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Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano 6900, Switzerland

A standardised intraoperative ultrasound examination of the aorta and proximal coronary arteries

eComment: Congratulations for this excellent and coherent clinical work [1]. Neurological complications during/after cardiac surgery can be devastating and can completely cancel all benefits of surgery for the patients affected. We must acknowledge the fact that the profile of patients referred to surgery is changing (and will continue to do so) towards older individuals with complex comorbidities. Therefore, we have to struggle to keep our results good. Work like yours demonstrates that atheromas do exist even when we do not suspect them and that knowing where they are is better than simply hoping to not hit them. The next step is of crucial importance: the adaptation of surgical strategy: consider an OPCAB procedure instead of the scheduled straight forward pump run, consider alternative strategies for the proximal anastomosis and/or for the whole revascularization or for the scheduled valve procedure. I hope you will catch up with a following paper based on this vast and profound experience in which you could show the impact of the ultrasound findings on your surgical strategy.

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1. Royse A, Royse C. A standardised intraoperative ultrasound examination of the aorta and proximal coronary arteries. Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2006; 5:701–704.[Abstract/Free Full Text]

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Stefanos Demertzis Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Demertzis, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Demertzis, S. Related Collections Related Article