CTSNet’s 10 Most Popular Articles of March 2023

March saw some superstar content on CTSNet. The most popular videos last month included a two-part heart transplant demonstration, lung transplant news, a heart valve procedure roundup, and more. 

1. Orthotopic Heart Transplant Using Bicaval Technique Part 1: Recipient Cardiectomy
By Suguru Ohira, David Spielvogel, Masashi Kai

The month’s top article is one of a two-part series of videos on heart transplantation, the first of which demonstrates the authors’ technique for cardiectomy of the recipient’s heart, leaving in place the atrial septum.

2. Reoperative Aortic Root and Cabrol Procedure with Aortic Arch and Descending Thoracic Aorta Replacement
By Stanley Wolfe, Dane Paneitz, Adam Paine, Thoralf Sundt, Arminder Jassar

Next up, this patient required reoperation and an additional thoracic aorta replacement after imaging revealed a graft infection from a previous Cabrol procedure and aortic arch replacement.

3. Orthotopic Heart Transplant Using Bicaval Technique Part 2: Implantation of Donor Heart
By Suguru Ohira, David Spielvogel, Masashi Kai

The second stage of this two-part procedure was also among the most popular CTSNet videos this month. In a unique demonstration of the bicaval technique, the authors detail a step-by-step donor heart implantation after a successful removal.

4. 5 Heart Valve Procedures to Expand Your Knowledge
By Cameron Lind

As surgeons increasingly focus on perfecting heart valve surgeries, these procedures have become among the most valuable videos on CTSNet. This roundup article focuses on five of the most popular heart valve procedure videos over the past year.

5. How to Deal with a “Seagull Deformity” in Diamond-Shaped Sequential Coronary Anastomoses
By Vasily Kaleda, Oleg Orlov, Pavel Karavaikin, Anatoly Molochkov

Using a simulator, the authors of this video show the repair of a ‘seagull deformity’ in diamond-shaped sequential anastomoses—graft flattening and kinking at the anastomotic site.

6. JANS: Robotic-Assisted Lung Transplant Completed

The most popular JANS article this month broke the news of a groundbreaking robotic-assisted lung transplant performed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. The new technique allows for a shorter recovery time for the patient and better visualization and precision for the surgeons.

7. Sponsored Content: Robotic Mitral Repair Using the Medtronic SimuForm™ Annuloplasty Ring
By Meindert Palmen

A video from Medtronic demonstrates the use of a robotic system in mitral valve repair. The surgeon provides annotations along the way, allowing viewers to follow along more easily with the complex procedure.

8. JANS: New Double Lung Transplant Technique Is Successful in Two Late-Stage Cancer Patients

In a method evolved from pioneering double-lung transplants in COVID-19 patients, this popular JANS item describes two successful double-lung transplants in stage 4 lung cancer patients. The new technique allows both lungs to be replaced at once to avoid the spread of cancer from the diseased lung to the donor lung.

9. Featured Profile: Penelope Adinku
By Penelope Adinku, Cameron Lind

This month’s featured profile put the spotlight on the first female cardiac surgeon in Ghana, Penelope Adinku. Dr. Adinku talked to CTSNet about her inspiration to become a surgeon, her accomplishments, challenges facing Ghana’s surgical programs, and more.

10. Two-Patch Repair Technique for Scimitar Syndrome via Vertical Right Axillary Thoracotomy
By Ali Mashadi, Sameh Said

The final video on the list this month demonstrates repair of scimitar syndrome, which is characterized by the presence of a scimitar vein creating an anomalous return from the right lung. In this case, the defect was repaired using two bovine pericardial patches.