Surgery Commons^™

Successful Surgical Embolectomy In Acute Massive Bilateral Pulmonary Embolism, Taimur Saleem, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi, Umair Khalid

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Acute massive pulmonary embolism is a life-threatening emergency that must be promptly diagnosed and managed. A 52-year-old man presented with progressively increasing dyspnoea for three days. He had a previous history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and was currently a heavy smoker. Examination revealed bilateral wheezing. Chest x-ray and electrocardiography showed non-specific changes. The patient was initially treated as a case of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation secondary to pneumonia. However, despite optimum medical management, his oxygen saturation deteriorated. Emergent computed tomography scan of chest showed bilateral massive pulmonary emboli. As the patient's haemodynamic status rapidly deteriorated, cardiothoracic surgery team …

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.

Dual Chamber Pacemaker Implants--A New Opportunity In Pakistan For Children With Congenital And Acquired Complete Heart Block, Awais Ashfaq, Mansoor Ahmed Khan, Mehnaz Atiq, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Implantation of cardiac pacemakers has been practiced for at least five decades with continuous developments of the hardware. The invention of dual chamber pacemakers has initiated a debate concerning its superiority over single chamber ventricular pacemakers. Throughout the world, surgeons have been using dual chambered permanent pacemakers with successful follow ups. However, Pakistan has not yet taken the advantage of such pacemaker devices till now. We report three cases that underwent a dual chamber permanent pacemaker implantation for the first time in children less than 8 kg with successful follow ups.

Tuberculous Pericardial Abscess With Impending Pericardial Effusion And Cardiac Tamponade, Saulat H. Fatimi, Faheem-Ul-Haq, Fatima Jalil, Marium Muzaffar, Hashim Muhammad Hanif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

The case of a 59 year male with acute tuberculous pericardial abscess who presented with cough, dyspnoea, haemoptysis, signs of Tamponade and a large Pleural Effusion is reported. Performing Pericardiocentesis did not improve his symptoms hence he was subjected to surgery. Acute tuberculous pericardial abscess was the diagnosis made after histopathology which was successfully managed with sternotomy along with drainage of pus.

Redo Coronary Artery Surgery; Early And Intermediate Outcomes From A Tertiary Care Hospital In A Developing Country, Syed Shahabuddin, Junaid Alam Ansari, Fahad Jawaid Siddiqui, Muneer Amanullah, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate outcomes of re-operative coronary artery surgery in a tertiary care hospital in a developing country.

METHOD: Preoperative, intra-operative and postoperative variables were analyzed in 82 consecutive patients who underwent re-operative coronary surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass.

RESULTS: The mean age was 63.3 +/- 7.7 years, 91.2% were male and 9.8% female. Coronary artery disease risk factors were present in more than 50% of the patients. History of preoperative myocardial infarction was positive in 56% patients. There was strong clinical and angiographic indication for surgery with unstable angina in 50% patients and > 80% had multivessel disease. Only 5% patients …

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 …

Mediastinal Seminoma Presenting As Superior Vena Cava Syndrome And Tracheal Obstruction, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi, Basma Shahid, Hashim Muhammad Hanif, Marium Muzaffar

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Malignant germ cell tumours of the mediastinum are rare, presenting mostly in young males. These are bulky tumours, mostly intrathoracic, infiltrating into adjacent structures early in the growth process. Patients may present with symptoms of compression. Occasionally, mediastinal adenopathy and superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome may occur. We discuss a case of a 19 year old boy with six weeks history of progressively worsening shortness of breath and mid-sternal chest heaviness and one month history of swelling of the face and upper limbs. The entire face and upper extremities were grossly oedematous with engorged veins suggesting SVC syndrome. CT scan …

Late Onset Postpneumonectomy Empyema Presenting 24 Years After Pneumonectomy, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi, Umair Khalid, Sanna Fatima, Taimur Saleem

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Empyema is a devastating complication that is rarely seen in the postpneumonectomy setting. A 56-year-old man presented to us 24 years after pneumonectomy with a 15 days history of chest pain and shortness of breath. Physical examination revealed a fluctuant swelling at the thoracotomy site. Computed tomography scan showed a large fluid density mass in the left pneumonectomy space. Needle aspiration and video assisted thoracoscopic surgery was carried out and culture of the aspirated fluid grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient was discharged with the chest tubes in place. At 2 months follow-up, the patient presented with fever and continuous copious …

Giant Unresectable Lymphangioma Of The Trunk Managed Via Intra-Tumour Injections Of Bleomycin, Umair Khalid, Saulat Hasnain Fatimi, Taimur Saleem

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Surgical excision was once considered the mainstay of treatment for lymphangiomas. However, that paradigm is now changing with sclerotherapy emerging as a viable alternative. A 22-year-old girl presented with a mucopurulent and painful discharge from an extensive wound in the trunk. Chest roentogram showed a large soft tissue abnormality with multiple calcifications in the right upper abdomen and lower thorax. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed an extensive lobulated mass measuring 27 x 19 cm. Due to the extensive involvement of tissues, surgical excision did not appear to be a favourable option in this case. Local injections of bleomycin were successfully administered; …

Acute Mesenteric, Portal And Inferior Vena Cava, Venous Thrombosis, Anticoagulation, Abdul Rehman Alvi, Shahida Bibi, Zia Ur Rehman, Sameullah Khan Niazi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

The prevalence and clinical spectrum of acute mesenteric venous thrombosis (AMVT) in Pakistan is largely unknown. The authors report two patients with acute mesenteric, portal and inferior vena cava venous thrombosis confirmed on CT imaging. The diagnoses were established within 24 hours of presentation and both patients were successfully treated with therapeutic heparin during hospital admission and continued on oral warfarin because of hypercoagulable state. The protocol that we currently use is evidence based and is leading to optimal outcome.

Is Early Correction Of Congenital Ventricular Septal Defect A Better Option In A Developing Country, Awais Ashfaq, Hassaan Ashraf Zia, Muhammad Muneer Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To assess and evaluate the effectiveness of early ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair in a developing country by comparing the outcomes in two age groups.

METHODS: A total of 39 patients underwent VSD repair at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi over a period of 2.5 years. Patients were divided into Group 1 (years) and Group 2 (2-18 yrs). Perioperative and postoperative variables were reviewed retrospectively for each patient and compared with the development of complications and the effect on postoperative recovery times. The data was analyzed using Mann Whitney test for continuous variables and Fischer's exact test for …

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 …

On Pump Coronary Surgical Revascularization In A Patient With Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura, Saulat Fatimi, Danesh K Kella, Marium Muzaffar, Hashim Muhammad Hanif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

We performed on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery on a 54-year-old female, known case of chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP), hypertension and dyslipidaemia who had presented to us with progressive exertional shortness of breath and chest pain. The decision of going on with CABG was made after two weeks of preoperative treatment with prednisolone. Her platelet counts pre-operatively and on the 4th post-operative day were 135 x 10(9)/L and 32 x 10(9)/L. She had an unremarkable post-operative recovery, without requiring whole blood or platelet transfusions. We recommend preoperative steroid treatment in patients with chronic ITP undergoing CABG.

Success And Failure Of Fast Track Extubation In Cardiac Surgery Patients Of Tertiary Care Hospital: One Year Audit, Mohammad Irfan Akhtar, Mohammad Hamid

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To identify the causes of delayed extubation in patients planned for fast tract extubation during cardiac surgery.

METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted at cardiothoracic unit of Aga Khan University Hospital for the period of one year. All elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery patients, between the ages of 35-75 years with LVEF > or = 40 percent were included. Patients with Intra aortic balloon pump, chronic renal failure, respiratory compromise and requiring high ionotropic support were excluded from this audit. A performa was designed and later filled by the primary investigator. Patient demographics and various reasons for …

Kawashima Operation: Functional Modification Of Bidirectional Glen Shunt With Left Superior Vena Cava In Single Ventricular Morphology, Syed Shahabuddin, Saulat Fatimi, Mehnaz Atiq, Muneer Amanullah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Single ventricle physiology offers limited options with significant morbidity and mortality. The Glenn shunt is a mid-stage procedure for the Fontan circulation. With persistent left Superior Vena Cava (SVC) and Azygos continuation of the Inferior Vena Cava (IVC) to the SVC, needs the development of bilateral bidirectional Glenn shunts. Fifteen patients underwent Bidirectional Glen shunt procedure over a period of ten years. Of these two were found to have left SVC along with interrupted IVC and its Azygos continuation to the SVC. These two patients underwent the Kawashima operation. A seven years old girl was admitted via emergency with severe …

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 …

Predictive Model Of Blood Transfusion During Cabg Surgery In Pakistan, Sana Shoukat, Saqib A Gowani, Farhad Khimani, Faraz A Khan, Mohammad Zaman, Hasanat Sharif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVE: To determine predictors of need for transfusion of blood and blood products and create a clinical predictive model to reduce indiscriminate use of blood products during surgery.

METHOD: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 485 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery from January 2004 to December 2004 at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Independent predictors associated with transfusion were identified and a clinical prediction model developed.

RESULTS: The transfusion rate was 37.1%. A predictive model was created based on the presence of pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, low ejection fraction and recent/ongoing myocardial infarction.

CONCLUSION: The …

Extensive Primary Malignant Thymoma Involving Pericardium, Pleura, Diaphragm And Lungs--A Case Report, Rubina Abuali Sajwani, Saqib Ali Gowani, Ameer Ali Khowaja, Asmatullah Khan, Saulat H Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Malignant thymoma is an extremely rare entity. According to a study, the annual incidence of malignant thymoma was estimated to be 0.15 per 100,000 person-years. We present the case of a 42-year-old female who came to us with a Type AB, Masaoka stage III malignant (invasive) thymoma with widespread involvement of the mediastinum.

Chylopericardium--A Rare Complication After Ventricular Septal Defect Repair, Saqib A Gowani, Ameer A Khowaja, Asmatullah Khan, Saulat H Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Chylopericardium is a rare complication of cardiac surgery. It may be caused by a lesion in the thoracic duct or its tributaries or by thrombosis in the confluence of the jugular and left subclavian veins, obstructing the drainage of the thoracic duct. The treatment may be conservative or surgical, depending on the duration and on the volume of the effusion. We report the case of a 1 1/2 year-old male, who, in the late postoperative period of VSD repair, was hospitalized with low-grade fever and breathlessness for one week due to the presence of chylopericardium. The clinical findings and treatment …

A Decade Of Cardiothoracic Surgery At A Tertiary Care Hospital In Karachi, Pakistan, Fahad Javaid Siddiqui, Shahid Ahmed Sami

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Objective: The medical records at Aga Khan University were reviewed to analyze the trends, mortality and patients characteristics of cardiothoracic surgeries in the last decade.METHOD: The medical records of all adult cardiac, thoracic and combined cardiothoracic operations performed during January 1995 to December 2004 at the Aga Khan University Hospital were reviewed. Data were retrieved and analyzed for trends, patient characteristics, and procedure mortality.Results: From January 1995 - December 2004, 4553 cases were eligible for the study, of which 73% were males and 9.4% were children. Male to female ratio changed from 1.3:1 to 3:1 from childhood to adulthood. Number …

Cerebral Embolism: Distal Subclavian Disease As A Rare Etiology, Iram Naz, Ziad Sophie

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Subclavian artery occlusive disease is usually secondary to persistent compression caused by thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) and rarely due to focal atherosclerosis. Emboli from diseased vessel can flow retrograde to the vertebral or carotid arteries to produce ischemic infarct with or without neurological deficit. We are reporting two cases of distal subclavian artery disease presenting with cerebral embolization, an unusual manifestation. Such surgically correctable lesions producing cerebral emboli and stroke needs consideration while evaluating patients with unusual presentation to prevent further occurrence of stroke.

Life Threatening Mediastinal Haematoma: A Complication Of Central Venous Catheterization, Omer Ashraf, Hasanat Sharif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Central venous catheterization (CVC) has established risks and benefits in its application as a vascular access source, particularly in situations involving temporary cannulation. We present a rare case of life-threatening mediastinal haematoma resulting from CVC usage. Even though aggressive intervention yielded survival, the patient was left with permanent vocal compromise owing to traumatic palsy of the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. One should be careful in selection of venous access and be aware of alternatives routes.

Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor Of The Lung In An Adolescent Boy, S Sheikh, Saulat H. Fatimi, N Yaqoob

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors of the lung are rare, here, an unusual case is described. A 14-year-old boy presented with a history of weight loss and clubbing and was found to have a solitary circumscribed mass in right lower lobe treated with lobectomy. This case indicates the need for early and complete removal of the inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of the lung.

Giant Multiple Intra-Abdominal Hydatid Cysts, Naila Nadeem, Hassan Khan, Saulat H. Fatimi, Mohammad Nadeemd Ahmad

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

No abstract provided.

Primary Repair Of An Esophageal Rupture Using Pleural Flap, Saulat H. Fatimi, Sadaf Sheikh, Asif Anwar Ali

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Esophageal perforation remains an important thoracic emergency. Aggressive operative therapy remains the mainstay for treatment. A case of esophageal perforation, consequent upon impacted food bolus, is presented. An 80 years old female, with multiple comorbidities, presented with dysphagia and right sided chest pain, who had a distal esophageal tear, secondary to accidental meat ball ingestion. Rigid esophagoscopy showed complete occlusion of the distal esophagus with a meat ball. Right thoracotomy was performed, which showed perforated esophagus with large meat ball protruding from it. Endoscopic removal of the food particles was done, and the rupture was repaired using a pleural flap. …

Aspergilloma In A Patient With No Previous History Of Chronic Lung Disease, Sadaf Sheikh, Saulat H. Fatimi

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Patients with aspergilloma should undergo surgical treatment, because there is a risk of sudden life threatening hemoptysis and because there is no effective alternate medical therapy. We report a case of aspergilloma in a 47 year old man with no past history of tuberculosis presented with the complaint of hemoptysis for two weeks. It was diagnosed radiologically and treated with left upper lobectomy. Post operative course was complicated by cardiorhythmic disorder.

A Case Of Transient Diabetes Insipidus Following Cardiopulmonary Bypass, Omer Ashraf, Hasanat Sharif, Mansoor Shah

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Cardiopulmonary bypass surgery has been linked with a number of postoperative complications. One of the frequently reported physiological alterations is the relative diuresis seen in the immediate post-op period. Rarely reported though is the development of full-blown diabetes insipidus in such patients. The etiology is unknown and has only been hypothesized in the past. We present the clinical course of a 54 year old male who developed transient diabetes insipidus post bypass surgery with subsequent recovery following exogenous vasopressin administration. The physiological alteration leading to the development of diabetes insipidus in a small fraction of bypass patients remains unknown. We …

Pulmonary Embolism In Pemphigus Vulgaris, The Need For Judicious Immunotherapy, Omer Ashraf, Hasanat Sharif

Section of Cardiothoracic Surgery

Pemphigus vulgaris is a serious chronic mucocutaneous ailment. In recent decades advances in diagnostic and therapeutic measures have led to a significant decline in morbidity and mortality. However, with the advent of active and prolonged immunotherapy involving corticosteroids, there has been a rise in steroid-associated complications. This has led to significant concern globally over the sensible use of treatment regimen in pemphigus patients. We present a patient who underwent a massive pulmonary embolism following over usage of corticosteroid therapy for pemphigus vulgaris. Whilst the patient survived owing to timely assessment and aggressive surgical intervention, the need for cautious and judicious …