Gokhan Gokaslan

Treatment outcomes of postoperative mediastinitis in cardiac surgery; negative pressure wound therapy versus conventional treatment

BackgroundThe aim of the present study is to compare negative pressure wound therapy versus conventional treatment outcomes at postoperative mediastinitis after cardiac surgery.MethodsBetween January 2000 and December 2011, after 9972 sternotomies, postoperative mediastinitis was diagnosed in 90 patients. The treatment modalities divided the patients into two groups: group 1 patients (n = 47) were initially treated with the negative pressure wound therapy and group 2 patients (n = 43) were underwent conventional treatment protocols. The outcomes were investigated with Kaplan-Meier method, log-rank test, Student’s test and Fisher’s exact test.ResultsThe 90-days mortality was found significantly lower in the negative pressure wound group than in the conventionally treated group. Overall survival was significantly better in the negative pressure wound group than in the conventionally treated group.ConclusionNegative pressure wound therapy is safe and reliable option in mediastinitis after cardiac surgery, with excellent survival and low failure rate when compared with conventional treatments.

Ectopic Thyroid Gland on the Ascending Aorta with a Partial Pericardial Defect: Report of a Case

Intrathoracic ectopic goiters are rare. To our knowledge, only two reports of thyroid tissue on the aorta have been reported in the English literature. A 42-year-old woman was found to have a right paracardiac mass. Sternotomy revealed a firm and encapsulated tumor attached to the anterolateral surface of the ascending aorta and a defect in the right superior part of the pericardium. The mass was completely excised and histopathologic examination confirmed a multinodular goiter. We discuss the features of this rare tumor.

Urgent surgical management for embolized occluder devices in childhood: single center experience

BackgroundIn this study, we sought to analyze our experience in urgent surgical management for embolized cardiac septal and ductal occluder devices resulting from trans-catheter closure of atrial septal defect, ventricular septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus in childhood patient group.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 9 patients (aged 2–15 years) who underwent urgent surgery due to cardiac septal and ductal occluder embolization between January 2007 and December 2010. Congenital defects were atrial septal defect (n = 6), ventricular septal defect (n = 1), and patent ductus arteriosus (n = 2). Risk factors for device embolization and urgent surgical management techniques for embolized device removal were discussed.ResultsRemoval of embolized devices in all cases and repair of damaged tricuspid valve in 2 patients were performed. Inevitably, all congenital defects were closed or ligated up to the primary defect. Total circulator arrest necessitated in 1 patient with ascending aortic device embolization. All operations were completed successfully and no hospital mortality or morbidity was encountered.ConclusionsAlthough closure of left to right shunting defects by percutaneous occluder devices has a lot of advantages, device embolization is still a major complication. If embolized device retrieval fails with percutaneous intervention attempts, surgical management is the only method to remove embolized devices. In this circumstance, to provide an uneventful perioperative course, urgent management strategies should be well planned.

Primary cardiac angiosarcoma: a case report

Primary tumors of the heart are rarely seen. Cardiac angiosarcomas are malignant tumors that almost always have a poor prognosis. We describe a 29-year-old man with primary cardiac angiosarcoma with multiple site metastases. The therapeutic approach includes surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy alone or in combination. New techniques of radiotherapy and combined chemotherapeutic agents may relieve symptoms and prolong a patients life. We discuss the diagnosis and treatment of cardiac angiosarcoma in the light of a case report.

An interesting case of a sewing needle inside the heart: report of a case

Despite being rarely seen, penetrating cardiac injuries are clinically significant, as they are highly lethal. We herein present the case of a 3-year-old male who unintentionally injured himself by pricking his own chest with a sewing needle and introducing it through the left-lower margin of his sternum into his right ventricle. The needle was located anterior-posteriorly over the right ventricle. An anterior thoracotomy was performed, and the needle was safely removed. No hemorrhage or arrhythmia was seen, so the operation was ended. An early diagnosis and intervention proved to be life-saving for this penetrating cardiac injury.

“V-PLASTY”: a novel technique to reconstruct pulmonary valvular and annular stenosis in patients with right ventricular outflow tract obstruction

BackgroundThe goal of repair of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction with or without Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is to eliminate valvular and/or subvalvular obstruction. However, this operation has a high risk of late complication of pulmonary insufficiency. In this study, we aimed to present early period results of our new technique that we call “V-Plasty” developed to prevent pulmonary insufficiency after pulmonary valve reconstruction in selected patients.MethodsBetween January 2006 and January 2010, we performed V-plasty for pulmonary valve reconstruction in 10 patients. Eight patients (5 males, 3 females) had TOF and 2 patients (1 male, 1 female) had atrial septal defect concomitant with pulmonary valve stenosis. Patient selection for V-plasty reconstruction was made due to the pulmonary valve anatomy and degree of stenosis. The mean follow-up time was 55.7 ± 16.2 months (ranging from 32 to 80 months).ResultsFunctional capacity of the patients improved immediately after the surgery. There were no mortality and re-operation in follow-up period. Patients were followed up with echocardiography one week after the operation, at 1st, 6th, 12th months and annually. There was no pulmonary insufficiency.ConclusionsOperative correction of the pulmonary outflow tract obstruction with or without TOF, frequently requires transannular enlargement because of the infundibular and/or annular-valvular obstruction. This conventional technique is usually a reason for late pulmonary insufficiency. In our study, we have not seen pulmonary insufficiency in early term follow-up period. Our early term results are encouraging, but long term follow-up results are needed with large case series.

Pericardial Monocusp Reconstruction for Pulmonary Valve Vegetation Secondary to Patent Ductus Arteriosus

Abstract  A case of pulmonary valve endocarditis in a patient with a ductus arteriosus (PDA) is reported. The PDA was ligated, the septal leaflet of the pulmonary valve was excised, and a pericardial monocusp reconstruction was performed. (J Card Surg 2011;26:650‐652)

An Old Friend in the Treatment of Drive Line Infection After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation: Omentoplasty--A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION In this report, we share our omentoplasty experience in a patient with recurrent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) drive line infection. Drive line infection is a life-threating complication for the patient and a difficult problem for surgeons to resolve. CASE REPORT In our patient, after LAVD implantation recurrent drive line infection episodes occurred and standard therapeutic strategies failed to cure the infection. Therefore, we performed an old, well-known omentoplasty plasty technique to heal the abscess. CONCLUSIONS After omentoplasty and appropriate antibiotic therapy, the drive line infection healed uneventfully. The patient is still under control for 14 months without any signs of infection. Omentoplasty may be kept in mind for patients with resistant drive line infections.

A rare case of infective endocarditis caused by Candida albicans

Despite significant advances in medical, surgical, and critical care interventions, infective endocarditis (IE) remains a disease associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Fungal endocarditis is relatively unusual in children although it is one of the most feared forms of endocarditis. Candida species are the most common organisms recovered. In neonates, this infection may be a complication of intensive care measures, including hyperalimentation fluid infusion, use of broad-spectrum antibiotics for a prolonged time, and extended use of indwelling venous catheters. The mortality rate from fungal endocarditis is high, even with intensive medical and surgical therapy. The present paper aimed to present a third-month-old girl baby with candida infective endocarditis (fungus ball) diagnosed and surgically operated.

Contribution of giant aneurysm of a membranous ventricular septal defect to right ventricular outflow tract obstruction.

Perimembranous defects are the most common types of ventricular septal defects (VSDs). In many cases, an aneurysm accompanies this defect. The aneurysm can have advantageous consequences on defect hemodynamics. However, it also has numerous complications that are frequently encountered in clinical practice. In this case, we describe a patient with a membranous VSD with giant aneurysm formation contributing to subpulmonic severe obstruction.