Aortocoronary Bypass Surgery in Patients with Recurrent Post-Coronary Stenting Angina

Background. A wide adoption of percutaneous coronary operations has led to an average one-third reduction in the aortocoronary bypass surgery (ACB) rate and altering of the ACB patient profile to mainly represent advanced occlusive coronary atherosclerosis.Materials and methods. The study analyses treatment outcomes in coronary heart disease patients with recurrent angina after a previous endovascular intervention. Over years 2009–2015, 1,023 ACB operations were performed at the Almetyevsk — OAO Tatneft Medical Unit cardiac surgery rooms. Pre-surgery coronary artery stenting (CAS) was rendered at various terms in 96 patients (23 % women, 76 % men; cohort 1). The main cohort (n = 96) was divided into 2 subgroups: IA (n = 64), single CAS; IB (n = 32), multiple CAS patients. For statistical significance, cohort 2 (control) comprised 185 patients (21 % women, 79 % men) to include every 5th history of the remaining 927 patients operated within same period.Results and discussion. The mean aortic occlusion time was shorter in multiple CAS patients vs. other cohorts (61.3 ± 31.2 vs. 72.5 ± 27.8 and 70.7 ± 41.2 min). Cohort 1 had an overall higher emergency resternotomy rate due to ongoing bleeding (7.4 and 8.3 vs. 2.0 %). Furthermore, pre-surgery multiple CAS patients more likely faced the complications of perioperative MI (8.5 vs. 3.1 and 1.4 %) and acute postoperative heart failure (7.2 vs. 2.3 and 1.4 %, p < 0.01). This cohort often required inotropic support (9.3 vs. 3.8 and 2.1 %).Conclusion. Statistical analysis revealed a significantly higher complication and mortality rate in patients with previous coronary stenting compared to ACB patients. Adverse ACB outcomes were observed with multiple-coronary stenting cases, in contrast to the cohort with no pre-surgery interventions.

Transient cortical blindness during coronary and aortocoronary bypass graft angiography

The prevalence of cerebrovascular complications after cardiac catheterization is low. These include stroke, transient ischemic attack, and amaurosis fugax. Cortical blindness is a rare, bilateral clinical condition of largely ischemic etiology, characterized by damage to the cerebral cortex, which manifests with acute reduction of visual acuity. Usually, neuro-ophthalmic complications of cardiac catheterization are correlated with embolic phenomena or migraine. We report a case of transient cortical blindness during coronary and aortocoronary bypass graft angiography.

Revascularization using the saphenous vein as a composite graft

The saphenous vein conduit has been used as an aortocoronary bypass graft in almost all previous studies, and its use as a composite graft was reserved for patients with diffusely atherosclerotic or calcified ascending aorta to minimize ascending aorta manipulation and to reduce the risk of neurological injury.

Particularities in Cardiovascular Recovery by Physical Training in a Patient with Prosthetic Valve, Permanent Electrical Cardiac Stimulation and Aortocoronary Bypass

Introduction: Going through a complete cardiac rehabilitation is essential for all cardiac patients undergoing complex surgery, including those who wear intracardiac devices. Determining the effort capacity after the surgical intervention might provide satisfactory results with the improvement of the quality of life.Case presentation: We present the case of a male patient, 44 years old, known with aortic bicuspid valve, aortic mechanical valve evolved with prosthesis mismatch and aortocoronary bypass (right coronary artery), followed by total atrioventricular block which required cardiac pacemaker VVI, who is admitted in the Cardiovascular Rehabilitation Clinic to continue the second phase of the rehabilitation program. The ergospirometry test (which was performed in order to evaluate the impairment of the effort capacity) showed a moderate-severe decrease of effort capacity (42% of maximal oxygen consumption, class C Weber), effort hypotension and chronotropic incompetence which led to pausing cardiopulmonary test before anaerobic threshold. Stepper exercise or climbing stairs did not cause the lowering of blood pressure and heart rate, which led to the idea of controlling and adjusting the stimulation parameters. Within cardiopulmonary testing in patients with pacemaker special regards should be paid towards: parameters assessment during effort (heart rate during the test in pacemakers without adaptation to exercise, heart rate during the test in pacemakers with adaptation to exercise, evaluation of the effort response in patients undergoing resynchronization therapy) and diagnosis of exercise-induced arrhythmia (atrial fibrillation, ventricular extrasystoles, ventricular tachycardia, as well as identification of arrhythmias in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillator).Conclusion: The cardiopulmonary stress test in patients with cardiostimulation should respect certain conditions in conducting the test in order to obtain realistic results of functional capacity. Due to the position of the piezoelectric crystal and the immobilization of the limbs during the cycle ergometer test it is recommended testing using the treadmill.