Turk Gogus Kalp Damar Cerrahisi Dergisi-Turkish Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery最新文献

Recently, some cardiovascular surgeons have been increasingly using social media for marketing, often employing misleading terminology. This trend, which we termed the "cardiovascular scamdemic," involves the widespread dissemination of deceptive advertisements for cardiovascular treatments, resembling an epidemic. Exposure to such misinformation not only endangers patients, who naturally rely on information from professional sources, but also erodes public trust in medical ethics and scientific integrity. Additionally, it contributes to treatment refusal and adverse health outcomes. The lack of comprehensive global regulations addressing these issues highlights the urgent need for more effective enforcement measures.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate patients diagnosed with posterior transposition of the great arteries (TGA) in detail.

Methods: This retrospective study included 192 patients (155 males, 37 females; mean age: 0.4±0.9 month; range, 0.1 to 6 month) with TGA who were followed between August 1, 2016, and August 1, 2022. Patients with ventriculoarterial discordance, normal vessel relationship, and mitral-aortic continuity were considered posterior TGA. Demographic features, clinical findings, echocardiographic data, and surgical results of each patient were recorded.

Results: Posterior TGA was present in 11 (5.7%) of the patients. The median age of patients with posterior TGA at the time of surgery was two months (interquartile range [IQR], 1-3 months), and their median body weight was 6.2 kg (IQR, 5-7.2 kg). The median oxygen saturation of the patients was 85% (IQR, 80-90%). A ventricular septal defect was present in all patients on echocardiography. There was also nonrestrictive atrial septal defect and patent ductus arteriosus in four patients, and one patient had arcus aorta hypoplasia. A coronary anomaly was determined in eight of the patients during surgery. These were 1LRCA2Cx in three cases, 1LRCx in three cases, 1R2LCx in one case, and 1L2RCx in one case. Arterial switch operation and ventricular septal defect closure was performed in 10 patients initially and in one patient after a pulmonary banding operation. The median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 190 min (IQR, 170-210 min). The Lecompte maneuver was not performed in any of the patients. The median stay in the intensive care unit and the hospital was 7 days (IQR, 5-10 days) and 16 days (IQR, 14-18 days), respectively. Two patients died in the early postoperative period.

Conclusion: In patients with suspected congenital heart disease, a segmental echocardiographic evaluation should be performed, and it should be kept in mind that the aorta may be located posteriorly as a rare spatial relationship in patients with TGA.

Background: This study aimed to present our experience with transcatheter pulmonary debanding, focusing on patient outcomes.

Methods: The retrospective study was conducted with 32 patients (17 males, 15 females; mean age: 3.6±2 years; range, 0.5 to 8.8 years) who underwent transcatheter pulmonary debanding between January 2010 and January 2024. The patients were evaluated in two groups. In Group 1 (n=24), total debanding was targeted for patients with spontaneously closed or restrictive ventricular septal defects or those suitable for transcatheter ventricular septal defect closure. In Group 2 (n=8), palliative debanding was utilized in children with ongoing band requirement.

Results: The median body weight was 15 kg. In Group 1, the mean right ventricle-to-aortic pressure ratio (RVp/Aop) was 0.91±0.21 before the procedure, which decreased to a mean of 0.33±0.20 after the procedure. In Group 2, the mean RVp/Aop was 1.31±0.47, which decreased to 0.77±0.13 after transcatheter palliative debanding. The mean peripheral oxygen saturation was 80±6% before the procedure and 94±2.5% after the procedure. Transcatheter debanding was successful in all patients when surgical pulmonary banding was performed with 6-0 Prolene and polytetrafluoroethylene band material.

Conclusion: Transcatheter banding is a safe and effective procedure that minimizes the need for reoperation.

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a correlation between some serum inflammatory markers and the survival of patients with malignant pleural effusions (MPEs).

Methods: The prospective study included 125 patients (67 males, 58 females; median age: 62 years; range, 40 to 92 years) who underwent thoracentesis for pleural effusion between January 2020 and December 2021. An overall survival analysis was performed, and survival differences between the groups were investigated. The cutoff value of the inflammatory parameters associated with mortality was determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis.

Results: Median survival after detection of MPE was six months, and three- and five-year overall survivals were 16% and 4%, respectively. There was a significant correlation between the ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) score of the patients and the median survival. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), fluid albumin, and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-to-pleural LDH ratio and survival had a statistically significant relationship in receiver operating characteristic analysis. Threshold values were determined accordingly. Poor prognostic factors that were found to be statistically significant were high CRP (p=0.001), high NLR (p=0.001), high PLR (p=0.02), and high serum LDH-to-pleural LDH ratio (p=0.04).

Conclusion: Some serum inflammatory markers, including high CRP, high NLR, high PLR, and high serum LDH-to-pleural LDH ratio, can be a simple and inexpensive method in predicting prognosis in patients with MPE.

Background: The study aimed to highlight and evaluate thoracic surgical procedures performed in children and adolescents and demonstrate the extent to which thoracic surgeons can benefit this population.

Methods: This retrospective study included 200 pediatric patients (100 males, 100 females; mean age: 14.7±6.7 years; range, 1 month to 21 years) who underwent thoracic surgery between January 2018 and January 2023. Patients' indications for surgery, surgical approach, complications, length of hospital stay, need for intensive care admission, and mortality were evaluated.

Results: The most commonly performed surgery was sympathectomy (30.5%), followed by decortication (16%) and traumatic exploration (14%). Approximately 50% of surgeries were minimally invasive. The average length of hospital stay was 2.8 days, and the rate of intensive care admission was 20%. The intraoperative and postoperative complication rate was 10%.

Conclusion: The concept of treating pediatric patients as small-size adults is irrational. Pediatric patients need special care and tailored guidelines due to their peculiar physical, psychological, and anatomical characteristics. We believe that having a dedicated team of thoracic surgeons trained and subspecialized for pediatric thoracic pathologies will improve outcomes. Furthermore, more research must be directed to this age group to establish evidence-based consensus and guidelines.

Background: The study aimed to compare the analgesic efficacy of single-shot serratus anterior plane block (SAPB) for video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) with other regional block techniques.

Methods: In this meta-analysis, randomized controlled trials published in the PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalKey, and PROSPERO electronic databases between March 24, 2014 and March 24, 2024 comparing the analgesic efficacy of SABP with other regional blocks in adult patients undergoing VATS were reviewed.

Results: Nine randomized controlled trials consisting of a total of 537 participants (287 males, 250 females; mean age: 55.2±13.1 years) were included in this meta-analysis. Serratus anterior plane block was compared with erector spinae plane block (ESPB), local infiltration anesthesia (LIA), and thoracic paravertebral block (TPVB). The postoperative 24-h cumulative opioid consumption was statistically significantly higher in SAPB than in ESPB (standardized mean difference [SMD]=1.98; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.23 to 3.73; Z=2.22; p=0.03; I ² =97%; random effects model) and TPVB (SMD=0.63; 95% CI, 0.31 to 0.96; Z=3.84; p<0.001; I ² =0%; fixed effects model) and lower than in LIA (SMD=-1.77; 95% CI, -2.24 to -1.30; Z=7.41; p<0.001; I ² =0%; fixed effects model). Active pain scores 2 h postoperatively were statistically significantly lower in SAPB than in LIA (SMD=-2.90; 95% CI, -5.29 to -0.50; Z=2.37; p=0.02; I ² =93%; random-effects model). At 12 h postoperatively, both passive pain scores (SMD=0.37; 95% CI, 0.07 to 0.66; Z=2.41; p=0.02; I ² =0%; fixed effects model) and active pain scores (SMD=0.55; 95% CI, 0.25 to 0.85; Z=3.60; p<0.001; I ² =0%; fixed effects model) were statistically significantly lower in ESBP than in SAPB. There was no difference between SAPB and the other groups in terms of the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting.

Conclusion: After a comprehensive evaluation of postoperative analgesic effects, it appears that ESBP and TPVB may be better than SABP, and SABP may be better than LIA for analgesia of patients undergoing VATS. Further studies are required to determine the optimal regional analgesia technique in VATS.

Pseudoaneurysms develop as a result of disruption of the arterial wall due to trauma or iatrogenic reasons such as catheterization, and it is important due to the high risk of bleeding and rupture. Until recently, the main treatment of pseudoaneurysms was surgical repair. However, in recent years, minimally invasive methods such as ultrasound-guided compression and percutaneous thrombin injection have been used more frequently. In this article, the clinical course and findings of three different cases who developed pseudoaneurysm as a result of stenting the ductus arteriosus via the axillary artery were discussed.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of edoxaban, which is used in venous thrombosis, systemic embolism, and stroke, on an aortic aneurysm model and to demonstrate the pharmacokinetic and molecular effects of edoxaban through the induction of apoptosis.

Methods: In this double-blind experimental study, 21 Wistar albino male rats (mean weight: 290 g; range, 280 to 300 g) were divided into three groups: the sham group (n=7), the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) group (n=7), and the AAA-edoxaban group (n=7). Edoxaban 10 mg/kg was given to the AAA-edoxaban group by oral gavage daily for 30 days. At the end of 30 days, the aneurysmal aorta was surgically removed and histologically examined. The abdominal aorta was surgically exposed and wrapped with a calcium chloride (0.5 mol/L) sponge for 10 min.

Results: Immunohistochemically, aortic sections were marked with caspase-3 and caspase-9 antibodies. It was observed that the pathways that trigger apoptosis (caspase-3 and caspase-9; p <0.004 and p <0.005, respectively) were significantly reduced in the AAA-edoxaban group compared to the AAA group. In the AAA-edoxaban group, it was observed that the expansion in aortic diameter and the deterioration in the elastic fibril structure in the aortic aneurysm were decreased as a result of edoxaban treatment. Edoxaban treatment was observed to reduce cell death in both the tunica intima and tunica media.

Conclusion: This study provided strong evidence of the protective effect of edoxaban on aortic aneurysm-related vascular damage by reducing apoptosis and mitophagy.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of total coronary revascularization via left anterior thoracotomy (TCRAT) by comparing it to conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with median sternotomy.

Methods: In this retrospective study, 108 patients (95 males, 13 females; mean age: 57.1±8.8; range, 41 to 75 years) who underwent TCRAT (Group 1) and 154 patients (126 males, 28 females; mean age: 61.2±9.8; range, 31 to 79) who underwent conventional CABG (Group 2) between February 1, 2021, and September 1, 2022, were evaluated. The operations were performed by the same surgical team. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data of patients and mid-term follow-up data were analyzed.

Results: Mean cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp times, respectively, were 167.70±68.93 and 77.03±38.18 min in Group 1 and 106.64±38.27 and 62.21±24.06 min in Group 2 (p<0.001). During the postoperative period, the all-cause mortality rate was 5.8% (n=9) in Group 2, while it was 0.9% (n=1) in Group 1; there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p=0.037). Nevertheless, the mean preoperative EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) II was 2.59±2.3 in Group 2, which was significantly higher than the mean EuroSCORE II of Group 1 (1.37±1.5; p<0.001). The mean hospitalization duration for Group 2 was 6.99±3.37 days, and the mean hospitalization duration for Group 1 was 6.77±4.24 days. Duration of hospitalization was statistically significantly shorter in Group 1 (p=0.047). In addition, the mean perioperative number of erythrocyte suspension transfusions in Group 1 was 1.51±1.74, while it was 1.86±1.75 in Group 2. Significantly fewer erythrocyte suspension transfusions were performed in Group 1 (p=0.033).

Conclusion: The findings of our study indicate that TCRAT is a safe and viable technique when performed on a select patient group compared to the conventional method.