The EVLA procedure may be superior to RFA in certain respects.

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Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether bacterial and viral infectious agents can be demonstrated in atherosclerotic lesions of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) as well as in stenotic aortic and mitral valves from patients undergoing heart valve replacement. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the presence of Chlamydophila pneumoniae, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was investigated by polymerase chain reaction in atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic vascular samples taken from patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery due to CAD, and from patients undergoing aortic (AVR) and/or mitral valve replacement (MVR) secondary to valvular stenosis. For statistical analyses ANOVA, Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test were used. Results: The presence of C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, and CMV in atherosclerotic versus non-atherosclerotic samples was as follows: 30% vs. 16.7% (p=0.222), 6.7% vs. 3.3% (p=0.554), and 10% vs. 0% (p=0.076), respectively. In valve group, same pathogens were present in AVR and MVR patients as follows: 24.2% vs. 21. 4% (p=0.773), 9.1% vs. 7.1% (p=0.758), and 21.2% vs. 11.9% (p=0.275). EBV DNA was not detected in any of vascular specimens, but in one (3%) patient with AVR (p=0.256). Conclusion: Our results suggest that C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, and CMV are present with similar frequency both in atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic vessels. We conclude that although non-atherosclerotic, vascular samples of CAD patients are invaded by infectious agents as like as atherosclerotic vessels. We further conclude that C. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, and CMV are present in stenotic aortic and mitral valves and atherosclerotic tissues with similar frequency indicating that atherosclerosis and valvular stenosis might share a common etiology related to infection. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2011; 11: 237-43)

Aprotinin administered in the pulmonary artery during CPB had a protective effect against lung damage after open-heart surgery.

Although lateral sternal support is the first-line surgical treatment for sternal dehiscence, performing primary closure of complicated defects is often impossible. Aggressive treatment modalities are required in such cases for anterior chest wall defects. This technique provides the ability to perform rigid and stable sternal closure in complicated cases.

Background Recently, the role of inflammation in coronary artery disease and the association of inflammatory biomarkers with adverse outcomes have been investigated in many studies. We investigated the relationship between high serum mobility group box 1 protein levels and established risk factors for coronary artery disease. Methods Fifty-five patients who presented to our Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic and subsequently underwent coronary artery bypass surgery for coronary artery disease and 50 healthy subjects presenting to the cardiology outpatient clinic without any cardiovascular problem were included in the study. The mean age was 61.47 ± 9.38 years for patients and 58.20 ± 10.15 years for controls. Results There was no statistically significant difference between groups with respect to age or sex. Family history of coronary artery disease, aspirin use, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes were significantly more prevalent in the patient group versus the control group. A significant difference was found between patients and healthy controls with respect to high mobility group box 1 protein levels ( p = 0.001). Conclusions Serum high mobility group box 1 protein was significantly increased in patients with coronary artery disease in comparison to healthy subjects. No associations were found between high mobility group box 1 protein level and certain risk factors for coronary artery disease.

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Acute cholecystitis (AC) may be a severe problem and may increase the mortality rate and hospital stay in patients who undergo open heart surgery (OHS), due to its aggressive course; therefore, AC should be treated as soon as possible. We aimed to present data on our synchronous cardiac and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) operations performed for AC complicating patients with cardiac disease and who were waiting to undergo OHS. Between January 2008 and September 2014, we performed 2773 OHSs in Medical Park Gaziantep Hospital. Among these, 28 (1%) patients underwent concomitant LC in the same session by the same experienced surgeon. The mean age of the patients was 61.4 ± 9.1 years, and the proportion of males was 71.4 per cent. Acalculous cholecystitis was found in 42.9 per cent of the patients. Patients stayed in the intensive care unit for 3.1 ± 1.4 days and were discharged from the hospital after 16.5 ± 6.3 days. Postoperative 2-year follow-up was completed in all patients with a mean follow-up period of 3.4 ± 2.0 years. The overall complication rate was 28.6 per cent. LC-related complications were seen in four patients. No inhospital mortality was observed. Only one patient who underwent mitral valve replacement and tricuspid valve repair died in the second year after the operation due to congestive heart failure. Three patients died due to noncardiac reasons in the follow-up period. By increasing the experiences of surgeons in laparoscopic surgery in critically ill patients, LC can be safely performed concurrently in patients scheduled for OHS.