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Background: Significant numbers of patients who undergo major surgery experience postoperative problems, the majority of which are preventable. It has been demonstrated that goal-directed therapy, a method for guiding clinicians in administering fluids, vasopressors, and inotropes, reduces mortality and postoperative complications. However, heart transplant patients were not exclusively investigated. This study focused on patients having heart transplant surgery, which compared the effects of goal-directed versus traditional fluid management. Methods: Goal-directed and standard therapy were examined on 74 patients who had received heart transplantation and were randomly divided into two groups.Using Lidco's CO, CI, SVV, and SVR to track progress toward treatment goals, two groups were compared in terms of fluid repositioning and the use of vasoactive medications.We also compared secondary outcomes like AKI, Cardiac dysrhythmia, CVA, ICU length of stay, and 30-day survival. Results: Both groups had similar baseline characteristics. The goal-directed therapy group had less fluid repositioning. AKI, Cardiac dysrhythmia, CVA, ICU stay, and 30-day survival rates did not differ significantly between the groups; however, Conventional patients spent more time in the ICU. Conclusion: Our data showed that the time spent in the intensive care unit after a heart transplant can be cut in half using GDT. Adverse events occurred in both groups with no statistically significant difference. Preoperative goal-directed therapy needs further well-designed and adequately powered studies.

Background: Considering the effect of heart disease and its post-surgical complications on the patient's quality of life, identifying risk predictors for complications after surgery and the patient's clinical course can help us to improve the quality of primary care after surgery, reduce complications and improve the patient's recovery after surgery. This study aims to determine postoperative complication prevalence and related risk predictors. Material and methods: In this cross-sectional study, the clinical course after cardiac reoperation of patients in the cardiac operating room of Imam Khomeini Hospital during the years 2014-2021was studied. Patients who have had a stroke in the past six months, heart failure, and EF less than 25% were excluded from the study. This study investigates the relationship between preoperative and intraoperative conditions of patients (age, sex, hemoglobin, serum creatinine, blood product transfusion, and pump time) and postoperative complications (death, AKI, bleeding, CVA, and pulmonary complication. Results: This study examined 461 cardiac reoperation patients with a mean age (44.54±18.35). The most common complications were bleeding (8.24%), death (8.2%), and AKI (19.65$), respectively. In this study, there was a significant difference in terms of age, hemoglobin level, creatinine level, pump time, and blood product transfusion in patients faced with death and AKI compared to uncomplicated patients. Patients with postoperative bleeding received more blood products and had a longer pump time than uncomplicated patients, which was statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, there was a significant difference between deceased and uncomplicated patients after cardiac reoperation in terms of age, anemia, pre operative renal failure, and receiving more blood products during surgery. This difference, however, does not necessarily create a causal relationship; but suggests some risk predictors for redo cardiac surgery.

Introduction: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a major acute renal failure that can be prevented by atorvastatin administration. This study aims to evaluate the association between atorvastatin use and CI-AKI incidence using a systematic review and meta-analysis approach. Materials and Methods: Several international databases, including Cochrane, Web of Science, Scopus, ProQuest, PubMed, and the Google Scholar search engine, were queried in this study. STATA 14 software was conducted to analyze the data. In this study, standardized mean difference (SMD) index was conducted to investigate the relationship between atorvastatin and serum creatinine level. Results: Twelve clinical trials with a total sample size of 3299 were retrieved. The effect of atorvastatin on serum creatinine levels indicated a SMD of -2.26 (95% CI: -2.53, -1.98) at a dose of 20 mg/kg, -0.76 (95% CI: -1.47, -0.05) at a dose of 40 mg/kg, -2.69 (95% CI: -2.96, -2.42) at a dose of 60 mg/ kg, and -0.03 (95% CI: -0.14, 0.09) at a dose of 80 mg/kg. The effect of atorvastatin use on serum creatinine levels achieved a SMD of -2.72 (95% CI: -3.02, -2.43) in the 40-49 years age group and a SMD of -0.96 (95% CI: -1.73, -0.19) in the 50-59 years age group. The effect of high-dose atorvastatin therapy in reducing the serum creatinine levels, compared to low-dose therapy, was a SMD of -0.54 (95% CI: -1.03, -0.04). However, estimates for the effect of atorvastatin compared to rosuvastatin and placebo showed a SMD of -0.26 (95% CI: -0.76, 0.24) and -1.23 (95% CI: -2.22, -0.25), respectively. The effect of atorvastatin on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels relative to the comparison group was a SMD of -1.10 (95% CI: -1.61, -0.58) and -1.36 (95% CI: -2.30, -0.42) respectively. Conclusion: Pre-treatment with atorvastatin is effective in CI-AKI prevention. High-dose atorvastatin administration at younger ages provides the best outcome for preventing CI-AKI. Meta-analysis Registration: This study has been compiled based on the PRISMA checklist, and its protocol was registered on the PROSPERO website (ID: CRD42023397276, available at https:// www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/#recordDetails).

A 16-year-old hemophilia-A patient presented with symptomatic atrial septal defect (ASD). Managing bleeding during cardiovascular surgeries is a significant challenge, even for none-hemophilic patients, due to heparin administration, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) coagulopathy and surgical complications. This essay is an effort to discuss ASD, CPB effects on the coagulation system, and highlight some approaches to lower bleeding in hemophilic patients with congenital heart disease.

Accurate determination of severity of aortic valve stenosis (AS) by aortic valve area (AVA) is essential for choosing the best treatment strategy. We compared AVA quantified by 4 different in vivo echocardiographic methods with AVA measured by 3D ex vivo scanning of the excised AV. The data on 38 patients who underwent aortic valve replacement were assessed. The AVA was determined by 4 echocardiographic methods of planimetry in 2D transesophageal echocardiography [planimetry (2D-TEE)], plainemetry by multiplanar reconstruction approach in 3D transesophageal echocardiography [MPR (3D-TEE)], and two continuity equation (CE) approaches; conventional CE (2D-TTE) in which left ventricular outflow tract [LVOT] area derived by LVOT diameter obtained in 2D transthoracic echocardiography and CE (3D-TEE) in which LVOT area obtained by 3D MPR. After the surgical removal of the AV, AVA was determined by 3D ex vivo scanning. Lowest AVA mean difference with 3D ex vivo scanning was found between CE (2D-TTE), followed by CE (3D-TEE). Planimetry (2D-TEE) in male patients as well as severely and non-severely calcified valves revealed a significant higher AVA mean difference with 3D ex vivo scanning than CE (2D-TTE) and CE (3D-TEE) methods. However, with a nonsignificant effect, CE (2D-TTE) and planimetry (2D-TEE) had the least mean difference with 3D ex vivo scanning possibly due to less frequent bicuspid AV in females. CE (2D-TTE) was more accurate than other methods of AVA calculation. Moreover, CE (3D-TEE) and MPR (3D-TEE) methods had acceptable accuracy in comparison with planimetry (2D-TEE) for definition of AS severity.

Background N-terminal pro-beta-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) is now used in the diagnosis of heart failure; nevertheless, there is still no expert consensus regarding its value in detecting rejection. This paper therefore aims to examine the role of NT-proBNP in detecting rejection at earlier asymptomatic stages.

Background Reoperations are technically more difficult because of the risks associated with reentry in a heart with more advanced pathology, little reserve, and more frequent comorbidities. Routine peripheral cannulation before resternotomy is inadvisable, time-consuming, and has no noticeable role in decreasing the risks of reentry. We present our experience of resternotomy without routine peripheral cannulation. Methods This was a retrospective study on 237 consecutive patients who underwent resternotomy between June 2011 and July 2013. Their mean age was 47.7 ± 18.2 years. We chose the best approach individually, according to lateral radiograph findings, patient risk factors, and previous surgery. Our goal was to observe events intraoperatively and their outcomes postoperatively. Results Mean intensive care unit stay was 3.1 ± 0.9 days. Twenty-one (8.8%) patients died during their hospital stay. The most common cause of death was renal failure in 15 (71.4%) patients, coagulopathy in 4 (19%), and cardiac failure in 2 (9.5%). We had 3 right ventricular, one right atrial, one pulmonary artery, and 2 inferior vena caval tears during resternotomy and dissection; bleeding was controlled easily without peripheral cannulation. Femoral cannulation before resternotomy was performed in one patient who needed an emergency pulmonary embolectomy. Conclusions Based on our experience, resternotomy with central cannulation is a safe strategy, and peripheral cannulation before resternotomy should be reserved for highly selected patients.

Facing a patient with acute intermittent porphyria (AIP), there is narrow safety margin which circumscribe all the therapeutic actions including choice of drugs. This would become even more complicated when it comes to a stressful and drug-dependent process like a cardiopulmonary bypass. According to author's researches, no specific AIP case of tricuspid valve (TV) replacement is reported recently. Furthermore, fast-track anesthesia was safely used in this 37-year-old male known the case of AIP, who was a candidate for TV replacement and removing the port catheter. The patient was extubated subsequently, only 3 h after entering the Intensive Care Unit.

Background: Because the trend of pharmacotherapy is toward controlling diet rather than administration of drugs, in our study we examined the probable relationship between Creatine (Cr) or Whey (Wh) consumption and anesthesia (analgesia effect of ketamine). Creatine and Wh are among the most favorable supplements in the market. Whey is a protein, which is extracted from milk and is a rich source of amino acids. Creatine is an amino acid derivative that can change to ATP in the body. Both of these supplements result in Nitric Oxide (NO) retention, which is believed to be effective in N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor analgesia. Objectives: The main question of this study was whether Wh and Cr are effective on analgesic and anesthetic characteristics of ketamine and whether this is related to NO retention or amino acids’ features Materials and Methods: We divided 30 male Wistar rats to three (n = 10) groups; including Cr, Wh and sham (water only) groups. Each group was administered (by gavage) the supplements for an intermediate dosage during 25 days. After this period, they became anesthetized using a Ketamine-Xylazine (KX) and their time to anesthesia and analgesia, and total sleep time were recorded. Results: Data were analyzed twice using the SPSS 18 software with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and post hoc test; first time we expunged the rats that didn’t become anesthetized and the second time we included all of the samples. There was a significant P-value (P < 0.05) for total anesthesia time in the second analysis. Bonferroni multiple comparison indicated that the difference was between Cr and Sham groups (P < 0.021). Conclusions: The data only indicated that there might be a significant relationship between Cr consumption and total sleep time. Further studies, with rats of different gender and different dosage of supplement and anesthetics are suggested.

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) can happen due to different factors such as anemia. Packed cell (PC) transfusion is an important cause of AKI occurrence. The aim of the study is to investigate whether appropriate blood component (BC) therapy can reduce blood transfusion and it would result in AKI decreasing. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cohort study of 1388 patients who underwent cardiac surgery in one university hospital. A serum creatinine higher than 2 mg/dl, renal disease history, renal replacement therapy (chronic dialysis) were our exclusion criteria. Results: From our 1088 samples, 701 (64.43%) patients had normal kidney function, 277 (25.45%) were in the AKI-1 group, 84 (7.72%) had an AKI-2 function, and the rest of patients were classified as end stage. A mean of more than three PC units were transfused for the second and third stage of AKI, which was significantly higher than other AKI groups (P = 0.009); this higher demand of blood product was also true about the fresh frozen plasma, platelet, and fibrinogen. However, there were no needs of fibrinogen in the patients with normal kidney function. The cardiopulmonary bypass time had an average of 142 ± 24.12, which obviously was higher than other groups (P = 0.032). Total mortality rate was 14 out of 1088 (1.28%), and expiration among the AKI stages 2 and 3 was meaningfully (P = 0.001) more than the other groups. Conclusion: A more occurrence of AKI reported for the patients who have taken more units of blood. However, BC indicated to be safer for compensating blood loss because of low AKI occurrence among our patients.

Objectives: To investigate the short-term outcome of patients with infective endocarditis (IE). Patients and Methods: We analyzed data from 42 patients with active endocarditis which underwent different cardiac surgeries. An active endocarditis was considered due to urine analysis and/or blood culture and acute inflammation Gram stains of sample tissue and/or blood culture and acute inflammation Gram stains of sample tissue. Design: Collecting data of 42 patients prospectively. Setting: University hospital single center. Participants: Patients with IE from July 2014 to June 2016. Interventions: None. Measurement and Main Results: We collected data of 42 patients in Imam Hospital which is a university-based 1700-bed center. Twelve patients experienced a redo operation; in which, 2 of them have had the second redo. Five patients underwent an aortic valve replacement operation, 2 mitral valve repair, and only one patient had experienced a subaortic web resection. Seven cases were addict; in which, 5 of them were intravenous abusers. There was 1 porphyric patient which suffered from pethidine reliability. Most of our cases underwent Bentall or tricuspid valve repair operation, and multivalve operation was more scarce. Conclusions: We have presented the therapeutic strategies and outcome of patients with IE and evaluated their short-term outcome.

Objectives: The objective of this study is to investigate the safety of elimination of chest radiography in the postcardiac surgery Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Methods and Design: We compared patients in two different groups of routine CXR (RCXR) and limited CXR (LCXR) and their diagnostic and therapeutic outcome in a University hospital-based single center from 2014 to 2016. 3 CXR in the RCXR group and 1 CXR in the limited group was performed, in addition to on-demand criteria. Measurement and Main Results: A total of 978 samples were acceptable for analysis which 55.21% of RCXR and 59.50% of LCXR were male patients. In total, 523 abnormalities in RCXR group and 154 occasions in LCXR group resulted in 26.73% diagnostic efficacy for RCXRs and 28.57% for LCXR. From 1956 CXR that was taken in RCXR group, 72 occasions required intervention (3.68%) and 84 cases out of 539 (15.58%) LCXR needed an action to therapy. This means a 14.40% in RCXRs’ abnormalities and 56.00% of LCXRs’ abnormalities were accompanied with some interventions. Conclusions: Abolishing routine CXR in the ICUs would not be harmful for the patients, and it can be managed based on their clinical status and other safer imaging techniques.