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Journal and News Scan
September 30, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
This retrospective review compares the outcomes of heart failure patients who used continuous-flow left ventricular device (CF-LVAD) support with patients listed as primary transplant candidates at the same center. The results showed that CF-LVAD patients had excellent outcomes regardless of how long they were on the waitlist. This change of risk should be taken into account when considering CF-LVAD support as a bridge to transplant.
September 30, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
Since the human genome was fully sequenced, new methods of screening, diagnosing, and treating patients for heart conditions have emerged. Researchers have found that genetic variations can help to predict sudden cardiac death and thoracic aortic events. Some scientists are even developing a gene therapy treatment to prevent atrial fibrillation after surgery. These accomplishments in genetics could prevent numerous cardiac related mortalities.
September 30, 2022
Submitted by: Aristotle Protopapas
This editorial describes the evolving pathway of diagnosing a disease that is predicted to augment the indication for orthotopic cardiac transplantation. Cardiac involvement of sarcoidosis accounts for the majority of deaths in sarcoidosis patients, so it is important to better understand its symptoms. The differential diagnosis with giant cell myocarditis will certainly be of importance in providing nuance to the decisions of the transplant meeting.
September 23, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
This study aimed to establish risk factors for venous thromboembolism (VTE), a significant cause of mortality in lung cancer surgical patients. Unlike in surgical specialties that have adopted postdischarge VTE prophylaxis, in thoracic surgery the evidence is scarce. The study concluded that patients undergoing more extensive procedures and patients with advance stage lung cancer have an increased VTE risk. Strategies to reduce VTE risk should be considered in these patients.
September 23, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
As robotic surgery continues to advance and become a more established method in cardiothoracic and other surgical specialties, concerns have arisen surrounding cybersecurity. Healthcare systems are particularly vulnerable to cybersecurity attacks, and the complex nature of robotic surgery systems creates additional risk. To mitigate that risk, it is important to recognize system complexity, regularly update software, follow cybersecurity best practices, and increase transparency with robotic surgery patients.
September 20, 2022
Submitted by: Aristotle Protopapas
Plasma metabolomic profiles were examined to determine differences in social determinants of health between Black and white women. This observational study paves the groundwork for further investigation of social disparity in atheromatous disease. The historical hereditary effect of renin aldosterone axis regulation may be proven to reflect such disparities (related to slave trade and water deprivation) concerning people with African heritage. In fact, the study concluded that the significant difference in metabolomic profiles between Black and white women may be associated with coronary heart disease risk and racial disparities in the US.
September 15, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
Over the past three decades, more than 76,000 heart transplantations have been performed. This study evaluated trends and outcomes of patients who underwent the procedure to treat peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM)—a disease limited to female patients—the frequency of which increased over the study period. The analysis found that the ten-, fifteen-, and twenty-year survival rates were significantly lower among PPCM heart transplant patients than other female heart transplant patients. Additionally, survival rates were even lower among Black and Hispanic patients. However, the survival rate among PPCM patients did improve over the last decade, particularly for Black transplant patients.
September 9, 2022
Submitted by: Wei-Guo Ma
The authors of this study reported the safety and one-year clinical outcomes of the Thoraflex Hybrid frozen elephant trunk prosthesis from the US Investigational Device Exemption trial. Follow-up was available in 63 of 65 patients from twelve centers at one-year, when the mortality was 11 percent (7/65), and freedom was 81 percent (51/63) from major adverse events, including permanent stroke (n = 3), permanent paraplegia/paraparesis (n = 3), unanticipated aortic-related reoperation, or all-cause mortality (n = 7); planned extension procedures were performed in twenty-six (41%), including twenty-two endovascular procedures by a median of four months. While one-year results are acceptable, long-term data are needed to assess durability of the repairs.
September 9, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
While transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has revolutionized the treatment of aortic stenosis, a new study in the American Journal of Cardiology showed that there may be a high risk of in-hospital mortality for patients who undergo surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) after TAVR. Because of questions surrounding the long-term durability of TAVR, future cardiac surgery often has to be considered. In patients who underwent SAVR after TAVR because of various complications, the mortality rate after one year was 53 percent. This number is higher than past studies and must be monitored as TAVR becomes a more common procedure. Read the full study here.
September 8, 2022
Submitted by: Cameron Lind
According to Duke University Health, a team of its surgeons has completed the first partial heart transplant, with living arteries and valves from a donated heart fused onto the heart of the existing newborn patient. This method allows the entire heart to grow as one, which could eliminate the need for multiple heart surgeries in a child’s lifetime and potentially extend the life of the child by decades. The patient has shown remarkable growth since the procedure and will provide insight for future children born with congenital heart diseases.