Volume 27 - Número 2

OBJECTIVE: To validate the 2000 Bernstein Parsonnet (2000BP) and additive EuroSCORE (ES) to predict mortality in patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery and/or heart valve surgery at the Heart Institute, University of São Paulo (InCor/HC-FMUSP).
METHODS: A prospective observational design. We analyzed 3000 consecutive patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery and/or heart valve surgery, between May 2007 and July 2009 at the InCor/HC-FMUSP. Mortality was calculated with the 2000BP and ES models. The correlation between estimated mortality and observed mortality was validated by calibration and discrimination tests.
RESULTS: There were significant differences in the prevalence of risk factors between the study population, 2000BP and ES. Patients were stratified into five groups for 2000BP and three for the ES. In the validation of models, the ES showed good calibration (P = 0.596), however, the 2000BP (P = 0.047) proved inadequate. In discrimination, the area under the ROC curve proved to be good for models, ES (0.79) and 2000BP (0.80).
CONCLUSION: In the validation, 2000BP proved questionable and ES appropriate to predict mortality in patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery and/or heart valve surgery at the InCor/HC-FMUSP.

BACKGROUND: The conventional right ventricle (RV) endocardial pacing leads QRS widening and myocardial desynchronization compromising ventricular function. With the need for less deleterious stimulation, RV septal pacing has been used more. Eventually have been reported higher thresholds and smaller R waves in the septal stimulation.
OBJECTIVE: To compare the parameters of the septal and apical stimulation, intra-patient, if there are any differences that may affect the choice of the point of stimulation.
METHODS: A prospective controlled study. We included 25 patients, 67.2±9 years, 10 (40%) women with indications for pacemaker for bradyarrhythmias. Etiologies were degenerative in nine (36%), Coronary disease in eight (32%), Chagas disease in seven (28%), and valve disease in one (4%) patient. Electrodes were active fixation and assessed the thresholds of command, impedance and R wave in uni-and bipolar implant and after six months.
RESULTS: The average acute threshold command, R wave and impedance unipolar / bipolar septais x apicais were respectively 0.73 x 0.73V and 0,74V x 0,78V; 10 x 9,9mV and 12,3 x 12,4mV; 579 x 621Ω and 611 x 629Ω. Comparisons between parameters with septal and apical two-tailed paired t-test showed a P > 0.1. After six months, the mean control thresholds, R wave impedances and unipolar/bipolar septais x apicais were respectively 0.5V x 0 72V and 0.71V x 0,87V; 11.4 x 9,5mV and 12x11,2mV; 423x426 Ω and 578x550 Ω, with P > 0.05, except compared to unipolar pacing threshold septal apical unipolar P 0.02.
CONCLUSION: Using intra-patient comparisons, no significant differences between electrophysiological parameters septal and apical pacing and there are no restrictions for choosing the right ventricular septal pacing.

BACKGROUND: Longitudinal median sternotomy is the most common surgical approach for access to heart disease treatment. The deep wound infections in postoperative period of cardiovascular surgery are a serious complication requiring high costs during treatment. Different studies have indicated some risk factors for the development of mediastinitis and preoperative variables are currently under investigation.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify the preoperative risk factors for postoperative development of mediastinitis in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and valve replacement.
METHODS: This observational study represents a cohort of 2768 consecutive operated patients. The period considered for analysis was from May 2007 to May 2009 and there were no exclusion criteria. Analysis was performed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression model of 38 preoperative variables.
RESULTS: Thirty-five (1.3%) patients developed mediastinitis and 19 (0.7%) associated with osteomyelitis. The patient age average was 59.9 ± 13.5 years and the EuroSCORE of 4.5 ± 3.6. Hospital mortality was 42.8%. The multivariate analysis identified three variables as independent predictors of postoperative mediastinitis: intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 5.41, 95% CI [1.83 -16.01], P = 0.002), hemodialysis (OR 4.87, 95% CI [1.41 to 16.86], P = 0.012) and extracardiac vascular intervention (OR 4.39, 95% CI [1.64 to 11.76], P = 0.003).
CONCLUSION: This study showed that necessity of preoperative hemodynamic support with intra-aortic balloon, hemodialysis, and extracardiac vascular intervention were risk factors for development of mediastinitis after cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Valvar heart disease is an important public health problem, more common in developing countries, especially in younger.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the epidemiological features of patients and its influence on the prosthesis type choice used on patients who underwent valve surgery.
METHODS: Cross-sectional. Data such as age, sex, provenance, surgery procedure and prosthesis type were retrospectively analyzed. We reviewed 366 charts of all patients submitted to heart valve surgery during three years in a public health cardiovascular treatment center.
RESULTS: 52% of patients were female. The age range was from 5 to 82, the median was 41 years old. In regards 37.7% of patients came from Salvador (Bahia, Brazil) and 62.3% from countryside. Valve replacement was performed in 73% of patients, whereas 7.38% underwent valvuloplasty and 18.3% underwent valve repair and replacement. Regarding type of prosthesis, 70.0% received bioprosthesis and 30.0% received metal prosthesis. On note bioprosthesis were more used in younger (66 vs. 14; P<0,001).
CONCLUSION: Biological prostheses were used predominantly in younger. This might be possible due to a low social-economic status, avoiding metal valve implantation and the consequent anticoagulation therapy.

OBJECTIVES: Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) is a serious complication after cardiac surgery and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to identify risk factors for LCOS in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery of Pronto Socorro Cardiológico de Pernambuco - PROCAPE (Recife, PE, Brazil).
METHODS: A historical prospective study comprising 605 consecutive patients operated between May 2007 and December 2010. We evaluated 12 preoperative and 7 intraoperative variables. We applied univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis.
RESULTS: The incidence of LCOS was 14.7% (n = 89), with a lethality rate of 52.8% (n = 47). In multivariate analysis by logistic regression, four variables remained as independent risk factors: age > 60 years (OR 2.00, 95% CI 1.20 to 6.14, P = 0.009), on-pump CABG (OR 2.16, 95% CI 1.40 to 7.08, P = 0.006), emergency surgery (OR 4.71, 95% CI 1.34 to 26.55, P = 0.028), incomplete revascularization (OR 2.62, 95% CI 1.32 to 5.86, P = 0.003), and ejection fraction <50%.
CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the following independent risk factors for LCOS after CABG: age> 60 years of off-pump CABG, emergency surgery, incomplete CABG and ejection fraction <50%.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims evaluate the treatment of congenital heart disease conducted from 2000 to 2009.
METHODS: The sample consisted of all patients undergoing surgical correction for congenital heart disease for ten years in Sergipe, Brazil. The patients were operated in three hospitals located in the city of Aracaju, capital of the state of Sergipe (Brazil). The study was divided into two periods defined by the start date of centralization of surgery. The variables collected were: age, sex, postoperative diagnosis, destination, type of surgery and hospital where the procedure was performed and the classification RACHS -1.
RESULTS: In the period I, the estimate deficit of surgery was 69% decrease occurring in the period II to 55.3%. The postoperative diagnosis was more frequent closure of the interventricular communication (20.5%), closure of patent ductus arteriosus (20.2%) and atrial septal defect (19%). There was a statistically significant correlation between the expected mortality RACHS-1 and observed in the sample. The evaluation of RACHS-1 as a predictor of hospital mortality by ROC curve showed area of 0.860 95% CI 0.818 to 0.902 with P <0.0001.
CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that the centralization and organization of existing resources are needed to improve the performance of surgical correction of congenital heart diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the quality of life in patients undergoing myocardial revascularization using the six-minute walk test.
METHODS: This is a prospective observational study with patients undergoing CABG. We recorded the following clinical variables: the six-minute walk test and the SF-36 test. The patients were evaluated at the preoperative time and at 2 months of the postoperative period. Patients were evaluated preoperatively and divided into two groups according to the 6-minute walking test: the group with a walking course of >350 meters and the group with a walking course of less than 350 meters at the preoperative time.
RESULTS: The study population included 87 patients. Mean age was similar in both groups (59 ± 9.5 years vs. 61 ± 9.3 years, respectively, P = 0.24). Distances walked were significantly longer in the group with a walking course of > 350 meters compared to the group with a walking course of < 350 meters after 2 months of operation (436 ± 78 meters vs. 348 ± 87 meters; P <0.01). The quality of life was lower in the group with a walking course of <350 meters compared to the group with a walking course of >350 meters in the preoperative period in the following domains: functional capabilities, limitations due to physical aspects, overall health feelings, vitality, and social aspects. Quality of life improved after two months in both groups.
CONCLUSIONS: The six-minute walk test at the preoperative time is associated with the quality of life after two months of coronary artery bypass grafting. In overall, quality of life has improved in all patients. The improvement in the quality of life was greater in those patients with a walking course of >350 meters at the preoperative time.

OBJECTIVES: Cardiac surgery (CC) determines systemic and pulmonary changes that require special care. Awareness of the importance of respiratory muscle dysfunction in the development of respiratory failure motivated several studies conducted in healthy subjects to assess muscle strength. These studies were carried out by evaluating the maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) and maximal expiratory pressure (MEP) values. This study examined the concordance among the values predicted by the equations proposed by Black & Hyatt and Neder, and the measured values in cardiac surgery (CS) patients.
METHODS: Data were collected from preoperative evaluation forms. The Lin coefficient and Bland-Altman plots were used for statistical concordance analysis. The multiple linear regression and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to produce new formulas.
RESULTS: There were weak correlations of 0.22 and 0.19 in the MIP analysis and of 0.10 and 0.32 in the MEP analysis, for the formulas of Black & Hyatt and Neder, respectively. The ANOVA for both MIP and MEP were significant (P <0.0001), and the following formulas were developed: MIP = 88.82 - (0.51 x age) + (19.86 x gender), and MEP = 91.36 - (0.30 x age) + (29.92 x gender).
CONCLUSIONS: The Black and Hyatt and Neder formulas predict highly discrepant values of MIP and MEP and should not be used to identify muscle weakness in CS patients.

BACKGROUND: The low cardiac output syndrome in perioperative period of cardiac surgery may occur in about 10 to 15% of patients; of this total, 2% require mechanical support for adequate hemodynamic control.
OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the mortality of patients requiring intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in transor post-cardiac surgery, identifying preoperative variables associated with a worse outcome, as well as describe the postoperative complications and survival in the medium term. Patients and Methods: retrospective cohort study including 80 consecutive cases between January/2009 and September/2011. The patients had on average 62.9 ± 11.3 years and 58.8% were male. In the sample, 81.3% were hypertensive, 50% had previous myocardial infarction and 38.8% heart failure NYHA III/IV. The most common surgery performed was isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (37.5%).
RESULTS: Hospital mortality was 53.8% (95% HF: 42.764.9) and the cross-clamp time >90 minutes was an independent predictor of mortality in multivariate analysis (RR 1.52 95% HF: 1.04-2.22). Regarding complications, 71.3% (95% HF: 61.2 to 81.4) of patients had at least one additional complication: the lower limb ischemia was observed in 5.0% of patients. The 1-year survival was 43.6%, observing a plateau in the survival rate after an initial sharp drop, related to hospital mortality.
CONCLUSION: Patients who need the IABP form a group of very high risk for morbidity and mortality. Its use, however, allows many patients to recover an evolution that was invariably fatal, having the patients discharged home a good survival in the medium term.

BACKGROUND: Calcium dobesilate is an angioprotective agent that has positive effects on hemorheological parameters. It is an antioxidant that increases endothelial-derived vasodilator substance secretion, there are none that analyze its effects during the postoperative period of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization.
OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine the effects of calcium dobesilate on hemorheological parameters, such as reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde in patients with ischemic heart disease undergoing myocardial revascularization in the postoperative period.
METHODS: One hundred and thirty-four patients operated for coronary heart disease were included in this study. Hemorheological, oxidant and antioxidant parameters were measured two days after surgery and after a period of treatment with calcium dobesilate. Then, 500 mg of calcium dobesilate was given twice a day to one group of 68 patients for three months. The control group was composed of 66 patients who did not receive this medication.
RESULTS: The increase in the erythrocyte deformability index was found to be significant compared with both the pretreatment values and with the 1^st and 2^nd values of the control group after calcium dobesilate administration, whereas there were no significant changes in blood viscosity, glutathione (GSH) or malondialdehyde (MDA) values after the calcium dobesilate administration. The same improvement in the CCS class was observed in patients regardless of they received the calcium dobesilate treatment.
CONCLUSION: In the present investigation, the same improvement in the CCS class was observed in patients regardless of they received the calcium dobesilate treatment. Improvements with calcium dobesilate were statistically significant only in the increase in erythrocyte flexibility.

BACKGROUND: The increased longevity elevated the frequency of elderly requiring surgery, among them the correction of aortic stenosis.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate medium-term mortality, need for reoperation for valve replacement and valve complications [systemic thromboembolism (STE) and prosthetic endocarditis (PE)] in patients over 75 years old who had undergone surgery for aortic stenosis.
METHODS: Retrospective study of 230 patients from 2002 to 2007. Mean age was 83.4 years and 53% were male. The prevalence of hypertension was 73.2%, atrial fibrillation 17.9% and previous cardiac surgery 14.4%. Another cardiac procedure was associated in 39.1% of the cases.
RESULTS: In a mean follow-up of 4.51 years the overall survival of the population studied was 57.4%. Death in the immediate postoperative period occurred in 13.9% (9.4% in the isolated aortic stenosis surgery group vs. 20.9% when another procedure was associated). Deaths in the medium term occurred in 28.7% of the patients (25.0% vs. 34.4%), with 34 of these because of cardiovascular causes. There were 6 cases of PE, 8 cases of STE and 6 reoperations. The predictors of mortality were ischemia time >90 min (OR 1.99 95% CI 1.06-3.74), ejection fraction <60% (OR 1.76 95% CI 1.10-2.81) and prior stroke (OR 2.43 95% CI 1.18-5.30).
CONCLUSION: Although the immediate surgical risk of the elderly is high, survival rates for surgical treatment of patients over 75 years old are acceptable and allow this intervention. The prognosis is worse especially because of the association with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the cardiac output (CO) and ejection fraction (EF) of the heart of male and female fetuses obtained by 3D-ultrasonography using spatio-temporal image correlation (STIC).
METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with 216 normal fetuses, between 20 and 34 weeks of gestation, 108 male and 108 female. Ventricular volumes at the end of systole and diastole were obtained by STIC, and the volumetric assessments performed by the virtual organ computer-aided analysis (VOCAL) rotated 30º. To calculate the DC used the formula: DC = stroke volume / fetal heart rate, while for the FE used the formula: EF = stroke volume / end-diastolic volume. The DC (combined male and female) and EF (male and female) were compared using the unpaired t test and ANCOVA. Scatter plots were created with the percentiles 5, 50 and 95.
RESULTS: The average of DC combined, DC left, DC right, FE right and FE left, male and female were 240.07 mL/min, 122.67 mL/min, 123.40 mL/min, 72.84%, 67.22%, 270.56 mL/min, 139.22 mL/min, 131.34 mL/min, 70.73% and 64.76% respectively, without statistical difference (P> 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: The fetal CO and EF obtained by 3D-ultrasonography (STIC) showed no significant difference in relation to gender.

BACKGROUND: Off-pump coronary bypass grafting (OPCAB) has become a widely used technique. Coronary flowmetry is the most common method employed to assess graft patency, nevertheless, few studies compare flow patterns between ONCAB and OPCAB surgery. The objective of this study was to compare flowmetry data in left internal mammary artery grafts bypasses to the left anterior descendent artery.
METHODS: From March to September of 2010, thirty-five consecutive, non-randomized patients underwent CABG and were retrospectively evaluated. Ten patients were located on group A (On Pump), and twenty-five on group B (Off Pump). The mean graft flow (MGF), pulsatile index (PI) and diastolic filling (DF) were obtained using Transit Time Flowmetry (TTFM). The Fisher exact test, and Mann Whitney test were used, and a P value of < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance.
RESULTS: There were no deaths, AMI, re-interventions or PTCA in a 30-day period. The number of bypasses performed per patient was 2.3 ± 0.8 in the OPCAB group, and 2.2 ± 0.6 in the ONCAB group, with no significant difference (P=0.10). The median of mean flow was 23 ml/min on group A, and 25 ml/min on group B (P=0.34). Diastolic filling percentage was 56% on group A, and 56.9% on group B (P=0.86). Pulsatile Index was 2.3 on group A, and 2.2 on group B (P=0.82).
CONCLUSIONS: There was no difference between TTFM values (MF, PI and DF) in patients operated with or without cardiopulmonary bypass.

INTRODUCTION: The most common indication for surgical correction of giant left atrium is associated with mitral valve insufficiency with or without atrial fibrillation. Several techniques for this purpose are already described with varying results.
OBJECTIVE: To present the initial experience with the tangential triangular resection technique (Pomerantzeff).
METHODS: From 2002 to 2010, four patients underwent mitral valve operation with reduction of left atrial volume by the technique of triangular resection tangential in our service. Three patients were female. The age ranged from 21 to 51 years old. The four patients presented with atrial fibrillation. Ejection fraction of left ventricle preoperatively ranged from 38% to 62%. The left atrial diameter ranged from 78mm to 140mm. After treatment of mitral dysfunction, the left atrium was reduced by resecting triangular tangential posterior wall between the pulmonary veins to avoid distortion of the mitral valve or pulmonary veins anatomies, reducing tension in the suture line.
RESULTS: Average hospital stay was 21.5 ± 6.5 days. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 130 ± 30 minutes. There was no surgical bleeding or mortality in the postoperative period. All patients had sinus rhythm restored in the output of cardiopulmonary bypass, maintaining this rate postoperatively. The average diameter of the left atrium was reduced by 50.5% ± 19.5%. The left ventricular ejection fraction improved in all patients.
CONCLUSION: Initial results with this technique have shown effective reduction of the left atrium.

In the last decade, point-of-care tests were developed to provide rapid generation of test results. These tests have increasingly broad applications. In the area of hemostasis, the international normalized ratio, INR point-of-care test (POCT INR), is the main test of this new proposal. This test has great potential benefit in situations where the quick INR results influences clinical decision making, as in acute ischemic stroke, before surgical procedures and during cardiac surgery. The INR POCT has the potential to be used for self-monitoring of oral anticoagulation in patients under anticoagulant therapy. However, the precision and accuracy of INR POCT still need to be enhanced to increase effectiveness and efficiency of the test. Additionally, the RDC / ANVISA Number 302 makes clear that the POCT testing must be supervised by the technical manager of the Clinical Laboratory in the pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical. In practice, the Clinical Laboratory does not participate in the implementation of POCT testing or release of the results. Clinicians have high expectation with the incorporation of INR POCT in clinical practice, despite the limitations of this method. These professionals are willing to train the patient to perform the test, but are not legally responsible for the quality of it and are not prepared for the maintenance of equipment. The definition of who is in charge for the test must be one to ensure the quality control.

Cardiology has been and is a very significant fraction of the Brazilian contribution to science. In older days, the most significant part of this work was directed to foreign periodicals, but the quasi-simultaneous emergence of SciELO and PUBMED has ordained a redirection of much of this work to Brazilian periodicals. We here survey some of this more recent contribution for the benefit of readers of Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular. This is offered as an update. Articles on the general themes of Cardiology and Pneumology published by four ISI Indexed Brazilian journals not specializing in cardiology are re-visited, after a search through 10 journals.

Mitral valve insufficiency is frequently the result of elongated or ruptured chordae tendineae. Several techniques have been described for its correction. However, when there is a severe elongation or rupture of the chordae, the most widely accepted treatment option has been valve replacement. The best long-term outcomes observed in conservative surgeries led us to choose this procedure rather than the correction of mitral valve insufficiency. We described three techniques for correction of mitral prolapse due to elongated and/or ruptured chordae tendineae. In addition, we developed mold pre built bovine pericardial chords (Braile-Gregori prosthesis) for chordae replacement. Finally, since 1987, the rigid prosthetic semicircular ring (Gregori-Braile ring) has been consistently used in our centre for correction of the posterior dilation of mitral annulus preferably in its portion close to the posteromedial commissure.

INTRODUCTION: The Greek language, the root of most Latin anatomical terms, is deeply present in the Anatomical Terminology. Many studies seek to analyze etymologically the terms stemming from the Greek words. In most of these studies, the terms appear defined according to the etymological understanding of the respective authors at the time of its creation. Therefore, it is possible that the terms currently used are not consistent with its origin in ancient Greek words.
METHODS: We selected cardiologic anatomical terms derived from Greek words, which are included in the International Anatomical Terminology. We performed an etymological analysis using the Greek roots present in the earliest terms. We compared the cardiologic anatomical terms currently used in Greece and Brazil to the Greek roots originating from the ancient Greek language. We used morphological decomposition of Greek roots, prefixes, and suffixes. We also verified their use on the same lexicons and texts from the ancient Greek language.
RESULTS: We provided a list comprising 30 cardiologic anatomical terms that have their origins in ancient Greek as well as their component parts in the International Anatomical Terminology. We included the terms in the way they were standardized in Portuguese, English, and Modern Greek as well as the roots of the ancient Greek words that originated them.
CONCLUSION: Many works deal with the true origin of words (etymology) but most of them neither returns to the earliest roots nor relate them to their use in texts of ancient Greek language. By comparing the world's greatest studies on the etymology of Greek words, this paper tries to clarify the differences between the true origin of the Greek anatomical terms as well as the origins of the cardiologic anatomical terms more accepted today in Brazil by health professionals.

This article reports a case of a cardiac retransplantation without the use of blood products, in a 6 year old child, with severe dilated cardiomyopathy after chronic graft rejection and refractory to clinical treatment. To avoid a blood transfusion in this surgery a multidisciplinary approach was planned, which involved the use of preoperative erythropoietin, acute normovolemic hemodilution and intraoperative cell savage with autologous blood recovery system, as well as a meticulous hemostasis and reduced postoperative phlebotomy.