In this comprehensive article the author describes the potential harmful effects of peri-operative allogeneic transfusions during cardaic surgery employing the CPB circuit. The author also describes potenital risks of low hematocrits during CPB as would be seen when employing Acute Normovolemic Hemodilution technique for blood conservation.
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Cardiac
January 20, 2015
The investigators of this project aimed to validate the SYNTAX Score II. This is a risk prediction tool that combines clinical characteristics and the original anatomical SYNTAX score in order to make 4 year mortality predictions with PCI or CABG in patients with unprotected left main disease (ULMCA) and an original SYNTAX score <33).
January 19, 2015
This video demonstrates a patch repair on a 62-year-old male patient with situs inversus.
January 18, 2015
This a retrospective study of 175 patients who had survived more than 12 months following TAVI and for whom there were clinical and echocardiographic follow up data. Outcomes were compared between patients with significant (grade II or more) aortic regurgitation (AR) and those without significant aortic regurgitation (less than grade II).
January 18, 2015
This is an interesting review of the current status of hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR). The authors discuss the merits and disadvantages of simultaneous versus staged procedures and describe the individual components of HCR. They also analyze the current evidence with regards to results and suggest indications for this type of therapy.
January 18, 2015
Anemic off-pump CABG (n=361) versus on-pump CABG (n=578) patients were compared. In anemic patients, off-pump CABG was associated with lower early morbitidy and mortality. 1 to 6 month follow-up mortality, however, was higher in the off-pump CABG cohort.
January 17, 2015
The authors perform a meta-analysis of the limited studies available on the utility of tricuspid valve surgery in patients with significant TR at the time of LVAD implantation. No RCTs are available on this issue; however, six observational studies were analyzed by the group.
January 15, 2015
Dr. Asai and colleagues from Japan report on their midterm results using the "butterfly" technique of leaflet resection for posterior leaflet prolapse. In this procedure, the shape of the resected specimen of prolapsed leaflet resembles the shape of a butterfly as opposed to the conventional quadrangular shape.
January 14, 2015
The authors describe a "huge" increase in ECMO usage for pulmonay failure with a trend, though not statistically significant, towards improved outcomes.
January 14, 2015
This RCT compared daily 200mg or 300mg of FXI-ASO (an antisense oligonucleotide that reduces levels of factor XI) to daily 40mg of enoxaparin in pts undergoing knee replacement surgery. The end point was thromboembolism. FXI-ASO significantly reduced factor XI levels in a dose-response manner. FXI-ASO 200 mg was equivalent to enoxaparin in frequen