Objective. Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a rare but serious complication after cardiac surgery. The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the incidence, outcome, and perioperative risk factors of AMI in the patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Methods. From January 2005 to May 2013, all patients who underwent cardiac surgery were screened for participation, and patients with registered gastrointestinal complications were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate analyses were performed. Results. The study included 6013 patients, of which 52 (0.86%) patients suffered from AMI, 35 (67%) of whom died. The control group (150 patients) was randomly chosen from among cases undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Preoperative parameters including age (P = 0.03), renal insufficiency (P = 0.004), peripheral vascular disease (P = 0.04), preoperative inotropic support (P < 0.001), poor left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.002), cardiogenic shock (P = 0.003), and preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support (P = 0.05) revealed significantly higher levels in the AMI group. Among intra- and postoperative parameters, CPB time (P < 0.001), dialysis (P = 0.04), inotropic support (P = 0.007), prolonged ventilator time (P < 0.001), and IABP support (P = 0.007) appeared significantly higher in the AMI group than the control group. Conclusions. Prompt diagnosis and early treatment should be initiated as early as possible in any patient suspected of AMI, leading to dramatic reduction in the mortality rate.

Backround: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (PoAF), the most common arrythmia observed in 18-40% of patients following coronary artery bypass surgery, may cause hemodynamic disturbances and increase embolism risk. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship of HATCH score with PoAF in patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG) and evaluate the effect of preoperatively calculated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) on PoAF. Methods: Patients who underwent OPCABG between January 2014 and January 2019 were included in the study. Preoperative and postoperative data retrospectively were obtained. Patients who did not develop PoAF during the postoperative hospitalization period constituted Group 1; those who did were classified as Group 2. Results: Ninety-seven patients (69 males and 28 females) with a mean age of 54.4 ± 11.1 years constituted Group 1, and 26 patients (17 males and 9 females) with a mean age of 61±12.6 years constituted Group 2. Significant differences were observed between the 2 groups, in terms of age and HATCH scores (P = .025 and P < .001, respectively). NLR, number of distal anastomoses, intensive care unit (ICU) stay times, and total hospitalization times were significantly higher in Group 2 (P = .021, P = .021, P < .001, P < .001, respectively). HATCH score was identified as an independent predictor of AF development following OPCABG surgery (OR: 2.125, 95 % CI: 1.296–3.482, P = .003). Conclusion: In light of our study, HATCH scores of all patients preoperatively may be calculated so that preventive precautions are taken for high-risk patients.

Background: Aortic dissection is a cardiovascular disease with high mortality and morbidity rates. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in predicting in-hospital mortality in patients undergoing emergent surgery for Stanford type A aortic dissection. Methods: Patients operated for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection between January 2010 and December 2018 were included in the study. Patients without in-hospital mortality were classified as Group 1, and patients with mortality were classified as Group 2. Results: One-hundred-eighteen patients were involved in the study. Patient mean age was 57 ± 11.7 years, and 89 patients (75.4%) were male. Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), white blood cell (WBC), neutrophil counts, and C-reactive protein (CRP) values at the time of admission also were found to be high in Group 2 (P = .001, .021, < .001, < .001 respectively). Total perfusion times (TPt), antegrade cerebral perfusion time (ACPt), cross-clamp time (CCt), and intensive care unit (ICU) stay periods significantly were higher in the mortality group (P < .001, < .001, = .01, and < .001, respectively). In receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, a cut-off level of 23 mg/L was determined for CRP levels that predict progression to mortality (area under the curve (AUC): 0.879, P < .001, 75.0% sensitivity and 58.0% specificity). Similarly, a cut-off level of 8.8 was found for NLR that predicts progression to mortality (AUC: 0.835, P < .001, 76.0% sensitivity and 61.0% specificity). Conclusion: As a result, we can use CRP and NLR values, which easily can be measured or calculated from blood tests to predict mortality in patients with aortic dissections, which may have serious mortal consequences.