RBCCV Brazilian Journal of Cardiovascular Surgery Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular

Objective: To assess, by scintillography, the effect of using bilateral internal thoracic arteries (BITAs) - prepared by two different techniques - on the sternal perfusion. Method: 35 patients undergone coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were divided into two groups: Group A (18) had both ITA's dissected using skeletonization technique and group B (17) as pedicle preparation. There was no difference in the two groups relating gender, age and demographic characteristics. On the 7th postoperative day the patients underwent bone scintillography. The statistical analysis was performed using the Student's t test with 95% significance. Results: Group A (skeletonized ITA) showed higher perfusion (11.5%) of the sternum as a mean, than Group B (pedicled ITA) patients; however this was not statistically significant (P = 0.127). On the other hand, comparing the diabetic population, seven in each group, there was a marked 47.4% higher perfusion of the sternum in Group A patients (skeletonized ITA) comparing to Group B (pedicled ITA) and this difference reached statistical significance (P = 0.004). Conclusions: 1- Sternal perfusion is not affected significantly apart from the dissection technique used for both internal thoracic arteries in the general population when assessed by bone scintillography. 2 - In the diabetic subgroup, a significant preservation of the sternal perfusion was observed in patients undergone skeletonized dissection of the internal thoracic arteries. Although these findings should be confirmed in a greater number of cases, diabetic patients should have the internal thoracic arteries dissected using skeletonization techinque.

Keywords: Sternum. Mammary arteries. Tomography, emission-computed.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the experience with the technique of posterior leaflet extension in children suffering of rheumatic mitral regurgitation. METHODS: Between April 2002, and October 2007, 30 children, mean age 11.3 years, underwent correction of mitral insufficiency with the technique of posterior leaflet extension with a pericardial patch. Eight also received a Carpentier ring. Six children had aortic valve disease and were submitted to Ross operation (five cases) or valve replacement with an aortic homograft. All were in functional class III or IV (NYHA classification). RESULTS: There was one death. One child presented severe hemolysis in the postoperative period and was submitted to mitral valve replacement. Clinical evolution in the remaining patients was good. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior leaflet extension of the mitral valve seems to be an effective surgical technique for correction of rheumatic mitral insufficiency in children.

Keywords: Mitral valve/surgery. Mitral valve insufficiency/surgery. Heart/surgery. Child.

Objective: To assess the applicability of the European Rysk System in Cardiac Operations (EuroSCORE) in patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery at the Heart Institute of Pernambuco. Method: 840 patients operated on between 2001 and 2009, who medical records contained all the informations to calculate the EuroSCORE were included in the study. Hospital death was the end-point of the study. In order to assess the applicability of the EuroSCORE it was used the non parametric test of Mann-Whitney. The calibration of the model was measured by comparing the morbidity observed with that expected, using the Hosmer-Lemeshow Test of Goodness of Fit. The accuracy of the model was evaluated by the ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic curve). Results: The comparison of expected and observed mortality, by Hosmer-Lemershow test, showed good predictive capacity (P = 0.767) as well as when compared to each value of addictive EuroSCORE (P = 0,455). The area of ROC curve was 0.731 (IC 95%, 0.660 - 0.793) with P < 0.001. The global predicted mortality was practically identical to that observed (7.9%). The low-risk group (EuroSCORE 0-2) comprised 345 patients with a mortality of 3.19%. The medium-risk group (EuroSCORE 3-5) comprised 364 patients, with a mortality of 7.69% and the high-risk group (EuroSCORE > 6) included 131 patients, with a mortality of 20.6%. The regression logistic analyses allowed to identify the following risk-factors for death: age > 60 years, gender female, previous operation, active endocarditis, associated surgery of the thoracic aorta and extra-cardiac arteriopathy. Conclusion: The EuroSCORE, a simple and objective method, proved to be a satisfactory predictor of operative mortality and risk factors for death in patients submitted to valve cardiac operations in the Heart Institute of Pernambuco.

Keywords: Heart valves/surgery. Clinical trial. Evaluation of results of therapeutic interventions. Risk assessment.

We report the case of an asymptomatic 43-year-old-man with a lipoma of the interventricular septum. Diagnosis was established during routine medical examination by 2-dimensional echocardiography and confirmed by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The patient underwent successful resection of the tumor.

Keywords: Lipoma. Heart neoplasms. Ventricular septum.

Objective: To describe patient selection criteria, surgical technique and early outcomes in patients undergoing reoperative coronary artery bypass surgery (RECABG) through a left thoracotomy without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: Eight patients with patent grafts to the left interventricular coronary artery (four of whom had also patent grafts to the right coronary artery) requiring revascularization of the circumflex coronary system had redo-CABG without CPB through a left posterolateral thoracotomy. Results: There were no in-hospital mortality or serious postoperative complications. All patients are angina-free. Conclusions: An off-pump redo-CABG through a left posterolateral thoracotomy may reduce risks attributable to resternotomy in patients who met the selection criteria.

Keywords: Myocardial revascularization. Reoperation. Coronary artery bypass, methods. Thoracotomy.

Objective: To evaluate short-term and medium-term results of intracardiac correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in the first year of life. Methods: From January 1996 to October 2004, 67 consecutive infants ranging in age from 1 to 11 months (mean: 7.2 months) and weighing from 4 to 10 kilograms (mean: 7.1 kilograms) underwent elective total correction of Tetralogy of Fallot. The surgery was accomplished with conventional cardiopulmonary bypass and moderate hypothermia. Right ventriculotomy was performed in 60 (89.5%) cases and an atriopulmonary approach was used in the other seven (10.5%) cases. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass time ranged from 35 to 147 minutes (mean: 78.8 ± 21 minutes), and aortic clamping time ranged from 25 to 86 minutes (mean: 51.8 ± 15.6 minutes). Transannular enlargement of the right ventricular outflow tract was needed in 50 (64.1%) patients. Gradient between the right ventricle and pulmonary artery after correction varied from 0 to 54 mmHg (mean: 15.5 ± 10.8 mmHg). There were two (2.98%) early deaths. Follow-up of the 65 survivors ranged from 7 to 115 months (mean:44.0 ± 35 months). There was one late noncardiac death. All other patients are asymptomatic. The actuarial survival curve at 12 years, including operative mortality, was 97%. Ten patients were evaluated by magnetic nuclear angioresonance. Conclusions: Intracardiac correction of Tetralogy of Fallot in the first year of life may be performed with low morbidity and mortality and good late results.

Keywords: Tetralogy of Fallot/surgery. Heart defects, congenital. Treatment outcome. Child. Follow-up studies.