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Journal and News Scan
November 20, 2025
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
This cross-sectional study compared the personality traits of 224 Dutch vascular surgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, and interventional radiologists using the validated Big Five Inventory-2. While all specialists showed higher levels of open-mindedness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, along with lower levels of negative emotionality compared to the general population, notable differences emerged between the specialties. Cardiothoracic surgeons were found to be more agreeable than interventional radiologists, while vascular surgeons showed lower levels of negative emotionality. Facet-level analyses revealed distinctions in compassion, creative imagination, and assertiveness. These differences suggest that unique personality patterns exist even among professionals working within similar cardiovascular care pathways. Importantly, personality differences have been linked with surgical outcomes, clinical decision-making, and teamwork, and should be investigated further.
November 20, 2025
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
In this article, the authors review the current and emerging role of robotic-assisted surgery in vascular surgery. They describe the evolution of surgical robotic systems and summarize evidence on robotic procedures such as aortoiliac reconstruction, internal thoracic artery (ITA) harvesting, heart transplantation, renal vein transposition, and inferior vena cava interventions. While early results demonstrate technical feasibility, improved precision, and reduced recovery times, limitations persist, including high costs, lack of vascular-specific instruments, and the absence of formal training programs. The authors emphasize the need for dedicated curricula, specialized tools, and collaborative innovation to advance robotic vascular surgery.
November 20, 2025
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
This multicenter study from the TITAN trial examined the quality of life in 157 patients with moderate ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (ATAA) undergoing surgery (n=52) or surveillance (n=105) between 2019 and 2022. After propensity matching and a 13-month follow-up using short form survey (SF)-36 questionnaires, surgical patients who underwent surgery showed significantly greater improvements compared to those receiving surveillance in mental component summary scores, general health, and mental health. The study concluded that surgical treatment of moderate ATAAs improves the mental aspects of quality of life at one year compared to surveillance.
November 13, 2025
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
This study explores the use of artificial intelligence (AI) for auscultation in diagnosing heart failure in Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting its potential to improve access to cardiovascular care in resource-limited settings. The research demonstrates that AI-based auscultation tools can effectively identify heart failure, offering a solution for early detection and management in regions with limited specialist availability. This approach may help bridge gaps in cardiovascular health equity by supporting timely diagnosis and intervention.
November 13, 2025
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
The authors report seven-year outcomes of the PARTNER 3 trial comparing transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in 1,000 low-risk patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis. At seven years, there were no significant differences between groups in the primary composite endpoints of death, stroke, or rehospitalization (34.6 percent for TAVR vs 37.2 percent for SAVR; HR 0.87, 95 percent CI 0.70–1.08). Mortality was similar (19.5 percent vs 16.8 percent), as were stroke (8.5 percent vs 8.1 percent), and valve failure (6.9 percent vs 7.3 percent). Valve hemodynamics and patient-reported outcomes remained stable. TAVR resulted in less atrial fibrillation but had higher rates of pacemaker implantation and paravalvular regurgitation.
November 13, 2025
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
This international EACTS-endorsed survey assessed current practices and sought consensus on defining periprocedural myocardial infarction (PMI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Among 175 respondents from 29 countries, 46.4 percent reported using a specific PMI definition, with the most common being the Universal Definition of Myocardial Infarction (UDMI-4). Proposed biomarker thresholds for PMI varied, depending on the presence of supporting imaging evidence. Respondents emphasized diagnostic sensitivity over specificity (79.8 percent vs 20.2 percent). The study reveals substantial heterogeneity in clinical practice and underscores the need for a standardized CABG-specific PMI definition with high diagnostic accuracy to ensure consistent reporting and clinical interpretation.
November 13, 2025
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
This study analyzed 3,394 pediatric congenital heart disease (CHD) patients listed for heart transplant from 2014 to 2023. Of these, 16.5 percent received ventricular assist device (VAD) support while waitlisted. Waitlist mortality was higher in the VAD group (25.7 percent vs 16.2 percent). Among 2,248 transplanted patients, VAD-supported cases showed similar post-transplant events and five-year survival compared to non-VAD patients. VAD use increased from 20 to 73 cases annually. It was concluded that pediatric CHD patients bridged-to-transplant with VAD achieve comparable long-term survival to those without VAD.
November 6, 2025
Submitted by: Mujtaba Mubashir
The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (EACTS), The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS), and The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) recently released joint consensus guidelines on use of temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS). This field has evolved significantly during the past decade. This document comprehensively discusses the goals of tMCS, device selection and various configurations, patient evaluation and selection, as well as contraindications to the use of such devices. These comprehensive guidelines also discuss their role in heart failure, including their use as a bridging strategy, monitoring and anesthetic management in patients with tMCS, postoperative management in the ICU—including ventilator strategies, renal management, anticoagulation techniques—as well as ultimate weaning and explantation techniques.
November 6, 2025
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
This article explores the challenges and benefits of growing up with a mother in cardiothoracic (CT) surgery. Through a preliminary survey of 12 adult children of women CT surgeons, the study highlights both positive and negative impacts. Most respondents described their mothers as role models who instilled independence, resilience, problem-solving, and career inspiration. However, limited parental availability due to workload often created emotional distance, particularly during early childhood. The findings emphasize the need for institutional reforms, such as flexible scheduling, parental leave, childcare support, and mentorship, to promote work-life integration. Ultimately, the authors conclude that systemic support is essential to ensure women surgeons can thrive in both career and motherhood.
November 6, 2025
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
This study analyzed 32,036 adult heart transplant recipients from 2010 to 2023 to assess long-distance donor (LDD) utilization after the 2018 allocation policy change. LDD use increased from 5.5 percent to 14 percent, with mean donor distance rising from 171 to 288 miles. Risk-adjusted survival was significantly better with LDD at 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year intervals. Distance correlated weakly with ischemia time. Despite increased cold ischemia time (from 3.20 to 3.60 hours), outcomes improved with LDD, suggesting that distance alone does not predict ischemia time or survival.