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Luigi Di Tommaso

Publications and source records attributed to Luigi Di Tommaso.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

A single-stage procedure for carotid endarterectomy and myocardial revascularization: early and late results.

Cardiac events are some of the most frequent postoperative complications of carotid endarterectomy, while cerebrovascular accidents frequently occur in patients who have undergone coronary artery bypass grafting. The strategy for treatment of combined carotid and coronary artery disease is still controversial. We report our experience with a single-stage procedure for carotid endarterectomy and myocardial revascularization during cardiopulmonary bypass; then we evaluate our early and late results. From January 1994 through December 2001, 73 patients underwent combined myocardial revascularization and carotid endarterectomy in a single-stage procedure. Three patients (4.1%) died during the early postoperative period. Five patients (6.8%) showed temporary neurologic complications, while 1 patient (1.4%) had cerebrovascular accidents with late permanent neurologic deficit. At 5.5 +/- 2.1 years' follow-up (range: 2.6-10.4 years), 9 of the 70 surviving patients had died: 5 (71%) of cardiac-related events, 2 (2.9%) of cerebrovascular-related causes, and 2 (2.9%) of noncerebral or noncardiac causes. During the late postoperative period, 6 patients experienced cerebrovascular accidents, with a linearized rate of 2.3%/pt-yr (70% confidence interval: 1.5% to 3.2%/pt-yr), and 8 patients experienced cardiac-related events, with a linearized rate of 3.8%/pt-yr (70% confidence interval: 2.8% to 4.9%/pt-yr). A single-stage procedure for carotid endarterectomy and myocardial revascularization during cardiopulmonary bypass can be considered safe and effective when it incorporates systemic heparinization, hemodilution, and moderate hypothermia with pulsatile flow and normal blood pressure, which helps to preserve normal cerebrovascular autoregulatory mechanisms.

Aged↗

Thoracic aortic emergencies: impact of endovascular surgery.

BACKGROUND: Conventional surgery for thoracic aortic emergencies, such as contained or free rupture of thoracic aortic aneurysms, acute type B dissections, and traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta, is frequently associated with a high rate of mortality and morbidity. To obviate this risk, endovascular surgery is considered to be a valid alternative procedure. METHODS: From March 2001 to July 2002, 15 of 22 patients with acute thoracic aortic syndromes were submitted to endovascular surgery: 3 patients (20%) for traumatic rupture, 4 patients (26.7%) for contained or free rupture of thoracic aortic aneurysm, and 8 patients (53.3%) for acute type B dissection evolving to rupture. Computed tomographic scan was diagnostic in all patients. The stent grafts were introduced through the femoral artery. RESULTS: In the endovascular group there were no perioperative deaths or open conversions. The intraoperative angiography and computed tomographic scan performed on discharge showed no significant endoleaks and successful sealing of the aortic dissection. Average intensive care unit and hospital stay was 1.7 +/- 0.8 and 5.9 +/- 3.0 days. Follow-up ranged between 4 and 23 months and included clinical examinations and serial computed tomographic scan at 3, 6, and 12 months, and every 6 months thereafter. One 84-year-old patient with thoracic aortic aneurysm died of pneumonia 78 days after endovascular surgery. Only one type 1 endoleak was noted in the first patient with traumatic rupture, 3 months after the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular surgery is a safe technique, showing encouraging early and midterm results and allowing for prompt treatment of associated lesions in complex multitrauma patients.

Adult↗

Mitral valve replacement and limited myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: a 25-year follow-up.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy is a dynamic obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract caused by septal hypertrophy and systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve. When the condition cannot be controlled by medical therapy the most frequently used surgical approach is left ventricular myotomy-myectomy. Mitral valve replacement (to correct another mechanism of obstruction) is another surgical option; however, its use for this condition is controversial. We review the long-term results of patients who underwent limited left ventricular myotomy-myectomy and mitral valve replacement at our institution. Eighteen patients who had hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy and severe mitral insufficiency underwent surgery between 1978 and 1983: 7 were men and 11 were women (mean age, 41.8 +/- 10.5 years). Preoperatively, most of the patients (78.8%) were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV. The operation consisted of a shallow myectomy of the hypertrophied septum and mitral valve replacement. One patient died in the hospital (5.5%); 3 patients died later during follow-up. The remaining 14 patients are alive and in good condition (mean follow-up, 21.9 +/- 1.7 years). Functional class improved postoperatively in all surviving patients. The mean left ventricular outflow tract gradient fell from 78.1 +/- 20.9 mmHg preoperatively to 9.4 +/- 5.2 mmHg postoperatively (P <0.001). At present, surgical treatment of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy does not include mitral valve replacement. However, our long-term results show that limited ventricular myectomy and mitral valve replacement predictably and consistently lower the left ventricular outflow tract gradient and resolve the mitral valve insufficiency.

Adult↗