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Release patterns of cTnI and cTnT after CABG are different: cTnI reaches its postoperative peak value earlier and declines more quickly than cTnT. After uncomplicated CABG, serum levels of both cardiac troponins remain continuously low. Elevated concentrations reflect perioperative myocardial ischemia or infarction. CTnT shows a different release pattern in patients with or without myocardial infarction.

CTnI after minimal invasive surgery shows a characteristic pattern with a maximum at 24h after the operation. The measurement of postoperative biochemical marker concentrations, specially cTnI, reflects myocardial injury incurred during the procedure. It is an accurate method for confirming or excluding a perioperative myocardial injury diagnosis after OPCAB surgery.

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Radiographic signs of sternal dehiscence could be detected before the clinical diagnosis was apparent and predicted sternal dehiscence in more than half of the patients.

Asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH) is a common cause of left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction. Mitral valve (MV) regurgitation is present in 30% of those patients as well as biatrial enlargement. Furthermore, paroxysmal or chronic atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs in up to 22%. Two male patients were admitted for shortness of breath and decreased physical ability. Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) with ASH, severe MV regurgitation and chronic AF were diagnosed in both patients; present for 8 years in patient 1 and 1 year in patient 2. Both received MV annuloplasty, transaortic septal resection using the modified Morrow et al.'s technique and left atrial cryoablation therapy via median sternotomy. Intraoperative measurement revealed no residual gradients and competent MV, furthermore, both patients were discharged in sinus rhythm.