INTRODUÇÃO: O tipo de proteção cerebral utilizado durante o implante de stent carotídeo é controverso em idosos. Nosso objetivo foi avaliar os resultados dos dispositivos de proteção embólica cerebral (PEC), proximal e distal, em pacientes > 70 anos de idade, por meio da ressonância magnética ponderada de difusão (RM-PD). MÉTODOS: Entre 2008 e 2011, 60 pacientes com indicação de stent carotídeo foram randomizados para PEC com Mo.Ma® ou Angioguard®, dos quais 26 tinham > 70 anos de idade. Os resultados da RM-PD realizada antes e 48 horas após o procedimento foram avaliados por neurologista independente e cego para o tipo de PEC utilizado. Foram analisados o número de novos focos isquêmicos, sua localização e o tamanho. RESULTADOS: Novos focos isquêmicos cerebrais foram encontrados em 8/12 (66,7%) pacientes do grupo Mo.Ma® e em 12/14 (85,7%) pacientes do grupo Angioguard® (P = 0,37). A maioria das lesões (> 90%) era ipsilateral à artéria tratada em ambos os grupos, e o tamanho das lesões foi < 0,5 cm na maioria dos casos. O número de lesões por paciente foi menor com o dispositivo Mo.Ma® (mediana [variação]: 3 [1 a 8] lesões vs. 15 [2 a 76] lesões; P < 0,001). Todos os pacientes que tiveram mais de 40 lesões pertenciam ao grupo Angioguard®. CONCLUSÕES: Mesmo utilizando PEC (proximal ou distal), novas lesões isquêmicas foram observadas em ambos os grupos em pacientes idosos. Proporcionalmente maior número de pacientes com Angioguard® teve novos focos isquêmicos se comparados aos pacientes do grupo Mo.Ma®. O dispositivo de PEC Mo.Ma® parece diminuir o número de lesões por paciente.

BACKGROUND: The type of cerebral protection used during carotid stenting in the elderly is controversial. Our objective was to evaluate the results of proximal and distal cerebral embolic protection devices (EPDs), in patients > 70 years through diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI). METHODS: Between 2008 and 2011, 60 patients with indication for carotid stenting were randomized to EPD with Mo.Ma® or Angioguard®, of which 26 patients were > 70 years of age. Results of DW-MRI performed before and 48 hours after the procedure were evaluated by an independent neurologist blinded to the type of EPD used. New ischemic lesions, their localization and size were analyzed. RESULTS: New cerebral ischemic lesions were found in 8/12 (66.7%) patients in the Mo.Ma® group and 12/14 (85.7%) patients in the Angioguard® group (P = 0.37). The vast majority of the lesions (> 90%) were ipsilateral to the treated artery in both groups and the size of the lesions was < 0.5 cm in most cases. The number of lesions per patient was lower with the Mo.Ma® device (median [variation]: 3 [1 to 8] lesions vs 15 [2 to 76] lesions; P < 0.001). All of the patients with more than 40 lesions were in the Angioguard® group. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the use of EPDs (proximal or distal), new ischemic lesions were observed in both groups in elderly patients. A proportionately larger number of patients with Angioguard® had new ischemic lesions when compared to those with Mo.Ma®. The Mo.Ma® device seems to decrease the number of lesions per patient.

FUNDAMENTO: O acidente vascular encefálico (AVE) é uma temida complicação após cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio (CRM), com incidência entre 1,3% e 4,3%. OBJETIVO: Identificar fatores preditores de AVE após CRM, na era moderna da cirurgia cardíaca. MÉTODOS: Este é um estudo caso-controle de 65 pares de pacientes, no qual o pareamento foi realizado por sexo, idade (+ 3 anos) e data da CRM (+ 3 meses). Os casos são pacientes submetidos à CRM eletiva com circulação extracorpórea (CEC), que apresentaram AVE (definido como déficit clínico neurológico até 24 horas de pós-operatório e confirmado por exame de imagem), e os controles aqueles submetidos à CRM eletiva com CEC sem AVE. RESULTADOS: A análise univariada revelou que o número de vasos revascularizados foi associado com a ocorrência de AVE após a CRM (3 ± 0,8 vs. 2,76 ± 0,8, p = 0,01). Na análise multivariada por regressão logística condicional, a hipertensão arterial sistêmica [OR: 6,1 (1,5 - 24), p = 0,009] e o diabete melito [OR: 3,1 (1,09 - 11), p= 0,03] foram determinantes de maior chance de AVE após CRM, e o infarto agudo do miocárdio > 1 mês determinante de menor chance [OR: 0,1 (0,03 - 0,36), p = 0,003]. CONCLUSÃO: Hipertensão e diabete melito foram identificados como preditores independentes de AVE nas primeiras 24 horas de pós-operatório de CRM. Em pacientes com tais fatores de risco, é possível que o conhecimento dos mecanismos causadores da injúria cerebral represente uma estratégia capaz de diminuir a incidência de AVE após CRM.

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a feared complication after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG), with an incidence between 1.3 and 4.3%. OBJECTIVE: To identify predictive factors for stroke after CABG in the modern era of cardiac surgery. METHODS: This is a case-control study of 65 pairs of patients, paired by sex, age (+ 3 years) and date of CABG (+ 3 months). The cases were patients submitted to elective CABG with extracorporeal circulation (ECC) that presented stroke (defined as clinical neurological deficit up to 24 hours post-operatively and confirmed by imaging assessment) and the controls were those individuals submitted to elective CABG with ECC, but without stroke. RESULTS: The univariate analysis demonstrated that the number of revascularized vessels was associated with the occurrence of stroke after the CABG (3 ± 0.8 vs. 2.76 ± 0.8, p = 0.01). The multivariate analysis by conditional logistic regression showed that systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) [OR: 6.1 (1.5 - 24), p = 0.009] and diabete mellitus (DM) [OR: 3.1 (1.09 - 11), p= 0.03] were the determinants of the highest chance of stroke after CABG, whereas acute myocardial infarction (AMI) > 1 month, was the determinant of the lowest chance of stroke [OR: 0.1 (0.03 - 0.36), p = 0.003]. CONCLUSION: Hypertension and diabete mellitus were identified as independent predictors of stroke within the first 24 postoperative hours after CABG. In patients with such risk factors, it is possible that the knowledge of the causal mechanisms of brain injury represents a strategy capable of decreasing the incidence of stroke after CABG.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a evolução hospitalar de pacientes submetidos a implante percutâneo de stent nas artérias carótidas. MÉTODOS: De agosto/96 a abril/01 estudamos 86 pacientes que apresentavam lesão obstrutiva na artéria carótida >70% e foram tratados com implante percutâneo de stent. Mensuramos o sucesso do implante, do procedimento, os tipos de stents utilizados, a mortalidade e as complicações neurológicas. RESULTADOS: O sucesso do implante foi alcançado em 98,9%, enquanto o procedimento em 91.8%. O stent mais utilizado foi o Wallstent em 73 (77%) pacientes. Houve 3 (3,2%) acidentes vasculares cerebrais transitórios, 1 (1,1%) acidente vascular cerebral menor e 3 (3,2%) acidentes vasculares cerebrais maiores. A mortalidade hospitalar foi de 1 (1,1%) paciente. CONCLUSÃO: O alto índice de sucesso no implante de stents (98,9%), aliado à baixa taxa associada de acidente vascular cerebral/morte de (4,2%) demonstraram a eficiência e segurança do implante percutâneo de stent nas artérias carótidas.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the in-hospital evolution of patients undergoing percutaneous stent placement in the carotid arteries. METHODS: From August 1996 to April 2001, we studied 86 patients with carotid arterial obliterative lesions > 70% who were treated with percutaneous stent placement in the carotid arteries. We assessed the rate of success of the implantation and of the procedure, the types of stents used, mortality rate, and neurological complications. RESULTS: Successful implantation was obtained in 98.9% of the cases, and the procedure was successful in 91.8%. The Wallstent was the most frequently used stent (73 patients - 77%). Cerebral strokes occurred as follows: 3 (3.2%) transient ischemic attacks, 1 (1.1%) minor stroke, and 3 (3.1%) major strokes. One (1.1%) patient died during hospitalization. CONCLUSION: The high rate of success of stent implantation (98.9%) in addition to the low rate of cerebral stroke/death (4.2%) showed the efficiency and safety of percutaneous stent placement in carotid arteries.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the dromotropic disturbances (vector-electrocardiographic), and the possible anatomic causes, provoked by selective alcohol injection in the septal branch, for percutaneous treatment, of obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. METHODS: Ten patients with a mean age of 52.7 years underwent percutaneous septal ablation (PTSA) from october 1998; all in functional class III/IV). Twelve-lead electrocardiogram was performed prior to and during PTSA, and later electrocardiogram and vectorcardiogram according to Frank's method. The patients were followed up for 32 months. RESULTS: On electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to PTSA all patients had sinus rhythm and left atrial enlargement, 8 left ventricular hypertrophy of systolic pattern. On ECG immediately after PTSA, 8 had complete right bundle-branch block; 1 transient total atrioventricular block; 1 alternating transient bundle-branch block either right or hemiblock. On late ECG 8 had complete right bundle-branch block confirmed by vectorcardiogram, type 1 or Grishman. CONCLUSION: Septal fibrosis following alcohol injection caused a predominance of complete right bundle-branch block, different from surgery of myotomy/myectomy.