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Journal and News Scan
September 18, 2015
Submitted by: Arie Blitz
This sub-study of the Randomized On/Off Bypass (ROOBY) trial compared clinical outcomes and 1-year graft patency between CABG cases where residents vs. attending surgeons were the primary operator. Graft patency rates were similar between resident- vs. attending-completed distal anastomoses for on-pump (83.0% vs. 82.4%) and off-pump (77.2% vs. 76.6%) procedures.
September 18, 2015
Submitted by: Stuart Grant
This study describes activity and outcomes for both standard aortic valve implantation and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in England and Wales in the TAVI era. The study demonstrates that both standard aortic valve implantation and TAVI acitivity have increased since TAVI was first performed in the United Kingdom. The proportion of all aortic valve implantations performed by TAVI has increased from 0.8% in 2007 to 10.9% in 2012. Procedural outcomes have improved for both standard AVR and TAVI over time.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
Authors report on visceral malperfusion in a series of 121 patients with acute type A aortic dissection. They postulate that in case of severe visceral ischaemia, abdominal surgery should be performed first to avoid irreversible ischaemic damage caused by circulatory arrest required for aortic repair.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The paper evaluates de novo development of aortic insufficiency (AI) following implantation of continuous flow left ventricular assist (84 HeartMate II, 13 HeartWare, 2 VentrAssist). Preoperatively, 17 patients had mild AI, which did not change later. Fourty-three of the other 82 patients developed new AI, with no influence on survival. Rate of freedom from de novo AI at 1 year after VAD implantation was 35.9%. Smaller body surface area, larger aortic root diameter and higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure were identified as the independent preoperative risk factors.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
This single-center study analyses outcomes of living-donor lobar lung transplantations. Eight out of 38 patients who survived more than three months developed chronic lung allograft dysfunction (CLAD). Six of these eight patients had undergone bilateral transplantation. Unilateral CLAD was observed in three and bilateral CLAD developed in the other three patients.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
Perhexilene modulates cardiac metabolism and is expected to provide myocardial protection during cardiac surgery in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy. The agent was tested in a randomized clinical trial and administered per os preoperatively. The primary endpoint was use of inotropics for low cardiac output. The trial was halted after analysis of 110 of 220 planned patients due to the lack of difference between the groups for the primary and also for secondary endpoints.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The authors describe the tricks and traps of minimally invasive approach during VAD implantation, by associating mini anterior left thoracotomy in the fifth intercostal space with a mini anterior right thoracotomy in the second intercostal space, without the aid of CPB in paravertebral block regional analgesia combined with mild general anaesthesia.
September 17, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
Arthur Caplan of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU Langone Medical center poses a difficult ethical question: how many hearts should one child receive? Dr. Caplan presents the case of a young patient who recently received a third heart transplant.
September 16, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
No guidelines for credentialling ECMO physicians exist, so the authors surveyed ECMO programs to determine what institutional credentialling mechanisms consist of. The survey response rate was 42%. 66% of institutions require credentialling, 57% of institutions had credentialling mechanisms, and yearly recertification was required in 16%.
September 16, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Outcomes of the California Cancer Registry for patients undergoing resection for Stage I NSCLC were evaluated according to Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation status and lung resection procedure volume. High volume hospitals (>50 annually) had better survival compared to medium (20-50 annually; HR 1.23) and low volume (<20 annually; 1.77) hospitals. Survival was not associated with CoC status.