Context: The use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) provokes the inflammatory responses associated with ischemic/reperfusion injury, hemodilution and other agents. Exposure of blood cells to the bypass circuit surface starts a systemic inflammatory reaction that may causes post-CPB organ dysfunction, particularly in lungs, heart and brain. Evidence Acquisition: We investigated in the MEDLINE, PUBMED, and EMBASE databases and Google scholar for every available article in peer reviewed journals between 1987 and 2013, for related subjects to CPB with conventional or modified ultrafiltration (MUF) in pediatrics cardiac surgery patients. Results: MUF following separation from extracorporeal circulation (ECC) provides well known advantages in children with improvements in the hemodynamic, pulmonary, coagulation and other organs functions. Decrease in blood transfusion, reduction of total body water, and blood loss after surgery, are additional benefits of MUF. Conclusions: Consequently, MUF has been associated with attenuation of morbidity after pediatric cardiac surgery. In this review, we tried to evaluate the current evidence about MUF on the organ performance and its effect on post-CPB morbidity in pediatric patients.

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Background: Tracheal intubation can be associated with considerable hemodynamic changes, particularly in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. The GlideScope^® video-laryngoscope (GVL) is a novel video laryngoscope that does not need direct exposure of the vocal cords, and it can also produce lower hemodynamic changes due to lower degrees of trauma and stimuli to the oropharynx than a Macintosh direct laryngoscope (MDL). Objectives: The aim of this clinical trial was to compare hemodynamic alterations following tracheal intubation with a GVL and MDL in patients with uncontrolled hypertension. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients who had uncontrolled hypertension and scheduled for elective surgery requiring tracheal intubation, were randomly assigned to receive intubated with either a GVL (n = 30) or a MDL (n = 30). Intubation time, heart rate, rate pressure product (RPP), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), were compared between the two groups at; baseline, following induction of anesthesia, after intubation, and at one minute intervals for 5 minutes. Results: A total of 59 patients finished the study. Intubation time was longer in the GVL group (9.80 ± 1.27 s) than in the MDL group (8.20 ± 1.17 s) (P < 0.05). MAP, pulse rate, and RPP were lower in the GVL than the MDL group after endotracheal intubation (P < 0.05). MAP, heart rate, and RPP returned to pre-intubation values at 3 and 4 minutes after intubation in the GVL and MDL groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Hemodynamic fluctuations in patients with uncontrolled hypertension after endotracheal intubation were lower with the GVL than the MDL technique.

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Introduction: Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) are a group of heredity storage diseases, transmitted in an autosomal recessive manner, associated with the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in various tissues and organs. The concerned patients have multiple concomitant hereditary anomalies. Considering the craniofacial abnormality in these patients, airway management may be difficult for anesthesiologists. In these patients, preanesthetic assessment is necessary and performed with the accurate assessment of airways, consisting of the physical exam and radiography, MRI or CT of head and neck. An anesthesiologist should set up a ≴difficult intubation set≵ with a flexible fiber-optic bronchoscope and also, it may be necessary to discuss with an ear-nose and throat (ENT) specialist if required, for unpredicted emergency situations. Case Presentation: In this case-report we presented a 2-year-old boy with known MPSs with psychomotor retardation, bilateral corneal opacities, impaired hearing and vision, inguinal hernia, severe mitral regurgitation, micrognathia, coarse facial feature, stiff and short neck and restricted mouth opening. He scheduled for left inguinal hernia repair surgery. Discussion: The patient's difficult airway was managed successfully and the anesthesia of his surgical procedure had an uneventful course.

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Introduction: Cardiac diseases occur in 2-4% of pregnancies and rheumatic mitral disease is the most common acquired heart disease in pregnancy. Cardiac surgery carries significant maternal and fetal complications. Cardiac operation during pregnancy is indicated only when medical management fails. Although emergency cardiac surgery during pregnancy increases fetal mortality, sometime urgent cardiac surgery is inevitable. Cardiac surgery can be performed with relative safety during pregnancy by adopting normothermic, high flow rate circulation and continuous fetal activity monitoring. Case Presentation: We reviewed English literature of a pregnant patient undergoing cardiac surgery during pregnancy. We presented a 25-year-old woman admitted with massive hemoptysis. Discussion: The patient underwent a successful mitral valve replacement during the third trimester. The aim of our study was to propose a practical guideline for similar situations.

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Introduction: Brugada Syndrome is a cardiac ion channel disorder that affects the sodium current. This syndrome is characterized by cove-shaped ST elevation in ECG leads V1 to V3 in the absence of structural heart disease. Case Presentation: A 36-year-old man diagnosed with Brugada Syndrome was reffered to our center with frequent implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) discharges. ICD interrogation showed several appropriate ICD intervention for tachycardia detected in the ventricular fibrillation zone. Unfortunately, quinidine was not available in our country at the time of admission; therefore, we decided to ablate suspicious arrhythmogenic substrates. Programmed ventricular stimulation from right ventricle (RV) reproducibly induced a sustained ventricular tachycardia with left bundle branch block morphology and inferior axis. RV outflow tract (RVOT) endocardially mapped and earliest activation signal (90 milliseconds) achieved at posterior aspect of the RVOT septum. RF energy application at that site terminated the tachycardia and no inducible tachycardia was detected. During two-year follow-up, he had no episodes of ICD therapy and remained symptom-free with any antiarrhythmic drug. Discussion: This case clearly indicated that catheter ablation might be considered as a viable option in every patient with Brugada syndrome and frequent ICD discharge. During the electrophysiology study, intravenous procainamide may also be used to reveal future arrhythmogenic focus in this group of patients.

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Background: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is one of the common surgeries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). It is more probable for patients with diabetes to undergo surgeries due to CAD and they have a higher mortality rate compared to the others. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to assess the effects of insulin infusion therapy on blood gas parameters in two groups of patients, eligible for CABG, defined as A: well controlled diabetes (HbA1C < 7%) and B: non-diabetic patients. Patients and Methods: We followed two groups of patients, defined as patients with and without diabetes who were candidates for CABG, between March 2010 and March 2012. Patients with diabetes underwent moderate or semi-tight glycemic control, using continuous intravenous insulin infusion. Results: There were 13 male and 18 female subjects in the on-diabetic group and 11 male and 7 female patients in the controlled diabetic group. There was no significant difference between the studied participants regarding age, cardiac ejection fraction, blood pH and PO2 and PCO2 levels. Conclusions: CABG surgery adversely affects arterial blood gas (ABG) determinations. On the other hand, findings showed there is no significant difference in the ABG parameters between patients with well controlled diabetes and the ones without.

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Background: Lower limb edema may occur after removal of the saphenous veins in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Compression therapy is often used to prevent postoperative edema. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of medical compression stockings (TED) on the prevention of donor limbs edema and wound complications after CABG surgery. Patients and Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we enrolled 100 patients who underwent elective CABG surgery at Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center. The patients were divided into two groups; group A who applied TED stockings regularly (exposure group) and group B who did not apply TED stockings at all or apply it irregularly (no exposure group). The degree of donor limb edema and the differences of the peripheries of calf and thigh before and after the surgery (in 1, 2 and 4 weeks) were recorded and analyzed statistically. Results: The patients' weight (P = 0.02) and the degree of their daily activity (P = 0.002) were the significant factors for the incidence of the donor limbs edema. The incidence and degree of lower limb edema were significantly lower in exposure group 4 weeks after the surgery (P < 0.001). The differences of the periphery of the calf before (at admission time) and after the surgery (in 1, 2 and 4 weeks) between two groups were also statistically significant (P = 0.41, P = 0.39, P = 0.40, respectively). Lower limb wound complications was higher in patients who have peripheral edema in the 4th week of post-CABG (P = 0.09). Conclusions: Regular use of TED stockings may have positive effects on the prevention of donor limb edema (especially higher degrees of edema) and wound complications after CABG surgery.

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Background: Cardiovascular events are common in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), which make coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) a highly demanded surgery in this population. Tight control of blood glucose in patients with DM is beneficial in reducing postoperative complications; however, the adequate range has not been determined yet. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of semi-tight (moderate) control of DM on complications and serum glucose levels during and after CABG. Patients and Methods: In this prospective clinical trial, 18 and 31 patients with and without DM, respectively, who were referred to Shahid Chamran Hospital, Isfahan, Iran, for elective CABG surgery, were enrolled. For DM group, patients with controlled DM (i.e. glycosylated hemoglobin levels [HgA1C]< 7%) were recruited. Blood glucose level (blood sugar, BS) was measured after anesthesia, during pumping, warming, off pumping, six and 12 hours after Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, and at discharging from the hospital. The hemodynamic state of the patients, bleeding, need of blood transfusion, infection, and duration of hospitalization were also monitored and recorded. Results: None of the BS measurements (FBS, after anesthesia, on-pump, warming, off pump, six and 12 hours after ICU admission, and at discharge) were significantly different between study groups (P > 0.05). Frequency of surgery site bleeding and blood transfusion need were not significantly different between these groups (P > 0.05). Conclusions: Semi-tight control of DM with insulin infusion during operation did not led to any difference in the type and rate of CABG complications between patients with well-controlled and those without DM; however, BS levels in patients with well-controlled DM could be more easily controlled.

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