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Journal and News Scan
May 8, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Targeting specific genetic changes in cancer cells offers patients personalized therapy for their tumors. The number of identified abnormalities is rapidly increasing, and determining whether they represent driver mutations or background noise is increasingly difficult. The IBM Watson supercomputer will be used by 10 US cancer centers to identify actionable targets and match them to existing therapies.
May 5, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
In this paper, Nilsson et al present the first international survival prediction model for heart-transplanted patients. The findings from this study show that a flexible non-linear artificial neural network model can be used to predict both short- and longterm mortality with higher accuracy. Furthermore, the results indicate that a survival prediction based organ sharing system may allocate more organs compared with a criterion-based system.
May 4, 2015
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
Check out this great website, where a group of students in London took on a project to try to develop a depth sensing endoscope which will tell you how close your instruments are to tissues in the Thoracic cavity ( Much like a parking sensor in a car)
A glimpse of the future ?
Let these students know what you think
Of Note if you have any other projects that you think computer scientists can do at UCL, just let us know. They will do it for free !!!
CTSNet editors
April 30, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
This prospective study evaluated QOL and lung function after extended pleurectomy/decortication (EPD) for mesothelioma in 36 patients. Patients with performance status (PS) 0 experienced little or no improvement in QOL but did have a significant decrease in lung function (FVC, FEV1, TLC, DLCO). Patients with PS 1-2 experienced improved QOL and no important change in lung function.
April 30, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Results of AV valve surgery in patients with Fontan circulation were evaluated over a 23 year period. 54 (9.3%) of patients requird AV valve surgery, mostly prior to the Fontan operation. 90% of patients were free from death or transplantation at 5 years; this fell to 81% at 10 years. Nearly 45% required AV valve reoperation. The rate of persistent AV valve regurgitation was 26% at 5 years and 33% at 10 years.
April 30, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Patients with LV dysfunction who underwent complete surgical revascularization were evaluated with angiograms, echo, and MR (evaluating late vascular enhancement with contrast). About 70% of dysfunctional segments segments demonstrated improved wall motion after revascularization, and this was unrelated to the degree of late vascular enhancement evident preoperatively.
April 30, 2015
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Results of moderate hypothermic arrest and antegrade cerebral perfusion (MHCA group) were compared with deep hypothermic arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion (DHCA) for management of hemiarch reconstruction using single institution data. The MHCA group was older and more often affected by atherosclerotic aneurysm. MHCA was associated with shorter CPB times and aortic crossclamp times and with less need for transfusion. Acute outcomes were similar between the groups.
April 28, 2015
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
You have heard of 4 port, 3 port, 2 port and now uniportal VATS lobectomy. You may have tried Robotic lobectomy. You may also have heard of subxiphoid only or TEMLA only lobectomy.
Well here is another approach for your collection ! However for me it has the advantages of minimal learning curve for VATS lobectomists, and smaller incisions than uniportal vats in the intercostal spaces, and of course a new gadget or two to try which has to be a good thing !!
Anyway it is not for me to say what I like about it, it is for you to tell me what you think.
April 28, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
The authors report on excellent results of surgical revascularisation of pseudo-occluded carotid arteries.
April 28, 2015
Submitted by: CTSNet Staff
Over a time of 25 years, 51 patients underwent the Ross and 14 the Ross-Konno procedure. Rates of freedom from right ventricular outflow tract intervention was 59% and from autograft intervention was 81% at 15 years. About half of the patients had mild-to-moderate aortic root dilatation.