In Turkey, IE occurs in relatively young patients and Brucella spp should always be taken into consideration as a cause of this infection. We should first consider streptococci as the causative agents of IE in young patients, those with CRHD or congenital heart valve disease, and cases of community-acquired IE. Staphylococci should be considered first in the case of pacemaker lead IE, when there are high levels of creatinine, and in cases of healthcare-associated IE. Enterococci could be the most probable causative agent of IE particularly in patients aged >50 years, those on dialysis, those with late prosthetic valve IE, and those with a perivalvular abscess. The early diagnosis and treatment of IE before complications develop is crucial because the mortality rate is high among cases with serious complications. The prevention of bacteraemia with the measures available among chronic haemodialysis patients should be a priority because of the higher mortality rate of subsequent IE among this group of patients.
A 23-year-old man had been coughing with hemoptysis, and had received tuberculostatic medication for four months without any benefit. Upon referral, two-dimensional echocardiography showed a cystic mass located in the anterior right-ventricular wall, without any protrusion into the ventricular cavity. CT examination revealed three cysts in the lung fields bilaterally, additionally a multilocular cystic image in the right-ventricular wall was observed. All components of hydatid cysts in the heart and lungs were removed in the same session by median sternotomy. Extracorporeal bypass was used in this operation.
In this study, the incidence of mortality was higher in patients over three months of age undergoing repair of isolated VSD; the data suggest that the mortality may be decreased in patients with severe PH who were operated on earlier in life. We conclude that in infants with severe PH, early surgical repair (less than three months) of isolated VSDs is strongly advised to achieve more favorable results.
The use of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in primary treatment of acute myocardial infarction is still debated. We evaluated the predictors of mortality in patients undergoing primary CABG for ST-elevated myocardial infarction (STEMI). Between January 2003 and January 2008, all patients referred to our institution with STEMI who did not qualify for primary angioplasty and required CABG were included in this study. Survivors and nonsurvivors were compared retrospectively in terms of demo-graphics, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative characteristics. Preoperatively confirmed cases of STEMI (n = 150) were included in the analysis. There were 114 survivors and 36 nonsurvivors. In-hospital mortality rate was 22%. In Cox regression analysis age, cardiogenic shock (Killip ≥3), preoperative cardiac troponin levels, preoperative use of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP), previous myocardial infarction, and percutaneous coronary intervention were independent predictors of in-hospital mortality. After multivariate analysis, factors predicting in-hospital mortality were age, preoperative cardiac troponin levels, and preoperative IABP. Age, preoperative cardiac troponin levels, and preoperative IABP use were predictive factors of in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing primary CABG for STEMI.
Background: This retrospective study evaluated factors associated with mortality and morbidity in patients having functionally biventricular heart (FBH) and functionally univentricular heart (FUH) undergoing total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) repair. Methods: We reviewed medical records retrospectively and identified 72 patients undergoing TAPVC repair between July 2002 and December 2010; and 62 patients had FBH and 10 patients had FUH. The median age and weight at repair was 9.1 months (range, 8 days–16 years) and 6.7 kg (range, 2.5–57 kg). The TAPVC anatomy was supracardiac in 41 (56.9%), cardiac in 18 (25%), infracardiac in eight (11.1%), and mixed in five patients (6.9%). Results: There were seven early deaths (2 FBH [25%] and 5 FUH [62.5%]) and one late death (FUH). Presence of FUH (p < 0.01), heterotaxy syndrome (p = 0.03), young age (p < 0.01), low weight (p < 0.01) and long CPB time (p = 0.04) at the time of surgery were statistically significant risk factors for mortality. Morbidity was related to long duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit and hospital stay. Presence of FUH was the only significant risk factor for morbidity (p < 0.01). After a mean follow‐up of 52.1 months (range, 3–74 months), 59 (92%) of 64 survivors were asymptomatic without any medication, and five have mild symptoms with regular physical activity. Conclusion: Operative results of TAPVC have dramatically improved in recent years. However, patients having FUH (especially with concomitant palliative surgery), heterotaxy syndrome, low weight, early age, and long CPB time still have an increased operative mortality. (J Card Surg 2012;27:376‐380)
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