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Miami Minimally Invasive Valves
Joseph Lamelas, MD
Dedicated to the Advancement of Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
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Posts tagged as cardiac tumors

I have enclosed a link to the Annals of Cardiothoracic Surgery.
I have submitted 4 publications to this journal that I would like for all of you to review.
Two are relevant to Minimally Invasive AVR/MVR, one on Minimally Invasive AVR, and one on Building a Minimally Invasive Valve Program, of which I was a co-author with Dr. Tom Nguyen.
In addition, I think that all of the contributions to this journal are significant and will help advance the subspecialty of minimally invasive valve surgery.
I urge all to subscribe.
There are previous editions of this journal which are excellent and I believe serve as a reference for all Cardiothoracic Surgeons.
www.annalscts.com

Over the years I have modified my technique for inserting the post for the atrial lift system.  Believe it or not,  patients were complaining about pain from this insertion site more than from the mini thoracotomy incision.

In the past I was making a small incision in the chest where I wanted to insert the post and thereafter passed a tonsil clamp from the incision and into the chest. I would then take a red rubber catheter , place it through the thoracotomy incision and pull it out through the small incision.  I would then use the red rubber catheter to guide the post back into the chest and later attach it to the blade.  I think that maybe the insertion of the clamp was just too traumatic.

Please view this short video to see the new technique that I strongly recommend.  I have provided the link below. (When you view it,  click on settings, which is the little pin wheel on the lower bar, third from the right.  This is the settings button. Click Quality and the select 720 HP. The resolution will be better)

If anyone has any suggestions or a better way, I would appreciate any comments.

 

As I have mentioned in a previous blog, I have been getting more comfortable with using Del Nido Cardioplegia.

I have enclosed the components that we utilize.

We use a 4:1, blood: cardioplegia ratio

I believe that it has been described using a 1:4 ratio.

I usually deliver a 2 liter induction dose and then I give an additional 500cc , 45-55 minutes later.

I would recommend not giving an additional dose within 20 minutes of unclamping because I have noticed that the heart is a bit more stunned and takes longer to resume electrical activity.

1 liter of Plasmalyte or Isolyte or Normasol

Mannitol 20% 16 mL
Magnesium 2 g 4 mL
KCL 35 mEq
Sodium Bicarbonate 13 mL
Lidocaine 2% 6.5 mL

I usually end up using approximately 2 liters of this cardioplegia because I also utilize this solution to irrigate the aortic root and LV after debriding the calcium or for testing my mitral valve repair.

I know that we are all busy in our daily work and family lives , but please take the time to answer a few questions.
Everyone who has subscribed to the blog has an interest in minimally invasive surgery.
To those that don’t accept it, it is disruptive. To those that embrace it, realize that the future is minimally invasive surgery.

1. How can we disseminate the word to the public?
2. How can we better train surgeons?
3. Why is adoption slow?
4. How can we facilitate the operation? (Different techniques or instruments)
5.  Should these techniques be offered to all surgeons? (Recently graduated or experienced surgeons)

Our patients have benefited and there is a real benefit. Don’t let the skeptics and antagonists cloud our vision of the future. Remember, nothing comes easily, but those who change the current philosophies in cardiac surgery are those who contribute to its advancement.

Please respond directly through the blog or my personal email (jlamelasmd@aol.com)

I value EVERYONE’S response. They will be kept anonymous unless you chose otherwise.

This is my approach to axillary cannulation.  Once you watch the video you can convince yourself that you don’t need to add a side branch/graft to the axillary artery. I have used a Seldinger technique to cannulate the axillary artery but as you can see from the video, you do need to exert a little bit of pressure to pass the cannula. The axillary artery is more elastic and doesn’t allow passage of the cannula as freely as the femoral artery. With this in mind, as well as having to repair several arteries, I have been going to a more direct approach. This means that I obtain both proximal and distal control of the vessel, perform and arteriotomy, then directly cannulate the artery. I will pre-load a wire in the cannula so that once I introduce the cannula, I pass the wire into the artery, preferably with flouro guidance and thereafter, I will advance the cannula. I will almost always obtain an angio at this point. I have a few tricks to pass the wire if it becomes difficult to advance.  I will follow up with another blog post with this trick. Remember, keep your tool box full !!!!

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