Journal and News Scan

Guidance document to assist in decision making and triage of congenital cardiac surgical patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. The article also includes guidance principles on the need and methods to preserve the workforce and emphasizes the need for regional collaboration, use of telecommunication technologies, and the evolving role of the congenital cardiac surgeon in the pandemic.  

Topical review on the epidemic in Britain, with a number of observations that relate to the cardiothoracic surgeons and all healthcare professionals:

-The assertion that the National Health Service in Britain was overrun PRIOR to the pandemic.

-The assertion that acute angina is now being undertreated.

-Perhaps most worryingly, the assumed increase in non-COVID positive deaths in Scotland.

In the light of the government poised to review the lockdown in an attempt to balance the prevention of another viral infestation versus the conceivable grave financial implications here in the UK and worldwide, it is interesting to see their take on the financial toll on patients.

The authors present a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials regarding the outcome of ticagrelor-based antiplatelet therapies in patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. They found a reduced rate of major adverse cardiac events and a reduced mortality in these patients receiving aspirin and/or clopidogrel. This finding should be investigated in randomized trials, as it could potentially change the standard of care of CABG patients.

This position statement recapitulates the role of the clinical perfusionist in Germany. The needed qualifications to accomplish the complex tasks are described and responsibilities defined. This consensus statement is an important step to emphasize the clinical perfusionist as an important partner for cardiac surgery and cardiology.