[Truncated abstract] The main objective of this study was to develop and validate a demographic/epidemiologic Markov model for population modelling/forecasting of CARPs as well as CHD deaths and incidence in Western Australia using population, linked hospital morbidity and mortality data for WA over the period 1980 to 2000. A key feature of the model was the ability to count events as individuals moved from one state to another and an important aspect of model development and implementation was the method for estimation of model transition probabilities from available population data. The model was validated through comparison of model predictions with actual event numbers and through demonstration of its use in producing forecasts under standard extrapolation methods for transition probabilities as well as improving the forecasts by taking into account various possible changes to the management of CHD via surgical treatment changes. The final major objective was to demonstrate the use of model for performing sensitivity analysis of some scenarios. In particular, to explore the possible impact on future numbers of CARPs due to improvements in surgical procedures, particularly the introduction of drug eluting stents, and to explore the possible impact of change in trend of CHD incidence as might be caused by the obesity epidemic. ... When the effectiveness of PCI due to introduction of DES was increased by reducing Pr(CABG given PCI) and Pr(a repeat PCI), there was a small decline in the requirements for PCIs and the effect seemed to have a lag. Finally, in addition to these changes when other changes were incorporated which captured that a PCI was used more than a CABG due to a change in health policy after the introduction of DES, there was a small increase in the requirements for PCIs with a lag in the effect. Four incidence scenarios were developed for assessing the effect of change in secular trends of CHD incidence as might be caused by the obesity epidemic in such a way that they gradually represented an increasing effect of obesity epidemic (assuming that other risk factors changed favourably) on CHD incidence. The strategy adopted for developing the scenarios was that based on past trends the most dominant component of CHD incidence was first gradually altered and finally the remaining components were altered. iv The results showed that if the most dominant component of CHD incidence, eg, Pr(CHD - no history of CHD) levelled off and the trends in all other transition probabilities continued into future, then the projected numbers of CABGs and PCIs for 2001-2005 were insensitive to these changes. Even increasing this probability by as much as 20 percent did not alter the results much. These results implied that the short-term effect on projected numbers of CARPs caused by an increase in the most dominant component of CHD incidence, possibly due to an ?obesity epidemic, is small. In the final incidence scenario, two of the remaining CHD incidence components-Pr(CABG - no history of CHD) and Pr(CHD death - no CHD and no history of CHD) were projected to level off over 2001-2005 because these probabilities were declining over the baseline period of 1998-2000. The projected numbers of CABGs were more sensitive (compared to the previous scenarios) to these changes but PCIs were not.

<p>Transplanting pancreatic islets into the liver through the portal vein is currently the most common procedure in clinical islet transplantations for treating patients with brittle type 1 diabetes. However, most islet grafts fail within a 5-year period necessitating retransplantation. The vascular connections are disrupted at islet isolation and implanted islets depend on diffusion of oxygen and nutrients in the immediate posttransplantation period. Rapid and efficient revascularization is of utmost importance for the survival and long-term function of transplanted islets. </p><p>In this thesis, the influence of the implantation microenvironment for islet engraftment and function was studied. Islets were transplanted into the liver, the renal subcapsular site or the pancreas. Islets implanted into the liver contained fewer glucagon-positive cells than islets implanted to the kidney and endogenous islets. Intraportally transplanted islets responded with insulin and glucagon release to secretagogues, but only when stimulated through the hepatic artery. Thus, the intrahepatic grafts were selectively revascularized from the hepatic artery. The vascular density in human islets transplanted into the liver of athymic mice was markedly lower when compared to human islets grafted to the kidney. Islets implanted into their physiological environment, the pancreas, were markedly better revascularized. Insulin content, glucose-stimulated insulin release, (pro)insulin biosynthesis and glucose oxidation rate were markedly decreased in transplanted islets retrieved from the liver, both when compared to endogenous and transplanted islets retrieved from the pancreas. Only minor changes in metabolic functions were observed in islets implanted into the pancreas when compared to endogenous islets. </p><p>The present findings demonstrate that the microenvironment has a major impact on the engraftment of transplanted islets. Elucidating the beneficial factors that promote engraftment would improve the survival and long-term function of transplanted islets. Ultimately, islet transplantation may be provided to an increased number of patients with type 1 diabetes.</p>

Transplanting pancreatic islets into the liver through the portal vein is currently the most common procedure in clinical islet transplantations for treating patients with brittle type 1 diabetes. However, most islet grafts fail within a 5-year period necessitating retransplantation. The vascular connections are disrupted at islet isolation and implanted islets depend on diffusion of oxygen and nutrients in the immediate posttransplantation period. Rapid and efficient revascularization is of utmost importance for the survival and long-term function of transplanted islets. In this thesis, the influence of the implantation microenvironment for islet engraftment and function was studied. Islets were transplanted into the liver, the renal subcapsular site or the pancreas. Islets implanted into the liver contained fewer glucagon-positive cells than islets implanted to the kidney and endogenous islets. Intraportally transplanted islets responded with insulin and glucagon release to secretagogues, but only when stimulated through the hepatic artery. Thus, the intrahepatic grafts were selectively revascularized from the hepatic artery. The vascular density in human islets transplanted into the liver of athymic mice was markedly lower when compared to human islets grafted to the kidney. Islets implanted into their physiological environment, the pancreas, were markedly better revascularized. Insulin content, glucose-stimulated insulin release, (pro)insulin biosynthesis and glucose oxidation rate were markedly decreased in transplanted islets retrieved from the liver, both when compared to endogenous and transplanted islets retrieved from the pancreas. Only minor changes in metabolic functions were observed in islets implanted into the pancreas when compared to endogenous islets. The present findings demonstrate that the microenvironment has a major impact on the engraftment of transplanted islets. Elucidating the beneficial factors that promote engraftment would improve the survival and long-term function of transplanted islets. Ultimately, islet transplantation may be provided to an increased number of patients with type 1 diabetes.

Acute occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is a condition associated with high mortality and morbidity. The aim of this thesis is to evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for acute SMA occlusion. In a prospective study of patients with suspected intestinal ischemia, no biomarker was sufficiently accurate to detect this condition. In a second retrospective study, pancreatic amylase and troponin-I were elevated in a substantial proportion of patients with verified SMA occlusion. In an experimental animal model of acute SMA occlusion, microarray studies of ischemic small bowel wall were used to characterize the mRNA response to ischemia. Thrombospondin, Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein 1 and Gap Junction Alpha 1 were consistently up-regulated in all pigs with intestinal ischemia. Genes encoding previously proposed biomarkers for intestinal ischemia were either up-regulated, such as lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase, or down-regulated, such as intestinal fatty acid binding protein and glutathione S-transferase. In a study of the role of computed tomography in the diagnosis of SMA occlusion, it was shown that computed tomography with intravenous contrast was associated with improved survival. A retrospective analysis of all acute SMA revascularizations in Sweden 1999-2006 revealed that D-dimer was elevated in all 35 measured cases.  Endovascular surgery was associated with better outcome than open surgery, both in short and in long term. The presence of postoperative short bowel syndrome was a strong independent risk-factor for decreased long-term survival. Conclusions: Data affirm that D-dimer may serve as an exclusion test for acute SMA occlusion, whereas elevated troponin-I and pancreatic amylase are potential diagnostic pitfalls. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the visceral arteries seems to be the best diagnostic method. Endovascular surgery is an option to open surgery in selected cases, and was associated with favourable outcome.

No description available.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF) after cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) remains unresolved problem. Some authors noticed that there were changes in electrolyte balance after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery with CPB. The changes in serum magnesium level and their relation with the rate of postoperative AF are usually analyzed in scientific publications. The aim of the study has been to estimate the relationship between the rate of postoperative AF and the changes in serum electrolyte concentration and their urinary excretion after CABG surgery with CPB. The goals: 1) To estimate the rate and the character of postoperative AF and its influence on haemodynamics after CABG surgery. 2) To estimate changes in serum K+, Na+, Mg++, Ca++, Cl–, P– concentration and compare them between the patients who received, and who did not receive magnesium sulphate supplementation during the surgery. 3)To estimate changes of urinary excretion of K+, Na+, Mg++, Ca++, Cl–, P– and compare them between the patients who received, and who did not receive magnesium sulphate supplementation during the surgery. 3) To evaluate the effects of intraoperatively infused magnesium sulphate on the rate of postoperative AF in the early postoperative period. In our study the rate of postoperative AF was 27.4 %. AF in 91.3 % of cases was tachyarrhythmic, but haemodynamic remained stabile. Serum Mg++ level was > 1.05 mmol/l during the suregry in all patients. The infusion of... [to full text]

Em pacientes portadores de insuficiência coronariana com prognóstico desfavorável pela presença de disfunção ventricular significativa, a pesquisa de viabilidade miocárdica traz contribuições ao predizer a possibilidade de recuperação contrátil após revascularização. Os segmentos miocárdicos com disfunção contrátil por hipoperfusão podem melhorar o desempenho contrátil restabelecido o aporte sanguíneo local, indicando que a revascularização miocárdica, quando bem indicada, é capaz de melhorar a sobrevida deste grupo de pacientes. Realizou-se pesquisa de tese de doutoramento do Departamento de Radiologia da Universidade de São Paulo na unidade de medicina nuclear da Nuclear Medcenter/Hospital SOCOR em Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar se a cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica com duplo-isótopo (99mTcsestamibi/ cloreto de tálio-201) como método radioisotópico para identificação do músculo viável, tem sua especificidade aumentada com a inclusão de informações sobre reserva contrátil miocárdica obtidas simultaneamente através do gatedSPECT (imagens tomográficas do coração sincronizadas ao eletrocardiograma) na vigência de baixas doses de dobutamina de forma semelhante ao ecocardiograma. Estudou-se 54 pacientes com infarto do miocárdio prévio, encaminhados ao serviço de medicina nuclear para realização de pesquisa de viabilidade miocárdica. Foram excluídos do estudo os pacientes que no seguimento não foram revascularizados ou que não realizaram controle cintilográfico pós-cirúrgico, uma vez que considerouse como critério de viabilidade a melhora da contratilidade miocárdica após a revascularização. Avaliou-se os parâmetros de viabilidade (integridade celular e reserva contrátil) e o desempenho contrátil pós-cirúrgico de 260 segmentos miocárdicos de treze pacientes revascularizados. Os pacientes estudados foram submetidos a cintilografia de perfusão miocárdica duoisotópica em protocolo de dois dias com imagens tomográficas do coração obtidas em gamma-camera de duas cabeças, modelo Varicam (Elscint) e processadas em estação de trabalho eNTEGRA(GE). As imagens de estresse foram adquiridas em sincronia com o ECG (gated SPECT) em condições basais e na vigência de baixa dose de dobutamina (10 a 15g/Kg/min) 45 minutos após a administração endovenosa do 99mTcsestamibi no pico do exercício isotônico (esforço) ou da ação de agentes farmacológicos (estresse farmacológico) e nas etapas de repouso e redistribuição do cloreto de tálio-201, 20 minutos e quatro a seis horas após a administração endovenosa do radioisótopo em condições basais. Os pacientes operados foram submetidos a um segundo estudo cintilográfico de perfusão miocárdica com gated SPECT, no período mínimo de três meses após o procedimento, para avaliação da performance contrátil pós-cirúrgica. Para análise dos achados cintilográficos, dividiu-se o coração em 20 segmentos que receberam diferentes escores, permitindo a quantificação da perfusão e função miocárdica pelo Cedars Sinai Quantitative Pefusion SPECT QPS/QGS(GE),. Analisou-se o padrão perfusional nas etapas de estresse, repouso e redistribuição e de função (análise do espessamento sistólico, motilidade parietal, valores de fração de ejeção e volumes cardíacos do ventrículo esquerdo) em condições basais e sob estímulo inotrópico. No tratamento estatístico a análise do espessamento sistólico foi o parâmetro considerado significativo para avaliação da reserva contrátil miocárdica pelo método. Houve incremento na especificidade da pesquisa de viabilidade miocárdica pelo método radioisotópico realizado, demonstrando valores de especificidade superiores aos encontrados na literatura. As contribuições do método se mostraram efetivas / In patients with coronariopathy in the setting of ventricular dysfunction having an unpromising prognostic, the myocardial viability must be assessed thus, bringing contribution as it can predict the myocardial dysfunction recovery after revascularization. The myocardial segments with contractile dysfunction as a consequence of hypoperfusion can improve wall motion after perfusion recovery, demonstrating that myocardial revascularization, whenever suggested, can improve survival to this group of patients. This research is a PHD thesis from Radiology Department of São Paulo University and was performed at a nuclear medicine unit - Nuclear Medcenter/SOCOR hospital - in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. The aim of the study was to check if dual isotope perfusion myocardial gated SPECT (99mTc-sestamibi/thallium-201) as a nuclear medicine procedure to the identification of viable myocardium, can improve the method specificity with addition of contractile reserve information obtained simultaneously by gated SPECT with low dose of dobutamine, similar to the echocardiogram. 54 patients with myocardial stroke, referred to the nuclear medicine unit to seek myocardial viability have been studied. Patients that do not have been submitted to revascularization or that did not undergo the post surgery control were excluded, as the parameter considered for viability was the wall motion recovery after revascularization. 260 myocardial segments in 13 patients had their viability parameters (cellular integrity and contractile reserve) as the contractile performance after surgery evaluated. The images were acquired by a Varicam (Elscint) double head gamma camera and processed by eNTEGRA (GE) workstation. The gated SPECT stress images were performed in baseline conditions and with low-dose dobutamine (10 a 15g/Kg/min) 45 minutes after intravenous injection of 99mTc-sestamibi.on the peak of isotonic exercise or pharmacologic stress. The rest and redistribution images were acquired , 20 minutes and 4 or 6 hours after intravenous injection of thallium-201 at rest. The revascularizated patients were also submitted to a second gated SPECT study at least 3 months after surgery for evaluation of the contractile performance. In order to analyze the scintigraphic findings, the heart was divided into 20 segments that received different scores for quantification of myocardial perfusion and function by Cedars Sinai Quantitative Perfusion SPECT QPS/QGS(GE),. The perfusion pattern of stress, rest and redistribution and the parameters of function (wall thickening and motion, ejection fraction and cardiac volumes analysis) at baseline conditions and by inotropic effect. By the statistics analysis wall thickening was considered significant to evaluate the myocardial contractile reserve by this method. There was improvement in the specificity of the radioisotopic research showing specificity values larger than those found in literature. These method contributions were effective

Introdução: O diagnóstico infarto do miocárdio (IAM) Tipo 5 é bastante complexo, especialmente após o surgimento de ensaios com a troponina de alta sensibilidade. Objetivo: Mensurar a liberação de biomarcadores de necrose miocárdica após cirurgia de revascularização (RM) utilizando a circulação extracorpórea (CEC) na ausência de novo realce tardio pelo gadolínio (RTG). Métodos: Neste estudo, avaliamos pacientes com doença arterial coronária estável, multiarterial, função do ventrículo esquerdo preservada, biomarcadores cardíacos basais normais e indicação formal para a cirurgia de revascularização eletiva com CEC. Eletrocardiograma, coleta de amostras de sangue para a mensuração de troponina e CKMB, e ressonância magnética cardíaca (RMC) com realce tardio pelo gadolíneo (RTG) foram efetuadas antes e após o procedimento. O diagnóstico de IM foi definido como acima de 10 vezes o percentil 99 URL, para troponina e CK-MB, respectivamente, e novo RTG pela RMC. Resultados: De 75 pacientes selecionados para RM com CEC, 69 foram analisados; destes, 54 não apresentaram RTG (IAM tipo 5 na RMC). 39 pacientes eram do sexo masculino (72,2%), com idade média de 61,3 (±8,3) anos. A pontuação média do SYNTAX Score foi de 28 (±10). Após a cirurgia, 54 (100%) pacientes tiveram um pico de troponina acima do percentil 99; destes, em 52 (96%) este pico foi maior do que 10 vezes o percentil 99. Por outro lado, 54 (100%) pacientes alcançaram pico de CK-MB acima do limite do percentil 99 e em apenas 13 (24%) foi maior do que 10 vezes o percentil 99. A troponina apresentou mediana do pico de 3,15 (2,0 - 4,9) ng/mL, 78,75x superior ao percentil 99. Conclusão: Nesta amostra estudada, a CKMB, diferentemente da troponina, teve níveis de liberação dentro dos padrões recomendados pelas diretrizes e coincidiu com ausência de realce na RMC. Estes dados permitem sugerir um maior ponto de corte de troponina para o diagnóstico do IAM relacionado ao procedimento / Background: The diagnosis of periprocedural myocardial infarction is complex, especially after the emergence of high-sensitive markers of myocardial necrosis. Methods: In this prospective study, patients with stable multivessel coronary disease, preserved left ventricular function, normal baseline cardiac biomarkers, and formal indication for elective on-pump coronary bypass surgery (ONCAB) were evaluated. Electrocardiograms, cardiac biomarkers CKMB and troponin I (cTnI), and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) with late gadolinium enhancement were performed before and after procedures. Myocardial infarction (MI) was defined as more than ten times the upper reference limit of the 99th percentile for cTnI and for CKMB and by the findings of new late gadolinium enhancement on CMR. We assessed the release of cardiac biomarkers in patients with no evidence of myocardial infarction on CMR. Results: From 75 patients referred to ONCAB, 69 were analyzed in this study. From these, 54 patients did not have evidence of MI on CMR. This group had 39 men (72.2%), mean age of 61.3 (± 8.3) years and a mean SYNTAX Score of 28 (± 10). After CABG, all 54 (100%) patients had a peak cTnI above the 99th percentile, and 52 (96%) had an elevation 10 times higher than the 99th percentile. Regarding CKMB, 54 (100%) patients had a peak CKMB above the 99th percentile limit, and only 13 (24%) had an elevation greater than 10 times the 99th percentile. The median value of cTnI peak was 3.15 (2.0 to 4.9) ng/mL. This represented 78.75 times the 99th percentile. Conclusion: In this sample, CKMB, unlike cTnI, had levels of release within the standards recommended by the guidelines and coincided with lack of enhancement in CMR. These data suggest a higher troponin cutoff point for the diagnosis of MI related to the procedure

Fundamento: A artéria torácica interna (ATI) \"in situ\" apresenta predomínio de fluxo sistólico, mas após sua anastomose no sistema coronariano esquerdo torna-se um sistema híbrido com predomínio de fluxo diastólico, sendo a relevância da patência ou não dos grandes ramos proximais da ATI anastomosada controversa quanto à possibilidade de roubo de fluxo. Porém, constata-se que durante o ecocardiograma sob estresse com dobutamina (EED), o estado funcional da ATI anastomosada pode ser avaliado através da reserva coronariana, além da verificação dos distintos efeitos no fluxo sistólico (FS), diastólico (FD) e total (FT = sistólico + diastólico). Objetivo: Verificar por meio da ecocardiografia e Doppler o efeito dos ramos proximais importantes da ATI no fluxo, na reserva de velocidade (RVFC) e de fluxo (RFC) coronariano, em pacientes com fração de ejeção do ventrículo esquerdo (FEVE) preservada (&gt; 50%). Métodos: Em ensaio clínico prospectivo controlado e randomizado, foram avaliados pacientes com (Grupo I) e sem (Grupo II), a ligadura dos ramos proximais importantes da ATI anastomosada na coronária descendente anterior. As avaliações das ATIs em nível supraclavicular e os ecocardiogramas transtorácicos foram realizados no pré-operatório, no pós-operatório precoce, seis meses após a cirurgia em condição basal e durante o EED. Neste, foi alcançada a frequência cardíaca submáxima [(220 - idade) x (0,85)] sem a ocorrência de isquemia no território subjacente à ATI anastomosada em todos os pacientes. Foram medidos o FS, o FD, o FT e o percentual de FD, nos quatro momentos do estudo. O percentual de FD resultou da divisão da integral da velocidade diastólica do fluxo pela integral da velocidade total (sistólica + diastólica) do fluxo. A reserva coronariana foi obtida através do Doppler da ATI anastomosada seis meses após a cirurgia, sendo calculada através da razão entre o valor da variável registrado no EED e em condição basal, utilizando-se para as RVFCs o pico e a média de velocidade diastólica, e para a RFC o FT. As distribuições das variáveis contínuas foram comparadas através do Teste t Student, quando as variáveis eram aproximadamente normais, ou através do Teste da Soma dos Postos de Wilcoxon (Mann-Whitney), quando as variáveis não eram aproximadamente normais. Proporções foram comparadas através do teste exato de Fisher. O valor-p &lt; 0,05 entre os grupos foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. Resultados: O Grupo I (25 pacientes) e o Grupo II (28 pacientes) não foram diferentes quanto às características clínicas e ecocardiográficas, constatando-se a FEVE preservada em todos os casos. O FD não diferiu entre os grupos nos quatro momentos do estudo. Entretanto, verificou-se durante o EED que o FS (19,5 ± 9,3 ml/min vs. 32,7 ± 19,4 ml/min; p &lt; 0,05) e o FT (79,1 ± 21,4 ml/min vs. 101,1 ± 47,4 ml/min; p &lt; 0,05) foram maiores no Grupo II. Contudo, o percentual de FD foi maior no Grupo I (76,4 ± 12,7% vs. 68,9 ± 10%; p &lt; 0,05) durante o EED, em virtude de o Grupo I apresentar menos componente sistólico. O percentual de FD &lt; 50% ocorreu em todos os casos no pré - operatório, em cinco casos no pós - operatório precoce e em dez casos em condição basal seis meses após a cirurgia. Todavia, durante o EED, todos os casos apresentaram o percentual de FD &gt; 50%, sendo este percentual de 100% em cinco casos (quatro no Grupo I). Os grupos não apresentaram diferença entre as RFCs (1,9 ± 0,46 vs. 2,11 ± 0,56; p = 0,143) ou as RVFCs calculadas com o pico (2,17 ± 0,64 vs.2,28 ± 0,63; p = 0,537) e com a média (2,27 ± 0,54 vs.2,50 ± 0,79; p= 0,232) da velocidade diastólica. Conclusão: Concluímos que o adequado estado funcional da ATI anastomosada independe da presença ou ausência dos importantes ramos proximais. Assim, a ligadura dos ramos não determina aumento do fluxo sistólico, diastólico ou total através deste enxerto, e o predomínio diastólico é mais evidente sob a condição estresse. O aumento dos fluxos sistólico e total indicam para a adaptação do fluxo através desta artéria para suprir a ambas, circulação coronariana e não coronariana, nos pacientes que não têm esses ramos ligados durante a cirurgia. Estes achados apontam para o entendimento de que a hipótese do roubo de fluxo pelos ramos não ligados é improvável / Background: The internal thoracic artery (ITA) \"in situ\" has systolic flow predominance, but when grafted to the left coronary artery system, the ITA becomes a hybrid system with diastolic flow predominance. The relevance of the patency or not-patency of the large proximal branches of the ITA graft is controversial in regards to the possibility of flow steal. During dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE), the functional status of the ITA graft can be assessed by the coronary reserve in addition to assessment of the distinct effects of DSE on systolic (SF), diastolic (DF), and total flow (TF = systolic + diastolic). Objective: To assess, by Doppler echocardiography, the effects of the significant proximal branches of ITA graft in the flow, coronary flow velocity reserve (CFVR) and coronary flow reserve (CFR), in patients with preserved (&gt; 50%) left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). Methods: In a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial we evaluate patients with (Group I) and without (Group II) ligation of important proximal branches of the ITA grafted to the anterior descending coronary artery. Supraclavicular assessment of the ITAs and transthoracic echocardiograms were performed, at rest and during DSE, on pre-operative, early and six months post-operative. In all patients, the submaximal heart rate [(220 - age) x (0.85)] was achieved during DSE with no ischemia to the area matching the ITA graft. The SF, DF, TF and percentage of DF were measured in the four moments of this study. The percentage of DF was calculated by the ratio of the integral of the diastolic flow velocity by the integral of the total flow velocity (systolic + diastolic). The coronary reserve was assessed at six months post-operative, and it was calculated by the ratio of the variable during DSE and at rest, using the maximum and the mean of the diastolic flow velocity to calculate the CFVR; and the TF to calculate the CFR. Student\'s t-tests or Wilcoxon\'s rank sum test (Mann-Whitney) were used to examine differences between the groups in normally distributed or not-normally-distributed continuous variables, respectively. Fisher exact test was used to examine the difference in proportions. A p value &lt; 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Group I (25 patients) and Group II (28 patients) were not different regarding to clinical and echocardiographic characteristics, with preservation of the LVEF in all cases. The DF was not different between the groups in the four moments of this study. However, during the DSE, the SF (19.5 ± 9.3 ml/min vs. 32.7 ± 19.4 ml/min, p &lt; 0.05) and TF (79.1 ± 21.4 ml/min vs. 101 1 ± 47.4 ml/min; p &lt; 0.05) were higher in Group II. On the other hand, during the DSE, the percentage of DF was higher in Group I (76.4 ± 12.7% vs. 68.9 ± 10%; p &lt; 0.05), due to its lower systolic component. The percentage of DF &lt; 50% occurred in all cases in the pre-operative, in five cases in the early post-operative and in ten cases, at rest, six months postoperatively. However, during the DSE, all cases showed the percentage of DF &gt; 50%, furthermore five cases (four in Group I) had the percentage of DF of 100%. There was no difference between the groups in regards to CFR (1.9 ± 0.46 vs. 2.11 ± 0.56; p = 0.143), or CFVR calculated using the maximum (2.17 ± 0.64 vs. 2.28 ± 0.63; p = 0.537) and the mean (2.27 ± 0.54 vs. 2.50 ± 0.79; p = 0.232) of the diastolic velocity. Conclusion: The appropriate functional status of the ITA graft does not depend on the ligation or preservation of important proximal ITA branches. Thus, ligation of ITA branches does not determine increase in systolic, diastolic or total flow through the ITA graft, and its diastolic predominance is more evident under stress. The increase in the systolic and total flow indicates an adaptation of the flow through the ITA graft to supply both coronary and non-coronary systems, in those patients that don\'t have the branches ligated during surgery. These findings point towards the hypothesis that the flow steal by unligated branches is unlikely.

INTRODUÇÃO: A cirurgia de revascularização miocárdica sem utilização de circulação extracorpórea (CEC) tem sido cada vez mais utilizada, especialmente após a introdução de dispositivos estabilizadores da parede cardíaca. Entretanto, a técnica pode causar alterações hemodinâmicas durante a realização das anastomoses coronárias. OBJETIVOS: Analisar as alterações hemodinâmicas decorrentes das mudanças de posição do coração para abordar as artérias coronárias sem CEC e comparar os monitores de débito cardíaco semi-contínuo e de ecodoppler transesofágico quanto à precisão das medidas hemodinâmicas. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados aleatoriamente 20 pacientes adultos com idade inferior a 80 anos, candidatos a cirurgia eletiva de revascularização miocárdica sem utilização de circulação extracorpórea. A avaliação hemodinâmica incluiu a utilização de ecodopppler com transdutor esofágico e de cateter de artéria pulmonar com filamento térmico. A coleta de dados foi realizada: 1 - após a indução da anestesia, antes do início da revascularização propriamente dita, 2 - durante a realização das anastomoses distais, logo após o posicionamento e estabilização do coração e 3 - após cinco minutos do início da anastomose. Os dados hemodinâmicos foram analisados por análise de variância de duplo fator com repetição, complementada por teste de Newman-Keuls. O nível de significância considerado foi de 5%. Os valores de débito cardíaco foram comparados segundo método proposto por Bland e Altman, analisando a correlação intraclasses, diferenças médias e intervalos de confiança de 95%. RESULTADOS: Alterações hemodinâmicas significativas foram detectadas para o aumento de pressão de oclusão de artéria pulmonar (de 17,7 ± 6,1 para 19,2 ± 6,5 mmHg - p<0,001 e para 19,4 ± 5,8 mmHg - p<0,001) e pressão venosa central (de 13,9 ± 5,4 para 14,9 ± 5,9 mmHg - p=0,007 e para 15,1 ± 6,0 mmHg - p=0,006), além de diminuição do débito cardíaco obtido por termodiluição intermitente (de 4,70 ± 1,43 para 4,23 ± 1,22 L/min - p<0,001 e para 4,26 ± 1,27 L/min - p<0,001). Houve interação grupo-tempo estatisticamente significativa no débito cardíaco por Doppler esofágico, que apresentou redução no grupo lateral de 4,08 ± 1,99 para 2,84 ± 1,81 L/min (p=0,02) e para 2,86 ± 1,73 L/min (p=0,02), e no fluxo sanguíneo aórtico, que diminuiu de 2,85 ± 1,39 para 1,99 ± 1,26 L/min (p=0,02) e para 2,00 ± 1,21 L/min (p=0,02). As medidas de débito cardíaco intermitente, semicontínuo e por Doppler esofágico apresentaram diferenças médias e intervalos de confiança de 95% acima de limites aceitáveis clinicamente. CONCLUSÕES: Houve deterioração hemodinâmica significativa durante a revascularização miocárdica sem CEC. Pelo Doppler esofágico, o débito cardíaco apresentou redução detectada apenas na parede lateral. As diferenças nos valores de débito cardíaco foram muito amplas para considerar os métodos concordantes, em quaisquer das condições hemodinâmicas estudadas. / INTRODUCTION: Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgeries have been performed increasingly without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump CABG), specially with introduction of cardiac wall stabilizing devices. However, hemodynamic changes can occur during coronary anastomosis. OBJECTIVES: To study hemodynamic alterations caused when cardiac position is changed to operate coronary arteries and to compare continuous cardiac output and esophageal Doppler monitor regardig accuracy of hemodynamic measurements. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty adult patients under age of 80 undergoing elective off-pump CABG were enrolled. Hemodynamic evaluation was performed with esophageal echodoppler and continuous thermodilution pulmonary artery catheter. Data were collected 1 - after induction of anesthesia, before revascularization, 2 - during distal anastomosis, right after heart positioning and stabilization, and 3 - five minutes following the beginning of anastomosis. Repeated measures two-way ANOVA with post hoc Newman-Keuls tests were used to analyse hemodynamic data and level of significance was set at 0.05. Cardiac output values were compared using the method proposed by Bland and Altman, and included analysis of correlation, mean differences and 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: Significant hemodynamic alterations were detected during revascularization of coronary arteries as elevation of pulmonary artery occlusion pressure (from 17.7 ± 6.1 to 19.2 ± 6.5 mmHg - P <0.001, and to 19.4 ± 5.8 mmHg - P <0.001) and of central venous pressures (from 13.9 ± 5.4 to 14.9 ± 5.9 mmHg - P =0.007, and to 15.1 ± 6.0 mmHg - P =0.006), and as reduction of intermittent cardiac output (from 4.70 ± 1.43 to 4.23 ± 1.22 l/min - P <0.001, and to 4.26 ± 1.27 l/min - P <0.001). Statistically significant group-time interaction was observed in esophageal Doppler cardiac output, that decreased in the lateral wall from 4.08 ± 1.99 to 2.84 ± 1.81 l/min (P =0.02) and to 2.86 ± 1.73 l/min (P =0.02), and in aortic blood flow, that decreased from 2.85 ± 1.39 to 1.99 ± 1.26 l/min (P =0,02) and to 2.00 ± 1.21 l/min (P =0.02). Intermittent, STAT-mode or esophageal Doppler cardiac output mean differences and 95% confidence intervals were beyond clinically acceptable limits. CONCLUSIONS: There was significant hemodynamic deterioration during off-pump CABG. On the esophageal Doppler monitor, cardiac output decrease was detected only in the lateral wall. Differences in cardiac output measurements were too wide to say methods agreed, in all hemodynamic conditions studied.