Volume 12 - Número 2
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
The Ross procedure: the ideal operation for the young with aortic valve disease?
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Background: Aortic valve prosthesis with adequate hemodynamic performance should allow more complete left ventricular mass regression and return left ventricular function back to normal. This possibly affects long term prognosis after aortic valve replacement.
Objective: Assessment of hemodynamic performance of the pulmonary autograft in the aortic position and the regression of left ventricular mass after the Ross procedure.
Material and Methods: Between May/95 and Mar/96, 45 patients with mean age of 27.1 years were submitted to a Ross procedure. Doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization were performed on all patients before hospital discharge to analyze the hemodynamic performance of the auto and homografts employed, as well as to evaluate left ventricular mass and function. Fourteen patients with follow-up longer than six months were sumitted to dobutamine stress echocardiography to study hemodynamic performance of the auto and homografts at during exercise.
Results: Hospital mortality was 6%. After a mean follow-up of 12.8 months (1-23), there was one late sudden death. No valve related event was noted during this period. Immediate and late hemodynamic performance of the pulmonary autografts were normal with average mean gradients of 1.8 ± 0.6 mmHg and average maximum instantaneous gradients of 2.9 ± 0.9 mmHg. Valvular insufficiency was almost null. Even during exercise, gradients did not increase significantly with average mean gradients of 4.3 ± 2.5 mmHg and average maximum gradients of 10.4 ± 6.1 mmHg. Homografts used for right ventricular reconstruction exhibited excellent immediate hemodynamic performance. However, at late follow-up an increase in flow velocities was noted with an average of mean gradients of 10 ± 7.1 mmHg at rest and 26 ± 13.3 mmHg at exercise. Left ventricular mass index dropped from 168 ± 46 g/m2 preoperatively to 115 ± 32 g/m2 six months after the operation. Left ventricular function was normal at rest and during exercise in the marjority of patients.
Conclusions: Given the normal hemodynamic performance of the autografts, the important decrease in left ventricular mass and the normal left ventricular function late postoperatively, the Ross procedure is considered the operation of choice for young patients who need aortic valve replacement.
Keywords: Aortic valve, surgery; Pulmonary valve, transplantation; Cardiac valve, transplantation; Cardiac surgery, methods; Hypertrophy, left ventricular, surgery; Transplantation, autologous; Transplantation, homologous; Ventricular function, left
Complete myocardial revascularization. Sequential bypass with saphenous veins, internal thoracic artery and composed grafts: analysis of 165 consecutive cases
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
The authors analyse 165 patients out of 359 submitted to myocardial revascularization during the period between January 1995 and January 1996, in which the saphenous veins and the internal thoracic arteries have been used as a sequential graft, or associated with a composit graft; 132 received saphenous veins as a sequential graft to two or more coronary branches, 25 had sequential anastomosis of the left internal thoracic artery to IVA and diagonal branches of the left coronary artery, and 8 cases had both saphenous veins and internal thoracic arteries used as a composite graft to branches of the left and right coronary arteries. In 96% of the cases the scheduled surgery was performed, one patient died in the immediate post-operative period (0.6%) and the morbidity was not different from that found in the standard coronary artery surgery. Details of the preparation of the grafts, as well as operative technique is discussed, and the results of this series stimulated us for further use of the sequential grafts aiming for complete myocardial revascularization.
Keywords: Myocardial revascularization, methods; Coronary artery bypass; Saphenous vein bypass; Saphenous vein, surgery; Thoracic arteries, surgery
Complete myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass: a reality
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
From January/95 to December/96 our surgical team (ICORP - Fortaleza - Ceará), has performed coronary artery surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) as a routine. During this period, 385 operations were sequencially performed, 86 per cent of them (333) without CPB. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the results of these 333 patients regarding hospitalization time, age, gender, number of grafts, functional status and morbimortality. All patients were submitted to previous coronary arteriography. All coronaies were by-passed, including the circumflex marginal artery. The age of these patients ranged from 35 to 86 years with a mean age of 61. The average time of hospitalization was 7 days; 625 grafts were placed varying from 1 to 4 with an average of 1.9 by patient. The incidence of procedure related with complications was 2 per cent (7 patients). Ten patients died in the early postoperative course. Considering the data obtained herein we conclude that this procedure can be used in the great majority of patients that undergo coronary artery surgery.
Keywords: Myocardial revascularization, methods; Myocardial ischemia, surgery; Extracorporeal circulation; Surgery, minimally invasive
Surgical treatment of left ventricular aneurysm and ischaemic heart disease
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Since the first reports about left ventricular aneurysmectomy, many features have been established, but there are controversies concerning the ideal technique of left ventricular reconstruction and their effects on morphology, ventricular function, symptomatic state and longevity. This study was designed to evaluate the cases of left ventricular aneurysm relating the main surgical indications and treatment and the patients' symptomatic state before and after operation. The study involves 12 patients with left ventricular aneurysm, nine males, mean age 60 years, whose main indications for surgery were angina (58%) and angina plus congestive heart failure (42%). Ventricular cineangiograms revealed an akinetic/dyskinetic segment in 92% of patients, apical or anteroapical aneurysm in 83% and coronary artery disease in 100%, affecting 3 or more vessels in 75%, the left anterior descending artery was most affected (29%). The ejection fraction ranged from 32% to 66%. All patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, nine had left ventricular aneurysmectomy, seven through linear closure and 2 through geometric reconstruction. The cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp mean time was 96 and 50 minutes for linear closure and 180 and 86 for geometric reconstruction. The main complications after surgery were low cardiac output and atrial fibrillation (16%). Hospital mortality rate was 16%. Patients have a mean follow up of 15 months, survival rate is 75%, those surgically treated for CHF are in class II and 89% are angina-free. These improvements in quality of life provide justification for aneurysmectomy.
Keywords: Heart aneurysm, surgery; Myocardial ischemia, surgery; Heart ventricle, surgery; Heart ventricle, left, surgery; Heart aneurysm, etiology
Myocardial revascularization in aged patients
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
In order to know the population and the results of myocardial revascularization (MR) in aged patients, a retrospective study was done on 41 patients 70 years or older (average 73.2 years) submitted to MR with Cardiopulmonary Bypass (CPB). Such patients were studied according to age; race; sex; pre-operative clinical; eletrocardiographic, radiologic and coronary arteriography findings; post-operative evolution and complications. Statistical analysis was conducted according to T-Student test, Chi-Square test and Fisher test. Male sex (65.8%) and three vessel disease (70.7%) with unstable angina (65.8%) were predominant. Minor complications occurred in 19,2%. Global mortality was 9.8%. Mortality among women was greater (21.4%). Discharge from the hospital ocurred on an average 7 days after operation. The author concluded: MR with CPB on aged patients with low morbi-mortality is a possibility.
Keywords: Myocardial revascularization, aged; Heart failure, congestive, surgery, aged; Angina pectoris, surgery, aged; Myocardial revascularization, mortality, aged; Myocardial revascularization, aged, retrospective studies
Surgical treatment of pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle due to postinfarction ventricular rupture
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
The postinfarction pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle is a rare entity. When diagnosed it surgery is necessary, as soon as possible, due to the increased risk of rupture of its wall. During November 1992 to June 1995 three patients were sent to our Hospital with a clinical diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm of the left ventricle. They showed clinical, radiological, echocardiographic and angiographic signs characteristic of this pathology. Our objective is to discuss the diagnosis, surgical indication techniques, complications and surgical results. All patients were submitted to transthoracic echodopplercardiogram and it was enough for the diagnosis. After the realization of angiography and ventriculography the patients were submitted to surgery to correct the pseudoaneurysm using bovine pericardium. One patient showed an interventricular communication that was also corrected during the same operation. All patients were discharged in good condition with echocardiogram showing complete correction of the pseudoaneurysm.
Keywords: Aneyrysm, false, surgery; Heart rupture, post infarction, complications; Heart ventricle, abnormalities; Heart aneurysm, surgery; Aneurysm, false, etiology
Orthotopic cardiac transplantation with bicaval technique
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
During almost 30 years the Lower and Shumway's technique for orthotopic heart transpantation has been performed with very good results. Complications like venous stasis, thrombus formation, atrial arrhythmias and also tricuspid and mitral regurgitation have been found in the late postoperative period. In 1995 we started to use the bicaval technique in all cases (6 patients). Five patients were male and the mean age was 50,6. Dilated and ischemic myocardiopathy was present in two cases in each group; Chagas' disease and rheumatic disease in others. Three patients had undergone prior surgeries; in one case three consecutive aortic valve replacement; in other one a definitive pacemaker implantation; and the last one had 2 myocardial revascularizations. The surgical technique in most cases consisted of the anastomoses of all the pulmonary veins with the left atrium of the donor followed by anastomoses of the superior and inferior vena cava, pulmonary artery and aorta. All donors were procured in city hospitals, and underwent multiple organ harvesting. There were no immediate postoperative deaths ; and at follow-up varying from 1 to 15 months all patients are alive. No significant differences in the both groups were observed for the anoxic time, extracorporeal circulation time, implantation time, atrial tachyarrhythmias, bleeding and the hospital discharge time. A significant difference was observed (p<0,05) for the temporary pacemaker utilized and for the tricuspid valve regurgitation. We believe that the bicaval technique besides reducing the atrial cavity, is a simple technique, with low complications and might be used more frequently.
Keywords: Heart transplantation, methods; Cardiomyopathy, congestive, surgery; Chagas' cardiomyopathy, surgery
An endocavitary technique for left ventricular surgical remodeling
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Left ventricular remodeling by partial ventriculectomy is a recent proposition for palliation in dilated cardiomyopathy when cardiac transplantation is contraindicated. This procedure carries a high morbimortality due to myocardial ischemia, necrosis and arrhythmias. This paper presents a technique for endocavitary left ventricular remodeling which maintains the hearts morpho-functional architecture without myocardial resection. Under extracorporeal circulation and hypothermic cardioplegia, a left atriotomy is done, the anterior mitral leaflet removed and a triangular shaped bovine pericardial graft (aproximately 2 x 6 x 6 cm) is implanted inside the left ventricular cavity with 3-0 Polipropilene anclosed in Dacron felt. The graft is sutured in a divergent way from the apex to the mitral ring, at the middle of the septum and at the posterior papillary muscle. This produces an internal plication with ventricular cavity reduction. Myocardium and coronary circulation are preserved. The base of the triangular graft is sutured to the mitral annulus and the mitral bioprosthesis is implanted. The procedure was employed in 8 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy, not candidates to transplantation, 2 females and 6 males, ranging from 24 to 58 years. Five had mitral regurgitation. All were in hospital, at class IV (NYHA). Mortality was 25% (2 cases): 1 in the hospital and 1 at 3 months p.o. The table shows the echocardiographic parameters for LV function:
Pré-operative Post-operative
Cardiac output (L/min) 2,6 ± 0,4 3,8 ± 0,7 P<0,001
Cardiac index 1,9 ± 0,9 2,7 ± 0,6 P<0,005
Ejection fraction 21,5 ± 4,0 37,8 ± 1,2 P<0,05
Intracavitary left ventricular remodeling presented a satisfactory result related to mortality and morbidity, with functional improvement over the short term. Longer follow-up is needed to evaluate its role, which might be a bridge to transplantation. A limitation exists in the necessity for replacing the mitral valve.
Keywords: Heart ventricle, surgery; Heart surgery, methods; Cardiomyopathy, congestive, surgery
Double-outlet right ventricle with non-committed ventricular septal defect: surgical results using the multiple patches technique
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Objetive: To introduce a new surgical technique for biventricular correction of the double-outlet right ventricle with non-commited ventricular septal defect.
Methods: In the period from April 1987 to February 1996, 15 patients with this anomaly were operated on with a new technique for biventricular repair, using multiple patches of bovine pericardium in order to create a tunnel between the left ventricle and the aorta. Ages ranged from 2 months to 13 years (mean-age 4.8 years). Thirteen patients had situs solitus and levocardia, 1 patient situs inversus and dextrocardia, and 1 patient situs solitus and dextrocardia. Construction of the tunnel begins at the right atrium. The ventricular septal defect (VSD) is enlarged anteriorly, if restrictive or small, and the first patch is sutured in the infero-posterior edge of the VSD. The second, third and sometimes the fourth patche are sutured in sequence, through the right ventriculotomy, directing the tunnel to the aortic annulus.
Results: Overall mortality was 20%, 2 early and 1 late death. The surviving patients were followed-up for a period ranging from 10 months to 9 years (mean 33 months), and all are in functional class I (NYHA). A minimal residual ventricular septal defect was diagnosed by echocardiography in 1 patient, pulmonary residual stenosis in 2 patients and moderate degree of pulmonary insufficiency in 1. There is no any degree of obstruction of the intraventricular tunnel between the LV and the aorta.
Conclusion: Based on these data, we conclude that this technical modification for the biventricular repair of the double-outlet right ventricle with non-committed VSD permits the construction of the tunnel with adequate internal diameter, respecting the spatial changes existing between the VSD and aorta. Besides this, the intraventricular bovine pericardial tunnel occupies less space, reducing the incidence of the outflow right ventricle obstruction.
Keywords: Double outlet righ ventricle, surgery; Heart surgery, methods; Heart ventricle, abnormalities; Surgical flaps
Median sternotomy as a preferencial approach for systemic-pulmonary P T F E shunts
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
The usual approach for systemic-pulmonary shunts has been right or left thoracotomy and interposition of a PTFE vascular graft between the subclavian and pulmonary arteries. This approach, necessarily causes, trauma to the lungs and some difficulty for dissection and ligation later during definitive surgical correction. Median sternotomy has been used occasionally for right subclavian-pulmonary artery anastomosis with certain advantages over thoracotomy. In this series, 10 patients were submitted to systemic-pulmonary modified Blalock-Taussig shunts by median sternotomy as the first choice. There have been no technical difficulties. The grafts were anastomosed to the right subclavian artery or brachiocephalic trunk. The right pulmonary artery was preferred, but when infeasible, this side of the shunt was made to the pulmonary trunk or left pulmonary artery. There have been 3 early and 1 late death, unrelated to the shunt. Arterial saturation improved by 27.5 ± 11.7% (p<0.001) post-operatively. This technique is viable, with advantages over lateral approach due to easier access, avoiding lung trauma, permitting surgical alternatives and canulation if needed and may facilitate dissection for later ligation.
Keywords: Anastomosis, surgical, methods; Pulmonary atresia, surgery; Tricuspid atresia, surgery; Double outlet right ventricle, surgery; Heart surgery, methods
Atrial retrograde cardioplegia: clinical study
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
This study presents the results in a group of fifteen patients submitted to cardiac surgery, using continuous atrial retrograde warm blood cardioplegia for myocardial protection. Eleven patients were submitted to myocardial revascularization and four were submitted to valvular transplantation. There was no need for inotropic drugs or intraaortic balloon pump support during or after the procedure, and no myocardial infarction was detected in this group. When the heart was arrested, the cardioplegia line was switched to the atrial cannula. The aortic root was vented throughout the cross-clamp period, and retrograde perfusion was assured by noting the engorged exygenated cardiac veins as well as the return of dark blood through the vent in the aortic root. The patients presented good clinical and laboratory course. No right ventricular dysfunction was detected. Two patients were in atrial fibrillation before the surgery, one of them returned to this cardiac rhythm three days after the procedure.
Keywords: Heart arrest, methods; Myocardial revascularization; Aortic valve, surgery; Mitral valve, surgery; Extracorporeal circulation
Bovine pericardium used as a cardiovascular patch
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
The bovine pericardium, preserved into glutaraldehyde, in making valvar phostheses, is well known. Although largely used in the form of scrap, this was little studied. With this intention, 21 dogs were submitted to surgical patch of a standardized bovine pericardium scrap partially substituting, the aorta left atrium and pericardial walls. The dogs were randomly separated in three groups according to the reoperation time. Group 1 with 6 reoperated dogs between 33 and 43 days; group 2 with 7 reoperated dogs between 120 and 165 days and group 3 with 8 reoperated dogs between 225 and 305 days. The micro and macroscopic examinations showed: (1) the wrinkled surface of the scrap adhered to the neighboring structures, while the smooth surface implanted on pericardium adhered a little to epicardium; (2) the bovine pericardium scrap did not suffered structural change, independently of the implant location; (3) the final area of the left atrial patch was significantly smaller than the aortic and pericardial patches, to the dogs of groups 2 and 3; (4) the atrial patch area diminished significantly, while the aortic and pericardial have not been changed with time; (5) the pericardial scrap thickness was significantly smaller than the left atrium and aortic ones, in the dogs of group 3; (6) the formation of a fibrous connective tissue layer occurred on the smooth surface of the scraps implanted on the left atrium and aorta. The internal apposition tissue thickness was significantly greater on left atrium than on the aorta, in groups 1 and 2; (7) the internal apposition tissue of the atrial and aortic patches underwent calcification in dogs of groups 2 and 3; (8) the internal apposition tissue of atrial and aortic patches showed neoformation of elastic fibers that increased sharply as the implant time passed by. With this finding, we can conclude that the behavior of the bovine pericardium preserved into glutaraldehyde, as a scrap, for making a patch, in vascular surgery, depends on: (1) the contact surface; (2) the tension to which it is submitted; (3) the contact with the circulation.
Keywords: Pericardium; Surgical flaps; Surgical flaps, pathology; Atrium, surgery; Atrium, pathology; Aorta, surgery; Aorta, pathology; Pericardium, surgery, dogs; Pericardium, pathology
Coronary flow response is impaired during post-cardioplegia myocardial reperfusion
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Metabolic coronary blood flow recruitment and distribution were studied in the setting of ventricular fibrillation (VF) during post-cardioplegia reperfusion. Fifteen pigs were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass and subjected to one hour of intermittent cold blood antegrade cardioplegia, followed by controlled myocardial reperfusion. According to the electromechanical status during the first ten minutes of reperfusion, the animals were allocated into 3 groups (n=5). Whereas Group 1 remained asystolic, the other two groups developed short (Group 2) or long duration VF (Group 3). Myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2), in m/O2 /min/g (mean ± standard error) during reperfusion was 1.325 ± 0.144 (Group 1); 2.472 ± 0.208 (Group 2) and, 2.469 ± 0.228 (Group 3). MVO2 difference between asystolic and both short and long duration VF hearts was significant (p<0.001). Groups 1.2 and 3 endo-epi ratio and global coronary blood flow rate (169.3 ± 11.7; 185.0 ± 15.7 and 179.9 ± 13.2 ml/min/100g; respectively) were similar. These results demonstrate that coronary blood flow autoregulation was impaired because there was no increase in myocardial perfusion in response to the increase oxygen consumption imposed by VF during the first ten minutes of post cryocardioplegia reperfusion. This finding is of great clinical importance because it suggests that VF can potentially aggravate reperfusion lesions in formerly compromised hearts, i.e., those with coronary artery obstruction, ventricular distension or ventricular hypertrophy.
Keywords: Coronary circulation; Myocardial reperfusion, swine; Heart arrest, induced; Ventricular fibrilation; Myocardium, metabolysm
Brain protection during total circulatory arrest at 28°C
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
Aortic surgical treatment of aneurysms is time dependent on the hypothermic circulatory arrest. Many techniques have been proposed to improve brain protection and increase safe time of ischemia (45 minutes in deep hypothermia). Brain protection during two hours of hypothermic circulatory arrest was studied in twenty-three animals that were divided in four groups. In the control groups, eight animals were submitted to anesthesia (group I) and extracorporeal circulation alone (group II). The other two groups underwent circulatory arrest associated with antegrade brain perfusion at 28°C (group III) and hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde brain perfusion at 28°C (group IV). Brain protection was evaluated by the histologic study and by the cellular brain metabolism which was studied by 31P Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. During circulatory arrest with antegrade brain perfusion at 28°C, the cellular metabolism remained normal during all the experiments and the brain structures were preserved. In the circulatory arrest with retrograde brain perfusion at 28°C, the intracellular brain pH, phosphocreatine (PCr) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) decreased during the circulatory arrest period, and did not recover normal levels during reperfusion, the brain remained in severe intracellular acidosis. We conclude that during two hours of hypothermic circulatory arrest, antegrade perfusion at 28°C provides adequate brain protection. The hypothermic circulatory arrest associated with retrograde perfusion at 28°C does not protect the brain, from a metabolic and histologic point of view.
Keywords: Heart arrest, induced; Hypothermia, induced; Brain, metabolism; Perfusion, methods; Brain, physiopathology; Extracorporeal circulation
CASE REPORT
Significative reduction of coronary artery lesion after cardiac transplantation: case report
Braz J Cardiovasc Surg 12;
Publish in: 8/1/2025
The Cardiac Surgery Service of Campo Grande, Santa Casa/MS performed on September 23 rd, 1994 an orthotopic cardiac transplantation in a 27 year-old man with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, which elapsed without abnormalities. The patient left the ICU in 7 days and was discharged at 40 th postoperative day, receiving cyclosporine, azathioprine and prednisone for graft support; captopril, furosemide and aspirin. Presented at one year follow-up, 2 rejection episodes, mil and moderate, when the immunesupressivet herapy dose was modified. On September 1995, at follow up, an obstructive lesion about 50% in the right coronary artery was detected on coronary angiography. We decided to change therapy; diltiazen substituted for captopril was associated with vitamin complex (betacarotene, C and E) plus selenium, in attempt to avoid obstructive lesion progression. Dietetic guidance by nutritionist was also performed. After twelve months on the new therapy, coronary angiography demonstrated a significative reduction of the obstructive lesion in the right coronary artery. At follow up the patient has presented normal level of serum lipids.Presently, the patient is on his third year follow up, asymptomatic and has performed is habitual work, without problems.
Keywords: Heart transplantation; Cardiomyopathy, congestive, surgery; Coronary vessels, pathology; Coronary disease, drugs therapy; Heart transplantation, orthotopic; Heart transplantation, postoperative period; Antioxidants, pharmacology