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Coronary artery aneurysm is a relatively rare disorder that is usually discovered as a secondary finding in patients undergoing coronary artery angiography. Coronary artery fistulas are relatively more frequent than rare aneurysms and are often associated with other cardiac abnormalities. The etiology of aneurysms is mostly atherosclerotic, and they are less frequently associated with other acquired or congenital diseases, such as Kawasaki disease, connective tissue diseases, septic emboli, arteritis, and iatrogenic disease. We report a 70-year-old woman with a rare combination of a coronary artery aneurysm associated with a coronary artery fistula, which drained into the pulmonary artery. The diagnosis of our patient was made by selective coronary angiography and confirmed by computed tomography angiography. The patient was treated surgically because of the symptomatic course of the disease.

A young patient with streptococcal sepsis due to the phlegmon of his left thigh was admitted to the general intensive care unit. He developed a multi-organ failure and septic cardiomyopathy with subsequent cardiogenic shock. This resulted in hemodynamic instability unresponsive to conservative medical treatment. We report a successful application of veno-arterial extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation, which was used to overcome the period of critically low cardiac output caused by severe septic myocardial dysfunction.

Objectives This study aimed to retrospectively assess using computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) for predicting residual pulmonary hypertension (RPH) in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) after pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA). Methods We retrospectively analyzed data of 131 patients with CTEPH who underwent PEA in our center (2008–2015). We measured several diameters of the pulmonary artery and thoracic aorta preoperatively. We evaluated the relationship between these measurements (and their indices) and signs of RPH represented by pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) estimated by echocardiography. Results Significant correlations were observed between the aortopulmonary index and prediction of any residual hypertension and moderate/severe hypertension 1 year after PEA, and any residual hypertension and severe hypertension 2 years after PEA. The aortopulmonary index was significantly related to a reduction in PASP 1 year after the operation. A lower aortopulmonary index (≤0.88 for the ascending aorta and ≤0.64 for the descending aorta) predicted lower RPH. Conclusions Preoperative CTPA parameters can be used to assess the risk of RPH after PEA. The aortopulmonary index has significant predictive value for RPH and a reduction in PASP after PEA. Lower values of the aortopulmonary index suggest a better outcome after PEA.

Introduction: Acute kidney injury (AKI) following surgical myocardial revascularization is associated with high mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk of acute kidney injury in a population of very old patients following different surgical techniques. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study of 310 consecutive patients aged 78 to 93 years, mean 80.5±2.2, who underwent surgery at one cardiac surgery centre. Based on the surgical technique used the patients were divided into: Group I. CABG (n=134) - surgical myocardial revascularization using extracorporeal circulation and arterial and venous grafts. Group II. OPCABG (n=55) - surgical revascularization without extracorporeal circulation but using arterial and venous grafts. Group III. NOTOUCH (n=121) - no handling with the ascending aorta was performed at all. Results: A statistically insignificant renoprotective trend was found in patients who underwent surgery without extracorporeal circulation regardless of technique. Comparing groups II and III vs. group I, a significantly poorer renal functioning (median difference in creatinine was 10.0 (32.9) vs 17.5 (35.0), P=0.05) was shown for patients in group I. Conclusion: Surgical myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation in very old patients is safe. The results of this study show a renoprotective trend.