Chang Hyu Choi

The Effects of Perioperative Inhaled Iloprost on Pulmonary Hypertension with Congenital Heart Disease

Objectives: The treatment of choice for congenital heart disease (CHD) with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is still controversial. We assessed the efficacy and safety of perioperative inhaled iloprost therapy in CHD with PAH. Methods: Among 45 patients with a ventricular septal defect and/or an atrial septal defect with PAH, 28 patients were treated with inhaled iloprost before and after surgery. Perioperative clinical parameters and plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) were evaluated. Results: No statistical difference in the estimated right ventricular systolic pressure (e-RVP), the e-RVP-to-systemic pressure ratio, and preoperative BNP levels between the iloprost group and the control group were found. Among the iloprost group, oxygen saturation was increased significantly after iloprost inhalation therapy (p = 0.0052). The iloprost group was also significantly correlated with less use of inhaled nitric oxide in the immediate postoperative period compared to the control group (p = 0.021). The durations of mechanical ventilation (p = 0.018), ICU stay (p = 0.005), and chest tube use (p = 0.039) were significantly shorter in the iloprost group compared to the control group. The plasma BNP, checked on 7th day of postoperatively, was lower in the iloprost group than in the control group (p = 0.008). Conclusion: Perioperative inhaled iloprost therapy showed the benefit of cardiac functional improvement and early weaning of postoperative supportive care in the management of CHD with PAH.

Right Coronary Cusp Prolapse Resembling Subpulmonic Stenosis in an Old Adult Patient with Ventricular Septal Defect

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) can be associated with various complications such as aortic regurgitation (AR). AR in VSD come from a deficiency or hypoplasia of the conal septum which leads to abnormal apposition in diastole and prolapse of the poorly supported noncoronary or right coronary cusp through the VSD into the right ventricle resembling subpulmonic stenosis and subsequently results in distortion of the aortic valve and progressive AR. AR often increases in severity with age and it indicates a worse prognosis. Therefore, appropriate timing of surgical repair in progressive AR in VSD might be important. Until now, many earlier experiences about surgical repair of AR complicating VSD were on adolescents or young adults. We reported a case of AR in 48-year-old male patient with right coronary cusp prolapse complicating the subarterial type of VSD which was properly assessed by echocardiography and was successfully treated with surgical repair. Right coronary cusp or noncoronary cusp prolapse should be suspected in AR complicating VSD through proper echocardiographic assessment and the surgical repair on VSD and distorted aortic valve should be considered in the old patient, as well as the young.

Relation between changes in red blood cell distribution width after coronary artery bypass grafting and early postoperative morbidity

Background Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is highly associated with various clinical states. In the present study, we aimed to determine the natures of associations between RDW changes and early adverse events after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods We retrospectively analyzed medical records of enrolled 117 patients. Patients were classified into two groups depending on early adverse events (No-event vs. Event). Delta RDW values were calculated (ΔRDW: Post-Peak RDW minus Pre-RDW). Patients were divided into tertiles based on ΔRDW. The ΔRDW cut-off point for an adverse event was determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In addition, logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent factors of early adverse events. Results Thirty eight patients experienced 53 early adverse events. ΔRDW and ΔC-reactive protein were significantly higher in the Events group than in the No-event group. Incidences of early adverse events increased significantly between ΔRDW tertiles (P<0.001). The ROC curve of ΔRDW showed that a ΔRDW of ≥1.45 had a sensitivity of 71.1% and a specificity of 78.2% for predicting an early adverse event after CABG (P<0.001). Multivariable analysis showed ΔRDW (P=0.042) and length of ICU stay (P<0.001) independently predicted an adverse event. Conclusions ΔRDW was identified to be an independent predictor of early adverse events, and a ΔRDW cut-off of 1.45 was found to predict early adverse events after CABG. Careful monitoring of RDW trends after isolated CABG provides a simple, inexpensive and objective means of predicting early adverse events.

Explantation of a failed endovascular stent graft in a patient with a type B dissection

We report a patient who underwent insertion of an endovascular stent graft in the descending aorta for an aneurysmal type B dissection. The patient developed a proximal type I endoleak which required explantation of the graft and replacement of the descending aorta. Carotid artery cannulation was utilized for antegrade perfusion during the period of circulatory arrest.

Spontaneous Echo Contrast Mistaken for Left Ventricular Thrombus during Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Spontaneous echo contrast (SEC) is often observed in patients with mitral stenosis, atrial fibrillation, cardiomyopathy, or a ventricular aneurysm [1]. SEC is a smoke-like echo density observed on echocardiograms, and is caused by increased red blood cell aggregation during low-flow states. It is also a risk factor of thromboembolism [2]. SEC can be observed in patients with severe ventricular dysfunction receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). We present a case in which left ventricular-SEC (LV-SEC) was mistaken for a LV thrombus during VA-ECMO for severe LV dysfunction. A 36-year-old female patient diagnosed with acute fulminant myocarditis was provided VA-ECMO support on hospital day (HD) 1. Briefly, VA-ECMO (RotaFlow; Maquet Inc., Hirrlingen, Germany) was implanted in the right femoral artery (15-French arterial cannula) and the left femoral vein (20-French venous cannula). Her height and body weight are 163 cm and 52 kg (body surface area, 1.53 m). VAECMO was initiated with a circuit flow of 3.5 L/min (cardiac index, 2.3 2L/min/m). Her creatine kinase-myocardial band and troponin-I levels at admission were 188.03 ng/ml (normal range, 0 to 5 ng/ml) and >50.0 ng/ml (normal range, 0 to 0.78 ng/ml), respectively. Impaired ventricular function (ejection fraction, 22%) suspected as acute fulminant myocarditis was detected by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) at admission. TTE revealed decreased LV function (ejection fraction, 10%) with mild mitral regurgitation (grade II) immediately after VA-ECMO. Opening of the aortic valve and arterial pulsatility were not observed. Pulmonary edema was aggravated on HD 4. Left atrial (LA) decompression was achieved using a LA catheter (20-French femoral venous cannula) by balloon atrial septostomy through the right femoral

Left Heart Decompression in Acute Complicated Myocardial Infarction During Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can progress to cardiogenic shock and mechanical complications. When extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is applied to a patient with AMI with cardiogenic shock and mechanical complications, left ventricular (LV) decompression is an important recovery factor because LV dilation increases myocardial wall stress and oxygen consumption. The authors present the case of a 72-year-old man with AMI and LV dilation who developed cardiogenic shock and papillary muscle rupture and who was treated successfully by ECMO with a left atrial venting.