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H B Barner

Publications and source records attributed to H B Barner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Mitral valve replacement: randomized trial of St. Jude and Medtronic-Hall prostheses.

To better define the merits of the bileaflet and tilting-disc valves, we prospectively randomized 102 patients (mean age, 57 years; range, 11 to 85 years) to receive either the St. Jude (n = 55) or the Medtronic-Hall (n = 47) mitral valve prosthesis between September 1986 and May 1991. The two groups were not different with respect to preoperative New York Heart Association class, incidence of mitral stenosis and insufficiency, angina score, extent of coronary artery disease, ventricular function, completeness of revascularization, or cross-clamp or bypass time. The hospital mortality (14.5% versus 10.6%, St. Jude versus Medtronic-Hall) and late mortality (7.3% versus 2.1%) were not significantly different. Follow-up was complete in 84 of 89 hospital survivors (94%) with a mean of 26 months (range, 1 to 60 months). The linearized rates of valve-related events and the 3-year actuarial survival demonstrated no significant differences between both cohorts. Comparison of the clinical outcome and echocardiographic parameters obtained at the time of follow-up demonstrated no significant differences between the two prostheses. These data indicate that the Medtronic-Hall and St. Jude mitral prostheses are similar with respect to their rates of valve-related complications and hemodynamic profiles. This study suggests that there is no difference between the St. Jude and Medtronic-Hall prostheses with regard to early clinical performance or hemodynamic results and therefore does not support the preferential selection of either prosthesis.

Adolescent

Revascularization with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts in patients with left main coronary stenosis.

Left main occlusive disease (LMD) is a potentially fatal lesion which is optimally treated with surgical revascularization. Although the internal thoracic artery (ITA) is recognized as having superior long term patency, there has been concern regarding possible flow limitation. Because of this concern, there may be reluctance to use only this conduit in patients with LMD in whom high graft flows are desirable. From 1985 to 1990, 45 patients (38 males, 7 females) with LMD ranging in age from 37 to 75 years (mean 55.9 +/- 8.7) underwent revascularization using bilateral ITA grafts placed to the left anterior descending and circumflex arteries. The right ITA was used as a free graft in 19 of 45 (42%) patients and the left ITA was used as a free graft in 3 of 35 (7%). No saphenous vein grafts were placed to the left coronary system in any patient. Over half of these patients (24 patients, 53%) also had occlusive disease in the right coronary artery. A saphenous vein graft was placed to the right coronary artery in 22 of 45 (49%) patients. Ventricular function in this patient subset was good (mean LV score 7.1 +/- 2.1). Intra-operative ITA graft flows were 49.7 +/- 29.1 ml/min for grafts to the left anterior descending and 45.5 +/- 31.7 ml/min for circumflex grafts. There were no perioperative deaths. Morbidity included myocardial infarction, stroke and reoperation for bleeding in 1 patient each (2.2%). Low cardiac output occurred in 2 patients (4.4%). No patient had a mediastinal wound infection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult

Anterior wall left ventricular aneurysm repair. A comparison of linear versus circular closure.

To determine the efficacy of ventricular closure techniques, we reviewed our experience with 62 patients who survived the repair of aneurysms of the anterior wall of the left ventricular from 1984 through 1989. Forty of these patients underwent aneurysm repair by standard linear closure and 22 by a circular closure technique. After a mean follow-up interval of 3 years, there were no demonstrable differences in angina class, New York Heart Association functional classification, or survival. In 41 surviving patients, postoperative left ventricular dimensions and function were satisfactorily evaluated by standard echocardiographic measurements. No significant differences were found in postoperative long-axis left ventricular systolic diameter or in short-axis systolic or diastolic areas. There was a significantly larger long-axis diastolic diameter in the circular closure group; however, there was no difference in this parameter when the ratios of postoperative to preoperative lengths were compared. Further intragroup comparisons demonstrated an increase in short-axis areas postoperatively within the circular closure group in contrast to a decrease in patients in the linear closure group; these changes were not statistically significant. There was no significant difference in postoperative ejection fraction between the two closure groups, although minor reductions were found in the circular closure group. These data demonstrate no significant difference between the linear and circular closure techniques with respect to standard echocardiographic parameters, functional classification, and survival.

Actuarial Analysis

Aortic valve replacement. Aortic root versus coronary sinus perfusion with blood cardioplegic solution.

The role of retrograde coronary sinus cardioplegia in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis alone or in combination with myocardial revascularization has not been fully defined. Sixty-three patients undergoing elective aortic valve replacement received cold potassium blood cardioplegic solution via either the aortic root (36 patients) or the coronary sinus (27 patients). The patients were similar with respect to age, degree of aortic stenosis, ventricular function, severity of coronary artery disease, crossclamp time, completeness of revascularization, and mean volume and temperature of the infusion solution. The mean septal temperature and the release of myocardium-specific isoenzyme in the first 2 hours after crossclamp removal was higher in the retrograde group (p less than 0.008). Right and left ventricular function was preserved equally in the two groups, and volume-loading studies suggested improved diastolic performance in patients having retrograde cardioplegia. There were no differences between the two groups with respect to clinical outcome. We conclude that coronary sinus cardioplegia is as safe as aortic root perfusion for myocardial preservation in patients undergoing elective aortic valve replacement.

Aorta

Effects of dilation with a balloon catheter on the endothelium of the internal thoracic artery.

Controlled dilation of the internal thoracic artery with a balloon catheter has been reported to effectively treat intraoperative arterial spasm. It has been shown in laboratory animals that dilation of the internal thoracic artery at prescribed shear force levels will not cause intimal damage. Using scanning electron and light microscopy, we have examined the effects of calibrated balloon dilation on the endothelium of the human internal thoracic artery. In 10 patients with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting, the artery was dilated with a Fogarty IMAG balloon catheter (Baxter Healthcare Corporation, Edwards Division, Santa Ana, Calif.) that was withdrawn at tensions of 20 or 30 gm. Arterial segments and nondilated control specimens were prepared for scanning electron microscopy. The intimal surface of each internal thoracic artery was evaluated by assigning a score (from 0 to 3) to 10 examined scanning electron microscopy fields; subsequently the arterial tissue was viewed by light microscopy with paraffin-embedded sections stained for elastic tissue. Arteries were obtained from three additional patients so that the microscopic appearance of the arteries could be observed after rough manipulation or removal of the balloon without shearing. The results of this study are as follows: (1) By scanning electron microscopy, dilated internal thoracic arteries yielded consistently higher scores than the control arteries, reflecting severe, tension-dependent alterations of the endothelium, which included marked desquamation of endothelial cells, with extensive areas of complete denudation and pronounced attachment of platelets to these areas; (2) endothelial injury occurred by inflation alone, without shearing by the inflated balloon; (3) by light microscopy, the internal thoracic arteries showed (a) fenestrations of the internal elastic lamina with occasional transmigration of smooth muscle cells through these gaps and (b) foci of intimal thickening without overt atherosclerotic lesions. We conclude that the endothelium of human internal thoracic arteries is highly vulnerable to balloon dilation, which can severely injure the intimal surface. For this reason we prefer not to include this procedure in our protocol for preparing the internal thoracic artery.

Aged

Blood cardioplegia: a review and comparison with crystalloid cardioplegia.

The Oxford International Symposium on myocardial preservation provided an appropriate milestone and impetus to survey one aspect of operative myocardial preservation, namely blood cardioplegia, and to contrast it with the more popular crystalloid cardioplegia. This review is by no means complete or exhaustive but represents my best effort to summarize important information that has accumulated in the literature as blood cardioplegia, and our understanding of it, has evolved. It is appropriate to compare blood and crystalloid cardioplegia with respect to biochemical and physiological differences. Clinical comparison has been limited, for the most part, to randomized studies, and a number of differences and details of clinical management of the two techniques have been omitted, either because they seemed unimportant or there was no good information that would allow an objective comparison of their significance. Hopefully, the reader will recognize the intent to focus on meaningful differences and similarities between the two techniques and to present them fairly.

Blood

Use of the inferior epigastric artery as a free graft for myocardial revascularization.

From March 1990 through January 1991, 47 patients undergoing myocardial revascularization had one (37) or both (10) inferior epigastric arteries (IEA) used as a conduit for bypass with 62 distal anastomoses. The internal thoracic artery (ITA) was used bilaterally in 41 patients and unilaterally in 6 with 100 distal anastomoses. Five patients had a single saphenous vein graft. In total, 167 anastomoses (3.55 per patient) were performed. Single IEA grafts were harvested through a paramedian incision and bilateral grafts, a midline incision. Harvest time was 36.5 minutes for IEA grafts and 29.6 minutes for ITA grafts (p less than 0.0001). Graft length was 11.9 cm for IEA grafts and 16.5 cm for ITA grafts (p less than 0.0001). Distal graft diameter was 2.0 mm for IEA grafts and 2.1 mm for ITA grafts (p less than 0.01). Graft flow was 49.7 mL/min for IEA grafts and 48.7 mL/min for ITA grafts. Microscopic assessment of segments of both the IEA and ITA from 14 patients revealed similar internal elastic laminae and an equal number of fenestrations. Combined intimal and medial thickness was comparable in both conduits. Medial elastic tissue was more prominent in ITA grafts and lacking in eight of the 14 IEA grafts. Gross plaque formation was noted in the proximal 1 to 3 cm of 50% of IEA grafts, but the lumen was not compromised and microscopic thickening was minimal. An unexpected finding was medial calcifications (Mönckeberg's disease) in two of the 14 IEAs without associated atherosclerosis. There was one hospital death, one abdominal wound infection, and one instance of fat necrosis superficial to the sternum.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Abdominal Muscles

Right atrial versus aortic root perfusion with blood cardioplegia.

The efficacy of coronary sinus cardioplegia administered into the right atrium has not been fully defined. Thirty-two consecutive patients undergoing elective myocardial revascularization were prospectively assigned to receive cold blood cardioplegia exclusively into the aortic root (15 patients) or the right atrium (17 patients). The two groups were similar with respect to age, ventricular function, severity of coronary disease, cross-clamp time, and mean infusate volume and temperature. Completeness of revascularization was greater in the aortic root cardioplegia group (p less than 0.007). The mean septal temperature and time to achieve electromechanical arrest was greater in the right atrial cardioplegia group (p less than 0.05). The right ventricular temperature and the release of myocardial isoenzyme were similar in both groups. Left and right ventricular stroke work index was preserved equally in both cohorts. Volume loading studies performed immediately after termination of bypass suggested better left ventricular function in the aortic root cardioplegia group. Myocardial performance with a loading challenge assessed late postoperatively was superior in the right atrial cardioplegia group (p less than 0.05). There were no differences between the groups with respect to clinical outcome. The data suggest that right atrial cardioplegia (1) possesses clinical safety equal to aortic root cardioplegia, (2) possesses inferior ventricular septal cooling, and (3) yields adequate preservation of both the right and left ventricles. We conclude that right atrial cardioplegia possesses no apparent advantage over aortic root delivery in the setting of elective myocardial revascularization.

Aged

Fifteen-year follow-up for double internal thoracic artery grafts.

The internal mammary artery (IMA) is the conduit of choice for myocardial revascularization. From 1972 to 1989, 586 patients received bilateral IMA and supplemental vein grafts. There were 506 men (86%) and 79 women (14%) with a mean age of 55.5 years (range 32-77 years). Unstable angina was present in 138 patients (24%), insulin-requiring diabetes mellitus in 83 (14%) and previous myocardial infarction (MI) in 25 (4%). Preoperative angiography demonstrated triple-vessel disease in 286 patients (49%) and double-vessel disease in the remaining 300 patients (51%). Left main coronary artery disease (stenosis greater than or equal to 50%) was present in 53 (9%). The mean left ventricular score was 7.4 with a range of 5 to 20. The mean number of grafts performed was 3.4 per patient. Hospital mortality was 3.6% (21 patients). Follow-up was done through direct patient contact, via the patient's physician or by telephone contact with the patient themselves or surviving family members. Follow-up was complete in 518 hospital survivors and ranged from 1 month to 17.5 years with a cumulative follow-up of 911 patient years. At 10 and 15 years, respectively, the actuarial freedom from MI was 78% and 72% and freedom from reoperation was 93% and 86%. Actuarial survival at 10 and 15 years was 85% and 70%, respectively. This longitudinal analysis demonstrates that bilateral IMA grafting has a low operative risk. The data suggest that utilization of two IMA grafts yield excellent freedom from recurrent symptoms and provides excellent long-term survival.

Actuarial Analysis

Relation of silent myocardial ischemia after coronary artery bypass grafting to angiographic completeness of revascularization and long-term prognosis.

The prevalence and characteristics of silent myocardial ischemia as detected by 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiography ST-segment depression were prospectively assessed in 94 patients examined early (1 to 3 months) and 184 patients examined late (12 months) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), and followed for a mean of 48 +/- 11 (range 4 to 62) months. The relation of ambulatory electrocardiographic silent ischemia to evidence of completeness of revascularization as defined by cardiac angiography performed 1 and 12 months after CABG, and to prognosis by follow-up of adverse clinical events was analyzed. Silent ischemia was detected early in 20% (19 of 94) and late in 27% (50 of 184) of patients, and showed a mean frequency of episodes ranging from 6 to 10 episodes/24 hours with a mean duration ranging from 15 to 23 minutes. The circadian distribution of episodes disclosed a significant peak of ischemic activity during the period of 6 A.M. to noon and a secondary peak between 6 P.M. and midnight (p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.001, respectively). Silent ischemia was not found by univariate analysis to be associated with graft or anastomotic site occlusions, low graft flow rates, grafted arteries with significant distal residual stenoses or ungrafted stenotic native coronary arteries. Kaplan-Meier analysis of time to cardiac event showed that silent ischemia was not predictive of an adverse clinical event in the early years after CABG. Cox regression analysis of 30 covariates only disclosed age (relative risk 1.06 [95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 2.94]) as having an effect on time to adverse clinical event.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiography

Results of internal thoracic artery grafting over 15 years: single versus double grafts.

One hundred consecutive patients who had coronary artery bypass grafting using both internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) and saphenous veins, operated on during a 3-year period between 1972 and 1975, have been compared retrospectively with a series of 100 patients operated on during the same period who had one ITA graft along with saphenous vein grafts. The two groups were similar with respect to age, sex, risk factors for coronary artery disease, angina class, extent of coronary artery disease, left ventricular function, number of coronary bypass grafts performed, and completeness of revascularization. Single ITA operative mortality was 2% and double ITA, 9% (p = NS). The mean follow-up of hospital survivors was 14.4 +/- 2.7 years; all but 7 patients had follow-up for at least 10 years. At 13 years, the actuarial patency of the right ITA was 85% and the left ITA, 82%. These data strongly suggest a survival benefit for patients with double ITA grafts among hospital survivors (74% versus 59%; p = 0.05). Patients receiving two ITA grafts had a significant freedom from subsequent myocardial infarction (75% versus 59%, p less than 0.025), recurrent angina pectoris (36% versus 27%, p less than 0.025), and subsequent total ischemic events (32% versus 18%, p less than 0.01). These data also suggest improved freedom from coronary artery interventional therapy (percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty and reoperation) when two ITA grafts were used. These results support the use of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting in selected patients.

Actuarial Analysis

Myocardial preservation using lidocaine blood cardioplegia.

Prevention of ventricular fibrillation after aortic unclamping using lidocaine hydrochloride as an additive to cold potassium blood cardioplegia was studied prospectively in 46 patients undergoing elective myocardial revascularization. Patients were similar with respect to age, ventricular function, severity of coronary artery disease, cross-clamp time, completeness of revascularization, frequency of internal thoracic artery grafting, systemic temperature at the time of cross-clamp removal, and mean infusate volume and temperature. Patients receiving lidocaine blood cardioplegia (group 1, 23 patients) had a significant reduction in the incidence of ventricular fibrillation (22% versus 74%; p less than 0.0005) and in the mean number of cardioversion attempts required to defibrillate the heart (0.5 +/- 1.3 versus 1.9 +/- 0.97; p less than 0.0005) after cross-clamp removal compared with controls (group 2, 23 patients). There were no differences between the two groups postoperatively with regard to cardiac enzyme release, hemodynamic measurements, or clinical outcome. Patients receiving lidocaine blood cardioplegia tended to have a lower incidence of new postoperative atrial fibrillation (9% versus 26%). Ventricular function was preserved equally in both groups. We conclude that lidocaine is a safe additive to potassium blood cardioplegia and significantly reduces the incidence of ventricular fibrillation after aortic unclamping.

Aged