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Although it has been generally believed that parturients have delayed gastric emptying during anesthesia, the most recent reports suggest that gastric emptying is not delayed during pregnancy except during labor. Electrical slow waves in the stomach determine the frequency and the peristaltic nature of gastric contractions. In this study we performed electrogastrography during and after elective cesarean section (CS) in an attempt to evaluate gastric motility.Sixteen American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II term parturients undergoing elective CS were enrolled. Combined spinal-epidural anesthesia was initiated with 10 mg of bupivacaine plus 10 microg of fentanyl. Four-channel electrogastrography was obtained for 10 min prior to venous catheter insertion (baseline), 10 min following spinal injection of bupivacaine and fentanyl (Sp-1), 10 to 20 min following spinal injection (Sp-2), 10 min prior to the end of operation (end), and finally 10 min on the seventh postoperative day (POD 7).The mean +/- SD values for dominant frequency of electrogastrography (DF) were determined as: 1.57 +/- 0.36 cpm (baseline), 1.81 +/- 0.32 cpm (Sp-1), 2.08 +/- 0.36 cpm (Sp-2), 1.96 +/- 0.36 cpm (end), and 3.02 +/- 0.28 cpm (POD 7). The DF of Sp-1, Sp-2, and end were significantly higher than that of baseline (P0.05). The DF of POD 7 was significantly higher than that of baseline, Sp-1, Sp-2, and end (P0.01).Electrogastrography analysis suggests that the frequency of gastric contractions during CS was less than that in the postpartum period.

During off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB), the displacement of the heart causes mitral regurgitation. We hypothesized that patients with impaired left ventricle (LV) function would be more prone to develop mitral regurgitation, due to further LV end-diastolic pressure elevation and mitral annulus distortion. Therefore, in this study, we examined the relationship between LV function and the severity of mitral regurgitation.We studied 41 patients undergoing elective OPCAB. LV function was evaluated by LV ejection fraction (LVEF), serum brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, the Tei index (myocardial performance index) and mitral inflow propagation velocity (Vp).Among all of the anastomoses performed mitral regurgitation was most severe during anastomosis of the left circumflex artery (LCX) territory (P0.001). Twenty-five patients (61%) had no to mild mitral regurgitation during anastomosis of the LCX territory (M-MR group) and 16 patients (39%) had moderate to severe mitral regurgitation during anastomosis of the LCX territory (S-MR group). There were significant differences between these groups in preoperative serum BNP levels (median, 26 pg.ml(-1) interquartile range [IQR, 14 to 75 pg.ml(-1)] versus median, 173 pg.ml(-1) [IQR, 91 to 296 pg.ml(-1)]; P0.001), Tei index values (median, 0.35; [IQR, 0.27 to 0.41] versus median, 0.53 [IQR, 0.47 to 0.57]; P0.001), and Vp (median, 63 cm.s(-1); [IQR, 57 to 72 cm.s(-1)] versus median, 47 cm.s(-1); [IQR, 40 to 57 cm.c(-1)]; P = 0.008), while there was no significant difference in LVEF between the patients in the M-MR group and those in the S-MR group.Preoperative LV dysfunction is a predictor of severe mitral regurgitation during OPCAB. When poor LV function is suggested, it is necessary to be prepared for further hemodynamic deterioration caused by mitral regurgitation.

The postoperative courses of 112 patients with pulmonary disease (59 with obstructive disease = Group 0, 38 with restrictive disease = Group R and 15 with mixed disease = Group M) who underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative pulmonary function test (percentage of vital capacity =%VC and percentage of forced expiratory volume at 1 second = FEV1.0%) of these group showed typical abnormal values, and velocity ratio of 50% and 25% of maximum expiratory flow volume ({ie149-1}/{ie149-2}) of each groups were measured abnormal values (3.99 ± 1.44 of Group O, 4.26 ±1.42 of Group R and 3.74 ± 1.82 of Group M). The our strategy for these groups were a). Using skeletonization method for harvesting internal mammary artery (IMA) b) Take care not to injure the phrenic nerve and open the pleural cavity as surgical techniques (Harvesting IMA) and c) Administration of theophylline derivatives and corticosteroids to prevent bronchospasm d) Administration of concentrated serum albumin and diuretics to prevent pulmonary edema as therapeutic measures. The length of stay in the intensive care unit and ventilation time of each groups were not significantly longer. Patients of group M had more respiratory complications (atelectasis, pleural effusion, pneumothrax, bronchospasm, and pneumonia) than did patients of group R (p