Content from the Journal of the American Neurological Surgeons.
IntroductionScimitar syndrome is a rare congenital disease characterized by lung hypoplasia and anomalous pulmonary venous return from the right lung to the inferior vena cava (IVC) or right atrium (RA). This anomalous pulmonary vein is referred to as the scimitar vein (SV). Without surgery to correct this left-to-right shunt, many patients are at risk of…
The patient was an 80-year-old former smoker who presented with shortness of breath and chest pain. Computed tomography showed a large filling defect in the main pulmonary artery presumed to be a pulmonary embolus. Further workup with transthoracic echocardiography revealed a 2.5 x 2.1 cm pedunculated mobile mass in the main pulmonary artery, just distal…
A 41-year-old male patient presented with sinus rhythm, PAPS 44 mm Hg, left atrial dimention 45 mm, LVEF 70%, severe mitral regurgitation with mechanism, A2-P2 prolapse, and A3-P3 prolapse. A triple-orifice repair (TOR) with annuloplasty was performed. At intraoperative TEE, the three orifices showed a mean total valve area of 2.9 cm2 with no residual…
The authors present a right modified Blalock-Taussig-Thomas shunt via median sternotomy using a cryopreserved saphenous vein homograft. The patient was a 2-month-old, 5.2 kg infant with heterotaxy, situs ambiguous, and dextrocardia. He presented with cyanosis and an echocardiogram showed double outlet right ventricle with transposed great arteries and multilevel severe right ventricular outflow tract obstruction.…
The patient was a 63-year-old male chronic smoker with a positive family history of lung cancer. Computed tomography (CT) scan thorax was suggestive of 1.4 x 1.2cm mixed GGO in the S3 segment of the left upper lobe. The rest of the investigations were normal. The authors started with a standard 3-port VATS approach dissecting…
Leanne Harling, cardiothoracic surgeon at Imperial College, UK, moderates a discussion with Tom Routledge, clinical lead at Guy’s Hospital, London; Alberto Sandri, consultant surgeon at Ospedale San Luigi Gonzaga, Turin, Italy; Nirmal Kumar, lead ENT and consultant surgeon at Wrightington Wigan & Leigh NHS Foundation Trust; and Nigel Mercer, president of Federation of Surgical Specialty…
Abberent subclavian artery is the rare anatomical variation of aortic arch where the right subclavian artery origin is distal to the left subclavian artery. Its way to the right arm crosses the midline posterior to the esophagus. Operative approach and timing to correct this condition has not been well-defined. A muscle-sparing right thoracotomy was used…
To date, one million confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 virus have been reported worldwide with a death toll of over 50,000 (1). Particular concern has been raised regarding the exposure of healthcare professionals. Early reports from the Wuhan province in China described up to 29% infection rates among healthcare professionals before the use of personal protection…
On Friday, April 3, more than 1200 international attendees engaged in a live, interactive virtual grand rounds to dissect the impact and implications of COVID-19. The event was moderated by Tom C. Nguyen (Chief of Cardiac Surgery, University of Texas – Memorial Hermann, Houston), Joanna Chikwe (Chairman of Cardiac Surgery, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los…
Prior to sternal closure, at the end of surgery involving neonatal arch reconstruction using a PTFE graft-to-innominate artery for antegrade cerebral perfusion, the graft is clipped flush to the artery, milked empty with a second clip placed at a few centimeters, and tacked to the upper sternal border, in anticipation for easy retrieval during sternal…
Filmed on March 25, 2020, Drs Elizabeth David and Anthony Kim discuss the experience of caring for COVID-19 patients in South Korea with thoracic surgeons and intensivists on the frontline of the pandemic. They are joined by Drs Young Tae Kim and Samina Park, thoracic surgeons; and Drs. Sang-Min Lee and Hogeol Ryu, critical care…
The authors present the case of a 68-year-old patient with fibrinous pericarditis with clinical and echocardiographic symptoms of tamponade. Despite not having prior lung involvement, the initial suspicion of the disease was a tuberculosis of extrapulmonary location, given that the patient was a resident in a geographical area with a high prevalence of this disease.…
Filmed on March 30, 2020, Joanna Chikwe of Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, interviews Thoralf M. Sundt of Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston about cardiac surgery in the era of COVID-19. Discussion topics include regional care planning, cardiac surgery during surge, and leadership during crisis. Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org…
Mara Antonoff, a cardiothoracic surgeon at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Texas, takes us into her home and along to work to demonstrate the process she follows to help protect her family during the COVID-19 pandemic. Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and…
In this video, the authors present the surgical resection of a left atrial myxoma. The patient was an 84-year-old woman who was admitted at a regional hospital for recent onset of effort dyspnea (NYHA functional class 3). A cardiac ultrasound showed a left atrial mass prolapsing in the left ventricle. She was then transferred to…
Intrapericardial teratomas are rare tumors arising from all three germinal layers. They are mostly benign, but can lead to life-threatening complications such as cardiac tamponade in newborns. The authors present the case of a 25-day-old girl who was antenatally detected to have a tumor in the mediastinum. Her birth weight was 2.8 kgs, and she…
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