Vol 47, No 4 (2019)

The possibility to identify potentially life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias by analysis of standard electrocardiography (ECG) parameters without the use of sophisticated and expensive diagnostic techniques, such as electrophysiological heart studies, has been an important achievement of the last decades. Current differential diagnostic methods for wide QRS complex tachycardias can be categorized into 4 groups: 1) identification the ECG signs diagnostic of ventricular tachycardia, such as atrioventricular dissociation and/or sinus captures and/or fusion QRS complexes; 2) analysis of the distinct morphological features of QRS complexes during wide QRS complex tachycardias; 3) analysis of the ECG characteristics in between wide QRS complex tachycardia attacks; 4) comparison of the morphological QRS features during wide QRS complex tachycardia and during sinus rhythm periods. The list of ECG algorithms for differential diagnosis of wide QRS complex tachycardias has been growing and updated year after year; however, all of them have their limitations. Most frequently, the differential diagnosis between ventricular and aberrant supraventricular tachycardias is based on the morphological criteria of wide QRS complexes developed by H.J. Wellens et al., P. Brugada et al., M. Griffith et al., K.E. Kindwal et al., A. Vereckei et al. At the same time, there is a continuous search for new algorithms or criteria that could be easily used without decreased specificity and/or sensitivity of the diagnosis of ventricular tachycardia. The aim of this review is to comprehensively analyze the literature data and results of our own studies on the potential and limitation of standard ECG for the differential diagnosis of ventricular and various aberrant supraventricular tachycardias.

Background: Ascending aortic (AA) dilatation is common in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). In BAV replacement, surgery of the AA is indicated in the case if AA diameter exceeds 45 mm. Aortic valve replacement combined with an AA intervention is associated with increased risk of complications. The feasibility of the reduction ascending aortoplasty for correction of the dilated AA remains disputable.

Aim: To analyze the results of BAV surgical replacement with simultaneous surgical correction of the borderline AA dilatation (45-50 mm) by the reduction aortoplasty (RAP) or supracoronary AA replacement (SPR).

Materials and methods: This single center prospective non-randomized study included 53 patients with significant BAV stenosis and AA dilatation (45-50 mm), divided into 2 groups: BAV surgical replacement combined with RAP AA replacement (group 1, 36 patients) and BAV replacement with SPR (group 2, 17 patients). There were no significant differences between the patients of the two groups in their characteristics of the underlying disease, complications and comorbidities.

Results: Hospital mortality was 0%. No between-group differences in the early postoperative course were found. At later term, 44 (81.5%) patients were assessed; median (dispersion) of the follow-up was 36 (25; 50) months. Two patients from the group 2 died during the follow-up. The long-term survival was better in the group 1 (p = 0.028). No differences in the combined adverse event rate were observed between the groups (p = 0.633). The median (dispersion) of the AA absolute increment and the rate of dilatation after RAP were 1.0 (0.0; 3.0) mm and 0.24 (0.00; 0.95) mm/year, respectively. The predictor of AA increment rate ≥ 2 mm/year was the baseline blood pressure level (odds ratio 1.321, 95% confidence interval 1.050-1.662; p=0.017). The threshold preoperative blood pressure value for the increased risk of the long-term AA expansion rate was 138 mmHg.

Conclusion: The efficacy and safety of RAP and SRP combined with BAV replacement in AA borderline dilatation are similar. Combined BAV surgery and RAP is effective and safe in patients with systolic blood pressure level ≤ 135 mmHg. Combined BAV replacement with SRP seems reasonable in patients with arterial hypertension.

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) in 16.6% of cases is associated with concomitant carotid arterial involvement, with this proportion reaching up to 40% in the elderly patients. According to the guidelines on myocardial revascularization and surgical treatment of brachycephalic artery (BCA) stenosis, the surgical strategies in this patient cohort remains uncertain, with advantages of various techniques being debated.

Aim: To evaluate efficacy and safety of the staged or simultaneous surgery of patients with multifocal atherosclerosis (CAD with BCA atherosclerosis).

Materials and methods: Patients were recruited into this single center study retrospectively with "continuous follow-up". From September 2012 to March 2019, 3718 CAD patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Concomitant BCA involvement was found in 574 (15.4%) of the cases (the study group). The mean age of the patients in the study group was 65.9 ± 14.2 years (38 to 84 years). There were 171 (29.8%) patients over 70 years of age and most of the patients were male (412, 71.8%). Bilateral BCA involvement was found in 104 (18.1%) of the cases. The staged surgical intervention (1^st step, carotid endarterectomy and 2^nd step, coronary artery bypass grafting) was performed in 441 (76.8%) of the cases (group I), whereas simultaneous interventions in 133 (23.2%) (group II).

Results: There was no difference between the groups I and II in the hospital mortality (0.2% vs. 0%, p = 1.000). No between-group differences were found in the rates of complications, such as early postoperative bleedings (n = 8, 1.8% vs. n = 2, 1.5%; p = 1.000), wound infections (4, 0.9% vs. 2, 1.5%; p = 0.410), acute cerebrovascular accidents (n = 1, 0.2% vs. n = 1,0.8%; p = 0.36), and acute myocardial infarction (n = 1, 0.2% vs. 0; p = 1.000). The longest total duration of in-hospital stay (considering all hospitalizations taken together) was in patients who had undergone staged interventions (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Surgical treatment of CAD with concomitant BCA involvement can be effectively and safely performed both as separate procedures, as well as simultaneously, based on the patient's comorbidities and special aspects of the underlying disorders.

Aim: To evaluate efficacy and safety of surgical myocardial revascularization with two internal thoracic arteries in the elderly patients and to identify special aspects and immediate results of the interventions on a working heart and with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass and on a working heart.

Materials and methods: This retrospective single center study included patients over 65 years of age with multivessel coronary artery disease who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting with two internal thoracic arteries in a  working heart without cardiopulmonary bypass at the Federal Clinical Center of High Medical Technologies of FMBA of Russia from 2015 to 2017  (the study group, n=50) and with cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegia (the comparison group, n=51). We analyzed demographic characteristics, preoperative state severity, and special aspects of myocardial damage, operational parameters, rates, and structure of postoperative complications.

Results: None of the patients died. Median intraoperative parameters in the study group were better than those in the comparison group: blood loss, 300  vs. 800  mL (p<0.001), duration of the surgery, 190  and 240  min (p<0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation, 3  and 5  hours (p<0.001), respectively. Early postoperative acute renal failure was less frequent in the patients who had undergone surgery without cardiopulmonary bypass (median serum creatinine levels 90  vs. 125  µmol/L (p<0.001)). Postoperative complications were observed in the group of patients operated with cardiopulmonary bypass: three cases of acute cerebrovascular accidents (stroke) and one deep wound infection of the sternum. Mean duration of the hospital stay in the patients operated on a working heart without the use of cardiopulmonary bypass was 7  days versus 9  in the comparison group.

Conclusion: Myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with lower rates of postoperative complications, decreased duration of the procedure, decreased blood loss, time on mechanical ventilation and acute renal failure rate, which all results in decreased duration of hospital stay. Bimammary myocardial revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass could be the method of choice in the elderly patients. 

The paper presents a  rare case of successful correction of an anterior mitral leaflet perforation. A 28-years old patient was referred with progressive heart failure symptoms at 18  weeks after he had a penetrating stab wound of the right ventricle. Massive pericardial effusion with cardiac tamponade risk and severe mitral valve insufficiency were found at examination. By the time of referral, spontaneous closure of the ventricular septal defect, which is an inevitable component of the “unhappy triad”, had happened. Accurate topical ultrasound diagnosis of the intracardial lesion that resulted from the penetrating wound of the left ventricular outflow allowed for a successful urgent mitral valve reconstruction with a xenopericardial patch and the insertion of a  28  mm MedEng annuloplasty band. To prevent any future pericardial constriction, subtotal pericardectomy by Cooley was performed.

Conclusion: Perioperative echocardiography and subsequent follow up by cardiologist are obligatory in all cases of precordial wounds after discharge from hospital. Timely surgery for traumatic mitral leaflet perforation allows for a successful valvuloplasty.

We present a case of hemodynamic correction for the single ventricle combined with subaortic obstruction and coarctation in an infant. The Damus-Kaye-Stansel procedure with modified double-barrel technique was performed. The pulmonary flow was provided with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt. The early postoperative period was characterized by multiple organ failure. Subsequently, the infant underwent the next stages of hemodynamic correction with good long-term results.