Assessing Safety of CABG in the Era Post Primary PCI, an Outcome Analysis of STEMI Population

Background: Primary PCI (PPCI) has replaced thrombolysis as the treatment of choice for STEMI. The effect of this change on outcomes of patients referred for subsequent CABG is unknown. Methods: All STEMI patients having thrombolysis or PPCI between 2000 and 2010 were identified. Of these, patients subsequently referred for isolated first time CABG form the cohort for this study. Results: 83 of 2476 (3.4%) patients from the PPCI cohort (median follow-up [FU] 3 years [range 6 m - 7.8 y]) and 49 of 528 (9.2%) from the thrombolysis cohort (median FU 9 y [range 1.5 - 10 y] were referred for subsequent CABG. In this referred group, initial reperfusion success (as defined) was: PPCI = 86%, lysis = 84%, p = 0.69. Surgical waiters with prior PPCI had less post infarct angina (1.2% vs. 25%, p 0.01) and late re-infarction (6% vs. 20%, p = 0.034) prior to surgery. Timing of CABG was: 6 m (PPCI 82%, lysis 73%), 6 m-1 y (PPCI 8.4%, lysis: 9%), >1 y (PPCI 9.6%, lysis 18%).Other than an increased prevalence of diabetes in the thrombolysis group, there were no differences in demographic details or risk profile. There were no post-operative deaths, MIs or CVAs. There were no significant differences in post-op AF (28% vs. 22% p = 0.5), respiratory failure (8% vs. 18%, p = 0.08), renal failure (5% vs. 6%, p = 0.5) or re-openings (0% vs. 6%, p = 0.8). Mortality at 3 years was 2.4% in the PPCI cohort and 4% in the thrombolysis cohort. Overall mortality during follow-up for the PPCI group was 3.6% (n = 3) (median FU 3 years), and for the lysis group was 24.5% (n = 12) (median FU 9 years). Conclusions: In patients awaiting CABG after STEMI, PPCI reduces the risk of post-infarct angina and re-infarction prior to surgery, but early surgical results were equally favorable in both groups. Additional follow-up is needed in the PPCI cohort to determine whether there are any significantly different longer-term outcomes.

Breast Necrosis Following Coronary by Pass Graft Surgery: Report of Two Cases &Review of Literature

Breast is an external organ with abundant blood supply which renders it vulnerable to many inflammatory or neoplastic conditions, yet it remains immune to ischemia. Various chest wall surgical procedures may directly or indirectly affect the breast or its overlying skin. Cardiac surgery with its designed incisions is closely related to the breast terrain. Breast necrosis is very rare and only few cases were reported in the literature. We report two cases of breast necrosis in diabetic patients following cardiac bypass surgery. This emerging quandary is an alert to cardiothoracic surgeons to generate special preparation for a subset of patients prior to cardiac surgical procedures in order to minimize the occurrence of ischemia.

Management of Internal Mammary Artery Spasm

The article is dedicated to the management of internal mammary artery spasm intra- and postoperatively based on the accumulated evidence in the literature. It provides a stepwise decision algorithm for safely resolving the spasm and prevention of relapse.

COVID-19 or non-COVID viral pneumonia:How to differentiate based on the radiologic findings?

Influenza viruses were responsible for most adult viral pneumonia.Presently,coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)has evolved into serious global pandemic.COVID-19 outbreak is expected to persist in months to come that will be synchronous with the influenza season.The management,prognosis,and protection for these two viral pneumonias differ considerably and differentiating between them has a high impact on the patient outcome.Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction is highly specific but has suboptimal sensitivity.Chest computed tomography(CT)has a high sensitivity for detection of pulmonary disease manifestations and can play a key-role in diagnosing COVID-19.We reviewed 47 studies and delineated CT findings of COVID-19 and influenza pneumonia.The differences observed in the chest CT scan can be helpful in differentiation.For instance,ground glass opacities(GGOs),as the most frequent imaging finding in both diseases,can differ in the pattern of distribution.Peripheral and posterior distribution,multilobular distribution,pure or clear margin GGOs were more commonly reported in COVID-19,whereas central or peri-bronchovascular GGOs and pure consolidations were more seen in influenza A(H1N1).In review of other imaging findings,further differences were noticed.Subpleural curvilinear lines,sugar melted sign,intra-lesional vascular enlargement,reverse halo sign,and fibrotic bands were more reported in COVID-19 than H1N1,while air space nodule,tree-in-bud,bronchiectasia,pleural effusion,and cavitation were more seen in H1N1.This delineation,when combined with clinical manifestations and laboratory results may help to differentiate these two viral infections.

心源性休克经皮治疗后的预后指征

Objectives: To determine predictors of outcome after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction. Methods: Retrospective analysis of a cohort of 113 patients undergoing emergency coronary angiography and attempted PCI for cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction in a regional cardiothoracic unit. Results: In-hospital mortality was 51%(58 patients). Adverse outcome was associated with previous myocardial infarction, age over 70 years, cardiogenic shock complicating failure to respond to thrombolytic treatment(failed thrombolysis), and multivessel coronary artery disease. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the first three factors were independent predictors of in-hospital death with odds ratios of 5.21(95%confidence interval(CI) 1.85 to 14.69), 4.02(95%CI 1.14 to 14.12), and 3.78(95%CI 1.43 to 9.96), respectively. Conclusion: About 50%of patients with cardiogenic shock undergoing a strategy of urgent coronary angiography and PCI survive to hospital discharge. Survivors do well in the subsequent six months. Emergency PCI for cardiogenic shock reduces mortality from an expected 80%to about 50%. Clinical features can help determine which patients are most likely to gain from urgent coronary angiography and attempted PCI. Alternative strategies are needed to improve the outcome of patients who fare badly.