COMPLICACIONES GASTROINTESTINALES ENCONTRADAS EN FALLECIDOS DESPUÉS DE UNA CIRUGÍA CARDIOVASCULAR. EXPERIENCIA DE CINCO AÑOS / Gastrointestinal complications found in deceased patients after cardiovascular surgery. Five years of experience.

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Gastrointestinal complicationsin heart surgery are low, between 0.4 to 2.9%;however, its diagnosis is of vital importance because itis associated with high mortality rates. An investigationwas conducted to determine the frequency of thesecomplications in those who died after cardiac surgery.Method: A retrospective study of 5 years (1999-2003)was performed in the Cardiovascular Surgery Department.Autopsy reports and medical records were analyzedto study gastrointestinal complications accordingto their frequency and their possible relationship tothe cause of death. Results: There were a total of 57deaths, 38.6% were valve replacements, 54.4% coronaryartery bypass grafting and 7.0% vascular prostheses.Multi-organ failure was predominant (38.6%),followed by stroke (26.3%) and shock (17.5%). 26complications were found, of which 15 (57.7%) indeaths from multiple organ failure, 6 (23.1%) in patientswith an infarct, 4 (15.4%) in the shock and 1 (3.8 %) ina dead from a pulmonary embolism. The acute hemorrhagic gastroenteropathy was the most frequent61.6%, acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis shared11.5%, just as mesenteric thrombosis and peptic ulcerdisease with 7.7% each. Conclusions: The acutehemorrhagic gastroenteropathy was the most frequentcomplication. Most complications appeared in thediseased from multi-organ failure and stroke. The identificationof risk factors, use of appropriate prophylaxisand the constant evaluation of these patients may helpwith early diagnosis and the establishment of the mostsuccessful therapy.

Keywords

• digestive system processes
• hemorrhage
• ulcer
• autopsy
• thoracic surgery