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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels for the complications of cardiac surgery. STUDY DESIGN:   Meta-analysis. Place of Study: Siyami Ersek Chest and Cardiovascular Surgery Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. METHODOLOGY: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Ovid electronic databases were used. The studies were included the recorded preoperative levels of hemoglobin A1C and postoperative complications developed after cardiac surgery. Results of the studies were evaluated, based on either random or fixed effect model, according to presence of heterogeneity (I2>25%). RESULTS: In total, 2,312 articles were obtained. After reviewing the articles, 33 articles covering 3500 patients meeting the inclusion criteria were included. The results pointed out that there was a relationship between preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels and mediastinitis, stroke, pneumonia, sepsis, renal failure and mortality. Heterogeneity was observed for myocardial infarction, atrial fibrillation and multiorgan failure (I2 >25%). CONCLUSION: Preoperative hemoglobin A1C levels were associated with development of mediastinitis, stroke, pneumonia, sepsis, renal failure and mortality after cardiac surgery. Key Words: Hemoglobin A1C, Cardiac surgery, Complication, Meta-analysis.

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Coronary angiography and percutaneous coronary intervention via radial access has been progressively performed over the last three decades and has become standard of care. Even though the radial approach, compared with femoral access, is safe and is also associated with less bleeding in patients with myocardial infarction, it may be problematic in some cases. Here, we describe an 80-year-old woman with brachial artery dissection due to a twisted diagnostic catheter during transradial coronary angiography, who subsequently underwent surgical retrieval of the catheter.

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BACKGROUND: Symptomatic cardiac injury after blunt chest trauma is relatively rare, and valvular injury is even more rare. The valves most commonly affected are tricuspid. Automobile accidents are mostly responsible for this type of injury. OBJECTIVES: Unlike with the mitral valve, post-traumatic tricuspid heart valve insufficiency is usually well tolerated. Indeed, severe tricuspid regurgitation can resolve spontaneously. CASE REPORT: A 68-year-old woman with no previous cardiac or medical history was brought to our Emergency Department after an automobile accident. She had chest pain and shortness of breath upon admission. Transthoracic echocardiographic examination revealed severe tricuspid regurgitation with rupture of the chordae tendineae and prolapse of the valve cusps into the right atrium during systole. An electrocardiogram was consistent with second-degree Mobitz II atrioventricular block on admission, which subsequently progressed to complete atrioventricular block on day 3. During follow-up with close hemodynamic monitoring, her symptoms disappeared and repeat echocardiography revealed a regression in the severity of tricuspid regurgitation. Operative repair of the tricuspid valve was deemed unnecessary and the patient was discharged with medical therapy on the eighth day after admission. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to be aware of traumatic tricuspid regurgitation after non-penetrating chest trauma. Close follow-up may suffice in some patients with stable hemodynamic conditions, and regression of tricuspid regurgitation can be expected during follow-up.

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OBJECTIVE: Use of the radial artery (RA) as a conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has become increasingly popular in recent years. The aim of this prospective randomized study is to determine how the endothelial wall and blood flow of RA are differently affected with the usages of ultrasonic scalpel and conventional electrocautery in addition to effects of hypothermia and storage solutions. Histopathologic study was achieved by electron microscope to evaluate endothelium of the grafts. METHODS: Between 2008 and 2009, 182 patients with coronary artery diseases were operated for coronary artery revascularization. The radial arteries were harvested for 40 of these patients and divided into two groups depending on the use of the ultrasonic cautery (UC) (n=20) and the high-frequency electrocautery (EC) (n=20). Patients were divided into two subgroups according to the storage media of the graft. RA was preserved in situ at room temperature (Group 1) and normothermic organ bath (NOB) (Group 2). Harvesting time, use of hemostatic clips, frequency of spasm, in situ free flow, temperature and endothelial damage were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA, Friedman and unpaired t tests. RESULTS: In all groups, blood flows were significantly decreased as parallel to the local temperatures. Second and third phase flows were similar in group EC1 and UC1 (p>0.05). Free flow was increased in group UC+NOB when comparing with only EC group (60.4±9.83 ml/min and 40.8±7.50 ml/min, p<0.001), whereas the graft preparing time "t2" was shorter in group EC than UC (10.9±2.42 min and 15.2±1.31 min, p<0.01). Nonetheless scoring of the groups in terms of endothelial cell structure and mitochondrial morphological changes did not show any significant difference. CONCLUSION: If endothelial integrity of the RA can be preserved along with the application of systemic temperature (NOB), regardless of harvesting technique, it provides better flow rates.

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Cardiac myxomas are highly vascular tumors and there is no consensus on the use of coronary angiography to assess their vascularity. A 64-year-old male patient presented with complaints of exertional dyspnea, fatigue, arthralgia, weight loss, intermittent high fever, and palpitation. He had an 18-month history of stent implantation for the left anterior descending coronary artery. Echocardiography showed a mobile mass in the left atrium with regular contours. Coronary angiography was performed with the initial diagnosis of myxoma and vascular supply of the tumor by the proximal branches of the right coronary artery (RCA) was visualized. Re-evaluation of previous angiograms of the patient showed existence of the same mass, in significantly smaller size, and supply from the RCA. The mass which was 5.5x1x0.5 cm in size was removed by surgical resection and the branches of the RCA supplying the tumor were ligated. Histopathologic examination confirmed the diagnosis. During 20 months of follow-up, the patient was asymptomatic and echocardiographic examinations were normal.

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The coexistence of Brugada syndrome and Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a very rare phenomenon. We describe a 31-year-old patient without any previous cardiac disorder admitted to our hospital due to palpitations and concomitantly diagnosed as WPW syndrome and treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation. He was later diagnosed with Brugada syndrome and followed-up 2 years without any symptoms. We discuss other previously reported cases in literature, in which these two conditions exist simultaneously.

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INTRODUCTION: Isolated left ventricular noncompaction is a rare form of cardiomyopathy. Heart failure with deteriorated systolic function is the hallmark of this cardiomyopathy. Albeit it may cause ventricular tachycardia (VT) and systemic embolism, it is a rarity to see these complications in a patient with noncompaction and normal systolic functions. CASE REPORT: A 78-year old female patient with a history of cerebrovascular accident admitted to our hospital with palpitation and subsequently developed cardiopulmonary arrest. Her ECG showed ventricular tachycardia degenerated into fibrillation. Echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) revealed a small noncompacted segment in left ventricular apex. Ventricular tachycardia was induced in electrophysiologic study and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. DISCUSSION: Patients with isolated left ventricular noncompaction usually present with heart failure symptoms and subsequently diagnosed with echocardiography. Rarely, it may cause ventricular tachycardia and systemic embolism in a patient with normal systolic functions and a small noncompacted segment. Noncompaction should be carefully sought in unexplained ventricular tachycardia and cerebrovascular accidents, even if heart failure is not present.

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We are reporting the successful surgical management of a challenging right coronary artery aneurysm with a giant fistula into the coronary sinus. We performed fistula division, coronary sinus size reduction, and complete resection of the right coronary artery aneurysm with bypass to the posterior descending artery.

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OBJECTIVE: Radial artery pedicle tissue cooling during harvesting is one of the major causes of vasospasm. We aimed to compare the effects of the pedicle rewarming method, normothermic organ bath, and one of the most preferred topical antispasmodic agents, verapamil-nitroglycerin solution alone or in combination on the blood flow of radial artery. METHODS: Consecutively randomized patients (n=80) undergoing coronary bypass were organized as four equal-sized groups. Effects of normothermic organ bath and topically performed verapamil-nitroglycerin solution alone or in combination on the blood flow of radial artery were investigated. In the control group no antispasmodic treatment was performed. Free flows were measured at three stages: as initial flow after minimal distal harvesting, post-harvesting flow after total harvesting, and post-treatment flow following a waiting period after the application of the antispasmodic protocol. At each stage, pedicle and esophageal temperatures were also recorded. RESULTS: Radial artery pedicle temperatures decreased significantly during harvesting in all groups (p<0.001). Normothermic organ bath, topical verapamil-nitroglycerin solution treatment, and their combination increased flow significantly (p<0.001, from 40.3+/-10.48 ml/min to 64.3+/-18.8 ml/min, from 38.9+/-13.91 ml/min to 62.75+/-15.23 ml/min, from 41.4+/-11.19 ml/min to 75.4+/-15.32 ml/min, respectively). The differences between the initial and post-treatment flows were not significant in the combined procedure group (p>0.05), whereas the initial levels were not reached in the post-treatment flows (p<0.05) in the normothermic organ bath and verapamil-nitroglycerin groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothermia plays an important role in radial artery vasospasm. Normothermic organ bath and verapamil-nitroglycerin solution alone or in combination relieve spasm of radial artery.

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Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery is an extremely rare anomaly. We describe the case of a patient whose right coronary artery was arising from the ascending aorta with high takeoff. We diagnosed the anomaly incidentally during the operation. After transverse aortotomy for aortic valve replacement, we recognized the transection of the right coronary artery. The right coronary artery ostium was located approximately 5 cm above the right sinus of Valsalva. It was showing a complete transmural course. We repaired the right coronary artery by bypassing it with a saphenous vein graft.

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BACKGROUND: Free flow of the internal thoracic artery decreases commonly after harvesting because of spasm. Tissue heat loss is inevitable during surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the internal thoracic artery pedicle rewarming method with topical papaverine applications in different thermal conditions. METHODS: Patients (n = 120) were organized in to 6 equally sized groups. The effects of topical papaverine application at room temperature, topical heated papaverine (at 37 degrees C) application, internal thoracic artery pedicle storage in normothermic conditions, pedicle storage in normothermic conditions combined with topical papaverine application, and pedicle storage in normothermic conditions combined with topical heated papaverine application were investigated. In the control group, no treatment was applied and the pedicle was stored in room temperature conditions. We measured internal thoracic artery free flows at 3 stages: at the initiation of harvesting, after total harvesting, and after antispasmodic treatment. Durations of the stages were recorded. At each stage hemodynamic parameters, tissue and core temperatures were also monitored. RESULTS: Internal thoracic artery pedicle temperature significantly decreased simultaneously with the free flow after the harvesting procedure. Recovery of the physiologic temperature state, provided by storing the internal thoracic artery pedicle in normothermic conditions, improved the flow and increased the efficiency of topically applied papaverine on the vasospasm of the internal thoracic artery. CONCLUSION: Topical application of heated papaverine itself does not warm pedicle tissue, but papaverine efficiency increases when the pedicle is stored in normothermic conditions. Preserving internal thoracic artery pedicles in normothermic conditions can be the preferred treatment for spasms.

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The superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome is an uncommon complication due to permanent hemodialysis catheters. Herein we present a case with superior vena cava syndrome resulting from dialysis access catheter placed in the subclavian vein. The patient was admitted with typical signs and symptoms of superior vena cava syndrome. Angiography revealed obstruction of the superior vena cava with thrombosis. Surgical repair consisted of thrombectomy and patch repair of superior vena cava with autologous pericardium. The complaints and symptoms of the patient decreased dramatically following the operation. In view of this case, we do think that creating an early arteriovenous fistula should be kept in mind to minimize the use of dialysis catheter.

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