Coronary endarterectomy on beating heart: Our experience

Introduction Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) associated with Endarterectomy is a high risk procedure. After the first report of coronary endarterectomy by Bailey et al in 1951, the preference for this surgical procedure was decreased due to increased morbidity and mortality In patients with total or subtotal large coronary artery obstructions in which there is no possibility to receive a conduit as graft for myocardial revascularisation, endarterectomy remains the procedure of choice. This study was designed to study early and midterm results of off pump coronary artery endarterectomy. Methods Of 172 Consecutive Off Pump CABG done at our institution from Jan 2003 to July 2005, 22 patients underwent supplementary coronary endarterectomy. 16 patients had chronic stable angina 4 had unstable angina two required emergency CABG with endarterectomy following perioperative infarction. The mean ejection fraction was 29.2±4.3 and all of the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) III or IV. All patients were planned for complete total arterial revascularisation using Left Internal Mammary Artery (LIMA). Right Internal Mammary Artery (RIMA), Radial composite “Y” graft, Two patients operated for periop infarct received vein graft. In 16 patients closed endarterectomy was done in five patients double endarterectomy in single vessel was done to chase the plaque distally, in one patient open left anterior descending (LAD) endarterectomy with vein patch reconstruction was performed. Results There were no deaths. None of the procedures were converted to on pump operation. All endarterectomies and bypasses were performed on Beating Heart, all patients were completely revascularised. Peri operative cardiac enzymes studied showed no significant rise in the Creatinine Phoshpokinase (CPK)-Creatinine Phosphokinase myocardial Band (CPK-MB). The mean postoperative Ejection Fraction (EF) was 36.7%±7.2% which was significantly higher than the Preoperative one (p<.05). At the end of four months to one and half year 22 patients were in NYHA class I to II and all were angina free in canadian cardiovascular society class.f Conclusions Coronary End Arterectomy without cardiopulmonary bypass can be performed in patients who are expected to benefit from complete revascularisation. It can be performed with closed as well as open method. However to achieve complete endarterectomy by closed technique in some patients it is essential to chase the plaque. Early and mid term results are encouraging.     

Comparison of 1-Year Colectomy Risk Between the US and Korean Patients with Acute Severe Ulcerative Colitis: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis

Digestive Diseases and Sciences - Colectomy risk after acute severe ulcerative colitis (ASUC) has not been compared between Eastern and Western countries. We compared the 1-year colectomy risk...     

Foreign body in ocular coats causing a pseudo optic nerve head shadow

Small intraocular foreign body in the outer coats of the eye may be wrongly interpreted as optic nerve head on ultrasound imaging. Such errors can be avoided by performing multiple sonography scans in different axes.     

Acquired granular pool defect in stored platelets

Platelets stored as concentrates (PC) for 72 h at 22 degrees C develop a functional defect. Alterations in adenine nucleotides of platelets have been shown to affect platelet function. Adenine nucleotide content of platelets was measured before and after storage and a decrease of 27.1 /+- 1.7% (mean /+- SE) in ATP and 39.1 /+- 2.6% in ADP were found in 34 PC stored with final volume of 50 ml. In 11 PC with 30 ml volume. ATP and ADP decreased by 39.4 /+- 3.2% and 49.4 /+- 2.1%, respectively. The mean ATP to ADP ratio of stored platelets was significantly higher than of fresh platelets in both groups, suggesting a relatively greater decrease in granular than metabolic pool nucleotides. Levels of low affinity platelet factor 4 measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma from 0.86 /+- 0.08 microgram/ml in the fresh PC to 8.59 /+- 0.39 microgram/ml in stored PC, indicating a concomitant alpha-granular secretion. Labeling of metabolic pool with 14C-adenine revealed a mean decrease in the adenylate energy charge of 2.0 /+- 0.4% in 12 of 16 stored PC, with a lower ATP and higher hypoxanthine labeling in stored as compared to fresh platelets. These observations suggest that stored platelets develop an acquired defect in both dense and alpha granules and in their ability to maintain ATP homeostasis.     

Bacteremia after upper gastrointestinal endoscopy.

During 24 months, 200 upper gastrointestinal endoscopies were performed on 193 patients. Blood cultures were obtained before and five and 30 minutes after the procedure using thiol (50 ml) and trypticase soy broth (100 ml) media. The mean endoscopic time was 34 minutes. Sixteen patients developed bacteremia (8%). Twelve groups of microorganisms were detected in positive blood cultures: Streptococcus (5 species), Lactobacillus sp, Veillonella alcalescens, Staphylococcus aureus, Staph epidermidis, Propioni-bacterium acnes, Corynebacterium acnes, and Bacillus subtilis. Seven patients had positive blood cultures at five and 30 minutes, eight at five minutes, and one at 30 minutes only. There was no clear correlation of bacteremia with the age or previous history of the patient, biopsy, active bleeding, endoscopic time, or findings. A follow-up study of all patients for six months to two years indicated no complications related to endoscopy and/or bacteremia.