Journal and News Scan

Blood of septic or healthy pigs was used in a 12-h ECMO mock loop experiment. No higher activation of coagulation or inflammatory response or increased problems with the oxygenator was found with septic compared to control blood. 

The authors report here on the results of the Italian CHEETAH study, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining whether adding the unique inotrope levosimendan—in low doses—improves 30-day mortality after cardiac surgery in patients with perioperative LV dysfunction.  The trial was halted after the first 506 patients were enrolled because of the futility of continuing the trial. There were no significant differences between the levosimendan group and the placebo group in 30-day survival, as well as for any of the measured postoperative secondary outcomes.  (Levosimendan is currently not FDA approved for use in the U.S.)

The authors describe use of a stented jugular vein graft in the mitral position in infants at a median of 8.5 months and 5.6 Kg.  Hemodynamics improved substantially, with no important MR or paravalvular leak.  The ratio of the narrowest subaortic dimension in systole to the actual mitral valve dimension <0.5 was associated with LV outflow tract obstruction.  

Using MR scans and computational fluid dynamics, the authors sought to evaluate differences in flow, shear stress, and oscillatory shear stress in normal individuals and patients with 1 of 4 different categories of aortic valvular disease.  The flow patterns were patient and category specific, and may provide the ability to determine interventions on an individualized basis.