Journal and News Scan

There is clinical equipoise surrounding the perioperative and long-term effects of autoimmune myasthenia gravis (MG) patients undergoing open versus minimally invasive thymectomy, particularly for nonthymomatous MG. This analysis utilizes multicenter, real-world clinical evidence to assess perioperative complications of open and minimally invasive thymectomy techniques in MG patients.

The Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium was queried for patients undergoing repair of conotruncal abnormalities and subsequent AVR 1982 - 2003.   Of 106 patients undergoing AVR, the operative mortality was 12%, and was related to infant age at the time of surgery (OR = 55).   Transplant-free survival at 25 years was 53%.  Transplant-free survival at 20 years was inferior to that of patients undergoing AVR for non-conotruncal abnormalities (61% vs 82%).  Valve type was not associated with outcomes.

More than 40,000 children in the United States are undergoing congenital heart surgery annually. Yet, the relationship between hospital quality and costs remains unclear. This article explores this issue.

This newly released AHA scientific statement offers a comprehensive review of the latest imaging and measurement techniques for patients with chronic aortic dissection and clarifies the need for standardized measurements and reporting for lifelong surveillance. It is divided into seven parts: epidemiology and anatomic spectrum; pathophysiology; managment of chronic aortic dissection; imaging technique; measurement principles; surveillance imaging; and risk stratification and new developments. The emerging role of imaging and computer simulations is examined to predict aortic false lumen degeneration, remodeling, and biomechanical failure from morphological and hemodynamic features.  The writing group also identifies critical knowledge gaps and research needs that may serve as an impetus for additional research and development.