Appropriateness guidelines for inferior vena cava filter utilization: A contemporary review.

Concern regarding the exponential increase in optional utilization of inferior vena cava filters (IVCFs) in the early 2000s with a persistent low retrieval rate nationwide has resulted in increased scrutiny regarding clinical application of IVCFs. IVCFs are used in a variety of clinical scenarios, ranging from thromboembolic protection in patients with deep venous thrombosis and contraindication to anticoagulation to prophylactic deployment in multitrauma and critically ill patients. Evidence supporting IVCFs as mechanical thromboembolic protection in certain clinical scenarios has been established through evidenced-based guidelines.

Exploring how military culture shapes veterans' perception of aortic aneurysm repair: A qualitative study.

Background: Veterans represent a distinct cultural group whose perceptions of illness and treatment are influenced by military culture. The study explores how prior military service shapes Veterans' assumptions and behaviors in the setting of aneurysm repair surgery.

Study Design: We conducted content and thematic analysis of a case series of 10 transcripts from telephone interviews with older (76.

Hybrid Pelvic Revascularization in Complex Aortoiliac Aneurysm Repair.

Revascularization of complex pelvic vascular anatomy presents an ongoing clinical challenge when treating aortoiliac disease. As vascular surgeons continue to intervene upon increasingly complex aortoiliac pathology, the role of pelvic revascularization is important for the preservation of pelvic organ function and prevention of devastating spinal cord ischemia. In this study we describe the indications, techniques, and clinical outcomes of a novel hybrid pelvic revascularization repair that focuses on optimizing revascularization while limiting pelvic surgical dissection during the management of complex aortic pathology in patients physiologically or anatomically unsuitable for traditional pelvic revascularization techniques.

Insight Into the Optimal Timing of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Patients being considered for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are frequently diagnosed with coronary artery disease. In patients requiring revascularization, there is a paucity of data informing when to perform percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI). We evaluated the impact of PCI timing on clinical outcomes and readmissions after TAVR.

Concomitant paravisceral and thoracic mycotic aortic aneurysms in a cirrhotic patient.

In the present case report, we have described concomitant, rapidly expanding, abdominal and thoracic mycotic aortic pseudoaneurysms in a patient who had originally presented for right arm superficial thrombophlebitis and a right-hand abscess in the presence of methicillin sensitive bacteremia. Within 12 days, the patient had developed a rapidly expanding paravisceral mycotic abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm that required open surgical repair. After the initial operation, she developed a thoracic mycotic aortic aneurysm that ultimately required open surgical repair.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement for patients with severe bicuspid aortic stenosis.

Background: Patients with bicuspid aortic valve stenosis (BAV) were excluded from all the trileaflet aortic valve stenosis (TAV) pivotal trials, and therefore, their outcomes are not clearly defined. The aim of the study was to evaluate the outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with BAV and compared them with those of TAV.

Methods: We evaluated the outcomes following TAVR of patients with BAV at our institution between April 2011 and November 2016 and compared them with the outcomes of patients with TAV treated with TAVR.

Review of alternative access in transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has surpassed surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) as the most common treatment strategy for severe symptomatic aortic stenosis over the past decade. As TAVR technology has continued to advance, it has been expanded from being an option only for extreme risk patients to now being the preferred option for the majority of patients with severe aortic stenosis. Recent trials have shown that TAVR is superior or non-inferior to SAVR even in patients at low surgical risk.

Anti-Pig Antibody in Infants: Can a Genetically Engineered Pig Heart Bridge to Allotransplantation?

Background: Patients with congenital heart disease have high heart transplant waitlist mortality, and mechanical support is suboptimal. To evaluate feasibility of cardiac grafts from a genetically engineered triple-knockout pig as a bridge to allotransplantation, preformed anti-pig antibodies were measured in pediatric and adult patients.

Methods: Flow cytometry measured serum immunoglobulin M (IgM) or IgG binding to wild-type and triple-knockout red blood cells (RBCs), with binding to human O-negative RBCs as a negative control.

Evaluation of a Standardized Cardiac Athletic Screening for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Athletes.

Introduction: Sudden cardiac death is a rare cause of death in young athletes. Current screening techniques include history and physical exam (H and P), with or without an electrocardiogram (ECG). Adding point of care cardiac ultrasound has demonstrated benefits, but there is limited data about implementing this technology.

The Case for Cardiac Xenotransplantation in Neonates: Is Now the Time to Reconsider Xenotransplantation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome?

Neonatal cardiac transplantation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is associated with excellent long-term survival compared to older recipients. However, heart transplantation for neonates is greatly limited by the critical shortage of donor hearts, and by the associated mortality of the long pre-transplant waiting period. This led to the development of staged surgical palliation as the first-line surgical therapy for HLHS.

Comparison of Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Versus Without Diabetes Mellitus and With Versus Without Angina Pectoris (from the Duke Databank for Cardiovascular Disease).

Angina pectoris (AP) has different prognostic implications in various populations. Patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) may experience neuropathy such that AP may not be perceived in the setting of coronary artery disease (CAD). The prognostic utility of AP in DM patients with CAD is not well known.

Response to Exercise Training and Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure and Diabetes Mellitus: Insights From the HF-ACTION Trial.

Background: In HF-ACTION (Heart Failure: A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training), exercise training improved functional capacity in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Previous studies have suggested that diabetes mellitus (DM) may be associated with an attenuated response to exercise. We explored whether DM attenuated the improvement in functional capacity with exercise.

Supervised vs unsupervised exercise for intermittent claudication: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Supervised exercise (SE) is widely accepted as an effective therapy for intermittent claudication (IC), but its use is limited by cost. Unsupervised exercise (UE) represents a less costly alternative. We assessed the comparative effectiveness of SE vs UE in patients with IC.