• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.293-301
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• 2006

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate the hemodynamic changes after successful bypass surgery in patients with atherosclerotic stenosis in ICA using $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ SPECT. Materials and Methods: Fourteen patients (M:F=8:6, mean age; $60{\pm}9$ years) who underwent STA-MCA anastomosis for unilateral atherosclerotic cerebrovascular disease were enrolled. $^{99m}Tc-ECD$ basal/acetazolamide perfusion SPECT studies were performed before, 10 days and 6 months after bypass surgery. Perfusion reserve was defined as the % changes after acetazolamide over rest image. Regional cerebral blood flow and perfusion reserve were compared preoperative, early-postoperative and late-postoperative scans. Results: The mean resting perfusion and decrease in perfusion reserve in affected ICA territory on preoperative scan was $52.4{\pm}3.5\;and\;-7.9{\pm}4.7%$, respectively. The resting perfusion was significantly improved after surgery on early-postoperative scan (mean $53.7{\pm}2.7$) and late-postoperative scan (mean $53.3{\pm}2.5$) compared with preoperative images (p<0.05, respectively). Resting perfusion did not showed further improvement on late-postoperative scan compared with early-postoperative scan. The perfusion reserve was $-3.7{\pm}2.6%$ on early-postoperative scan, and $-1.6{\pm}2.3%$ on late-postoperative scan, which was significantly improved after surgery. Additionally, further improvement of perfusion reserved as observed on late-postoperative scan (p<0.05). While, in the unaffected ICA territory, no significant changes in the resting perfusion and perfusion reserve was observed. Conclusion: The improvement of resting perfusion and perfusion reserve in early-postoperative scan reflects the immediate restoration of the cerebral blood flow by bypass surgery. In contrasts, further improvement of perfusion reserve showing on late-postoperative scan may indicate a good collateral development after surgery, which may indicate good surgical outcome after surgery.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.441-446
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• 2009

Background: Side clamping of ascending aorta during proximal graft anastomosis in coronary bypassing surgery in-creases the risk of direct aortic injury as well as embolization of intimal atheroma. Heartstring proximal sealing system (Guidant Corporation, Santa Clara, Calif), developed to avoid aortic side clamping, may minimize risks of such complications. The aim of the current study is to compare the surgical outcomes of the two proximal anastomosis techniquesi.e., Heartstring system versus aortic side clamping in off pump coronary bypassing' surgery (OPCAB). Material and Method: From January 2003 to August 2008, 499 patients underwent OPCAB. Of them, proximal graft anastomosis was performed using Heartstring system in 182 patients (Group I) and conventional manual anastomosis in 317 patients (Group II). The two groups were compared for postoperative major complications and mortality. Result: Two groups showed similar characteristics in terms of preoperative demographic data, left ventricular ejection fraction, renal function and history of diabetes, hypertension and smoking. Although there was no inter-group difference in the history of cerebral ischemia (p=0.48), preoperative brain magnetic resonance angiography revealed greater incidence of severe carotid artery stenosis (>75% of lumen) in the Group I than in the. Group II (44.5% in the Group I and 30.0% in the Group II, p=0.003). There were no inter-group differences in postoperative mortality (p=0.40) and complications (p=0.47) including neurologic events (3 in the Group land 2 in the Group II, p=0.258). Whereas neurologic events all comprised transient ischemic attacks in the Group I, they comprised multiple embolic strokes in the Group II. One patient in the Group II experienced aortic dissection during proximal anastomosis which resulted in ascending aortic replacement. Conclusion: Although proximal anastomosis using Heartstring system did not show statistically significant benefit over aortic side clamping, the. absence of embolic stroke maybe a definite benefit which may be better defined through further studies over a larger cohort.