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Journal and News Scan
Fascinating confirmation of null hypotheses including bleeding complications and survival in a Pennsylvanian cohort study, despite the easily predictable previous PCI, hock, and IABP prevalence in the emergency group. The statistical model is elaborate and complex. Perhaps a randomized trial could now be justified!
A useful detailed review (or state-of-the-art article) on revascularisation in extracardiac vascular stenoocclusive atheromatosis.
A glimpse of what could be a future for surgery..........
This examination of readmission rates is based on data from nearly 40,000 patients from the STS Database having undergone elective pulmonary lobectomy. Readmission was driven by complications during the index operation, notably pulmonary embolism, empyema, pleural effusion, and pneumothorax. Improved pleural space management may offer a means to mitigate readmission rates.
Over 30% of lung resection patients in the STS Database had prior exposure to opioid use. They experienced longer length of postoperative stay, more frequent visits to the ED, and a higher incidence of readmission within 90 days. Athough there is growing interest in standardized enhanced recovery pathways after lung resection, this challenging subset of patients appears to require unique targeted postoperative interventions.
Chyle leak remains a challenging postoperative complication to manage, and avoidance is always easier than mitigation. The only predisposing factor identified in this study was low BMI. Although ICU stay was longer in affected patients, operative mortality, hospital LOS, and survival were not negatively impacted by the presence of a leak.
A good discussion on the concepts of:
1. aortic true lumen and false lumen behavior after repair of acute Type A aortic dissection
2. distal anastomotic new entry tear after hemiarch repair
3. impact of above on clinical outcomes
4. strategies on preventing distal anastomotic entry tear
The authors communicate that improved understanding of these hemodynamic conditions may serve to improve surgical technique, guide creation of novel devices toward new therapeutic targets, reduce surgical risk, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.
On May 25, 2021, Dr. David Heimansohn successfully performed the first surgical implantation of biopolymer Tria™ heart valve in a patient with mitral valve disease at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, IN.
Foldax’s Tria valve is fabricated with a polymeric, silicone-rich polyurethane material intended to resist calcification, improve valve durability, and, most importantly, avoid the need for lifelong anticoagulation.