Journal and News Scan

Check out this focused issue by JOVS with partecipation of major experts from the globe. Is subxiphoid approach the future for lung resections? 

In the last few years there is a rediscovered and enthusiastic interest for subxiphoid incisions to get access to the pleural cavities. In this focused issue edited by Giuseppe Aresu we learn about the state of the art and future perspectives.

The type and extent of mitral valve remodeling in response to ischemic mitral regurgitation may predict success/recurrence after mitral valve repair.  The authors collected 3-dimensional data from patients with ischemic MR and from patients with normal valves and analyzed the data geometrically.  Remodeling was identified by lengthening of the middle portion of A2, an increased nonplanarity angle, and an increased tenting angle of P3. 

In a retrospective review of patients undergoing esophagectomy at two high volume centers, the incidence of hiatal hernia was 5% - 10%.  The incidence did not differ between open and MIE approaches.  Two-thirds of the hernias were discovered incidentally, although half of those patients were symptomatic.  Mortality in patients undergoing urgent correction was almost 20%.

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (CC-TGA) is a complex form of congenital heart disease that may require left ventricular re-training prior to a double switch procedure. This study reviewed experience in 24 patients with CC-TGA who were enrolled in a left ventricular re-training program. Eighteen of the 24 patients underwent successful double switch, and 5 additional candidates are considered good candidates for a double switch. These results demonstrate that left ventricular re-training offers a reliable strategy in CC-TGA