Does the solution used for cold static storage of hearts impact on heart transplant survival?

A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was 'For the [cold static storage of donor hearts] does the [cardiac preservation solution] impact on [heart transplant survival]?'. Altogether 182 papers were found using the reported search, of which 9 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question.

Preoperative cigarette smoking and short-term morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery: a meta-analysis.

Currently, the choice of whether or not to electively operate on current smokers is varied among cardiothoracic surgeons. This meta-analysis aims to determine whether preoperative current versus ex-smoking status is related to short-term postoperative morbidity and mortality in cardiac surgical patients. Systematic literature searches of the PubMed, MEDLINE and Cochrane databases were carried out to identify all studies in cardiac surgery that investigated the relationship between smoking status and postoperative outcomes.