Volume 16 - Número 3

Heart failure is becoming a major problem of public health and it is expected to represent the dominant cardiac disease of this century. Because the death of cardiomyocytes is often responsible for the development of progressive heart failure, cellular transplantation has emerged over recente past years as an attractive alternative therapy. This approach has been stimulated by the recognition in experimental studies that the normal and injured myocardium could be successfully colonized and functionally improved by a variety of contractile cells, mainly skeletal myoblasts. The promising results obtained in an experimental setting triggered the first clinical trial by a French group of myoblast transplantation in previously infarcted myocardium with encouraging preliminary results. Despite the short follow-up and the few patients subjected to this new therapy, cellular transplantation appears as an interesting option in the therapeutic armamentarium for heart failure. Keywords: Cell transplantation, methods; Cardiac output, low, surgery; Myocardium, citology; Bone marrow cells, transplantation; Muscle, skeletal, citology

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed late results of extra-anatomic aortic bypass technique with Dacron graft from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1979 to 2000, a total of 15 adult patients, aged 18 years to 61 years (mean 30.8 ± 12.1 years) underwent extra-anatomic bypass graft for surgical repair of aortic arch coarctation. Operative exposure was median sternotomy with posterior pericardial approach in 13 (86.7%) patients and left thoracotomy in 2 (13.3%). Associated procedures were performed in 3 (20.0%) patient and there were 4 (26.7%) reoperations. The patients had clinical evaluation, echocardiographic and angiographic studies, the latter with magnetic resonance post-operative. Follow-up was 6.9 ± 6.7 years (range 30 days to 21 years). RESULTS: There was neither early or late mortality nor neurologic complications. There was no late complications with the Dacron graft neither reoperations. All patients were asymptomatic with patent Dacron graft confirmed by echocardiography. Five (33.3%) patients had mild hypertension. The magnetic resonance was done in 11 (73.3%) patients and the Dacron graft were long-term patent in all. CONCLUSIONS: The extra-anatomic bypass aortic technique with Dacron graft from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults is a safe operation with low morbidity and mortality. The good long-term results proved to be safe and less invasive technique to repair the aortic arch coarctation or recoarctation in adults. Keywords: Aortic coarctation, surgery; Aorta, thoracic, abnormalities; Aortic coarctation, radiography; Aorta, thoracic, surgery; Aorta, thoracic, radiography; Coronary angiography

OBJECTIVES: To determine the predictors of bad evolution in patients submitted to myocardial revascularization (MR) in the acute myocardial infarction (AMI). MATERIAL E METHODS: Between March 1998 and November 1999, 49 patients were submitted to MR in AMI. Patients with mechanical complications of the AMI and those submitted to associated procedures to MR were excluded. The patients were divided into two groups: Group I - 29 cases without AMI related complications and Group II - 20 cases with one or more complications. The later ones included persistent ischemia (18 patients), congestive heart failure (11), cardiogenic shock (9), hypotension (7), recurrent AMI (4), sustained ventricular tachycardia (4) and ventricular fibrillation (3). Both groups were considered comparable in terms of preoperative demografics, except for older patients in Group II. In order to determine the prognostic factors for early mortality, the patients profiles and AMI complications were analysed by multivariate and variance tests. RESULTS: The overall mortality was 6.12% (3 patients), all of them in Group II. The multivariate analysis identified as predictors of hospital mortality arterial hypotension (p=0.045), cardiogenic shock (p=0.001) and ventricular fibrillation (p=0.012). CONCLUSIONS: MR in AMI is a safe procedure in patients without preoperative complications, with no deaths. The presence of preoperative complications such as cardiogenic shock, ventricular fibrillation and hypotension were considered predictors of bad evolution in this condition. Keywords: Myocardial revascularization, methods; Myocardial infarction, surgery; Myocardial, revascularization, prognosis; Myocardial revascularization, risk factors

INTRODUCTION: The survival of patients in end-stage and secondary mitral insufficiency is very poor in short periods of follow-up in spite of the progress that has been made in clinical management. The occurrence of secundary mitral regurgitation compromises survival and quality of life and recent papers have suggested that mitral intervention could improve functional classes. OBJECTIVE: This paper describes a techniques of valvular prostheses implantation in the left A-V annulus, to correct mitral regurgitation and remodelling the basis of the left ventricle with shortening of the longitudinal axis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyze 33 patients in end-stage cardiomyopathies (15 ischemic, 13 dilated, 3 Chagas' disease, 1 puerperal, 1 viral) operated on from December 85 to September 99. The ages varied from 25 to 78 years (mean 58), 57.7% males. The period of follow-up was from 4 months until 4 years (mean 22 months). RESULTS: During hospital stay, 3 deaths (3/33) occurred and 2 others occurred after hospital discharge (2/30). In this period of follow-up 88% of patients improved 1 or 2 functional classes, the echocardiographic ejection fraction improved from 30 to 36% despite elimination of regurgitant flow and the stroke volume increased from 58 to 80 ml. CONCLUSION: Refractory cardiac insufficiency with mitral regurgitation can be palliative with valvular prosthesis implantation and remodelling of left ventricle in this period of follow-up. Keywords: Cardiac output, low, surgery; Mitral valve insufficiency, surgery; Ventricular remodeling; Heart valve prosthesis implatation; Cardiac output, low, complications; Mitral valve insufficiency, etiology; Cardiac output, low, survival analysis

PURPOSE: The authors report a method of surgical treatment of the aortic valve disease, called "Surgical Remodeling of Aortic Valve". MATERIAL AND METHOD: The method consisted of the utilization of the habitual extracorporeal circulation, moderated hipothermia and the infusion of cardioplegic solution in the coronary ostia. The non-coronary valvula is resected and stitches anchored in the aortic valva anulus are given in a way to approximate the resected valvula commissures, in order to turn the trivalvular valva into a bivalvulate one. The Valsalva sinus corresponding to the resected valva stays situated below the commissure and the remaining aortic wall is sutured with a few separated stitches, followed with the conventional aortorraphy. Between March of 1996 and July of 1999, 15 patients were operated with the described technique. Nine were male and the age ranged from 12 to 78 years. Four patients had aortic valve insufficiency, 4 with aortic and mitral insufficiency, 2 with double aortic lesion and coronary artery disease, 2 with ascending aortic disease, 2 with aortic insufficiency and coronary artery disease, and 1 with double dysfunction of aortic and mitral valves. RESULTS: Three patients developed aortic insufficiency on the post-operative and 3 of them were operated on in the late post-operative. Four patients were submitted to hemodynamic study and one of them had a supravalvar gradient estimated at 20 mmHg. Eleven patients were studied by echocardiogram and did not have stenosis. There were neither immediate obits and one occurred in the late post-operative period. Fourteen patients were followed during 30 days to 24 months, and had a good evolution (Functional Class I or II of the NYHA). CONCLUSION: This method for the aortic valve preservation is an alternate option for the surgical treatment of the aortic valve disease. Keywords: Aortic valve, surgery; Aortic valve insufficiency, surgery; Aortic valve insufficiency, surgery, follow-up studies

INTRODUCTION: The authors describe the implantation of an endovascular self-expanding stents grafts at 33 months of follow-up. The use can be a new alternative for the treatment of descending aortic dissections and aneurysms disease. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From April 1998 to November 2000 (32 months), 37 endovascular stent grafts were implanted, 21 in acute dissections type B, 7 in acute dissections type A and 9 in chronic dissections type B and aneurysms ones. The age varied between 39 and 79 years (mean=57.94 ± 1.91 years), considering that 64.86% were male patients. The patients were submitted to median esternotomy, extracorporeal circulation (ECC), with deep hipothermia (18-20ºC), total circulatory arrest (TCA), and retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP). The transverse aorta was incised and the stent was implanted in the descending proximal aorta with the aid sometimes of aortoscopy. The times of ECC, aortic clamping, TCA, RCP, rewarming, mechanic ventilation, hospitalization, trans and post-operative bleeding, blood replacement, events curve and survival curve were analyzed. RESULTS: The hospital mortality (30 days) was 13.51%; 32 have been followed up from 1 to 33 months, 70.7% are free of events and survival curve with 63.19% (33 months). CONCLUSIONS: The implant of self-expanding intraluminal stent grafts presented has lower hospital mortality in the acute phase and follow-up in acute aortic dissections type B (10%) than clinical treatment (IRAD). In spite of the small sample the procedure is promising and needs longer follow-up. Keywords: Aneurysm, dissecting, surgery; Aortic aneurysm, surgery; Stents; Cardiovascular surgical procedures, mortality; Cardiovascular surgical procedures, risk factors; Cardiovascular surgical procedures, survival analysis

INTRODUCTION: Despite the development in cardiovascular techniques such as in cardiopulmonary bypass and cerebral protection the mortality in the correlations of the diseases of the aortic arch remains high. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest and cardiopulmonary bypass times as well as neurological lesions are the major causes of morbi-mortality. OBJECTIVE: To show some techniques and tactics that allow the complete substitution of the aortic arch without the need of total circulatory arrest and deep hypothermia, and the results obtained in 10 consecutive patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten consecutive patients, all male, with a mean age of 48.7 years, had their aortic arch totally substituted using moderate hypothermia, selective cerebral perfusion via subclavian artery and an arch vessels anastomose performed isolatedly as the first stage. RESULTS: The mean selective cerebral perfusion time was 14.1 minutes with 39.6 minutes of myocardial ischaemia and 98.9 minutes of cardiopulmonary bypass. The mean esofagic temperature was 26.6º C (24º C to 30º C). The mean time of hospital stay was 18.4 days (8 to 40). There were no immediate or late deaths. Two patients had temporary cerebral dysfunction (confusion) and one had hemiparesis, completed recover with time. CONCLUSION: The combination of these techniques and tactics allowed an effective correction of the diseases in a wide and dry surgical field. They promoted an excellent cerebral protection without the need of deep hypothermia which decreasing substantially the postoperative complications and mortality. Keywords: Aorta, thoracic, transplantation; Heart arrest, induced, melhods; Extracorporeal circulation, methods; Hypothermia, induced; Cardiovascular surgical procedures, methods

INTRODUCTION: We describe our experience with Jatene's operation in the surgical treatment of transposition of great arteries (TGA) where pulmonary artery reconstruction was performed with two autologous pericardial patches in order to spare the maximum amount of native aortic tissue. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There were 52 children (38 simple TGA, 14 TGA + VSD) and their age ranged from 3 days to 17 months. Body weight ranged from 2.400 to 7.400 kg (m=3.377 kg). All patients were operated under moderate hypothermia with a single infusion of blood cardioplegia. Average extracorporeal circulation time was 110.6 min and average aortic cross-clamping time was 72.5 min. RESULTS: There were 3 (5.8%) early deaths caused by pulmonary infection in 2 of them and by obstruction of the endotracheal tube in 1. There were 2 late deaths; one in a reoperation of severe coronary ostial stenosis (6 months p.o.) and another owing to pneumonia (1 year p.o.). Late echocardiography was performed in 20 children who were operated in the neonatal period and had a minimum of 5 months follow-up (m=12.7). Supravalvular pulmonary stenosis was found in only 1 (5%) patient and results were consistent with an uniform pulmonary artery development. CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of the pulmonary artery in Jatene's operation for TGA should be carried out with maximal preservation of the native aortic tissue. Keywords: Pulmonary artery, surgery; Transposition of great vessels, surgery; Cardiovascular surgery procedures, methods

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the overall incidence and predictors of atrial fibrillation and flutter (AFF) following CABG, as well as the influence of these arrhythmia on the hospital length of stay. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Two hundred and seventy-five patients, who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery at the Beneficência Portuguesa Hospital in São Paulo, had their data collected and analyzed. The age range was from 26 to 83 years old with mean age of 58.7 and standard deviation of 9.5 years. One hundred and ninety six patients (71.3%) were male. RESULTS: The outcomes of this analysis were: the overall incidence of postoperative AFF was 16.4%, with the peak rate in the second and third postoperative days. Advanced age (p < 0.0001; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3, 140 to 9.046 ); male sex (p = 0.0126; odds ratio [OR], 3.022; relative risk = 2.380; 95% CI 1.103 to 5,135) and a history of AFF (p = 0.0235, OR = 15.54, relative risk = 1.023, 95% CI 0.6225 to 387.9) were identified as independent predictors of postoperative AFF. Those patients with postoperative AFF remained an average of 36 hours longer in the intensive care unit and 4.8 days longer in the ward when compared with patients without AFF. CONCLUSIONS: The AFF are very common arrhythmia after CABG and have a significant effect on both intensive care unit and overall hospital length of stay. Keywords: Atrial fibrillation, epidemiology; Atrial flutter, epidemiology; Myocardial revascularization, adverse effects; Atrial fibrillation, risk factors; Atrial flutter, risk factors; Myocardial revascularization, risk factors

PURPOSE: This study is divided into 2 parts, an experimental study to establish a technique of extracorporeal circulation with low oxygen partial pressure and a clinical study to show the feasibility in humans. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experimental surgery with extracorporeal circulation was performed in 20 dogs divided into 2 groups of ten. In group I, cannulation was done first in the superior vena cava, then in the inferior vena cava, keeping normal heartbeat and breathing, controlled by a respirator and pure oxygen. After passing through a heat exchanger, the blood of each vena cava was injected in the femoral artery. Blood samples from the aorta were taken above the diaphragm in every 30 minutes to check gasometric values. In group II, the right atrium was drained and half of the blood injected in the pulmonary artery with another pump and picked up through the left ventricle to the reservoir that also works as a heat exchanger. The mixed blood (50% arterial and 50% venous) was re-injected by another pump in the arterial circulation. The heart was maintained fibrillating and the breathing controlled by the respirator. In the clinical study, 40 patients were divided into 2 groups of 20 each. In group A the patients were bypassed in the conventional manner, that is, compressed air and oxygen in the oxigenator with high arterial pO2. In group B, pure oxygen was used in the membrane oxigenator and venous-arterial shunt, performed between 40% to 50%. RESULTS: In both groups, from a physiologic point of view there was shunting of 50% of venous blood to the arterial circulation and arterial blood flow was maintained high (around 100 ml\kg\min). It was observed that the arterial pO2 in both groups remained between 50 and 100 mmHg and venous saturation between 50 and 70%. All animals woke up at end of the experiment. In the clinical study, the arterial pO2 was a low 60 mmHg. Comparison of the clinical results showed there was no mortality difference between both groups, but in the group B, with the low pO2 and venous-arterial shunt, the post-operative bleeding was significantly smaller, having been used three times less blood and no need to use the blender. Keywords: Extracorporeal circulation, methods; Blood pressure, physiology; Oxygen, physiology; Venae cavae, surgery; Pulmonary artery, surgery; Oxygenators, membrane