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BACKGROUND: Operative choices for aortic root disease include traditional root replacement

Familial dissections occur earlier than sporadic dissections. Dissections cluster by age in families, and age at onset can predict the age of other dissectors. This finding argues for consideration of prophylactic resection of an aneurysm in family members approaching the age at onset of prior thoracic aortic dissection.

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare safety and clinical effectiveness of negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with traditional wound therapy for managing noninfected open chests with delayed sternal closure after cardiac surgery.Methods: From January 2000 to July 2015, 452 of 47,325 patients who underwent full sternotomy left the operating room with a noninfected open chest (0.96%), managed using NPWT in 214-with frequency of use rapidly increasing to near 100%-and traditionally in 238. Predominant indications for open-chest management were uncontrolled coagulopathy or hemodynamic compromise on attempted chest closure. Weighted propensity-score matching was used to assess in-hospital complications and time-related survival.Results: NPWT and traditionally managed patients had similar high-risk preoperative profiles. Most underwent reoperations (63% of the NPWT group and 57% of the traditional group), and 21% versus 25% were emergency procedures. Reexplorations for bleeding were less common with NPWT versus traditional wound therapy (n ¼ 63 [29%] vs 104 [44%], P ¼ .002). Median duration of open-chest to definitive sternal closure was 3.5 days for NPWT versus 3.1 for traditionally managed patients (P[log rank] ¼ .07). Seven patients (3.3%) were converted from NPWT to traditional therapy because of hemodynamic intolerance and 6 (2.5%) from traditional to NPWT. No NPWT-related cardiovascular injuries occurred. Among matched patients, NPWT was associated with better early survival (61% vs 44% at 6 months; P ¼ .02).Conclusions: NPWT is safe and effective for managing noninfected open chests after cardiac surgery. By facilitating open-chest management and potentially improving outcomes, it has become our therapy of choice and perhaps has lowered our threshold for leaving the chest open after cardiac surgery.

Mitral valve disruption is a rare but serious complication of MitraClip insertion. This review provides an update on surgical interventions following MitraClip failure, and discusses possible valve injuries and surgical approaches.

Background:Myocardial bridge is defined as a segment of a coronary artery that takes an intramyocardial course. The presence of myocardial bridge has been observed in as many as 40%–80% of cases on autopsy, angiographically from 0.5% to 16.0%, and often asymptomatic. However, it has been associated with angina, coronary spasm, myocardial infarction, arrhythmias, syncope, sudden cardiac arrest, and death. Conflicting opinions exist on the timing of surgical intervention for myocardial bridge.Methods:We present an unusual case of a young female, with prior aortic surgery, who had refractory chest pain despite optimal medical therapy. Stress testing revealed anterior ischemia. Cardiac catherization showed myocardial bridge of the left anterior descending artery with significant compromise of blood flow (fractional flow reserve = 0.75 with adenosine). We proceeded with surgery. Intraoperatively, we found an unusually long (10-cm) intramyocardial segment of the left anterior descending artery which was managed by surgically unroofing. Our patient felt better post procedure. Repeat cardiac catheterization showed no further narrowing of the left anterior descending artery with a fractional flow reserve of 0.87 in its distal segment.Results/discussion:Myocardial bridge is present mostly in female patients (74.5%), with median age at 56.2 years and mostly involving the left anterior descending artery (77.2%). The average length of myocardial bridge is 21.85 ± 16.10 mm (range: 5–70 mm). Our case is unique as the involved myocardial bridge was 10 cm in length, the longest ever reported. Multiple imaging modality revealed significant coronary insufficiency, with a subsequent clinical and angiographic improvement upon unroofing of the culprit coronary vessel.Conclusion:Management decision on myocardial bridge remains controversial. This is a case of the longest symptomatic myocardial bridge, with a subsequent improvement post unroofing.

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