded that hypothyroidism can cause histological change of the aortic wall and that surgical procedures involving the aortic wall in patient with hypothyroidism should be avoided if possible.