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Journal and News Scan
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.
January 3, 2020
Submitted by: Emily Robinson
Using the NCDB, the authors evaluated outcomes for patients with T4a esophageal adenocarcinoma. Receipt of surgery, compared to definitive chemoradiotherapy, offered a significant benefit to overall survival (HR 0.26).
Professor David Taggart Responds to the EXCEL Authors' Rebuttal of the Criticisms of the EXCEL Trial
January 1, 2020
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
In the ongoing debate about the results of the EXCEL trial in which Professor Taggart withdrew his authorship and EACTS withdrew their support for the recommendations regarding PCI versus CABG, we previously posted the response from the EXCEL remaining coauthors :
https://www.tctmd.com/slide/official-response-excel-leadership
This posting is Professor Taggart's response to this document.
Also see here for EACTS response:
https://www.eacts.org/changing-evidence-changing-practice/
A full list of all the documents relevant to this discussion provided by the SCTS will also be available on the SCTS website. As more information becomes available, SCTS will endeavour to post it online and communicate with members directly, as appropriate. Please use the following link for items that are included as separate PDFs. Thank you. (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9bq984evzqzkky5/AAAGTLyNYcUCiagA4dYkJ8Npa?dl=0)
- EXCEL trial (8th December 2016)
EXCEL trial 5-year outcomes (28th September 2019)
https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1909406
https://solaci.org/_files/tct-2019/excel-5yearpdf.pdf- TCTMD commentary (7th October 2019)
- BBC news story (9th December 2019)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-50715156 - EACTS initial response to Newsnight article (9th December 2019)
https://www.eacts.org/eacts-responds-to-bbc-newsnights-investigation-on-the-excel-trial/ - Cardiovascular news commentary (9th December 2019)
https://cardiovascularnews.com/eacts-issues-response-to-bbc-newsnight-investigation-of-excel-trial/ - TCTMD commentary (10th December 2019)
- British Cardiovascular Intervention Society (BCIS) statement (11th December 2019)
https://www.bcis.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/The-Excel-controversy-finalab.pdf - Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery in Great Britain & Ireland (SCTS) joint statement with BCS & BCIS (12th December 2019)
- Official response of EXCEL Leadership (12th December 2019)
https://www.tctmd.com/slide/official-response-excel-leadership - Medscape commentary & podcast (13th December 2019)
- SCTS second statement (18th December 2019)
- Taggart response to EXCEL rebuttal (19th December 2019)
https://www.tctmd.com/slide/response-david-taggart-md-phd-excel-statement - EACTS subsequent statement (19th December 2019)
- ATTS statement (21st December 2019)
https://www.aats.org/aatsimis/AATSWeb/Association/About/Statement%20ESC-EACTS.aspx
Genes Associated With Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm and Dissection: 2019 Update and Clinical Implications
December 31, 2019
Submitted by: Wei-Guo Ma
This is an updated list of genes associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Dr Elefteriades and associates published the first version in 2017 and made an update in 2018. During the last year, six new genes were reported to be associated with thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection.
December 31, 2019
Submitted by: Emily Farkas
As a new political crisis for the United States evolves in Iraq, this is a timely glimpse at the impact of medical diplomacy. "In conflict zones, I enter each operation knowing that each surgery - mostly open-heart - is saving a life while all around us people are dying for mere thought differences. This frequently is my first thought in the morning and last at night." - Dr. William Novick