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S Benussi

Publications and source records attributed to S Benussi.

27 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Emergency surgical revascularization in acute myocardial infarct. The preliminary results of a prospective study].

In this paper we describe 1-year experience with a perspective operative protocol of emergency myocardial revascularization in extensive acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Entry criteria were: age < 75 years; anterior AMI with ST segment elevation > 4 leads, infero-postero-lateral or inferior and right ventricular AMI, within 6 hours from symptom onset. After coronary arteriography, an emergency staff, composed by cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, addresses the patients to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or to percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). From November 1994 to November 1995, 35 patients were enrolled: 19 (mean age 54.3 +/- 9.7 years) underwent CABG and 16 were treated with PTCA. Myocardial protection was such as to restore energetic substrates and to prevent reperfusion injury: surgical technique consisted of antegrade-retrograde substrate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution delivery, early cardioplegic delivery on the infarcting area via a saphenous graft, retrograde controlled reperfusion before aortic unclamping and then prolonged reperfusion of the infarcted myocardium. In 8 patients (mean age 50.9 +/- 8.6 years), with anterior AMI and stable hemodynamics, a left internal thoracic artery graft was used, performing the prolonged controlled reperfusion retrogradely before aortic unclamping. In hospital death occurred in 1/19 (5.3%) patients because of cerebral hemorrhage. At a mean follow-up of 5.1 +/- 3.7 months 17 patients (94.4%) were in NYHA functional class I-II and 1 patient (5.6%) complained of effort angina, that was well controlled with medical therapy. Left ventricular ejection fraction calculated by echocardiography preoperatively, before discharge and at follow-up was respectively 39.3 +/- 12.7, 43.1 +/- 8.9 and 43.4 +/- 9.0%. In the last 8 consecutive patients thermodilution and transesophageal echocardiography monitoring were performed preoperatively and 12 hours after CABG: in all cases ejection fraction and cardiac index increased after CABG, from 42.2 +/- 13.5 to 48.6 +/- 14.3% (p = 0.01) and from 2.8 +/- 0.5 to 3.4 +/- 0.6 l/min/m2 (p = 0.005), respectively. The preliminary results show the effectiveness of this perspective protocol in the management of critically ill patients with extensive AMI.

Clinical Protocols↗

Advantages of delayed sternal closure in cardiac-compromised adult patients.

Severe hemodynamic dysfunction may follow closure of the median sternotomy in patients with myocardial edema, cardiac dilatation, postcardiotomy shock, or raised end-expiratory alveolar pressure. Open sternotomy and delayed sternal closure (DSC) is a well described adjunct in complicated cardiac operations, which is more widely applied in neonates. In this article we report our results in using open sternotomy in eight adult patients from January 1994 to February 1995 (excluding patients who needed ventricular assistance devices [VADs]). Three patients died in hospital: 1 case of multiorgan failure; 1 cases of refractory low cardiac output syndrome; and 1 case of respiratory distress syndrome. Our experience confirms that DSC is an effective means of dealing with postoperative hemodynamic impairment. Furthermore, this technique may represent an intermediate step between intraaortic balloon counterpulsation and VADs and should be given a role in the prophylaxis of low postoperative cardiac output and multiorgan failure, particularly when contraindications to VAD exist.

Aged↗

Myocardial revascularization with bilateral internal thoracic artery in patients with left main disease or left ventricular dysfunction: an incremental risk?

Although long-term patency of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) is well stated, there is still some concern about its perioperative performance. We considered 122 consecutive patients, 63 with left main disease (LMD; mean age 60 years) and 59 with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD; mean age 59 years) who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting in our Institute from March 1988 to September 1992. Patients with LMD were divided into 2 groups: LMD I: 29 patients receiving only ITA grafts on the left coronary system and LMD II: 34 patients having a single ITA graft on the left coronary system. Patients with LVD were divided into: LVD I: 44 patients operated with bilateral ITA and LVD II: 15 patients receiving a single ITA graft. Perioperative complications in LMD I and LMD II patients were respectively: myocardial necrosis in 2 (6.9%) versus 3 (8.8%), use of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in 2 (6.9%) versus 2 (5.9%); no death occurred in both groups. Perioperative results in groups LVD I and LVD II were: death in 1 patient (2.2%) versus 1 (6.7%), myocardial necrosis in 2 (4.5%) versus 1 (6.7%) and IABP in 4 (9.1%) versus 2 (13.3%). In our experience the use of bilateral ITA grafts in patients with LMD and LVD was not related to an incremental risk. We conclude that LMD and LVD should not be considered as contraindications to the extensive use of arterial conduits.

Aged↗

Total arterial myocardial revascularization.

The superiority of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) compared with venous conduits in terms of late graft patency is nowadays well documented. The inferior epigastric artery (IEA) was recently proposed as an alternative conduit for coronary artery surgery with good early clinical and angiographic results. To improve the benefits from myocardial revascularization, we expanded the use of these arterial conduits. From June 1988 to December 1991, 615 patients underwent coronary surgery in our institute. In 138 of them (22.4%) we performed total arterial myocardial revascularization placing 2 or more coronary anastomoses. An average of 2.37 anastomoses per patient were placed with the maximum number of 6 in one case. Only one patient died of cardiac related causes (0.72%). Perioperative morbidity included myocardial infarction and sternal dehiscence in 5 patients each (3.6%). No stroke or reoperation for bleeding occurred. No rectus muscle necrosis was recorded. Accurate preoperative planning of graft placement allows for the performance of as many as 6 distal anastomoses using bilateral ITA and single IEA grafts only, thus completely revascularizing most of the hearts with three-vessel disease. In our series this procedure was not reflected in an increase in the perioperative morbidity. We choose an elective total arterial revascularization in younger (under 65 years) patients who, while showing a lower incidence of complications in our study, are likely to derive the highest benefits from the good durability of ITA and hopefully IEA grafts.

Abdominal Muscles↗

Mitral valve surgery with concomitant treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Recovery of sinus rhythm after mitral valve surgery in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation lowers thromboembolic risk and improves survival and quality of life. This article reviews the principal surgical procedures devised in the 1980s and 1990s to treat atrial fibrillation during mitral valve operations. Advantages and drawbacks of the different techniques are discussed. Traditional atrial fibrillation surgery is technically demanding and increases operative morbidity. Simplified techniques, mostly limited to the left atrium, have been developed to reduce operation time and procedure-related complications. Intraoperative radiofrequency ablation has recently proven extremely effective in atrial fibrillation surgery, allowing a further simplification of the procedures. We report the results of an original technique for atrial fibrillation treatment during mitral valve surgery through epicardial radiofrequency ablation. Based on recently reported results of atrial fibrillation surgery and on prognostic considerations, specific treatment of both chronic and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation is indicated in virtually all affected patients undergoing mitral valve surgery.

Adult↗