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Aim:In this study, the factors affecting the development of recoarctation in patients who had been operated for aortic coarctation (AC) were investigated. It was aimed to contribute to the reduction of recoarctation rates in the light of the results obtained.Materials and Methods:In this retrospective study, 217 patients out of 358 patients, who underwent surgical correction for the diagnosis of AC at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery between 1977 and 2010, who were followed up regularly, and whose data could be reached, were included. Age, body weight and results of surgical correction techniques used during surgical correction were compared in cases having recoarctation. Data obtained were evaluated statistically. Descriptive statistics for categorical variables were stated as numbers (n) and percentages (%). The results were presented in mean±standard deviation and/or percentage (frequency). The alpha significance value was accepted as

Background. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) are being used for preoperative management of critical coronary artery disease. However, preoperative UFH therapy may cause a reduction in antithrombin concentrations, leading to various degrees of heparin resistance (HR). The main purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of preoperative LMWH on HR during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods. Data were retrospectively reviewed from adult patients that underwent on-pump coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Four hundred fifty-seven patients underwent CABG, and 139 of them, who had isolated on-pump CABG, were included in the study. The heparin sensitivity index was calculated if activated clotting time levels were discovered below 400 seconds. Values less than 1.3 were accepted as HR. Results. Of 139 patients who underwent on-pump CABG, preoperative LMWH was administered in 59 patients (56.8%). Intraoperative HR occurred in 29 patients (20.9%). Patients who received preoperative LMWH had an increased risk of developing HR compared with patients who did not receive LMWH (odds ratio 4.8 and 95% confidence interval 1.7–13.5). CPB duration and aortic clamp duration were significantly longer in patients who developed intraoperative HR when compared to those in patients who did not develop HR. Conclusion. Preoperative treatment with LMWH may cause intraoperative HR. Corrective and preventive arrangements with close follow-up should be performed in this group of patients.

Chylous fistula is a serious complication of neck dissection. The use of somatostatin after neck surgery, has been described in literature. Because of the absence of definitive guidelines, reporting of our experience in three cases may guide the surgeons to overcome this life threatening complication. We descibe three cases who underwent neck dissection. While two of them had high output (>1000 mL/day), one had a low output (250 mL/ day) chyle leakage, after neck dissection. After it was noticed in earlier days, conservative management was started immediately. While Somatostatin was started after the re-exploration in two, it was started due to the failure of conservative treatment for low output leakage in one. All of the chyleous fistulas were healed within less than two weeks. We think that somatostatin may be considered as an effective treatment in low output chyle fistulas which the leakage continues after conservative treatment; however in high output chyle fistulas, somatostatin should be used in patients due to lack of control of leakage after ligation of thoracic ductus in revision Somatostatin treatment was discussed in the light of the current literature.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between respiratory muscle strength, functional capacity, physical activity, and quality of life in preoperative cardiac surgery patients. Forty eight preoperative cardiac surgery patients (mean age 59.79±10.29 years, 40 M, 8 F, FEV1: 79.52±17.02%) participated in this study. Pulmonary function tests and respiratory muscle strength (MIP and MEP) were performed. Physical activity level was measured using International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Quality of life was determined using Nottingham Health Profile (NHP). Functional capacity was assessed using six-minute walk test (6MWT). The MIP was significantly correlated with 6MWT distance (r = 0.31, p0.05). Total physical activity level was significantly related with NHP total score (r = -0.35, p