Brachial Artery Cannulation Facilitates Lower Ministernotomy Cardiac Surgery

State of the Art Management of Aortic Valve Disease in Ankylosing Spondylitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Cardiac involvement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) generally manifests itself as aortic insufficiency, aortitis, disturbance in cardiac conduction, and myocardial dysfunction. We have used a case-based approach to review the current state of the art knowledge regarding the diagnosis and management of aortic valve disease and aortitis in patients with AS.

RECENT FINDINGS

The risk for aortic valve disease and aortic valve replacement or repair is significantly higher than in people without AS, and this risk increases with age. Echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and CT can serve as effective tools for screening and follow-up. Surgical repair/replacement remains the mainstay of therapy for aortic insufficiency and aortic dilation, whereas transcatheter-based techniques may be favorable in the setting of aortic stenosis. Aortic valve and atrioventricular conduction abnormalities contribute to overall cardiovascular burden in AS. Optimal timing and therapeutic technique are dependent on assessment of overall risk and serial follow-up.

Cardiovascular Involvement of Ankylosing Spondylitis: Report of Three Cases

Cardiovascular involvement is one of the extra-articular manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis. Of these, aortic disease and aortic regurgitation are the most commonly associated cardiovascular disorders. Since 2005, three male patients with ankylosing spondylitis were referred to The Chaim Sheba Medical Center for surgical treatment of cardiovascular associations. The diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis was evidenced by radiography and/or laboratory tests of C-reactive protein or HLA-B27. Apart from the usual cardiac manifestations including heart block and left ventricular hypertrophy, usual associated disorders such as aortic aneurysmal dilation, bicuspid aortic valve, aortic root dilation and myocardial infarction, and solely bicuspid aortic valve that developed in these patients warranted a surgical intervention. Aortic aneurysmal dilation is a recognized rare association with ankylosing spondylitis, and bicuspid aortic valve or coronary artery disease is only occasionally present. Decreased aortic elasticity with impaired endothelial function could be responsible for the development of the aortic complication in ankylosing spondylitis patients. The underlying mechanisms of these associations are discussed.

Conversion to full sternotomy during minimal-access cardiac surgery: Reasons and results during a 9.5-year experience

OBJECTIVE

A hemisternotomy approach to minimal-access cardiac surgery is associated with a faster postoperative recovery because of reduced postoperative pain and improved respiratory function. Conversion to a full sternotomy is occasionally required for reasons that remain inadequately reported.

METHODS

Between January 1996 and June 2005, 907 cardiac surgical patients were planned for an upper hemisternotomy and 528 for a lower hemisternotomy. We retrospectively reviewed 45 patients who required conversion to a full sternotomy.

RESULTS

Twenty-four (2.6%) of 907 patients required a conversion from upper hemisternotomy because of bleeding (n = 8), ventricular dysfunction (n = 5), refractory ventricular arrhythmia (n = 3), poor exposure (n = 2), and other causes (n = 6). Eight (33.3%) of 24 patients died perioperatively. Of the 883 patients who went on to have an operation through the upper hemisternotomy approach, the mortality was 1.7% (15/883). Twenty-one (4.0%) of 528 patients required conversion from a lower hemisternotomy because of poor exposure (n = 16), bleeding (n = 1), refractory ventricular arrhythmia (n = 3), and a retained venous cannula (n = 1). None of these patients died postoperatively. Of the 507 patients who went on to have an operation through the lower hemisternotomy approach, the mortality was 1.2% (6/507).

CONCLUSION

Conversion to a full sternotomy occurs infrequently during minimal-access cardiac surgery. Upper hemisternotomy conversions are usually urgent after crossclamp removal and are often associated with serious morbidity and mortality. Conversely, lower hemisternotomy conversions are performed electively in the prebypass period because of poor exposure and are not associated with complications.