ALERT!
This site is not optimized for Internet Explorer 8 (or older).
Please upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer or use an alternate browser such as Chrome or Firefox.
Journal and News Scan
June 4, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Risk-prediction models are well-known in cardiac surgery—the EuroSCORE and STS models being some of the most recognized. They are used for risk stratification, decision-making, and benchmarking. However, development of these models can be complex and once a model is developed, it is important to validate it. This article by Grant and colleagues discusses various issues in developing and validating risk-prediction models to aid clinicians in gaining a basic understanding of the advantages and limitations of such models.
June 1, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Patient Care and General Interest
World No Tobacco Day was observed on May 31st, and it focused on cardiovascular disease with the 2018 theme of “Tobacco breaks hearts. Choose health, not tobacco.”
The US Food and Drug Administration recently released a safety communication focusing on surgical fires and practices that can prevent them.
Experts in India campaign for mandatory screening of newborns for critical congenital heart disease.
Research, Trials, and Funding
A surgeon in California shared his experience with awake video-assisted thoracic surgery at the recent Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society.
Early results suggest good 30-day outcomes with the Tendyne Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement system from Abbott, say researchers from Sydney, Australia, who presented the results at the recent EuroPCR meeting in Paris, France.
June 1, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Kim and colleagues retrospectively analyzed long-term patency of reimplanted branch vessels following thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair in 168 patients. Patency rates were high for visceral branches. For segmental arteries, patency rates depended on reimplantation technique and were worst for graft interpositions.
May 31, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
This randomized trial evaluating the relative efficacy of immunotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with recurrent or metastatic disease, immunotherapy was associated with significantly better progression-free survival. Tumor mutational burden was a marker for patient selection for immunotherapy.
May 31, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Liufu and colleagues evaluated outcomes for repair of supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous connection via the superior approach in 198 pediatric patients, with a median age of 95 days at the time of surgery. Repair via the superior approach avoids dispensable incisions to the atrial septum, extra force being placed on the heart, and potential anastomotic distortion. The authors found that rates of both survival (97%) and freedom from postoperative pulmonary venous obstruction (85%) were acceptable using this approach.
May 30, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
The addition of pembrolizumab (targeting PD-1) to standard chemotherapy substantially improved time to progression and overall survival compared to chemotherapy alone in patients with metastatic lung cancer.
May 29, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Umari and colleagues appraise approaches to optimize postoperative pain management after pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery. The authors recommend an opioid-sparing multimodal approach, and they discuss loco-regional analgesic techniques, nonopioid analgesics, and perioperative gabapentinoids.
May 25, 2018
Submitted by: Claire Vernon
Patient Care and General Interest
Coal miners in central Appalachia in the US have an increasing incidence of severe black lung disease and an associated increased need for lung transplantation.
Five people have received free cardiac surgery at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital in Ikeja, Nigeria, in collaboration with the VOOM foundation.
In news related to heart-healthy diets, adhering to a Mediterranean diet seemes to temper the negative cardiovascular effects of air pollution, and regular, moderate chocolate consumption is associated with reduced risk of atrial fibrillation.
Drugs and Devices
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a class I recall for the HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist System from Abbott.
Vestagen Protective Technologies has received clearance for its Vestex® Active Barrier daily-wear scrubs as a class II medical device from the US FDA for the fabric’s reduced MRSA accumulation.
Research, Trials, and Funding
Researchers in Germany find no evidence that electromagnetic field strength from electric cars interferes with cardiac implantable electronic devices.
Researchers at the University of Zurich in Switzerland are using computer simulations to predict the structural changes that will occur in bioengineered heart valves after they are implanted in sheep, with the goal of using those predictions to design customized regenerative heart valves with greater durability.
May 24, 2018
Submitted by: Aristotle Protopapas
A severe blow to the concept of venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for acute respiratory distress syndrome in the form of a well-executed randomized controlled trial.
May 23, 2018
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Over 1200 patients with stable coronary artery disease and at least one angiographically-significant stenosis were randomized to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) plus medical therapy or medical therapy alone for lesions with fractional flow reserve (FFR) <0.8. FFR-guided PCI was associated with a significantly reduced composite outcome (death, myocardial infarction, or urgent revascularization). Patients without hemodynamically significant lesions had good outcomes on medical therapy alone.