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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between serum uric acid levels and the risk of incident atrial fibrillation in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (cABG) operation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 174 patients undergoing nonemergency coronary artery bypass graft operation were included in the study. Patients with previous atrial arrhythmia or requiring concomitant valve surgery were excluded. We prospectively analyzed 174 patients (mean age: 59.8 years; 109 male and 65 female). The serum uric acid level was determined preoperatively. RESULTS: After a coronary artery bypass graft operation operation, 35 (20%) patients developed atrial fibrillation. Preoperative uric acid levels were significantly higher in patients who developed atrial fibrillation than in those who did not (7.8 ± 1.1 vs 5 ± 0.9). Using a cutpoint of 6.55, the preoperative level correlated with the appearance of atrial fibrillation with a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 84.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Serum uric acid level can increase the sensitivity and specificity in predicting atrial fibrillation in patients after CABG operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction An aneurysmal bone cyst is a benign, but expansile tumor like lesion that generally occurs in the long bones including the vertebral column. An aneurysmal bone cyst arising from the rib, especially in the elderly, is extremely rare. Case presentation We report a 58-year-old Turkish woman with an aneurysmal bone cyst of the right 3rd rib treated with chest wall resection. The pathologic findings confirmed the diagnosis of aneurysmal bone cyst. The patient has been followed up for 5 years with no evidence of recurrence. Conclusion En bloc resection can be curative and provide good results for this rare type of chest wall tumor.

Introduction: End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) patients require life-sustaining kidney replacement therapies, with the natural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) being the preferred vascular access due to its low infection risk, high patency, and fewer complications. Factors like vessel diameter, gender, diabetes, age, and surgical technique influence AVF maturation., Method: Our study focused on short-term AVF creation success, specifically examining estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) levels using the CKD-EPI formula. Patients were categorized according to their eGFR levels to observe the effects of fistula timing and the severity of kidney disease., Results: No significant demographic or outcome differences between eGFR groups have been observed except for gender. AVF maturation was notably associated with distal vein diameter (>2 mm), while other factors did not significantly impact maturation rates. As a secondary outcome, it was concluded that the recording of patients' blood pressure values at preoperative and perioperative levels led to the conclusion that blood pressure levels may have an impact on fistula maturation., Conclusion: To ensure vascular access effectiveness, optimizing blood pressure, determining vein diameter, strategic AVF timing, and reducing catheter usage are crucial. Our study aimed to identify eGFR levels conducive to optimal AVF outcomes. Although significant results could not be obtained in this regard, it is considered worthwhile to re-examine the effect of blood pressure in secondary outcomes. Additionally, prospective studies may be appropriate for reevaluating the effect of GFR., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Patients with recent myocardial infarction (MI) or percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) have a higher ischemic risk in addition to perioperative bleeding risk when undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Data regarding preoperative dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) failed to create a clear recommendation. In the present study, we assessed the relationship between preoperative DAPT use and adverse outcomes, particularly in ST-elevation MI (STEMI) patients. We retrospectively analyzed 748 consecutive patients with STEMI who underwent subsequent CABG surgery. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those on DAPT up to the day before CABG and those discontinued DAPT >5 days before CABG. Predictors of in-hospital mortality and major bleeding were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Preoperative DAPT was not associated with in-hospital mortality (Odds Ratio (OR):1.81; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): .89-3.68, P = .10) and major bleeding (OR: 1.15; 95% CI: .63-2.08, P = .65) after multivariate analysis. However, glycoprotein (Gp) 2b/3a inhibitors were independently associated with higher major bleeding rates. Age, shock, and EF (ejection fraction) <30% were associated with in-hospital mortality. Previous MI, Gp 2b/3a inhibitors, and EF <30% were predictors of major bleeding. In conclusion, there were no association between pre-CABG DAPT use and in-hospital mortality and major bleeding.

Background: While prosthetic rings are commonly used for mitral valve repairs, autologous pericardium is an alternative ring material that can be used in these procedures. In this report, we aim to present a comparison of two types of rings used for mitral repair., Methods: Between January 2005 and January 2009, 107 patients who underwent mitral valve repair surgery were analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups, according to the type of ring that was used for mitral annular stabilization. Glutaraldehyde-treated pericardial rings were used for 31 patients (group 1), whereas prosthetic rings were used for 76 patients (group 2). Survival, freedom from reoperation, recurrent mitral regurgitation, and the effects of rheumatic mitral disease on these parameters were evaluated and compared for both groups., Results: Follow-up time for our cohort was 4.24±0.4 years. There were four and seven late mortalities in groups 1 and 2, respectively, and five reoperations in each group. There was no significant difference between the groups, in terms of survival, freedom from reoperation, and recurrent mitral regurgitation (log-rank analyses for both groups were P = 0.777, P = 0.346, and P = 0.781, respectively). There was no significant difference in freedom from reoperation and recurrent mitral regurgitation for both groups, in terms of underlying rheumatic valvular disease and other types of pathology., Conclusion: Pericardial ring annuloplasty shows to be a considerable alternative technique for mitral valve repair procedures in the mid- to long-term follow up. Rheumatic mitral valves had poor outcomes, when compared with other types of structural valvular pathologies in cases where pericardial rings were used in the repair procedure.

Poland's syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that accompanies malignancies, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiac and genitourinary syndromes. There is no study that represents the association between cardiac angiosarcoma and Poland's syndrome. A 24-year-old female patient previously diagnosed with Poland's syndrome was admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea. Diagnostic imaging showed an irregular mass in the right atrial cavity. After successful surgery, she was discharged uneventfully and the 3rd month oncologic follow-up reveals none of residual mass. The coexistence has not been diagnosed and treated in a cardiac surgery department before. With this presentation, we aimed to contribute to the literature with this presentation, for the right and early diagnosis and management of possible new cases in the future can be diagnosed and treated correctly and early., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: There is no complete consensus on the three surgical methods and long-term consequences for coexisting coronary and carotid artery disease. We retrospectively evaluated the surgical results in this high-risk group in our clinic for a decade., Methods: Between 2005 and 2015, 196 patients were treated for combined carotid and coronary artery disease. A total of 50 patients were operated on with the staged method, 40 of which had carotid endarterectomy (CEA) priority, and 10 had coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) priority. CABG and CEA were simultaneously performed in 82 patients; and in 64 asymptomatic patients with unilateral carotid artery lesions and stenosis over 70%, only CABG was done (64 patients). Results were evaluated by uni-/multivariate analyses for perioperative, early, and late postoperative data., Results: In the staged group, interval between the operations was 2.82±0.74 months. Perioperative and early postoperative (30 days) parameters did not differ between groups (P-value &lt; 0.05). Postoperative follow-up time was averaged 94.9±38.3 months. Postoperative events were examined in three groups as (A) deaths (all cause), (B) cardiovascular events (non-fatal myocardial infarction, recurrent angina, congestive heart failure, palpitation), and (C) fatal neurological events (amaurosis fugax, transient ischemic attack, and stroke). When group C events were excluded, event-free actuarial survival rates were similar in all three methods (P=0.740). Actuarial survival rate was significantly different when all events were included (P=0.027). Neurological events increased markedly between months 34 and 66 (P=0.004)., Conclusion: Perioperative and early postoperative event-free survival rates were similar in all three methods. By the beginning of the 34th month, the only CABG group has been negatively separated due to neurological events. In the choice of methodology, "most threatened organ priority'' was considered as clinical parameter.

The brachiobasilic transposition (BBT) arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is a valuable option especially for dialysis patients with previously failed vascular access. We aim to report factors affecting the maturation of BBT-AVF created with either one-stage or two-stage technique. BBT-AVF procedures between January 2015 and May 2019 by a dedicated vascular access team were investigated retrospectively. A total of 122 patients (63 males, 59 females), with 6 to 12 weeks of follow-up after the BBT-AVF procedure were included in the study. Patients of one-stage and two-stage techniques were compared for maturation rates. Patients with successful and failed maturation were compared for baseline characteristics and anatomic factors. Of 122 BBT-AVF procedures, 54 were created with the one-stage and 68 were created with the two-stage technique. The mean age of the patients was 58.2 ± 13.8, the mean brachial artery and basilic vein diameters were 3.91 ± 1.02 mm, and 3.39 ± 1.16 mm. Of 122 included patients, 88 (72.1%) had mature AVFs at follow-up. The AVF maturation rates were similar between the one- and two-stage groups (70.4% vs 73.5%; P = .699). Lower age (62.8 ± 12.5 vs 56.5 ± 13.9; P = .023) and greater brachial artery diameter (3.09 ± 0.84 mm vs 4.23 ± 1.76 mm; P < .048) were the only factors affecting the AVF maturation in univariate analysis. Gender, extremity side, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and targeted vein diameter were not found to affect the AVF maturation (P = .301, P = .084, P = .134, P = .858, P = .127). Target artery diameter (P = .049) was the only significant factor affecting BBT-AVF maturation in multivariate analysis. One-stage and two-stage BBT-AVFs are similar in terms of maturation rates. Targeted artery diameter was the only factor important in BBT-AVF maturation in our study group. The two-stage technique can be preferred considering smaller incision size and lower complication rate in patients with suitable anatomy., (© 2020 International Society for Apheresis, Japanese Society for Apheresis, and Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy.)

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a non-infectious, necrotizing, destructive skin disease which is rarely seen after cardiac surgery. This report presents a PG case after coronary bypass surgery., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors., (Copyright: © 2021 by Istanbul Northern Anatolian Association of Public Hospitals.)

Background: In this study, we aimed to investigate the possible relationship between aortic calcification as detected by preoperative chest radiography and postoperative neurocognitive impairment in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting., Methods: A total of 124 patients (101 males, 23 females; mean age: 59.9±8.8 years; range, 34 to 84 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in our clinic between January 2019 and July 2019 were included. Of these patients, 35 whose preoperative chest radiography revealed aortic calcification in the aortic knuckle were included as the patient group. The control group consisted of 89 patients without aortic calcification. The patients with aortic calcification underwent additional imaging with thoracic computed tomography angiography and ascending aorta and aortic arch calcium scores were calculated. Neurocognitive dysfunction was assessed using the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination. Postoperative delirium was evaluated by confusion assessment method in the intensive care unit. Both groups were compared for demographic, operative and postoperative data., Results: Of all patients included in the study, the overall cerebrovascular event incidence was 3.2%. Although not statistically significant, the number of patients with neurocognitive decline was higher in the patient group than the control group (48.6% vs. 34.8%, respectively; p=0.157). Both Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination score decline and percentage decline were significantly higher in the patients with high aortic arch calcium scores (>2,250 AU). Carotid artery stenosis was 3.2 times higher in the patient group. In the patients with carotid artery stenosis, the aortic arch calcium scores were also higher (p=0.042)., Conclusion: Aortic calcification detectable on chest radiography with high calcium scores may be associated with neurocognitive impairment and carotid artery stenosis in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2021, Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery.)

Purpose: Chronic venous insufficiency is an important health problem; small saphenous vein (SSV) insufficiency is one of the leading causes and may affect up to 20% of adults. In addition to conventional treatment methods, endovenous treatment techniques have become popular in treatment of varicose veins. Herein, we report the outcomes of ultrasound-guided foam sclerotherapy (UGFS) in patients with symptomatic SSV insufficiency., Methods: From January 2014 to June 2018, patients with primary SSV insufficiency treated with UGFS were followed to assess the effectiveness and safety of the procedure. A total of 31 lower limbs of 30 patients (18 females and 12 males), who attended control visits at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months, and yearly, after undergoing UGFS, were included in the study. The clinical results, occlusion rates, and the patients' preprocedure and postprocedure Venous Clinical Severity Scores were recorded., Results: The records show that, during the procedure, severe pain occurred at the time of injection in one patient (3%), vasovagal syncope in one patient (3%), hyperpigmentation in five patients (16%), and phlebitis in three patients (9%). It was also recorded that during follow-up 24 legs (78%) showed complete thrombosis and 7 legs (22%) had partial thrombosis. The mean Venous Clinical Severity Score for the patients before UGFS was 8.58 ± 3.78, and 7.25 ± 3.17 after the procedure. No major complications, including sural nerve injury and deep venous thrombosis, were seen during the follow-up period., Conclusions: The results of this study show that UGFS is a simple, safe, and effective procedure for treatment in patients with symptomatic SSV insufficiency with acceptable side effects., (Copyright © 2020 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Complicated Type A intramural hematoma involving the arcus aorta requires emergency correction of the aortic arch. Surgical options include reimplantation of the brachiocephalic vessels as an island to a vascular graft, debranching aortic arch surgery, and Kazui technique. This report describes a modified technique for aortic arch repair in a patient with vascular diameter mismatch between the ascending and descending aorta, as well as an intimal tear between the brachiocephalic vessels., (2020 Forum Multimedia Publishing, LLC)

Introduction Guidelines have been recommending the use of arteriovenous fistula among the hemodialysis population, but no clear conclusion has emerged with regard to the adequate access type in octogenarians. In this paper, the outcomes of arteriovenous fistula in octogenarian cohort were presented for death-censored cumulative patency rate, complications, and patients' survival rate. Methods A retrospective review of 88 consecutive arteriovenous fistula interventions in 70 octogenarian patients were performed at one referral institution between January 2010 and June 2014. The patients' records were analyzed and postoperative complications were documented. Death-censored cumulative arteriovenous fistula patency rates were calculated, and Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze patient survival for 24 months., Findings: Eighty-eight arteriovenous fistula constructions and six salvage procedures were performed in 70 octogenarians. Fifty-four (61.3%) forearm and 34 (38.7%) upper arm fistulas were created. All types of fistulas had 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month death-censored cumulative patency rates of 63.6%, 58.3%, 48.8%, and 41.4%, respectively. The primary failure rate was 40.9%. A total of 15 complications were documented as edema, hematoma/bleeding, infection, distal ischemia, and venous aneurysm, all of which had been treated. Patient survival rates for 12 and 24 months were 68.5% and 58.5%, respectively., Discussion and Conclusion: This analysis regarding arteriovenous fistula in octogenarian end-stage renal disease patients figured out equal death-censored cumulative patency compared to nonelderly, and two-year survival rate was acceptable. This study strengthens the argument that arteriovenous fistula should be the best proper choice in selected octogenarians; older age only should not be considered as an absolute contraindication for arteriovenous fistula creation in octogenarians; and patient-based approach should be applied.

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) has been widely accepted as a safe and effective treatment for abdominal aortic aneurysm. Endoleaks are the most common complication after EVAR and require urgent interventions. Usually endoleaks can be treated with endovascular procedures using a variety of techniques. Despite these interventions, if the endoleak still persists, conventional open surgery should be evaluated. A 67-year-old man had been treated with EVAR after a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm 7 years ago. Later on, a type II endoleak was detected due to the inferior mesenteric artery and treated with coil embolization at the first follow-up year. The patient was admitted to our emergency department due to abdominal pain. Computed tomography angiography demonstrated a type Ia endoleak from the posterior side of the graft with a huge abdominal aortic aneurysm sac (22.9 cm) without rupture. The patient was hemodynamically unstable, and open surgical repair was performed via left anterolateral thoracotomy and laparotomy. Here we report a case where we performed open repair of a type Ia endoleak and discuss the repairing techniques for type Ia endoleak in the light of the literature., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest was declared by the authors.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the outcomes of patients developing ischemic stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)., Methods: From March 2012 to January 2017, 5380 consecutive patients undergoing elective coronary surgery were analyzed. Ninety-five patients who developed ischemic strokes after on-pump coronary surgery were included in the study, retrospectively. The cohort was divided into four subgroups [total anterior circulation infarction (TACI), partial anterior circulation infarction (PACI), posterior circulation infarction (POCI), and lacunar infarction (LACI)] according to the Oxfordshire Community Stroke Project (OCSP) classification. The primary endpoints were in-hospital mortality, total mortality, and survival analysis over an average of 30 months of follow-up. The secondary endpoints were the extent of disability and dependency according to modified Rankin Scale (mRS)., Results: The incidence of stroke was 1.76% (n=95). The median age was 62.03±10.06 years and 68 (71.6%) patients were male. The groups were as follows: TACI (n=17, 17.9%), PACI (n=47, 49.5%), POCI (n=20, 21.1%), and LACI (n=11, 11.6%). Twenty-eight (29.5%) patients died in hospital and 34 (35.8%) deaths occurred. The overall mortality rate of the TACI group was significantly higher than that of the LACI group (64.7% vs. 27.3%, P=0.041). The mean mRS score of the TACI group was significantly higher than that of the other groups (P=0.003)., Conclusion: Patients in the TACI group had higher in-hospital and cumulative mortality rates and higher mRS scores. We believe that use of the OCSP classification and the mRS may render it possible to predict the outcomes of stroke after coronary surgery.

Objective: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation has recently been used in the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis, particularly in patients with high mortality and morbidity rates for open surgery. The purpose of this study was to compare quality of life in patients over 70 years of age undergoing surgical or transcatheter aortic valve implantation, before the procedure and in the early post-procedural period., Methods: Seventy-nine patients were included in the study, 38 (48.1%) male and 41 (51.9%) female. Mean age of patients was 74.3±5.2 (70-91) years. The surgical aortic valve replacement group consisted of 51 (64.6%) patients and the transcatheter aortic valve replacement group of 28 (35.4%). Quality of life data before the procedure and at the 3rd month postoperatively in patients aged 70 years and older undergoing surgical or transcatheter aortic valve implantation were assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey form., Results: Positive increases in physical task difficulty (13.2±9.8vs. 5.1±7.3) (P=0.001), emotional task difficulty (14.4±11.9 vs.8.5±6.4) (P=0.035), and mental health (0.4±10.4 vs. 9.6±15.1) (P=0.001; P<0.01) scores in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement were significantly higher compared to the surgical aortic valve replacement group. No statistically significant difference was determined between the groups in terms of pain, vitality, social function, physical function or general health scores in the preoperative and postoperative periods., Conclusion: The positive increase in quality of life parameters in the transcatheter aortic valve implantation group at the 3rd month postoperatively was significantly higher compared to the surgical aortic valve replacement group., Competing Interests: No conflict of interest.

Aim: The aim of this study was to translate the VEINES-QOL/Sym questionnaire into Turkish, which is used mainly in Western European countries, and to study its reliability and validity., Methods: Standard "forward-backward" translation method was used to translate the questionnaire. The internal consistency was assessed with Cronbach's α, test-retest reliability was assessed with the intraclass correlation and Spearman-Brown coefficients. Validity was examined by correlation of VEINES-QOL/Sym with SF-36, Venous Clinical Severity (VCSS), and Venous Disability Scores (VDS)., Results: Out of 100 patients included (mean age 41.9 ± 12.5 years; 32% male, 68% female), 30 were given the questionnaire twice with 24-hour intervals for test-retest; a final completion rate of 99.2% was achieved. The Cronbach's α was 0.914. The Spearman-Brown coefficients and the intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.994, 0.988 and 0.966, 0.933 for VQOL and VSym scores, respectively. For the total quality of life and for several domains the correlations between VEINES-QOL/Sym and SF-36 were high, and significant. Inverse and significant correlations were observed with VCSS., Conclusion: Conclusively, the Turkish version of VEINSES-QOL/Sym questionnaire is reliable and valid; thus, it is highly recommended to use Turkish version of VEINSES-QOL/Sym to evaluate the quality of life and symptoms of patients with venous insufficiency in Turkey.

Background: Endothelial dysfunction may play a major role in both peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and Buerger's disease (BD). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase and increased ADMA levels impair vascular homeostasis. We aimed to determine the plasma levels of ADMA and evaluate the relationship of ADMA levels with smoking and clinical severity of the disease in patients with BD and to compare these results with those of patients with PAD and healthy individuals., Methods: In our center, 45 patients undergoing peripheral arterial surgery, 28 patients being followed up for BD, and 24 healthy individuals without vascular or cardiac disease, were enrolled in the study. Intra- and intergroup analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship of ADMA levels with smoking behaviors and clinical disease severity according to Fontaine classification., Results: ADMA levels were 1.26 ± 0.76 mmol/L, 0.87 ± 0.27 mmol/L, and 1.07 ± 0.88 mmol/L in patients with PAD, in patients with BD, and in the control group, respectively. ADMA levels were significantly higher in patients with PAD than those in control patients (p = 0.003) and the levels observed in patients with BD were significantly lower than those in control patients (p = 0.001). Smokers with PAD had higher ADMA levels than smokers with BD (p = 0.03). ADMA levels were higher in patients with Fontaine stage III and IV disease than those with Fontaine stage II diseases, for patients with PAD as well as those with BD., Conclusion: The lower ADMA levels observed in patients with BD might be related to the degradation of ADMA by dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase in response to ischemia and could act as a defensive mechanism during the acute or quiescent phases. In patients with BD experiencing severe clinical conditions or with a longer time course for the disease, higher ADMA levels may suggest a poor prognosis., (Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The purpose of this prospective, cross-sectional observational study was to compare the tuberculin skin testing (TST) with QuantiFERON-TB Gold-In Tube (QTF-GIT) for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection in healthcare workers (HCWs). The study included 78 volunteers who are HCWs at the same tertiary care teaching hospital for chest diseases and tuberculosis. Participants with active tuberculosis, immunodefficiency or malnutrition were not included. The TST was administered by the Mantoux method. Peptides representing ESAT-6, CFP-10 and TB7-7 were used as TB-specific antigens in the whole-blood Interferon-gamma (IFN-g) assay (QTF-GIT). There was a statistically significant relation between the number of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) scars and the diameter of TST (p< 0.01). QTF results according to previous BCG vaccinations did not significantly differ (p> 0.05). There was an intermediate concordance between two tests (k: 0.346). QTF-GIT has a sensitivity of 56.14% (both TST and QTF-GIT are positive), specificity of 90.48% (both TST and QTF-GIT are negative); positive predictive value of 94.12% and negative predictive value of 43.18% and accuracy is 65.38%. There was a statistically significant relation between TST diameter and QTF result (p< 0.01). Latent tuberculosis infection prevalance of our study population was 43% according to QTF-GIT test, 73% according to TST and BCG vaccination rate was 87%. In conclusion, TST is affected by previous BCG vaccinations, QTF-GIT is not. We can recommend QTF-GIT test for the detection of latent tuberculosis infection as an alternative to TST in populations with routine BCG vaccination programme.

The objective of this study was to perform a cultural adaptation and define the validity of the Turkish version of the Intermittent Claudication Questionnaire (ICQ) in order to provide a practical instrument for the evaluation of the impact of intermittent claudication (IC) on patients' quality of life and response to therapy. A standard 'forward-backward' translation method was used to translate the questionnaire into Turkish. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency of the questionnaire reporting Cronbach's alpha coefficient, test-retest reliability that was assessed with the intraclass correlation between instrument scores over time and with the Spearman-Brown coefficient as a variant of split-half reliability. Validity was examined by correlation of the ICQ with the scores of the SF-36 and its eight domains. Eighty-four patients (mean age, 60.7 +/- 7.3 years; male, 57%) were given the ICQ and a final completion rate of 98.8% (83 patients) was reached. The mean total ICQ score was 39.1 +/- 21.8 (SD) (0-100) for the first application of the questionnaire. Thirty patients out of the eligible 83 completed the questionnaire at two time points with a 1-day interval. For the retest, the total ICQ score was 40.6 +/- 26.1 (4.7-97.2). The total SF-36 score of all the study patients was 33.8 +/- 20.7 (3.0-81.0). Cronbach's alpha was 0.95; the Spearman-Brown coefficient was 0.92; and the intraclass correlation coefficient for the two measurements was 0.91. For the total score and for the scores of domains except the emotional role domain, the correlations were high and all the correlations were statistically significant. In conclusion, the Turkish version of the ICQ, which is a disease-specific, self-administered, and practical instrument, is reliable and valid. We recommend its use to assess the effect of IC on the quality of life of patients in clinical trials and in daily clinical practice.

Background and Aim of the Study: Emergency re-revascularization and invasive/noninvasive interventions in intensive care unit (ICU) are two main treatment methods in cardiac arrest following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We evaluated the short- and long-term consequences of these two methods and discussed the indications for re-revascularization., Methods: Between 1998 and 2004, a total of 148 CABG patients, who were complicated with cardiac arrest, were treated with emergency re-revascularization (n = 36, group R) and ICU procedures (n = 112, group ICU). Re-revascularizations are mostly blind operations depending on clinical/hemodynamic criteria. These are: no response to resuscitation, recurrent tachycardia/fibrillation, and severe hemodynamic instability after resuscitation. Re-angiography could only be performed in 3.3% of the patients. Event-free survival of the groups was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. Events are: death, recurrent angina, myocardial infarction, functional capacity, and reintervention., Results: Seventy percent of patients, who were complicated with cardiac arrest, had perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI). This rate was significantly higher in group R (p = 0.013). The major finding in group R was graft occlusion (91.6%). During in-hospital period, no difference was observed in mortality rates between the two groups. However, hemodynamic stabilization time (p = 0.012), duration of hospitalization (p = 0.00006), and mechanical support use (p = 0.003) significantly decreased by re-revascularization. During the mean 37.1 +/- 25.1 months of follow-up period, long-term mortality (p = 0.03) and event-free survival (p = 0.029) rates were significantly in favor of group R., Conclusion: Better short- and long-term results were observed in the re-revascularization group.

Background: Off-pump coronary surgery is an established method of less invasive cardiac surgery. We compared our early results in patents with I-vessel disease who underwent surgery with full sternotomy with off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) or a left anterior minithoracotomy with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting (MIDCAB) without cardiopulmonary bypass., Methods: From July 2003 to June 2006, 54 patients with single-vessel disease of the left anterior descending artery who underwent surgery performed by the same surgical team were included in this prospective study. Of these patients, 27 underwent MIDCAB through an anterolateral minithoracotomy, and 27 had OPCAB through a full sternotomy. Patients were selected for the surgical groups on the basis of general condition, anatomical aspects, type of coronary lesions, comorbidities, and patient preferences. Demographic, operative, and postoperative data were collected prospectively., Results: Demographic data, Canadian Cardiovascular Society Classification, and comorbidities were identical for both groups. There were no cases of operative mortality, early graft insufficiency, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, or conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass in either group. Durations of mechanical ventilation and total hospital stay were shorter in the MIDCAB group, 6.8+/-3.0 hours vs 8.3+/-1.6 hours and 4.5+/-0.7 days vs 5.2+/-1.4 days (P= .03 and P= .03), respectively. Atrial fibrillation was seen in 2 patients in each group; all were returned to sinus rhythm by medical therapy., Conclusion: Although MIDCAB grafting is a challenging technique, it may be safely performed on selected patients with low postoperative mortality and morbidity.

Objective: To achieve better outcomes, the degree of myocardial injury due to off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery (OPCAB) must be reduced. We studied the factors that render patients scheduled for OPCAB vulnerable to myocardial injury, using troponin T (cTnT) as a marker of myocardial injury., Methods: We prospectively investigated 123 patients being operated by a group of surgeons with off-pump technique between January 2001 and June 2006 in Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center. Myocardial injury occurring during surgery was assessed by post-operative cTnT measurement. Then, the relation between intraoperative factors and postoperative cTnT release were statistically evaluated., Results: Blood samples for cTnT measurement were taken from all patients before operation, immediately after arrival at the intensive care unit, then at 6, 12, and 24 hours after distal revascularization. When regarding the intraoperative risk factors, we found that the heart rate, blood pressure and anastomosis time are the main determinant of myocardial cell injury occurring during OPCAB surgery., Conclusion: Although aortic cross-clamp and cardioplegic arrest were not used in off-pump myocardial revascularization, the ischemic myocardial cell destruction was also inevitable in off-pump technique. Therefore, management of heart rate and myocardial contractility was desirable not only for precise anastomosis but also for myocardial protection during OPCAB surgery.

Background: The aims of this study were to elucidate the incidence of mitral regurgitation during off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) surgery to evaluate the relationship of the changes with ventricular function and possible mitral valve regurgitation caused by positioning., Methods: Included in the study were 60 consecutive patients who underwent CAB grafting on the beating heart. We monitored several hemodynamic variables (systolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, right atrial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, and heart rate) at baseline and after each anastomosis and used transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) routinely after sternotomy, during each anastomosis, and after completion of the operation. Valvular functions, ejection fraction, and wall motion systolic index were recorded during each TEE evaluation., Results: All of the patients underwent complete revascularization. We performed 132 consecutive OPCAB anastomoses in 60 patients (60 left anterior descending artery [LAD], 20 right coronary artery [RCA], 45 left circumflex coronary artery [LCX], and 7 diagonal artery grafts). During LCX anastomosis, 38 (84.4%) of 45 patients developed moderate mitral regurgitation. The wall motion score index (WMSI) significantly increased during CX grafting, as was demonstrated by higher WMSI values than for the RCA, diagonal, and LAD grafts. The ejection fraction was decreased significantly during CX and RCA anastomoses compared with baseline levels. The hemodynamic changes were in accord with these findings. The greatest hemodynamic compromise was seen during CX anastomosis., Conclusion: Positional mitral regurgitation occurs frequently and is a major contributor to hemodynamic instability during posterior- and lateral-wall revascularization during the OPCAB procedure.

Objectives: Perioperative iatrogenic type I aortic dissection (PIAD) is a rare but potentially fatal complication of conventional coronary artery bypass surgery (CCABG). Prompt recognition and repair of PIAD may significantly improve outcomes., Methods: We reviewed the hospital records of patients with PIAD occurring as a complication of CCABG at Siyami Ersek Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Center from January 2001 through June 2007. During this period, 10,130 CCABG were performed and 21 patients (0.20%) with PIAD were identified. We compared variables for these 21 patients with 603 patients without PIAD (control group)., Results: PIAD occurred intraoperatively in 19 patients (90%) and during the early postoperative period (first 6 hours) in 2 patients (10%) who underwent CCABG. Dissections were noticed after removal of the aortic crossclamp in 11 patients, during aortic cannulation in 3 patients, and after removal of the partial-occlusion clamp in 5 patients. Patients with and without PIAD differed significantly in regard to sex (P = .05), history of hypertension (P = .001), and history of severe concomitant peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (P = .001). The diameter of the aorta was significantly wider in patients with PIAD. (3.83 +/- 0.9 vs 2.93 +/- 0.46 cm, P = .019). The occurrence of high cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) pressure (>==120 mmHg) was significantly higher in the PIAD patients than the non-PIAD patients (28.6% vs 3.3%, P = .0001). Seven PIAD patients (33.3%) died preoperatively and 3 (14.2%) died postoperatively., Conclusion: PIAD is frequently fatal. Risk factors for PIAD during or after CCABG include female sex, history of PAD and hypertension, increased aortic diameter, and high CPB pressure.

Purpose: Pectus deformities and cardiac problems sometimes require simultaneous surgery. We report our experience of performing this surgery and review the relevant literature., Methods: We performed simultaneous pectus deformity correction and open-heart surgery in six patients between 1999 and 2006. The pectus deformities were pectus carinatum in one patient and pectus excavatum in five patients. The cardiac problems were coronary artery disease in one patient, an atrioseptal defect (ASD) with a ventricular septal defect (VSD) in one, a VSD in one, mitral valve insufficiency with left atrial dilatation in one, and an ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic valve insufficiency caused by Marfan's syndrome in two. We corrected the pectus deformities using the modified Ravitch's sternoplasty in all patients. First, while the patient was supine, we resected the costal cartilage; then, after completing the cardiac surgery, the sternum was closed and the additional time required for the pectus operation was calculated for each patient. Patients were examined 1, 4, and 6 months postoperatively., Results: The average operation time was 102 min, and there were no major complications. The pectus bars were removed 4-6 months postoperatively. Good cardiac and cosmetic results were achieved in all patients, who were followed up for 5 years., Conclusions: Concomitant pectus deformity correction and open-heart surgery can be performed safely, eliminating the risks of a second operation in a staged procedure.

Objective: Data on long-term outcome of pericardiectomy are limited. This retrospective study aimed to investigate risk factors and early and late outcomes of pericardiectomy for constrictive tuberculous pericarditis., Design: Seventy patients with chronic constrictive pericarditis who underwent pericardiectomy between January 1990 and August 2005 were reviewed for perioperative and long-term survival., Results: Patients (49 males; median age 40 years) had a median duration of symptoms of 24 months (range 8-72) before surgery. Perioperative mortality was 8.6%. During follow-up (mean 66.4 +/- 56.4), late mortality rates at 5 and 10 years were 1.6% and 9.7%, respectively. The mean censored survival in all patients was 155.2 months (SEM 8.3, 95%CI 138.8-171.6). Readmission-free survival was 68.6% over 10 years (mean 125.4 months, SEM 10.3, 95%CI 105.2-145.6). Ascites and duration of symptoms were found to be predictors of perioperative mortality (P = 0.047 and 0.036, respectively)., Conclusions: The optimal time of pericardiectomy is most important in its management. Total or near-total pericardiectomy should always be performed as early as possible.

Appropriate length adjustment of neo-chordae using PTFE sutures for mitral valve repair in degenerative valve disease has a crucial impact on both early and late outcomes of the repair. Herein we describe an adjuvant approach to facilitate the length adjustment.

Objective: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) is still frequent complication after cardiac surgery in spite of the improvements in the surgical procedures. There is still controversy whether or not, the absence of cardiopulmonary bypass results in a lower incidence of AF., Methods: Six hundred and seventy patients that underwent revascularization by using in situ LIMA for single vessel disease were included in this retrospective study and the patients were divided in two groups. Group I included 328 patients who underwent complete revascularization with cardiopulmonary bypass and group II consisted of 342 patients who underwent complete revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass. Then, the incidence and predictive perioperative factors of AF in two groups were determined and compared with each other., Results: There were no significant differences between two groups with respect to the preoperative demographic characteristics of the patients. The incidence of postoperative AF was determined as 16.1% after on-pump and 14.6% after off-pump revascularization. Avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass did not decrease the incidence of postoperative AF. Sex, age over 65 years, prophylactic beta-blocker usage and left ventricular dysfunction were independent predictive factors in group I (r2=0.51; P<0.001). However, only age over 65 years and prophylactic beta-blocker usage were independent predictive factors in group II (r2=0.59; P<0.01). The rates of AF in both groups were decreased by using prophylactic beta-blocker usage (P=0.05 in group I, P<0.001 in group II)., Conclusions: There is no reduction of AF rate in myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass. However, prophylactic beta-blocker usage decreases the incidence of AF after both on-pump and off-pump myocardial revascularization.

Controversy exists about the influence of patient age on the benefit of surgery in atrial septal defect (ASD). Tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE) when applied to atrioventricular annuli provides variables reliably reflecting the performance of the corresponding ventricle. We sought to investigate the effect of timing of surgery on biventricular functions by comparing the conventional echocardiography variables and TDE profiles of right and left atrioventricular annuli in patients treated at various ages. Conventional echocardiography and TDE analysis of mitral and tricuspid annuli were performed in 20 controls and 61 patients who underwent surgical ASD closure 2.8 +/- 2.5 years before the study. Standard parameters included were right and left-sided dimensions, estimated pulmonary artery pressure, ejection fraction, and tricuspid annular motion amplitude. TDE variables were systolic, early and late diastolic peak velocities at tricuspid lateral-and mitral-annulus at lateral and septal corners. Two subsets of patients who underwent surgery before (group 1, n = 20) and after 25 years (group 2, n = 41) formed our subgroups. Peak systolic TDE velocity and tricuspid annular motion amplitude had the lowest value in group 2 (P < 0.01 and <0.02, respectively). Late diastolic TDE velocity was significantly lower in group 2 compared to group 1 (P < 0.05). Increased right ventricular and atrial dimensions (P < 0.001 for both) and the estimated pulmonary artery pressure (P < 0.03) were the conventional measurements discriminating group 2 from group 1. The TDE profile of the mitral annulus was similar between the groups. These results suggest that delayed ASD closure is a relatively less effective procedure to restore secondary right ventricular dysfunction, as demonstrated by significantly different TDE measurements reflecting right ventricular longitudinal contraction and relaxation.

Since stroke is an important cause of morbidity and mortality, carotid endarterectomies are used frequently to reduce the risk of stroke and death. Unfortunately, an inherent risk of the carotid endarterectomy procedure is that surgery itself may result in stroke. At this point the question is which method of anesthesia, local or general, is better to protect and monitorize the brain function during cross-clamp period in carotid endarterectomies? In the authors' center, 365 carotid endarterectomies were applied to 329 patients between 1990 and 2001; 165 operations were done under general anesthesia and the other 200 operations were done under local anesthesia. These 2 groups, general (group I) and local anesthesia (group II), were studied retrospectively according to preoperative and postoperative data. In group I, the rate of major stroke was 7.3%, but this rate was 1% in group II (p < 0.05). Intraoperative shunts were used in 50 (30.3%) operations of group I, but the usage of shunt was 8% (16 operations) in group II (p < 0.0001). The hospitalization period was also much shorter in group II than in group I. The time of hospitalization was 4.1 +/-1.9 days in group I and 2.4 +/-1.1 days in group II (p < 0.0001). In terms of cost analysis, the mean costs were 1007.14 dollars +/-135.71 dollars in group I and 885.71 dollars +/-78.57 dollars in group II (p < 0.0001). In short, the local procedure was more cost-effective. As a result, in carotid endarterectomy procedures, the authors prefer local anesthesia to achieve better brain function monitoring and to reduce hospitalization time and cost.