OBJECTIVES This study assesses the mechanisms of apoptosis in patients after on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery and the potential involvement of the endogenous cardiac peptide urocortin as a cardiomyocyte salvage mechanism. We have previously described the mechanisms of apoptosis after ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rat heart and shown that endogenous urocortin is cardioprotective...

OBJECTIVE To review and summarize the early outcomes and clinical experience of coronary endarterectomy (CE) and bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass for patients with diffused coronary artery disease. METHODS From May 2003 to May 2005, 53 patients with diffused coronary artery disease underwent CE and bypass grafting without cardiopulmonary bypass. There were 41 males and 12 female...

BACKGROUND Clinical studies have demonstrated that intracoronary or intramyocardial transplantation of bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) into ischemic myocardium improves cardiac function. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of intramyocardial BMMNC transplantation into nongraftable areas in combination with off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting...

OBJECTIVE To describe mortality and morbidity during a period of 2 years after coronary artery bypass grafting in relation to gender. DESIGN Prospective follow-up study. SETTING Two regional cardiothoracic centres which performed all the coronary artery bypass operations in western Sweden at the time. SUBJECTS A total of 2129 (1727 (81%) men and 402 (19%) women) consecutive patients under...

To decide whether the number of operations for coronary artery bypass grafting should be increased, maintained at the present levels, or decreased we need to know how cost effective they are relative to other claimants on the resources of the National Health Service. For this purpose effectiveness is taken to be the effect on life expectancy adjusted for the quality of life. In an assessment of...

Coronary artery fistulae are uncommon, reported in 0.25% of patients undergoing coronary angiography. Two patients with congenital coronary artery fistula and coronary artery disease who presented with symptoms of exacerbated congestive heart failure out of proportion to their atherosclerotic burden were successfully treated by epicardial fistula ligation and coronary artery bypass grafting wit...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of heparin-coated perfusion circuits with low-dose heparinization and centrifugal pumping compared with the standard method during coronary artery bypass grafting. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, single-blind clinical trial. SETTING A primary care institution. PATIENTS Ninety patients who underwent first-time elective coronary artery bypass gr...

OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation in patients undergoing on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS A retrospective study with analysis of 230 medical records between January 2011 and October 2013 was conducted. RESULTS Fifty-six (24.3%) out of the 230 patients were female. The average age of patients undergoing on-pump coronary art...

OBJECTIVE Despite proven blood transfusion benefits, aprotinin may be underused in coronary artery bypass grafting. Reluctance to use aprotinin may stem from safety concerns. The current objective was to evaluate clinical outcomes (mortality, myocardial infarction, renal failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation) in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting who receive aprotinin by perform...