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The hemodynamic effect of myocardial revascularization with saphenous vein grafts (mean 3.3 per patient) was analyzed I year after operation in 111 patients. Operations were performed using one continuous period of aortic cross-clamping with hyperkalemic cardioplegia for distal anastomoses in 84% of patients; 16% had arrest with topical and systemic hypothermia for myocardial protection. Group I (N = 18) had normal ventricles (ejection fraction [EF] ≥ 50%; left ventricular end-diastolic pressure [LVEDP] ≤ 12 torr); Group II (N = 64) had ischemic ventricles (EF ≥ 50%, LVEDP > 13 torr); and Group III (N = 30) had abnormal ventricles (EF 13 torr). Hemodynamic measurements were obtained before and 1 year after operation. Fifteen of 18 patients (83%) in Group I did not show significant hemodynamic changes, but in three EF decreased by ≥ 10% and LVEDP increased by ≥ 10% over preoperative levels. In Group II, EF was unchanged or slightly better in 89% (57/64) and worse in seven patients. Improvement in cardiac index (p 35% to

To determine if subjective improvement correlated with graft patency and completeness of revascularization, we restudied 83 of 115 consecutive patients by angiography, regardless of symptoms, 1 year after operation. A total of 271 grafts were performed, averaging 3.3 per patient. Preoperative and postoperative angiograms were analyzed for completeness of revascularization and graft occlusion. Subjective improvement was assessed from questionnaires sent to patients at 6 month intervals for 2 years. Follow-up was 100% (1 to 3 years). Of patients who were recatheterized, 71% (59/83) were asymptomatic patients, 18% (10/56) for the mildly symptomatic ones (p = NS), and 73% (11115) for the severely symptomatic or not improved at 1 year. Graft occlusion rate was 9% (18/200) in the asymptomatic patients, 18% (10/56) for the mildly symptomatic ones (p = NS), and 73% (11/15) for the severely symptomatic patients (p

Thirty-eight patients with transposition of the great arteries underwent intraoperative mapping of atrial epicardium and endocardium during various stages of the operative procedure. The purpose was to determine the electrophysiological basis of the postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias associated with this operation. Comparisons were made between atrial activation patterns and times before and after each of the following stages: (1) cannulation, (2) atriotomy, (3) excision of atrial septum and coronary sinus, and (4) placement of intra-atrial baffle. The first stage produced no significant changes in atrial activation times or patterns but did demonstrate a shift of the functional pacemaker to the sulcus terminalis in 8 of 14 patients studied. Longitudinal atriotomy did not significantly lengthen atrial activation. Transverse atriotomy did not alter activation times of the His bundle but did significantly change patterns of epicardial and endocardial activation. Excision of the septum and coronary sinus always produced block in the posterior crista terminalis, and placement of a baffle worsened this block. Four patients developed nodal rhythm on the operating table and had both a posterior crista terminalis block and anterior septal block. Suggestions for modification in the surgical techniques were advanced to help prevent rhythm disturbances in patients undergoing transvenous correction of transposition of the great arteries.

In the past 14 years, 42 patients with active infective endocarditis underwent early valve replacement for severe congestive heart failure, major prosthetic dehiscence, intramyocardial abscesses, sepsis, or major embolization. Blood cultures were positive in 40 patients and the valve tissues were positive in two others. All patients received antimicrobials for from 1 to 4 weeks. Drug addiction was noted in 24%, urinary tract manipulation in 7%, dental work in 5%, contaminated prosthesis in 2%, and unknown cause in 62%. Organisms were predominantly staphylococcal (43%) and streptococcal (41%); the remainder were gram-negative (9%) or fungal (7%). The aortic valve was involved in 72%, mitral in 14%, tricuspid in 7%, and both aortic and mitral in 7%. By the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification, 90% (38/42) were in Class III or IV. Operative mortality was 10% (4/42) and all four patients had preexisting renal failure necessitating dialysis. No predominant organism correlated with early deaths. In aortic valve replacement (30 patients), operative mortality was 7%. Postoperatively, 95% (35/37) were Class I or II with one lost to follow-up. Subsequent reoperation was required in five patients (13%) for recurrent endocarditis, with an operative mortality of 20% (1/5). Late death occurred in 45% (17/38). Overall probability of survival was 0.53 at 5 years. For isolated aortic valve involvement, the 5 year survival was 0.58. Survival for native valve involvement was 0.58 and for prosthetic endocarditis, 0.55. This study shows that after at least 1 week of antibiotics, early operation in patients with active endocarditis has an acceptable operative mortality. Clinical improvement is excellent in 95% and more than half survived 5 years or longer.

The hemodynamic effect of myocardial revascularization with saphenous vein grafts (mean 3.3 per patient) was analyzed 1 year after operation in 111 patients. Operations were performed using one continuous period of aortic cross-clamping with hyperkalemic cardioplegia for distal anastomoses in 84% of patients; 16% had arrest with topical and systemic hypothermia for myocardial protection. Group I (N = 18) had normal ventricles (ejection fraction [EF] greater than 50%; left ventricular end-diastolic pressure [LVEDP] less than or equal to 12 torr); Group II (N = 64) had ischemic ventricles (EF greater than 50%, LVEDP greater than 13 torr); and Group III (N = 30) had abnormal ventricles (EF less than 50%, LVEDP greater than 13 torr). Hemodynamic measurements were obtained before and 1 year after operation. Fifteen of 18 patients (83%) in Group I did not show significant hemodynamic changes, but in three EF decreased by greater than or equal to 10% and LVEDP increased by greater than 10% over preoperative levels. In Group II, EF was unchanged or slightly better in 89% (57/64) and worse in seven patients. Improvement in cardiac index (p less than 0.01) and LVEDP (p less than 0.001) was significant. Worsening of EF in 10 of 82 patients in Groups I and II was attributed to graft closure and/or poor myocardial protection. In Group III, significant improvement in cardiac index (p less than 0.001), EF (p less than 0.001), and LVEDP (p less than 0.01) was also noted. A subset of nine patients with EF less than or equal to 35% showed postoperative improvement in 56%. Of the remaining 20 patients with an EF of greater than 35% to less than 50%, half had greater than or equal to 20% improvement in postoperative EF. Operative mortality was 3.3% (1/30) for Group III. Late mortality was 1.5% (1/64) for Group II and 10% (3/29) for Group III. Significant improvement was noted postoperatively in 67% (57/85) of all patients who had preoperative treadmill tests (p less than 0.001). This study shows that myocardial revascularization significantly improved left ventricular performance in most patients with ischemic and abnormal ventricles. Previous studies that fail to show improvement may be related to incomplete revascularization and/or poor myocardial preservation. These data, therefore, justify the need for revascularization of the impaired ventricle.

Thirty-eight patients with transposition of the great arteries underwent intraoperative mapping of atrial epicardium and endocardium during various stages of the operative procedure. The purpose was to determine the electrophysiological basis of the postoperative supraventricular arrhythmias associated with this operation. Comparisons were made between atrial activation patterns and times before and after each of the following stages: (1) cannulation, (2) atriotomy, (3) excision of atrial septum and coronary sinus, and (4) placement of intra-atrial baffle. The first stage produced no significant changes in atrial activation times or patterns but did demonstrate a shift of the functional pacemaker to the sulcus terminalis in 8 of 14 patients studied. Longitudinal atriotomy did not significantly lengthen atrial activation. Transverse atriotomy did not alter activation times of the His bundle but did significantly change patterns of epicardial and endocardial activation. Excision of the septum and coronary sinus always produced block in the posterior crista terminalis, and placement of a baffle worsened this block. Four patients developed nodal rhythm on the operating table and had both a posterior crista terminalis block and anterior septal block. Suggestions for modification in the surgical techniques were advanced to help prevent rhythm disturbances in paitients undergoing transvenous correction of transposition of the great arteries.