Christian Bireta

Treatment of gram-positive deep sternal wound infections in cardiac surgery -experiences with daptomycin-

The reported incidence of deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) after cardiac surgery is 0.4-5% with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common pathogen isolated from infected wound sternotomies and bacteraemic blood cultures. This infection is associated with a higher morbidity and mortality than other known aetiologies. Little is reported about the optimal antibiotic management. The aim of the study is to quantify the application of daptomycin treatment of DSWI due to gram-positive organisms post cardiac surgery.We performed an observational analysis in 23 cases of post sternotomy DSWI with gram-positive organisms February 2009 and September 2010. When the wound appeared viable and the microbiological cultures were negative, the technique of chest closure was individualised to the patient.The incidence of DSWI was 1.46%. The mean dose of daptomycin application was 4.4 ± 0.9 mg/kg/d and the average duration of the daptomycin application was 14.47 ± 7.33 days. In 89% of the patients VAC therapy was used. The duration from daptomycin application to sternal closure was 18 ± 13.9 days. The parameters of infection including, fibrinogen (p = 0.03), white blood cell count (p = 0.001) and C-reactive protein (p = 0.0001) were significantly reduced after daptomycin application. We had no mortality and wound healing was successfully achieved in all patients.Treatment of DSWI due to gram-positive organisms with a daptomycin-containing antibiotic regimen is safe, effective and promotes immediate improvement of local wound conditions.Based on these observations, daptomycin may offer a new treatment option for expediting surgical management of DSWI after cardiac surgery.

Daptomycin as a possible new treatment option for surgical management of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus sternal wound infection after cardiac surgery.

We present a case of a 77-year old female who had undergone a coronary artery bypass grafting with an aortic valve replacement and developed three month later a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) sternal wound infection which was successful treated with Daptomycin combined with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC).

Does CircuLite Synergy assist device as partial ventricular support have a place in modern management of advanced heart failure

The discrepancy between the number of patients on the waiting list and available donor hearts has led to the successful development of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) as a bridge to transplantation. The conventional LVADs are designed to provide full hemodynamic support for the end-stage failing heart. However, full-support LVAD implantation requires major surgery, sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass in majority of cases. The Synergy Micro-pump is the smallest implantable LVAD and provides partial flow support up to 3 l/min. It was shown that early intervention with this device can provide substantial benefits to patients with severe heart failure not yet sick enough for a full-support LVAD. Due the small dimensions it can be implanted without cardiopulmonary bypass or a sternotomy. The purpose of this article is to review the clinical use of the Synergy Micro-pump as partial hemodynamic support.

Carney-Complex: Multiple resections of recurrent cardiac myxoma

We report a case of a female patient who was operated at the third relapse of an atrial myxoma caused by Carney complex. The difficult operation was performed without any complications despite extensive adhesions caused by the previous operations. The further inpatient course went without complications and the patient was discharged to the consecutive treatment on the 9th postoperative day. The echocardiographic finding postoperative showed no abnormalities.

First Experience With the Synergy Micro-Pump in Patients in INTERMACS Class 1–2 as a Bridge to Transplantation: Pushing the Limits?

The Synergy Micro-pump is the smallest implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and provides partial flow support up to 4.25 L/min. It was shown that early intervention with this device can provide substantial benefits to patients with severe heart failure not yet sick enough for a full-support LVAD. However, as it can be inserted via small incisions with no need for sternotomy or cardiopulmonary bypass, it might be beneficial for selected high-risk patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Synergy Micro-pump in patients in INTERMACS class 1-2. From February 2012 to August 2013, 13 patients with severe heart failure were supported with the Synergy Pocket Micro-pump. Patients were divided into two groups according to INTERMACS class: the high-risk group (INTERMACS class 1-2) and the low-risk group (INTERMACS class 3-4). There were seven patients in INTERMACS class 1-2 and six in INTERMACS class 3-4. Patient demographics, perioperative characteristics, and postoperative outcomes were compared. There were no statistically significant differences in patient demographics, and mean support time was 108 ± 114 days in the high-risk group and 238 ± 198 days in the low-risk group. Also, there were no significant differences in perioperative characteristics or in the rate of postoperative adverse events. The overall survival was comparable between the two groups (one late death in each group, log-rank P = 0.608). Two patients from the high-risk group were upgraded to a full-support LVAD (P = 0.462) after 65 ± 84.9 days of mean support. One patient from the high-risk group and two patients from the low-risk group were successfully transplanted (P = 0.559). The use of the Synergy Micro-pump in INTERMACS 1-2 patients is feasible and is associated with similar postoperative outcome as in patients in INTERMACS 3-4. Carefully selected patients with severe heart failure could benefit due to the small size of the pump; however, further studies and medium-term follow-up are required.

Appropriate bolus administration of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors for patients with acute coronary syndromes undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: intracoronary or intravenous? A comprehensive and updated meta-analysis and systematic review

BACKGROUND AND AIM This systematic review with meta-analysis sought to compare the efficacy and safety of intracoronary (IC) vs. intravenous (IV) administration of glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors on clinical outcomes following per-cutaneous coronary intervention in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction or non-ST-segment-elevation acute coronary syndrome). METHODS Medline, Embase, Elsevier, and Sciences online databases as well as Google Scholar literature were used to select appropriate studies with randomised controlled design. The primary end-points were mortality and target vessel revascularisation (TVR), whereas the secondary end points were incidence of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction score 3 flow (TIMI 3 flow means complete perfusion in distal coronary artery bed), re-myocardial infarction (re-MI), major bleeding, stent thrombosis left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and heart failure (HF). The literature search of all major databases retrieved 1006 stud-ies. After screening, a total of 18 trials (5812 patients) were identified with reported outcomes. RESULTS Pooled analysis showed IC administration of GP IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitors can significantly increase LVEF (WMD 4.97; 95% CI 3.34-6.60; p = 0.000) and the incidence of TIMI 3 flow (OR of 0.77; 95% CI 0.64-0.92; p = 0.005), and significantly decrease in incidence of HF (OR of 1.927; 95% CI 1.189-3.124; p = 0.008). Incidences of TVR, re-MI, major bleeding, stent thrombosis, and mortality showed no significant differences between the IC and IV groups. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the most appropriate route of administration of GP IIb/IIIa inhibitors for patients with acute coronary syndromes appeared to be an IC injection that could increase LVEF and TIMI 3 flow and decrease the incidence of HF. Furthermore, the IC administration was not associated with increased adverse event rates when compared to IV injection.

Is There an Alternative to the Surgical Above-Knee Bypass in Treatment of Superficial Femoral Artery Disease? Experiences With Viabahn Stent Graft

Objective: We conducted a retrospective study to compare short- and mid-term patencies of Viabahn with surgical above-knee prosthetic bypass (pAKB). Methods: The records of 52 patients with either pAKB (n = 25) or Viabahn (n = 27) were reviewed. The majority had Rutherford clinical grade 3. Patients were followed after 3, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter. Results: For Viabahn, the short-term (1-16 months) primary patency rate was 60% with a secondary patency rate of 90%, and mid-term (1-68 months) patencies of 47% and 83.3%, respectively. In pAKB, the short-term results revealed a primary patency rate of 78% with a secondary patency of 91% and mid-term results of 65% and 90%, respectively. No statistical difference was found concerning short-term patencies. Mid-term primary patency was lower for Viabahn (P < .05) and secondary patency proved no significant difference. Conclusion: Viabahn revealed similar short-term primary and secondary patencies but lower mid-term primary patency. It provides a good alternative therapy to pAKB.

Genetic Polymorphisms in Endothelin-1 as Predictors for Long-Term Survival and the Cardiac Index in Patients Undergoing On-Pump Cardiac Surgery.

Genetic variants within the endothelin-1 gene (EDN1) have been associated with several cardiovascular diseases and may act as genetic prognostic markers. Here, we explored the overall relevance of EDN1 polymorphisms for long-term survival in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery. A prospectively collected cohort of 455 Caucasian patients who underwent cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass was followed up for 5 years. The obtained genotypes and inferred haplotypes were analyzed for their associations with the five-year mortality rate (primary endpoint). The EDN1 T-1370G and K198N genotype distributions did not deviate from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and the major allele frequencies were 83% and 77%, respectively. The cardiovascular risk factors were equally distributed in terms of the different genotypes and haplotypes associated with the two polymorphisms. The five-year mortality rate did not differ among the different EDN1 T-1370G and K198N genotypes and haplotypes. Haplotype analysis revealed that carriers of the G-T (compound EDN1 T-1370G G/K198N T) haplotype had a higher cardiac index than did non-carriers (p = 0.0008); however, this difference did not reach significance after adjusting for multiple testing. The results indicate that common variations in EDN1 do not act as prognostic markers for long-term survival in patients undergoing on-pump cardiac surgery.

Reconstruction of Extrapericardial Rupture of Inferior Vena Cava Without Cardiopulmonary Bypass Due to Blunt Trauma

An 18-year-old man presented in our emergency department with major blunt trauma in a critical hemodynamic condition. The initial contrast computed tomographic scan showed a traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage, rib fractures with lung contusion on both sides, a liver contusion with lacerations, covered perforation of the vena cava inferior with a huge hematoma, a splenic rupture, partial kidney rupture on the right side, and a humeral shaft fracture right sided (Fig 1). After cardiopulmonary stabilization, we took the patient immediately to the operating room for emergent surgical intervention. We performed a reconstruction of the extrapericardial rupture of the inferior vena cava (IVC) without cardiopulmonary bypass using a 20-mm Gore-Tex prosthesis as interposition graft followed by a reimplantation of the liver veins. Adequate exposure was achieved through complete exposition of the liver freeing it from all ligaments before exposing the subphrenic hematoma. Furthermore, the peri-

Midterm results after treatment of gram-positive deep sternal wound infections with daptomycin for cardiac surgery patients

Daptomycin in combination with surgical therapy has shown to be effective for treatment of deep sternal wound infection in cardiac surgery. However, till now midterm results in terms of re-infection or re-operation in patients who were successfully treated with daptomycin for gram-positive deep sternal wound infection are not published. Herein, we present midterm results in patients treated successfully with daptomycin after cardiac surgery.