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Journal and News Scan
January 12, 2020
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
Surely there can be no better example of how healthcare can break down all boundaries between people than this?
While Trump and Iran ramp up tensions in the region, Diego Gonzalez Rivas makes good on his promise to go and do a materclass in Kurdistan in Iraq. What a fantastic example of putting people and patients ahead of politics!
Diego, you should be put in charge of the United Nations. It looks like even in Iraq there are excellent surgeons and a need for the best surgery available for lung cancer.
January 10, 2020
Submitted by: Emily Robinson
In this editorial, Dr Joseph Dearani, Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, addresses the important and timely subject of outcomes measurement, and of transparency and public reporting of cardiac surgery outcomes.
January 10, 2020
Submitted by: Emily Robinson
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of free margin length and geometric height in normal aortic valves and aortic dilatation.
This study prospectively acquired these measurements within 132 patients, who were operated on for aortic insufficiency, aortic dilatation, endocarditis, or fibroelastoma. Patients with aortic dilatation and leaflet prolapse showed significantly larger free margin length and geometric height compared to patients with normal aortic valve function.
The authors concluded that these measurements provide a new point of view into the pathomorphology of the aortic valve and might support new aortic valve repair methods.
January 10, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Declines in US annual lung cancer mortality rates of 5% for men and 4% for women led improvements in overall cancer mortality rates in the latest update from the American Cancer Society. This is likely linked to efforts at decreasing tobacco use, improved screening, and newer systemic therapies.
January 10, 2020
Submitted by: Aristotle Protopapas
''CABG was significantly better than PCI (p=0·0066........''
January 10, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
Benign-appearing lung nodules identified on screening CTs are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer diagnosis 4 to 8 and 8 to 11 years after the scan (RRs 1.9 and 1.6, respectively).
January 8, 2020
Submitted by: Aristotle Protopapas
A medium size RCT with encouraging surgical outcomes in the era of TAVI expansion.....
January 8, 2020
Submitted by: Mark Ferguson
In this randomized trial including 330 pts with MPE, talc slurry and VATS talc insufflation under local anesthesia had similar failure rates (24% vs 22%) at 90 days.
January 3, 2020
Submitted by: Emily Robinson
Using a standardized intraoperative autologous blood donation protocol, surgical complications, postoperative transfusions, and transfusion volumes were all reduced.
January 3, 2020
Submitted by: Emily Robinson
The authors aimed to analyze the outcome of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) via carotid arteries. Included are more than 10,000 patients. The study showed a similar two-year outcome regardless of access. Transcarotid TAVI was associated with higher risk of stroke but lower rate of access site complications.