Cardiology Commons^™

Advancements In Left Ventricular Assist Devices To Prevent Pump Thrombosis And Blood Coagulopathy, Grainne Malone, Gerges Abdelsayed, Fianait Bligh, Fatma Al Qattan, Saifullah Syed, Prateepan Varatharajullu, Augustin Msellati, Daniela Mwipatayi, Maimoona Azhar, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are very useful in improving outcomes in patients with advanced-stage heart failure. Despite recent advances in LVAD development, pump thrombosis is one of the most severe adverse events caused by LVADs. The contact of blood with artificial materials of LVAD pumps and cannulas triggers the coagulation cascade. Heat spots, for example, produced by mechanical bearings are often subjected to thrombus build-up when low-flow situations impair washout and thus the necessary cooling does not happen. The formation of thrombus in an LVAD may compromise its function, causing a drop …

Accuracy Of Procalcitonin Levels For Diagnosis Of Culture-Positive Sepsis In Critically Ill Trauma Patients: A Retrospective Analysis, Aisha Bakhtiar, Syed Jawad Haider Kazmi, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Muhammad Nadeem Khurshaidi, Salman Mazhar, Noman A. Khan, Nisar Ahmed, Farah Yasmin, Rabail Yaseen, Maira Hassan

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background: Abdominal trauma and intra-abdominal sepsis are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Microcirculation in the gut is disrupted in hemorrhagic and septic shock leading to tissue hypoxia, and the damaged gut acts as a reservoir rich in inflammatory mediators and provides a continual source of inflammation to the systemic circulation leading to sepsis. Sepsis is defined as the presence (probable or documented) of infection together with a systemic inflammatory response to infection. Blood culture is commonly considered to be the preferred approach for diagnosing sepsis, although it is time-consuming, that is, reports are normally available only after 12-48 hours. …

Innovation In Surgical Training: Simulating Prosthetic Heart Valves And Annuloplasty Rings Using Pacifiers For Cardiac Surgery Wet-Labs In A Resource Limited Setting, Sara Iqbal, Waris Ahmad

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Conducting a hands-on cardiac wet-lab on valvular surgeries in a resource-limited setting is restricted by the lack of prosthetic heart valves and annuloplasty rings for developing cognitive and technical skills required to understand and protect the three-dimensional cardiac anatomy. In recent times, simulation is regarded as an effective tool in surgical education and has proven to improve the technical skills of trainees. The current short report presents a novel simulator to mimic heart valve replacement surgeries by using a pacifier as a prosthetic valve and annuloplasty ring. Considering resource-constraints in the local context, pacifier-based valve simulators can be usedful as …

Paradigm Shift In The Surgical Training: The Era Of Innovation, Simulation And Beyond, Syed Shahabuddin, Shiraz Hashmi, Yasir Khan, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

This is an era of transformation of surgical education and training. Modern methods of training are being introduced at a rapid pace and are being adopted in surgical practice not only to improve the outcomes and patient satisfaction, but also to provide an opportunity to develop a new well-structured training curriculum by integrating both traditional and modern approaches to teach and learn surgical skills. Various surgical simulators are in use as training aids and are constantly undergoing further refinement and development. To achieve a smooth transition in surgical training to modern methods, a structured programme has to be developed and …

Ruptured Mycotic Reverse Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysm: A Late Complication Of Mediastinitis, Yasir Bilal Khan, Shiraz Hashmi, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Reverse saphenous vein graft aneurysm (RSVGA) is a rare complication that occurs after coronary bypass grafting surgery. Mycotic aneurysm of reverse saphenous vein graft is even more rare. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting 10 years back and had mediastinitis four to five months after surgery. He presented with chest pain in July 2017 and was diagnosed as NSTEMI. Angiography showed left main coronary artery disease (90%) with aneurysm of reverse saphenous vein graft to right posterior descending artery(RPDA). Emergent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of the left main artery was performed as …

Wet Labs: A Useful Tool In Training Surgical Residents In A Third World Country, Hina Inam, Narmeen Asif, Abdul Ahad Sohail, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

•Wet labs are a useful, cost-effective and safe tool in teaching of Cardiothoracic Surgery residents.•In a third world country where advance real life simulators are not available.•It improves resident's tissue handling and surgical skills.•Allows faculty members to give continuous feedback to their residents.

A Rare Case Of Constrictive Pericarditis As Initial Manifestation Of Paediatric Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma Requiring Urgent Pericardiectomy, Sara Iqbal, Abdul Ahad Sohail, Narmeen Asif, Muhammad Rahil Khan, Sabeehuddin Siddique, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Constrictive pericarditis (CP) is a rare end stage inflammatory disorder affecting both parietal and visceral pericardium leading to a right heart failure. Malignancy is the least common cause of CP. Anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) accounts for 10-15% of all Non-Hodgkin lymphomas in children. Very few case reports have reported ALCL that is involving the heart and only two have been published involving pericardium but all were managed medically. We present an interesting case of an 11 year old child who presented with an effusive CP that required urgent Pericardiectomy for managing right heart failure. His histopathology was positive for …

Delay Between Onset Of Indication And Definitive Surgery For Tracheal Trauma, Mohammad Bin Pervez, Hassan Mushtaq, Shahmir Chauhan, Ali Aahil Noorali, Yasir Bilal Khan, Muhammad Saad Yousuf, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Tracheal stenosis is rare but a recognized complication after traumatic injury or prolonged intubation. We assessed the time lag between onset of indication for tracheal reconstruction surgery following trauma and actual surgical intervention. We reviewed our operative records for all patients undergoing tracheal reconstruction over the past 10 years. Files were reviewed retrospectively to collect all the relevant data. Surgically all patients were operated via cervical approach. Series 12 cases were identified with an equal split between external trauma and iatrogenic tracheal trauma from prolonged intubation. On, an average patients presented 185 days after initial indication of surgery however there …

Traumatic Aortic Transection Repair With Distal Perfusion - Single Center Experience, Hina Inam, Syed Shahabuddin, Aiman Tariq, Sumera Inam, Saulat Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Blunt aortic injury is associated with significant mortality. A large number of patients lose their lives before reaching the hospital, those who survive half die within a day. Isthmus is the commonest site of aortic injury. Aortic injury is usually associated with other injuries of the body hence a multidisciplinary approach is required. For aortic transection the treatment options have evolved from proximal and distal aortic cross clamping and repair with distal perfusion technique using shunt or partial heart bypass (extracorporeal circulation) to endovascular stenting depending upon the available facilities andexpertise. Distal perfusion technique helps in avoiding paraplegia. We present …

Femoral Vein Transposition Arteriovenous Fistula Is A Feasible Option In "Selected" Patients As Hemodialysis Access, Zia Ur Rehman, Asfia Arham, Ziad Sophie

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Introduction: Lower extremity hemodialysis access is offered to the patients who have severe central venous stenosis. Femoral vein transposition arteriovenous fistula (FV tAVF) is an alternative to lower leg arteriovenous prosthetic grafts. Its safety and patency is under observation.
Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective review of patients who had FV tAVF between January 2011 and March 2016. Preoperative clinical findings, intraoperative findings, postoperative complications, and patency of the AVF were noted and analyzed.
Results: There were 7 patients who underwent FV tAVF during this study period. Most patients were female (6 : 1), with mean …

Management Of Penetrating Injury To Thoracic Inlet And Lower Neck With Retained Foreign Body Using Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery, Muhammad Adeel Samad, Hamza Abdur Rahim Khan, Faiza Urooj, Usman Ali Hyder, Fazal Wahab Khan, Saulat H. Fatimi, Jamal Kabeer Khan

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Penetrating neck and chest injuries are a common form of occupational injuries. We hereby report a unique case in which a metallic rod had penetrated the left chest and neck of a plastic factory worker. The patient was vitally stable when he presented to Emergency Room. Chest X-ray was performed and the patient was rushed to the operating room. VATS (video assisted thoracoscopic surgery) and neck dissection was done for retrieval of the metallic rod. On table, endoscopy was also done to rule out injury to oesophagus. No injury to vital structures was found and the subsequent recovery was uneventful.

Delayed Presentation Of Forgotten Thyroid Goiter - 25 Years After Thyroidectomy, Fazal Wahab Khan, Ayesha Muhammad, Mohsin Abbas, Syed Usman Bin Mahmood, Benish Fatima, Saulat H. Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Forgotten goiter is a rare occurrence (2 - 16% of retrosternal thyroid cases) that depicts recurrence of retrosternal thyroid mass due to growth of remnant thyroid tissue overlooked during an initial thyroidectomy. The patient is a 59-year female who presented with dyspnea and stridor 25 years after total thyroidectomy. She was diagnosed as having a mediastinal mass on radiographic imaging. There were only localized pressure symptoms due to mass effect. The mass was excised employing an extra-cervical approach and using a partial sternotomy. The profuse extension of thyroid tissue, adherent to vital structures in the thorax and the extra-cervical thyroidectomy …

Tracheal Reconstruction For Comlex Acute Tracheal Stenosis, Saulat H. Fatimi, M.Qasim Raza, Alina Ghani, Nilay Shah, Awais Ashfaq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Tracheal stenosis refers to a reduction in the size of the tracheal lumen and can be due to a myriad of reasons, but the most common remains trauma. In iatrogenic situations, internal trauma is the most likely culprit, resulting from prolonged intubation. Our case reviews a patient who developed severe tracheal stenosis (90% reduction in lumen size) within a month of a threeday- long intubation, and presented to the emergency room with dyspnea, orthopnea, and stridor. Tracheal reconstruction with resection of the stenosed segment and end-to-end anastomosis was done. The patient returned a month later with re-stenosis, and underwent tracheal …

Subclavian Steal Syndrome Secondary To Subclavian Artery Thrombosis In A Patient With Homocysteinemia And Its Successful Treatment, Marium Muzaffar, Hashim Muhammed Hanif, Saulat H. Fatimi, M. Tariq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Subclavian steal syndrome (SSS) is a rare condition. It results from subclavian artery (SA) stenosis proximal to the origin of the vertebral artery. It is characterized by cerebral ischaemia with associated symptoms of vertebrobasilar hypoperfusion and/or symptoms of brainstem or arm ischaemia. We describe a case of a 35 year old male who presented with persistent vertigo for two months, blue discoloration and pain in the left fingers for two weeks. A diagnosis of SSS was made and patient was treated with a gortex graft from the arch of the aorta to the second portion of the left subclavian artery. …

Imaging And Intervention For Coronary Artery Disease Following Irradiation Of Malignant Thymoma, Saulat H. Fatimi, Salima Ahmed Bhimani, Ranish Deedar-Ali- Khawaja, Ali Khawaja

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Thymomas are rare malignant epithelial growths, constituting 20% of mediastinal tumours. Resection followed by irradiation may be employed in all thymomas except for stage 1 thymomas. Mediastinal irradiation is associated with coronary artery disease. The mean duration of presentation of post-irradiation coronary artery disease is 16 years (range 3-29 years). In our patient coronary artery disease was found only a year post irradiation. A 55 year old male who presented with complaints of dyspnoea, retrosternal chest pain and heaviness since one year underwent resection for malignant thymoma followed by radiotherapy. He presented with coronary artery disease a year after undergoing …

How Vats Has Changed The Management Of Spontaneous Pneumothorax In The 21st Century, Saulat H. Fatimi, Hashim Muhammad Hanif, Sana Mansoor, Marium Muzaffar

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Objective: To determine the outcome of patients having undergone Video Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery (VATS) for spontaneous pneumothrox in terms of hospital stay, complications and recurrence.
Methods: The netrospective study included the review of 39 cases who had presented with spontaneous pneumothorax at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, between January 2001 to November 2008 and had undergone video assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS).
Results: The duration of hospital stay (had a range of 3 to 9 days), and the length of chest tube in place (a range of 2 to 8 days), 2 (5.1%) patients developed recurrence after VATS while …

Earlier Surgical Intervention In Congenital Heart Disease Results In Better Outcome And Resource Utilization, Roheena Z. Panni, Awais Ashfaq, Muhammad M. Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background:Congenital heart disease (CHD) accounts for a major proportion of disease in the pediatric age group. The objective of the study was to estimate the cost of illness associated with CHD pre, intra and postoperatively, among Patients referred to a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. This is the first study conducted to estimate the cost of managing CHD in Pakistan.

Methods:

A prevalence based cost of illness Study Design was used to estimate the cost of cardiac surgery (corrective & palliative) for congenital heart defects in children Results:The mean age at the time of surgery in group …

Surgical Correction Of Aorto-Pulmonary Window: A Rare And Lethal Cause Of Pulmonary Hypertension, Adeel Ahmed Shamim, Mubashir Zareen Khan, Mehnaz Ahmed Atiq, Mansoor Ahmed Khan, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Aorto-pulmonary window is a relatively rare congenital cardiac malformation with an overall incidence of 0.1%. Pulmonary hypertension develops quickly if the lesion is left untreated hence early surgical intervention is warranted after diagnosis. The surgery for correction of APW has evolved over years, currently an open repair on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with a single patch technique yields good results. Mortality is affected by association of pulmonary hypertension and other cardiac malformations. We present a case of an infant with a large type II APW with a relatively low pulmonary vascular resistance. Hospital stay was complicated because of pulmonary arterial disease …

Ganglioneuroblastoma Of The Posterior Mediastinum: A Case Report., Saulat Fatimi, Samira A Bawany, Awais Ashfaq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Introduction:Ganglioneuroblastoma is a rare peripheral neuroblastic tumor that is derived from developing neuronal cells of the sympathetic nervous system, and is found mostly, but not exclusively, in babies and young children.

Case Presentation:

To the best of our knowledge, there have been no previously reported cases of ganglioneuroblastoma of the mediastinum from Pakistan. We present a case of ganglioneuroblastoma in an eight-year-old Pakistani Sindhi boy incidentally found to have a large posterior mediastinal mass that on biopsy initially looked like ganglioneuroma. He underwent successful excision of the mediastinal mass and remained stable post-operatively. Final pathology findings showed a ganglioneuroblastoma. …

Aortic Dissection Or Myocardial Infarction?, Saulat H. Fatimi, Maria Mahboob, Awais Ashfaq

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Aortic dissection is a rare and a life threatening event. Classically, aortic dissection presents as sudden, severe chest, back or abdominal pain that is characterized as ripping or tearing in nature. However, a timely diagnosis can be elusive in the event of an atypical presentation. So, a high index of clinical suspicion is mandatory for the accurate and rapid diagnosis of aortic dissection .We report a case of a 56 years old male who presented with signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction and was later found to have aortic dissection. This patient was successfully managed with surgery.

Cardiac Surgery In Octogenarians, Asmatullah Khan, Hassan Khan, Saulat H. Fatimi, Asadullah Khan

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

In Europe and North America, cardiac surgery can be done successfully on octogenarians, but differences in patient selection, surgical and bypass techniques prevent us from concluding similarly in Pakistan. This study investigated the short and long-term outcomes of cardiac surgery in octogenarians operated over a 5 years period at The Aga Khan University Hospital, from January 2001 to December 2006. Seventeen octogenarians, (mean age 81.7 ± 2.3) underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). Thirty-days hospital mortality was reported in only 1 patient. Surgical complication of any kind was reported in 13 (76.5%) patients with pleural effusion being the commonest in …

Association Of Depression With Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Among Adults Aged Between 25 To 60 Years In Karachi, Pakistan., Shazia Perveen, Muhammad S Otho, Muhammad N Siddiqi, Juanita Hatcher, Ghazala Rafique

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background:The combination of depression with type 2 diabetes is a public health problem. If diabetes is managed in its initial phase, the morbidity and mortality due to this combination may be prevented at an early stage. Therefore, we aimed to determine the association of depression with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes among adults aged between 25 to 60 years in Karachi, Pakistan.

Methods:

From July 2006 to September 2007, a matched case control study (n = 592) was conducted in Civil Hospital, Karachi. Incident cases of type 2 diabetes (n = 296) diagnosed within one month were recruited from …

Hydatid Cyst Disease Of The Thorax, Saulat H. Fatimi, Naima Waqar Butt, Taimur Saleem, Mohammad Asim Beg

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Hydatid disease is a frequently encountered entity in endemic areas and constitutes a serious health problem. The lung is the second most commonly affected organ after the liver. In three of four cases of pulmonary hydatid cyst, the cyst is solitary. The early phase after primary infection is always asymptomatic. Primary symptoms in patients with pulmonary cystic echinococcosis include cough, fever, and chest pain. The clinical and radiological manifestations for the hydatid cyst in the lung depend on the integrity of the cyst. Bronchial fistulization is an important event in the evolution of the cyst. In cases of dubious orientation …

Dilemma In The Diagnosis Of Mediastinal Adenopathy In The South Asian Population-Role Of Ct Guided Biopsy, Mediastinoscopy And Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy (Vats), Marium Muzaffar, Hashim M Hanif, Saulat H. Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

The diagnosis of mediastinal adenopathy is a dilemma amongst treating physicians especially in South Asia. This is because although tuberculosis is endemic in this region, many a times lymphoma and sarcoidosis cannot be excluded. Often patients are being treated with medications without a confirmed diagnosis. The Video-assisted thoracoscopy (VATS) has revolutionized the way mediastinal adenopathy is diagnosed and managed in this part of the world.

Outcome And Factors Associated With Hospital Mortality In Patients With Impaired Left Ventricular Function Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Where Do We Stand?, Mubashir Zareen Khan, S Perveen, Ja Ansari, Sa Sami, S Furnaz, Saulat H. Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Objective: Impaired ventricular function is a known risk factor for mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting however increasingly more patients with impaired ventricular function are referred for surgery. Currently no large data is available from Pakistan regarding this aspect of coronary surgery. Our objectives were to find out the hospital mortality and mid term functional improvement in patients with impaired ventricular function undergoing coronary artery by pass grafting and identify the risk factors for mortality.
Methodology: Retrospective analysis of preoperative, operative and postoperative variables of patients with impaired ventricular function who were operated for isolated first time coronary artery …

Fatal Transfusion Related Acute Lung Injury Following Coronary Artery By-Pass Surgery: A Case Report., Fauzia Ahmad Bawany, Hasanat Sharif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Background:Transfusion related acute lung injury (TRALI) is a potentially fatal Acute Lung Injury following transfusion of blood components. Hypotheses implicate donor-derived anti-human leukocyte antigen or granulocyte antibodies reacting with recipients' leukocytes, releasing inflammatory mediators. Lack of agreement on underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms renders improving transfusion safety difficult and expensive.

Case Presentation:

Literature search has not revealed any case of TRALI from Pakistan. We report the case of fatal TRALI in a 68 year old male who received blood products after coronary artery by-pass surgery.

Conclusion:

This article aims to create awareness about this complication and suggests that post …

Rare Relapsed Extrapulmonary Hydatid Disease, Saulat H. Fatimi, Mj Schuuring, S. Sheikh

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Hydatid cysts are rarely seen at the extrapulmonary sites. We report relapsed hydatid cysts with abdominal origin in a 25 years old woman. Over 1000 Hydatid cysts were removed through right posterolateral thoracotomy without any complications. Only very few cases are reported in the literature.

5 Year Survival Of A Patient With Malignant Thymoma With Superior Vena Caval Syndrome, Saulat H. Fatimi, Sadaf Sheikh, Saba Mansoor

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

No abstract provided.

Tracheal Inujry Due To Blunt Chest Trauma: A Rare Surgical Emergency, Usman Ahmad, Muhammad A Javed, Saulat H. Fatimi, Fahad Shuja

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Tracheal injury is a rare complication of blunt chest trauma. The patients usually present with signs of respiratory distress. Primary repair is the treatment of choice in case of large defects, while small tears can be managed conservatively. Immediate operation is recommended to improve deteriorating pulmonary function. The decrease in mortality and long-term morbidity depends on early diagnosis. We report a case of tracheal injury due to non-penetrating thoracic trauma which was successfully managed with surgery.

Predicting Postoperative Cardio-Pulmonary Complications By A Test Of Stair Climbing, Nawal Salahuddin, Saulat H. Fatimi, Shehzad Huda, Mohammad Islam, Azam Shafquat

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether a test of stair climbing ability could be used to predict the risk of developing postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in patients undergoing general anesthesia.
DESIGN: Cohort study.
PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. The duration of the study was from December 2003 to December 2004. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This study was carried out on consecutive, adult patients presenting for elective thoracic or abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. Pre-operatively, patients were asked to climb a standard staircase. Number of steps climbed was recorded. Those unable to climb stairs due to debilitating …