ALERT!
This site is not optimized for Internet Explorer 8 (or older).
Please upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer or use an alternate browser such as Chrome or Firefox.
Journal and News Scan
October 18, 2013
Submitted by:
This interesting retrospective study compared the long-term results of surgical valvuloplasty and balloon valvuloplasty for congenital aortic stenosis in neonates and infants. During the study period, 86 patients underwent surgical valvuloplasty and 37 patients had a balloon valvuloplasty as first intervention. The two most important factors adversely related to long-term outcomes (including re-stenosis, re-intervention, and regurgitation) on multivariate analysis were having a balloon valvuloplasty as first procedure and undergoing initial treatment as a neonate. Freedom from reintervention at 10 years with surgery was 55% for neonates and 78% for infants. On the contrary, freedom from reintervention at 8 years with balloon valvuloplasty was 15% for neonates and 40% for infants. The authors concluded that despite the retrospective nature of this analysis (and the possibility of bias), surgical valvuloplasty is associated with better long-term outcomes than balloon valvuloplasty.
October 17, 2013
Submitted by:
In this manuscript, the authors review 44 cases of coronary artery obstruction following TAVI from a registry of 6688 patients. This complication is rare but life threatening. A number of variables such as older age, female gender, previous CABG, the use of balloon expandable prosthesis, previous surgical bioprosthesis, left coronary ostia height, and sinus of Valsalva diameter appear to be related to this complication.
October 17, 2013
Submitted by:
This paper is an expert consensus on the new definition of relevant myocardial infarction following both PCI and CABG. In patients with normal baseline CK-MB, post-procedural MI is defined as a peak CK-MB rise, measured within 48 hours of the procedure, equal or greater than 10-times the local laboratory upper limit of normal (ULN) or equal or greater than 5-times the local laboratory ULN with new pathologic Q-waves in more than 2 contiguous leads or new persistent LBBB, OR in the absence of CK-MB measurements and a normal baseline cTn, a cTn (I or T) level rise, measured within 48 hours of the procedure, greater than 70-times the local laboratory ULN, or greater than 35-times the ULN with new pathologic Q-waves in more than 2 contiguous leads or new persistent LBBB.
October 15, 2013
Submitted by:
The pulmonary autograft aortic valve replacement (Ross AVR) has clear advantages in growing children below the teenage years. Some recent reports have questioned the durability of the Ross AVR in older children and young adults, particularly those who present with predominant aortic regurgitation and a dilated aortic root. Brown and associates review their experience with the Ross operation in 79 children and young adults between the age of 10 and 20, mean of 16.0 ± 2.7 years. Analysis of outcomes including mortality, early and late complications and the need for reoperation is presented, with comparison to non-Ross AVR patients of the same age group during the same time period. The impact of technical modifications to the Ross operation is also assessed.
October 11, 2013
Submitted by:
This is a very interesting retropsective cohort study that looks at patients that either did or did not have an FFR preoperatively.
FFR for intermediate stenoses reduced the number of grafts required and increased the number of patients suitable for OFF pump surgery with no difference in clinical outcome measures.
October 11, 2013
Submitted by:
This cohort study looks at the Administration of FFP in bleeding patients after cardiac surgery. it finds no difference in mortality in the FFP group and the no FFP group
October 11, 2013
Submitted by:
71-year-old male who underwent successful minimally invasive transapical aortic valve implantation to treat severe aortic stenosis, with simultaneous pulmonary resection for the treatment of lung cancer. At five-year follow-up the patient remains free of symptoms (NYHA I) and recurrence.
October 10, 2013
Submitted by:
This randomized, double-blind study assigned pts with acute VTE who were initially treated with heparin to endoxaban or warfarin. The drugs were equivalent in preventing recurrent VTE, and endoxaban was associated with a lower risk of bleeding (p=0.004). Pts who had RV dysfunction associated with PE had a substantially reduced risk of recurrent VTE with endoxaban.
October 10, 2013
Submitted by:
This randomized trial among 115 centers assigned patients with NYHA class III or IV heart failure, a short QRS duration, and LV dyssynchrony to device implantation with or without CRT. The study was stopped prematurely by the DSMB for futility. CRT was associated with increased deaths (p=0.02) and there was no difference in the primary outcome of death or hospitalization for worsening heart failure.
October 9, 2013
Submitted by:
This issue on “Frozen Elephant Trunk” includes information on hybrid and endovascular surgical management of descending aorta and aortic arch pathologies. The issue includes a systematic review evaluating the current state of evidence on Frozen Elephant Trunks, long-term outcomes from international institutions, perspectives and opinions from leaders in the field, and operative video manuals for different hybrid prostheses.