Luis Roberto Gerola

Off-pump versus on-pump myocardial revascularization in low-risk patients with one or two vessel disease: perioperative results in a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND To evaluate hospital mortality and morbidity after myocardial revascularization in a prospective and multicenter study, comparing on-pump versus off-pump in a special subset of patients with lesions in the left descending artery, alone or associated with the right coronary artery. METHODS A multicenter prospective randomized study was performed. One hundred and sixty selected low-risk patients were enrolled; 80 patients were operated on-pump (coronary artery bypass grafting [CABG], group I) and 80 patients were operated off-pump (off-pump coronary artery bypass [OPCAB], group II). One hundred and five were male and ages ranged from 39 to 70 years old; mean 58.81 +/- 9.31 and median 59. Preoperative clinical characteristics were similar in both groups; only previous myocardial infarction was higher in the OPCAB group. Patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction (FE </= 35%), renal failure and lesions of the circumflex artery and its branches were excluded, as well as patients with significant comorbidities that were inappropriate for randomization because we selected them for OPCAB procedures. RESULTS Hospital mortality was 2.5%, three patients (3.7%) in group I (on-pump) and one patient (1.2%) in group II (off-pump) (ns). The number of grafts per patients in group I was 1.81 +/- 0.6, and 1.77 +/- 0.68 in group II (p = 0.833). There was no difference in the total operation time 205.10 +/- 54.30 minutes in group I and 189.50 +/- 55.44 in group II (ns). Six patients (7.5%) had myocardial infarction in group I and three (3.7%) in group II (ns). Bleeding in the postoperative period was 680.50 +/- 434.1 mL in the on-pump group and 678.6 +/- 357.0 mL in the off-pump group (ns). Three patients (3.7%) presented transient neurologic dysfunction in group I and six patients (7.5%) in group II (ns). Intensive care stay was 2.4 +/- 1.0 days in the CABG and 2.3 +/- 0.98 days in the OPCAB group (ns). CONCLUSIONS We did not find any statistical difference in hospital mortality and morbidity using on-pump or off-pump techniques for low-risk patients.

Cytokines and Pain

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Cytokines are necessary for the inflammatory response, favoring proper wound healing. However, exaggerated proinflammatory cytokine production can manifest systemically as hemodynamic instability or metabolic derangements. The objective of this review was to describe the effects of cytokines in pain. CONTENTS This article reviews the effects of cytokines in pain. In diseases with acute or chronic inflammation, cytokines can be recognized by neurons and used to trigger several cell reactions that influence the activity, proliferation, and survival of immune cells, as well as the production and activity of other cytokines. Cytokines can be proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory. Proinflammatory cytokines are related with the pathophysiology of pain syndromes. Cells that secrete proinflammatory (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7, and TNF) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13, and TGFβ) cytokines, the functions of each cytokine, and the action of those compounds on pain processing, have been described. CONCLUSIONS Cytokines have an important role in pain through different mechanisms in several sites of pain transmission pathways.

Coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass through sternotomy and minimally invasive procedure

Coronary artery bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is now an accepted technique of myocardial revascularization in a special subset of patients. This paper presents our total experience in 1761 cases operated on since September 1981 until April 1997 out of a total of 9164 patients revascularized with the conventional technique during this period of time. Among the 1761 patients, 53 (3%) were operated on by minimally invasive surgery. The overall applicability was 19.2% and the most common grafted arteries were left anterior descending artery (LAD), right coronary artery (RCA), and diagonal. Results indicate that the operation can be performed with an acceptable mortality (2.3%) and that all types of arterial conduits can be used. The incidence of major postoperative complications were significantly lower in this group of patients when compared with our patients receiving conventional myocardial revascularization. Most importantly there was decrease cost when the procedure was used because no extracorporeal circulation cardioplegia sets or other cannulas were used. We conclude based on in this fifteen years experience that the technique of myocardial revascularization in a beating heart is justified, safe and can offer to selected patients the best option of coronary insufficiency surgical treatment.

Citocinas e dor

JUSTIFICATIVA Y OBJETIVOS: Las citocinas son sustancias necesarias para la respuesta inflamatoria, favoreciendo la cicatrizacion apropiada de la herida. Sin embargo, la produccion exagerada de citocinas proinflamatorias a partir de la lesion puede manifestarse sistemicamente con la inestabilidad hemodinamica o disturbios metabolicos. El objetivo de esta revision fue describir los efectos de las citocinas en el dolor. CONTENIDO: Este articulo intenta hacer una revision de los efectos de las citocinas en el dolor. En enfermedades que se manifiestan con un proceso inflamatorio agudo o cronico, las citocinas pueden ser reconocidas por las neuronas y utilizadas para desencadenar diversas reacciones celulares que influyen en la actividad, proliferacion y sobrevida de la celula inmunologica, como tambien en la produccion y en la actividad de otras citocinas. Las citocinas pueden ser proinflamatorias y antiinflamatorias. Las proinflamatorias tienen una relacion con la fisiopatologia de los sindromes dolorosos. Ya se han descrito las celulas que segregan las citocinas, las citocinas proinflamatorias (IL-1, IL-2, IL-6, IL-7 y FNT) y antiinflamatorias (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13 y FTCβ), las funciones de cada citocina y tambien como ocurre la accion de esas sustancias en el proceso del dolor. CONCLUSIONES: Las citocinas desempenan un rol muy importante en el dolor, actuando por medio de diferentes mecanismos en varios locales de las vias de transmision del dolor.

Myocardial infarction scar plication in the rat: cardiac mechanics in an animal model for surgical procedures

BACKGROUND The immediate effects of surgical reduction of left ventricle cavity on cardiac mechanics have not been well defined. METHODS Cardiac mechanics were analyzed before and after myocardial infarction scar plication in 11 isolated infarcted rat hearts. RESULTS Despite a decrease in myocardial stiffness, an increase in chamber stiffness was noted after myocardial infarction scar plication. Systolic function was favored in more than one way. For the same diastolic pressures, maximal developed pressures were higher after myocardial infarction scar plication, and the slope of the systolic pressure-volume relationship was steeper afterwards as compared with before; this means that Frank-Starling recruitment is accentuated in smaller cavities. In addition, the developed net forces needed to generate these pressures were clearly lower afterward than before, indicating reduced ventricular afterload. CONCLUSIONS The study results show that diastolic function is harmed and systolic function is favored by myocardial infarction scar plication. We suggest that preoperative evaluation of the degree of diastolic dysfunction and impairment of the Frank-Starling mechanism may help to identify patients who may have a poor postoperative outcome due to diastolic or systolic dysfunction.

Effect of Intravenous Lidocaine on Manifestations of Fibromyalgia

Background and Objectives:  The objective of our study was to evaluate the effect of intravenous lidocaine on the manifestations of fibromyalgia.

Cardiovascular behavior during rehabilitation after coronary artery bypass grafting

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the behavior of cardiovascular variables during an in-hospital cardiovascular rehabilitation program in patients following myocardial revascularization surgery. Methods: A total of 14 patients (mean age: 55.4 ± 6.4 years, 78.6% male) participated in the study, all of whom had a previous diagnosis of coronary insufficiency and indication for elective surgery. The protocol consisted of a group of low-impact (2-3 METs) upper/lower extremity and walking exercises performed both pre and post-operatively (3

Anatomic study of the tricuspid valve in children.

We performed an anatomic study of the right atrioventricular valve in children under one year of age using a conservative method of dissection of the heart valve. The main aspects studied were the number of cusps and their morphometric characteristics, such as the width of the base and the depth of the cusps. Other parameters studied were the number of papillary muscles, number of tendinous cords, and diameter of the fibrous ring and the last one were divided in three regions, anterior, posterior and septal for localization of cusps. Our results showed that the number of cusps varied from two to four. Three cusps was the commonest finding and the fourth cusp, if present, was classified as anterolateral in location. The anterior and septal cusps had bases bigger than those of the posterior and anterolateral cusps the septal cusp was deeper than the others and the number of tendinous cords was greater for the anterior and septal cusps than for the posterior and anterolateral cusps. In addition, the posterior region showed great variability in 35.7% it was occupied by undeveloped valve tissue and the posterior valve in these cases was located anteriorly.

Cryopreserved Aortic Homograft for Aortic Valve Replacement. Immediate Results

OBJECTIVE: To assess immediate clinical and echocardiographic results of the use of cryopreserved aortic homografts for aortic valve replacement. METHODS: Eighteen patients with aortic valve disease underwent aortic valve replacement, receiving a cryopreserved aortic homograft, 15 were male, 10 had aortic regurgitation, and 8 had aortic stenosis. Age ranged from 18 to 65 years (mean, 44.5 ± 18.14 years). Four patients had infective endocarditis, 12 patients were in functional class II, and 6 patients were in functional class III (NYHA). Left ventricular function was normal in 15 patients. RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 5.5% (1 patient) due to respiratory distress; the other patients were discharged from the hospital between the fifth and eighth postoperative days in functional class I. Maximal aortic transvalvular gradient, on echocardiography, ranged from 0 to 30 mmHg, with a mean of 10.9 ± 9.2 mmHg. Five patients did not have any degree of regurgitation through the aortic homograft, 11 patients (61.1%) had minimal regurgitation, and 2 had mild regurgitation. Duration of extracorporeal circulation ranged from 130 to 220 minutes (mean, 183.9 ± 36.7 minutes). Duration of aortic clamping ranged from 102 to 168 minutes (mean, 139.14 ± 25.10 minutes). Bleeding in the postoperative period ranged from 210 to 1220 mL, with a mean of 511.4 ± 335.1 mL. Reoperations were not necessary. Duration of orotracheal intubation ranged from 2 hours 50 minutes to 17 hours with a mean of 9.14 ± 3.6 hours. CONCLUSION: Cryopreserved aortic homografts may be routinely used with low hospital morbidity and mortality.

Revascularização do miocárdio sem circulação extracorpórea: resultados da experiência de 18 anos de sua utilização

Introduction: Myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass is today an increasing alternative of revascularization although the limits of applicability are still to be defined. The authors review a series of cases and discuss its indications based upon their results. Patients and Methods: There were analyzed 2495 patients who underwent direct myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation in the period from October 1981 to September 1999, from a total of 10656 patients, submitted to coronary bypass surgery during this period (23.4%). The age varied from 32 to 90 years (medium = 59) with most males (67%). Chronic coronary insufficiency was the most common surgical indication (70.8%) and the majority of the patients received 2 grafts (51.5%). Results: The global mortality rate (30 days) was 1.9% (48/ 2495) and only 45% of these patients needed blood transfusion. The global applicability of this technique was around 23%, however in the last 3 years the applicability was 32.8%, 35.1% and 42.2%. Conclusions: Myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation is a safe tactical alternative for coronary insufficiency and has increased in the last years. This treatment is indicated in this subgroup of lower mortality and small incidence of postoperative complications. In the next years the use of this technique will increase with the use of stabilizers, special manipulation and functional revascularization.