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Journal and News Scan
June 24, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The authors compared the results of annuloplasty with flexible and rigid rings in patients with tricuspid valve regurgitation. This is a propensity score-matched analysis with 98 pairs. They concluded that both rings are equally effective, however the rigid one causes a more complete right heart reverse remodelling.
June 24, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The RESCUE study recruited 178 patients with heart failure and systolic dyssynchrony. Patients were randomized to CABG alone or to CABG with concomitant epicardial CRT implantation. Results for long-term survival (55 ± 10.7 months) were in favor of the CABG+RCT group.
June 22, 2016
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
In his new book The Naked Surgeon: The Power and Peril of Transparency in Medicine, Samer Nashef of Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK reports that of the 115 specialists surveyed, 30% said that they had recommended non-surgical treatment to high risk patients to avoid a poor mortality rating.
June 11, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The authors summarize findings in a single institution retrospective review of patients undergoing pre-discharge VTE screening after pneumonectomy for NSCLC and compare outcomes to an historic series of patients who did not have screening. Rates of VTE in the screened group were 8.9% at discharge, an additional 3.4% within 30 days postop, and 5.4% >30 days postop. These rates were significantly higher than in the non-screened cohort. VTE was associated with decreased survival at 1 year.
Commentary:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223%2816%2930070-8/fulltext
June 11, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The author describes the growing role of SBRT in lung cancer therapy and the growing role of radiation oncologists in decision-making regarding lung cancer. The cautionary note is that surgeons need to remain actively involved in staging, patient assessment, and treatment recommendations.
Commentary:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223%2816%2930466-4/abstract
June 11, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The authors compare single-institution retrospective data on outcomes of coronary bypass grafting or PCI for isolated CAD in over 12,000 pts. Overall survival was better for PCI patients (46% vs 34% at 15 yrs). However, survival for patients undergoing CABG with multiple arterial grafts was superior to most other interventions at 15 years and was similar to PCI with drug-eluting stents.
Commentary:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223%2816%2930072-1/fulltext
June 11, 2016
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The authors summarize currently available catheter-based treatments for mitral regurgitation. The options are numerous and are evolving rapidly.
Commentary:
http://www.jtcvsonline.org/article/S0022-5223%2816%2930318-X/fulltext
June 11, 2016
Submitted by: J. Rafael Sadaba
This manuscript reports on the 3-year follow up results of the CoreValve US Pivotal Trial in which patients with aortic stenosis at high risk for surgery were randomly assigned to self-expanding TAVR or SAVR in a 1:1 manner. At 3 years, the results of this analysis demonstrate a sustained 3-year clinical benefit of TAVR with a self-expanding prosthesis over SAVR. There was a reduction in all-cause mortality and stroke. TAVR was also shown to have lower 3-year mean aortic valve gradients and larger effective orifice areas compared with SAVR. Moderate or severe AR was higher with TAVR compared with SAVR. There were no differences in the occurrence of structural valve deterioration over time in the 2 groups.
June 8, 2016
Submitted by: Tom C. Nguyen
In medicine we often use words not understandable to patients. For example, instead of saying, "does it hurt when you pee,” we say, “dysuria”… Roughly 80% of patients don’t understand their medical condition (Am J Emerg Med. 2000; PMID 11103725). This cartoon animation provides a clear explanation to help patients understand aortic stenosis.
June 5, 2016
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
The surgeon who gave his name to the simple but dramatic procedure used to rescue people from choking saved someone’s life with the Heimlich Manoeuvre for the first time this week aged 96.
Dr Henry Heimlich’s technique for dislodging food or objects caught in people’s throats has been credited with saving untold thousands of lives around the world since he invented it in 1974 – but he had never once had cause to use it in an emergency situation himself.