Postoperative intravenous amiodarone, followed by oral amiodarone, appears to be effective in the prevention of new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation. It also reduces ventricular rate and duration of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting. It is well tolerated and decreases the length of hospital stay.

No abstract

SUMMARYCoronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with poor left ventricular function remains a surgical challenge and is still controversial. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of CABG in such patients when performed without case selection on the basis of preoperative viability tests and to determine the predictors of postperative outcome.The preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative early and mid-term follow-up data of 273 patients with ≤30% left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) who underwent isolated CABG between January 1995 and November 2000 were evaluated. Preoperative echocardiography and cardiac catheterization, and postoperative control echocardiography were performed in all patients. Follow-up was achieved via monthly periodical examinations in the first 6 months, and thereafter by either regular visits or phone contact. Preoperatively, 242 (88.65%) patients were in NYHA class III or IV, and the mean LVEF was 26.51±3.64%.The overall hospital mortality total was 14 (5.13%) patients. There were 44 (16.12%) late mortalities. Postoperative morbidities were observed in 74 (27.1%) patients. Twohundred and two (93.95%) of the surviving 215 (78.75%) patients were in NYHA class I or II at 49.55±14.84 months of follow-up. Postoperative follow-up echocardiographic examinations revealed a mean LVEF of 39.66%±5.43%. The improvements in functional capacity and LVEF were significant. Advanced age, diabetes, hypertension, cross-clamp time >60 min, bypass time>120 min, and severity of functional class (class III-IV of NYHA) were found to be the determinants of mortality. However, multivariate analyses revealed only older age and class III-IV of NYHA and CCS were predictors of mortality.The low mortality and morbidity rates as well as satisfactory postoperative improvements in functional capacity and LVEF measurements support the use of CABG without the need for any viability assessment in patients with left ventricular dysfunction. (Jpn Heart J 2002; 43: 343-356)

In proximal aortic operations requiring prolonged periods of cerebral protection, the mortality and neurological morbidity are not determined by the type of cerebral protection method only. Factors like hypertension and diabetes may play a role in the development of temporary neurological dysfunction.

No abstract

Cardiopulmonary bypass increases the blood levels of various immune mediators, thereby leading to a systemic inflammatory response syndrome, e.g. sepsis, with some hemodynamic alterations, such as vasodilatation, tachycardia, and a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. Perioperative hemofiltration is one of the treatment modalities proposed to prevent this syndrome. Modified hemofiltration has been introduced recently by investigators who recommend that the former standard techniques are ineffective in eliminating the inflammatory mediators. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the modified technique on these mediators and on hemodynamic parameters. Forty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were randomized into equal control and hemofiltered groups. The hemodynamic parameters, as well as blood samples, were taken before and after hemofiltration to assess blood concentrations of interleukin-6, interleukin-8 and neopterin. The hemodynamic parameters and immune mediator levels did not differ between the two groups during the course of the study, except in the immediate postoperative periods, where cardiac output, cardiac index, and systemic vascular resistance values were significantly greater in the hemofiltered group while there were no differences in the immune mediators. The results of our study suggest that the effects of modified hemofiltration on immune mediators are still debatable. The improvement found in cardiac performance could be attributed to the prevention of hemodilution and hypervolemia.

No abstract

The safety and efficacy of ligation plus foam sclerotherapy as an alternative technique allowing for same-day surgery to treat varicose veins are the same as those of classic stripping. The predictors of postoperative outcome depend on individual patient characteristics.