BACKGROUND The timely diagnosis of presence or absence of reperfusion injury after cardiac operation is critical for the patient's outcome. Whether transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) acquisition of regional grayscale intensity (TI), velocity, and displacement (D) after cardiac operation can discriminate between patients with ST-segment elevation ischemic reperfusion injury (STEIRI) and norm...

The aim of this study was to determine the outcome of patients who had a chest resternotomy and to identify risk factors for higher in-hospital mortality after re-exploration for bleeding and/or tamponade after cardiac operations. We present our experience of an acceptably low re-exploration rate after cardiac surgery, and the outcomes of those re-explored. This was a retrospective analysis of ...

Elemental calcium signals from RYR arrays operating in cardiac myocytes have been extensively characterized with ever-improving optical methods and other innovative techniques. However, the exact nature of elemental calcium signals in terms of RYR gating in situ remains an enigma. Here, we synthesize insights gleaned from recent developments in single-channel resolution of cardiac RYR organizat...

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the protective effects and safety aspects of recombinant human brain natriuretic peptide (rhBNP) on cardiac functions of patients undergoing open-heart surgery during perioperative period. In total, 150 patients undergoing open heart surgery in the Second Hospital of Shandong Universty from August 2015 to July 2016 were randomly divided into control ...

BACKGROUND Elevated neurohumoral activity and an abnormal cardiopulmonary response to exercise are well-established characteristics in patients after the Fontan operation. However, there have been few studies addressing cardiac autonomic nervous activity (CANA) in these patients. METHODS AND RESULTS We evaluated CANA in 63 post-Fontan patients and 44 controls. Cardiac parasympathetic nervous ...

BACKGROUND We evaluated operative outcomes after third or more cardiac operations for valvular heart disease, and analyzed whether pericardial coverage with artificial membrane is helpful for subsequent reoperation. METHODS From 2000 to 2012, 149 patients (male: female=70: 79; mean age at operation, 57.0±11.3 years) underwent their third to fifth operations for valvular heart disease. Early r...

Recently, a new technique for myocardial protection that does not rely on hypothermia has been reported. In this method, the heart is continuously perfused with normothermic hyperkalemic blood cardioplegia during the cross-clamp period. Cardiac arrest is achieved and maintained using high levels of potassium. Hypothermia is not part of this technique; thus, the danger of hypothermia can be avoi...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to document what proportion of patients referred for consideration of cardiac surgery are turned down, the reasons given for not operating and also to evaluate what happens to those patients who do not undergo surgery. METHODS 382 elective patients referred for consideration of cardiac surgery to one of six consultant cardiac surgeons at Wythenshawe Hospit...

Antithrombin (AT) is a natural anticoagulant that is consumed during cardiac operations with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study is an observational trial aimed at identifying the factors determining the magnitude of the AT consumption during cardiac operations. Two hundred and fifty consecutive adult patients undergoing cardiac operations with CPB were admitted to the study. Preoperative ...

Considerable attention has recently been focussed upon the disturbance of cardiac rhythm that may occur during intrathoracic surgery (Meek et al., 1937, and Burstein, 1946). These arrhythmias may vary from the relatively innocuous nodal rhythm and shifting pacemaker to cardiac standstill and ventricular fibrillation. Several initiating factors have been described, among which are cyclopropane a...