Topical Vancomycin and Risk of Sternal Wound Infections: A Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: The use of topical vancomycin in the reduction of sternal wound infection (SWI) risk has become a point of contention. The earlier literature consists of observational studies and 1 unblinded trial. Hence, the objective of this study was to assess whether vancomycin reduces the incidence of SWI in a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Redo Heart Double-Lung Transplant in a Previous Double-Lung Transplant Recipient With Pneumonectomy: A Case Report.

Placing a new donor lung into a postpneumonectomy pleural space has many potential surgical challenges. We report the technical challenges we faced in a case of a 42-year-old man who had initially undergone a double-lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Unfortunately, his left transplanted lung failed, which required a left pneumonectomy.

Outcomes of Solo Smart valve in a single-center experience of 270 patients.

Background: The Solo Smart pericardial aortic valve has been widely used in Europe as an option for aortic valve replacement (AVR). We are reporting early and midterm clinical outcomes of AVR with the Solo Smart valve in a single North America center.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of 270 consecutive patients who had AVR at Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute from February 2011 to March 2015.

Case series using the ROTAFLOW system as a temporary right ventricular assist device after HeartMate II implantation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the outcomes of using the ROTAFLOW as a temporary right ventricular assist device (RVAD) support in patients who develop right ventricular dysfunction (RVD) at the time of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation with the HeartMate (HM) II. We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients in whom the ROTAFLOW system was used for RV support during HM II implantation from October 2009 to September 2011. Twelve patients received a ROTAFLOW as an RVAD at the time of HM II implantation; 83% had preoperative echocardiography evidence of either moderate or severe RVD.

Use of RotaFlow (MAQUET) for temporary right ventricular support during implantation of HeartMate II left ventricular assist device.

Temporary right ventricular (RV) support is considered during insertion of a left ventricular assist device in patients who are at risk of right ventricular dysfunction. There are several circuits and cannulation strategies available. Here, we report an effective and safe method for achieving RV support using the RotaFlow (Maquet) extracorporeal pump with inflow and outflow grafts placed through small opposing lateral thoracotomy incisions.

Expression of QK/QR/RRRAA or DERAA motifs at the third hypervariable region of HLA-DRB1 and disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To examine the relationship between disease severity in patients with confirmed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the carriage of alleles expressing the high risk epitope (HRE) QK/QR/RRRAA or the low risk epitope (LRE) DERAA at positions 70-74 of the third hypervariable region of HLA-DRB1.

Methods: A case-control design to compare allele carriage rates in 204 Caucasian subjects with severe RA and mild RA and healthy controls. Patients had a mean disease duration of 12-18 years and severity of RA was defined using clinical and therapeutic criteria.