Due to the development of technology and experience, more and more diagnostic and interventional catheterization procedures are performed on a daily basis. In our study, a high volume of cases in a particular room and use of large catheters were important risk factors for FPA complications. When these situations are combined with other risk factors (such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and arteriosclerosis), giving particular attention to local compression therapy would be more crucial to decrease the FPA rate.

Problems of wound healing are commonly observed after coronary bypass grafting (CABG) operations. Our aim is to determine the prevalence and the predictors of saphenous vein harvesting complications after coronary artery bypass surgery. One hundred twenty six patients operated in the specified period were included in this prospective study. In an early period 3 patients were excluded because of their mortality. Twenty patients were female and 103 were male. Forty three patients underwent an open procedure with one incision (35%), 61 patients also underwent an open procedure but with multiple incisions (49%), and 19 patients underwent a closed procedure with stripper (16%). Complications related with leg incisions after surgery were investigated. Multiple incision technique has the longest (49.28 ± 14.7 cm; p < 0.001) total incision length (compare to single incision and stripper technique). As incision length increases, the incidence of drainage ( p < 0.01), pain score ( p < 0.05), hematoma ( p < 0.05) and diffuse ecchymosis ( p < 0.05) were increased. Drainage was seen more frequently in female ( p < 0.001) and diabetic patients ( p < 0.05). Sex ( p < 0.001) and incision length ( p < 0.05) have been found independent risk factors for drainage complication. Superficial infection ( p < 0.05), pain ( p < 0.05) and dehiscence ( p < 0.05) were significantly higher in female patients. As the incision length of the multiple incision technique became longer, the risk of drainage, pain, hematoma and diffuse ecchymosis were increased. The significantly increased risk for wound complications were also seen in female gender, diabetic and obese patients.saphenectomy; saphenous vein harvesting; coronary artery bypass surgery; wound; complication © 2007 Tohoku University Medical PressDespite the widespread use and superior patency of the internal mammarian artery and other arterial conduits, the saphenous vein continues to be the most commonly used conduit for coronary artery bypass graft surgery due to its length and lack of invasiveness. Open and also closed surgical techniques exist for the harvesting greater saphenous vein. However, problems of

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Combination antiplatelet therapy with ASA and clopidogrel seems to be more effective than ASA alone for maintaining graft patency in patients with reactive thrombocytosis.

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BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:We investigated the efficacy of pleural drainage with the use of different chest tube methods in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.DESIGN AND SETTING:Prospective randomized study of 60 patients undergoing elective on-pump single CABG surgery.PATIENTS AND METHODS:The left internal mammary arterial grafts were harvested from all patients. The patients were separated into three groups: In one group (IC6, n=20), pleural tubes were inserted through the sixth intercostal space at the midaxillary line; in the second group (SX-r, n=20), rigid straight pleural tubes were inserted from the mediastinum through the subxiphoid area; and in the third group (SX-s, n=20), soft curved drainage tubes were inserted from the mediastinum through the subxiphoid area. The residual pleural effusion was examined by multislice CT scans within 8 hours of removal of the drainage tubes. Pain was evaluated according to standard methods.RESULTS:The groups did not differ with respect to volume of residual pleural effusion (P>.05). The IC6 group had a higher mean pain score than the other two groups (P<.05), whose mean pain scores did not differ significantly from each other (P>.05). IC6 group patients had a higher requirement for analgesics. The rate of atelectasis was higher in group IC6 (P<.05).CONCLUSION:CT scans revealed that different chest tube insertion sites have the same efficiency for draining of pleural effusion, although drainage tubes inserted through the thoracic cage may result in more severe pain.

We assessed the effects of aortic valve pathology type on the long-term outcomes of patients who underwent concomitant aortic valve replacement (AVR) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. We retrospectively reviewed 150 patients who underwent AVR-CABG at our institution between January 1997 and December 2006. We divided patients into aortic stenosis (AS), aortic regurgitation (AR), and mixed-type groups consisting of 98 (65.3%), 20 (13.3%) and 32 (21.3%) patients, respectively. The AS group had more female patients, a higher mean angina class, older mean patient age, increased history of previous myocardial infarction (MI), and smaller valve size compared to other groups. No significant differences were observed among groups in the operative mortality for five or ten-year survival rates. Significant early mortality risk factors included cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) time, number of blood transfusion units, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), inotropic drugs, and pacemaker use. Significant late mortality risk factors included intensive care unit (ICU) stay, IABP, stroke, and dialysis. The aortic valve pathology type in patients undergoing concomitant AVR-CABG does not adversely affect survival.

A 68-year-old male patient with acute coronary syndrome was referred to our center. He also received a diagnosis of diaphragmatic hernia after a clinical examination. The patient underwent a simultaneous aorta coronary bypass operation and repair of the congenital diaphragm hernia. During the operation, the patient was observed to have an atrial septal defect. Our handling of the case is discussed in light of the literature.