Biomedical subjects

R J Cusimano

Publications and source records attributed to R J Cusimano.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Coronary bypass after ascending aorta to femoral graft placement running head: CABG after ascending aorta-bifemoral graft.

A 73-year-old woman had undergone ascending aorta-bifemoral bypass 9 years previously and now required coronary artery bypass for unstable angina. The technical considerations for the operation had never been described. We successfully completed the operation by mobilization of the pre-existent graft as it exited the thorax and by intermittent aortic root perfusion of the graft. Postoperatively she had no lower extremity complications, despite what was likely a graft dependent circulation. The same technique for coronary bypass can likely be used for all extra-anatomic bypass grafts originating from the ascending aorta. An alternate theoretical method is also discussed.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Minimally invasive cardiac surgery for removal of the greater saphenous vein.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if saphenous vein required for coronary bypass could be quickly, easily and safely removed with a minimally invasive technique. DESIGN: A consecutive series. SETTING: A university centre. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In cadavers, a standard mediastinoscope was used to remove segments of the greater saphenous vein. Thigh segments, superior leg segments and ankle segments were removed. Fifteen minutes were allowed for removal of a segment. RESULTS: Segments of vein 15 to 17 cm long could be removed. One segment could not be removed within 15 minutes. Thigh segments were easy to remove, calf segments were the most difficult. There were no avulsed side branches. All incisions were less than 5 cm long. CONCLUSIONS: Saphenous vein can be harvested quickly and safely by a minimally invasive method. Lower extremity complications may be reduced and long-term patency improved with this in-situ technique of vein removal.

Cadaver↗

PubMed1994

Right-to-left shunt following repair of partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection: a novel use of the Rashkind double-umbrella occlusion device.

A patient with partial anomalous pulmonary venous connection complicated by postoperative occlusion of the distal superior vena cava and a baffle leak causing right-to-left shunt is described. Surgery was avoided by balloon dilation and stenting of the superior vena cava. The baffle leak was closed with a Rashkind double-umbrella device.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Pancreatic pseudocysts: the role of percutaneous catheter drainage.

The case records of 69 patients who had pancreatic pseudocysts were reviewed retrospectively. All patients had abdominal pain and tenderness, 38 had nausea and vomiting, 9 had chills and fever and 5 had jaundice. Forty-eight patients had elevated body temperatures and 26 had elevated leukocyte counts. A history of alcoholism was obtained in 48 patients. Ultrasonography demonstrated 54 pseudocysts near the body of the pancreas, 8 near the tail and 7 near the head. Thirty-nine patients had internal drainage, 16 had laparotomy and external drainage and 14 had percutaneous catheter drainage. One of these 14 patients died of uncontrollable sepsis. Six of the 39 patients who had internal drainage had clinical evidence of sepsis (4 had septic complications postoperatively, and 2 died); the remaining 33 patients who had noninfected pseudocysts left hospital within 20 days of operation. However, only four of nine patients who had percutaneous drainage for noninfected pseudocysts left hospital within 20 days of the procedure. Thus, the authors recommend that infected pancreatic pseudocysts be managed by percutaneous catheter drainage and noninfected pseudocysts by internal drainage.

Abdomen↗

PubMed1991

Technique and pitfalls of retrograde continuous warm blood cardioplegia.

The recent development of normothermic myocardial preservation and systemic perfusion during bypass has questioned the fundamental need for hypothermia during cardiac operations. The antegrade technique of almost continuous perfusion by the aortic root and vein grafts has been supplemented by continuous normothermic blood cardioplegia through the coronary sinus. Recently, great interest has been shown in this technique. It is important to describe the method in detail along with its potential shortcomings and dangers. This communication describes the technical details, pitfalls, and shortcomings of retrograde continuous warm blood cardioplegia.

Blood↗

PubMed1991

Myocardial protection in the hypertrophied right ventricle.

Hypertrophied right ventricle presents a sensitive state that may not be adequately protected by modern cardioplegic methods. Cardiac metabolism, performance, and ultrastructure were measured in response to 1 hour of cardioplegic arrest in 15 pigs with right ventricular hypertrophy using intermittent hypothermic crystalloid, blood, and Flusol DA 20%-based cardioplegia. Reperfusion time was 1 hour. One hour after a 60-minute cross-clamp period, there were no differences in light microscopy. Total energy stores increased in 4 of 5 animals given blood cardioplegia compared with 1 of 5 for each of the other groups. Cardiac performance data also showed better results for animals treated with blood cardioplegia. After 30 minutes of reperfusion, animals receiving blood cardioplegia recovered 131% +/- 42% of preoperative systolic performance compared with 106% +/- 49% for Fluosol-treated animals and only 82% +/- 27% recovery for the crystalloid-treated group. After 60 minutes of reperfusion, the blood group showed 119% +/- 20% recovery compared with 89% +/- 23% and 85 +/- 50% recovery for Fluosol- and crystalloid-treated hearts, respectively. In conclusion, blood cardioplegia provided better protection than did crystalloid or Fluosol DA 20% cardioplegia when animals with right ventricular hypertrophy underwent 1 hour of cardioplegic arrest. It may have repaired damaged myocardium, leaving better hearts after cross-clamping than before.

Adenine Nucleotides↗

PubMed1991

Warm heart surgery.

Hypothermia is widely acknowledged to be the fundamental component of myocardial protection during cardiac operations. Although it prolongs the period of ischemic arrest by reducing oxygen demands, hypothermia is associated with a number of major disadvantages, including its detrimental effects on enzymatic function, energy generation, and cellular integrity. We hypothesized that the ideal protected state of the heart would be electromechanically arrested and perfused with blood, that is, aerobic arrest. Under these conditions the fundamental need for hypothermia becomes questionable. We have developed a novel approach to myocardial protection during cardiac operations based on these concepts, in which the chemically arrested heart is perfused continuously with blood and maintained at 37 degrees C. In 121 consecutive coronary bypass procedures we have compared this approach with a historical cohort of 133 consecutive patients treated with hypothermic cardioplegia. Perioperative myocardial infarction was significantly less prevalent (1.7% versus 6.8%; p less than 0.05) in the warm cardioplegic group, as was the use of the intraaortic balloon pump (0.9% versus 9.0%; p less than 0.005) and the prevalence of low output syndrome (13.5% versus 3.3%; p less than 0.005). Cardiac output immediately after bypass was significantly higher than before bypass (3.1 +/- 0.9 versus 4.9 +/- 1.0 L/min; p less than 0.001) only in the warm cardioplegia group. Furthermore, the heartbeat in 99.2% of patients treated with continuous warm cardioplegia converted to normal sinus rhythm spontaneously after removal of the aortic crossclamp compared with only 10.5% of the hypothermic group. The time from removal of the aortic crossclamp to discontinuation of cardiopulmonary bypass (i.e., reperfusion time) was significantly shorter in the warm cardioplegia group (11 +/- 4.3 versus 27 +/- 5.6 minutes; p less than 0.001). Our results suggest that continuous normothermic blood cardioplegia is safe and effective. Conceptually, this represents a new approach to the problem of maintaining excellent myocardial preservation during cardiac operations.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

A simple model of right ventricular hypertrophy.

Previous models of right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) created by pulmonary artery (PA) banding in adult large animals have been associated with an unpredictable response of the right ventricle to the band and a high mortality due to the variable degree of acute stenosis. We studied the efficacy of PA banding in young pigs to produce RVH by progressive gradual stenosis during growth. Sixteen Yorkshire pigs at 6 weeks of age had nonconstricting 5-mm wide Dacron strips placed around the PA via a left minithoracotomy. The animals were returned for study in 2-3 months. There were no deaths during the growth period. Five sham-operated pigs acted as controls. Right ventricular free wall (RVFW) to total heart weight ratio was greater in the banded group (0.38 +/- 0.05 vs. 0.28 +/- 0.01, P less than .005) as was the RVFW to left ventricular free wall (LVFW) weight (1.09 +/- 0.25 versus 0.66 +/- 0.03, P less than .005). While the LVFW to total heart weight ratio decreased (0.36 +/- 0.04 vs 0.45 +/- 0.05, P less than .005), the septal ratio did not change (0.26 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.29 +/- 0.02, NS), indicating concomitant septal hypertrophy. This technique is simple, reliable, and reproducible in creating right ventricular and septal hypertrophy in the young pig with no mortality during maturation.

Animals↗