Angioplasty balloon occlusion of LIMA graft in reoperations of patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis and patent LIMA-LAD graft

Abstract

Background: Myocardial protection in reoperations in cardiac surgery is extremely difficult in patients with previous coronary surgery and a working LIMA-LAD graft, and it largely determines the outcome of surgery and long-term prognosis. We use a the method of percutaneous angiographic balloon LIMA occlusion and cardioplegic arrest. Aims: The aim of this study was to compare the data of patients with angiographic balloon LIMA-occlusion and those without occlusion in operations related to PVE, and previous coronary surgery with permeable LIMA graft, determining the degree of safety and benefits of method. Study design and Methods: A total of 20 patients undergoing surgery for prosthesis valve endocarditis with patent LIMA-LAD graft were analyzed retrospectively. We divide the patients into 2 groups. Group A patients - with LIMA occlusion and Group B patients - without LIMA occlusion). The pre-, intra- and postoperative results were compared and the degree of safety and benefits of the application of the method were studied. Results: 80% of patients in group A needed only dopamine infusion and 20% needed the addition of a second catecholamine (Adrenaline) at the end of CPB. In group B, the need for double catecholamine maintenance is in 50% of patients. The need for implantation of an intra-aortic balloon pump due to refractory heart failure was registered in 10% of patients in group A and in 20% of patients in group B. It was found that the average duration of mechanical ventilation in group A is 10.5 hours postoperatively, and in group B - 12.5 hours. The mean duration of catecholamine infusion in both groups was 3 days. The average stay in intensive care is shorter for patients in Group A - 2.5 days, and in Group B is 3.5 days. In terms of survival - mortality in the group with LIMA occlusion is 0%, while in the group without LIMA occlusion is 20%. Conclusion: Our reported results from the use of the LIMA balloon occlusion method in patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis who are high-risk and complicated patients and nevertheless the mortality in this group studied by us is 0% and no serious complications of the applied method have been registered. Therefore, we believe that the angiographic balloon LIMA occlusion is a reliable, easily applicable and relatively safe technique that improves the surgical results and prognosis of patients in need of reoperative cardiac surgery.