Cardiac ischemia after coronary artery bypass grafting is often caused by graft occlusion. Short- and long-term graft patency is related to the quality of the surgical technique during harvesting and anastomosis. Transit time flow measurement is a recognized technique for the quality control of grafts but may not rule out structural abnormalities in the conduits, which can cause graft occlusion. This article reports on two cases of suspected intra-arterial dissection of the left internal mammary artery despite satisfactory flow measurements. Routine ultrasound scanning of arterial conduits is helpful in distinguishing dissection and hematoma in the graft conduits.

Introduction: The aortic valve replacement is a standard operating procedure in patients with severe aortic stenosis. Structure of patients undergoing surgery ranges from young population with isolated mitral valvular disease to the elderly population, which is in addition to the underlying disease additionally burdened with comorbidity. One of the most commonly present factors that further complicate the surgery is coronary heart disease that occurs in, almost, one third of patients with aortic stenosis. The aim is to compare the results of surgery for aortic valve replacement with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Patients and Methods: From August 2008 to January 2013 in our center operated on 120 patients for aortic stenosis. Of this number, 75 were men and 45 women. The average age was 63.37 years (16-78). Isolated aortic valve replacement was performed in 89 patients and in 31 patients underwent aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass surgery. Implanted 89 biological and 31 mechanical valves. Results: Patients with associated aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease were more expressed symptomatic symptoms preoperatively to patients with isolated aortic stenosis who were on average younger age. Intra-hospital morbidity and mortality was more pronounced in the group of patients with concomitant aortic valve replacement and coronary bypass surgery. Morbidity was recorded in 17 patients (14.3%) in both groups, while the mortality rate in both groups was 12 patients (10.1%). Conclusion: Evaluation of preoperative risk factors and comorbidity in patients with aortic stenosis and coronary artery disease contributes to a significant reduction in intraoperative and postoperative complications. Also, early diagnosis of associated coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis contributes to timely decision for surgery thus avoiding subsequent ischaemic changes and myocardial damage.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate post-operative complications after myocardial revascularisation in patients with very severe ischaemic heart disease. Men typically have a higher incidence of coronary disease than women. Ischaemic heart disease is characterised by reduced blood supply to the heart. The coronary arteries supply blood to the heart muscle, and since no alternative blood supply exists, a blockage in the coronary arteries reduces the supply of blood to the heart muscle. Myocardial infarction can cause very severe dysfunction of the left ventricle. In spite of new medical and surgical treatments, the number of patients with ischaemic disease is constantly increasing. Patients and Methods: A group of 80 patients with ischaemic heart and myocardial infarc- tion was observed, and 40 of them surgically treated in the period 2010-2013. In this study we evaluated only those surgically treated patients. The results: Post-operative complications in patients surgically treated included: ICV 2.5% (1/40); bleeding 2.5% (1/40); arrhythmia 17.5% (7/40); pleural effusion 7.5% (3/40); media- stinitis 2.5% (1/40); sepsis 2.5% (1/40); acute renal insufficiency 2.5% (1/40); multiple organ failure 7.5% (3/40); and perioperative death 2.5% (1/40). Conclusion: Surgical treatment of patients with severe ischaemic disease as a result of myocardial infarction can be performed with minimal operative and post-operative compli- cations, especially in elective cases.

ABSTRACT Objectives: The present study evaluates our experience with aorto-coronary bypass grafting in patients with severe dysfunction of left ventricle (LV) and low ejection fraction-EF(<35%). Revascularization of myocardium in this settings remains contraversial because of concerns over morbidity, mortality and quality of life. Material and Methodes: Forty patients with severe coronary artery disease and dysfunction of LV (low ejection fraction <35%) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in period of 3 years. Preoperative diagnostic of 40 patients was consisted of anamnesis, clinical exam, non-invasive methods EHO, MR and invasive diagnostic methods-cateterization. The major indication for surgery was severe anginal pain, heart failure symptoms and low ejection fraction. Internal mammary artery was used in all operated patients. Results: Average age of patients who have been operated was 59,8. In the present study, 81,3% were male and 18,8% female. We found one-vessel disease present in 2,5% (1/40) of patients, two -vessel disease in 40% (16/40), three-vessel disease in 42,5% (17/40) and four -vessel disease in 15% (6/40) of patients. One bypass grafting we implanted in 2,5% patients, two bypasses in 42,5%, three bypasses in 45 5%, and four bypasses in 10% of patients. Left ventricular ejection fraction assessed preoperativly was 18%-27% and postoperatively was improved to 31, 08% in period of 30 days. Conclusion: In patients with left ventricular dysfunction, coronary artery bypass grafting can be performed safely with improvement in quality of life and in left ventricular ejection fraction.

Introduction: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare condition because in most instances ventricular free-wall rupture leads to fatal pericardial tamponade. Rupture of the free wall of the left ventricle is a catastrophic complication of myocardial infarction, occurring in approximately 4% of patients with infarcts, resulting in immediate collapse of the patient and electromechanical dissociation. In rare cases the rupture is contained by pericardial and fibrous tissue, and the result is a pseudoaneurysm. The left ventricular pseudoaneurysm contains only pericardial and fibrous elements in its wall-no myocardial tissue. Because such aneurysms have a strong tendency to rupture, this disorder may lead to death if it is left surgically untreated. Case report: In this case report, we present a patient who underwent successful repair of a left ventricular pseudoaneurysm, which followed a myocardial infarction that was caused by occlusion of the left circumflex coronary artery. Although repair of left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is still a surgical challenge, it can be performed with acceptable results in most patients.

The increasing number of reoperative CABG procedures is primarily a function of progressive atherosclerosis affecting the saphenous vein grafts and native coronary arteries in patients who underwent a CABG procedure at an early age. During the first year after surgery, up to 20% of venous grafts occlude; between 1 and 6 years, the graft attrition rate is 1% to 2% per year; and between 6 and 10 years, it is 4% per year. Ten years after surgery, only 60% of vein grafts are patent, and only 50% of patent vein grafts are free of significant stenosis. Reflecting this graft attriton, angina recurs in up to 20% of patients during the first year after surgery and in approximately 4% of patients annually. The incidence of reoperation after primary CABG (REDO) is approximately 3% at 5 years, 11% at 10 years, and greater than 17% at 12 years. Despite the increasing number of reoperations for coronary revascularization only minimal data are available concerning patients undergoing a third time CABG (RERE-CABG). RE-RE-CABGs are not so frequent; but these patients constitute a special group, which may increase in the coming years. In this report we describe the short-term results and the clinical status of a patient after RE-RE-CABG without touching the aorta, using arterial grafts.

Jehovah's witnesses (JW) belong to a religious group refusing to accept blood transfusion Surgical treatment remains a challenge in this subset of patients. From 1945, JW introduced a ban on accepting blood transfusions, even in life-threatening situations while autologous blood must also be refused if it is predeposited-thus excluding preoperative autodonation. However, autologous blood is acceptable if it is not separated from the patients' circulation at any time. The invasive nature of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the associated decrease of body temperature and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are major reasons for increased blood loss and high incidence for blood transfusions during and after this procedures. Allogenic blood transfusions are often given and considered necessary in such operations, in spite of increased mortality, morbidity and major adverse outcomes resulting from transfusion. Reduction in the use of blood products should therefore be a general desire for every patient due to the associated risk factors. The evolution of less invasive cardiac surgical approaches, such as CABG without CPB (OPCAB) may contribute to a further reduction of blood transfusion and although these minimally invasive techniques may benefit every patient, they might be particularly valuable for JW. In this report, we present our initial experience in JW patient undergoing OPCAB and the way to use patient blood management for improved surgical outcome in such patient.

Insertion of ventriculoatrial (VA) shunts is an effective method of draining cerebrospinal fluid from the cerebral ventricle to the right atrium and significantly improves the survival of patients with hydrocephalus. Some patients who received a VA shunt subsequently developed complications, including thrombus formation around the intracardiac end of the catheter and thromboembolism. The relative rarity of complications and the long latency between shunt insertion and the development of symptoms in VA shunt recipients may result in misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis. The case presented suggests that such patients may require routine echocardiography at regular intervals. Otherwise, the indwelling foreign body may become the source of a life-threatening thrombotic mass, if not recognised and treated appropriately.

Dextrocardia is a condition in which the heart is pointed toward the right side of the chest instead of normally pointing to the left. The rate of atherosclerotic heart disease in subjects with this condition is similar to that of the general population. We present a patient with situs inversus totalis with dextrocardia who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting without use of cardiopulmonary bypass (OPCAB). A 74-year-old man who was known to have dextrocardia with situs inversus was admitted to the hospital because of angina. Coronary angiography was performed and showed ostial occlusion of the left anterior descendng artery (LAD) unsuitable for percutaneous coronary interventions but collatereralised from the right coronary artery. Patient underwent OPCAB under general anestesia. Right internal mammary artery was anastomosed to LAD on the beating heart with the surgeon standing on the right side of the patient. The patient's post-operative course was uneventful, and he was discharged on the 6th postoperative day in good condition. Performing OPCAB surgery is not technically more demanding, and present no unusual challenge on patients with dextrocardia.