Successful Treatment of Near Fatal Cardiogenic Shock Following Toxic Mushroom Ingestion.

Myocardial injury and hemodynamic compromise following toxic mushroom ingestion is rare. Here we present a case of cardiogenic shock after ingestion, presenting with severe hemodynamic collapse necessitating mechanical circulatory support. Prompt identification, multidisciplinary clinical decision making, and timely treatment resulted in an outstanding complete clinical resolution.

Effects of the harvesting technique and external stenting on progression of vein graft disease 2 years after coronary artery bypass.

Objectives: In a post hoc analysis of the VEST III trial, we investigated the effect of the harvesting technique on saphenous vein graft (SVG) patency and disease progression after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: Angiographic outcomes were assessed in 183 patients undergoing open (126 patients, 252 SVG) or endoscopic harvesting (57 patients, 114 SVG). Overall SVG patency was assessed by computed tomography angiography at 6 months and by coronary angiography at 2 years.

Transapical and Transfemoral Combined Mitral Valve Repair With Annular and Leaflet Therapies.

Two high-risk patients were successfully treated with concomitant implantation of a transapical off-pump beating heart semirigid D-shape annuloplasty device combined in 1 case with a transfemoral edge-to-edge device and in another with transapical chordal implantation. The significant anteroposterior diameter reduction offered by the annuloplasty implantation maximized the leaflet coaptation obtained by the prolapse correction performed with the leaflet devices. Combining the transcatheter annuloplasty device and leaflet/chordal repair technologies represents progress toward definitive transcatheter treatment of degenerative mitral valve disease.

Is Axillary Better Than Femoral Artery Cannulation in Repair of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection?

Objective: We compared early and late outcomes of patients who underwent femoral versus axillary artery cannulation for repair of acute type A aortic dissection.

Methods: Between 2004 and 2017, we retrospectively evaluated the clinical outcomes of 135 consecutive patients who underwent emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection repair. Patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent femoral ( n = 84) and those who underwent right axillary ( n = 51) artery cannulation.

Clinical and Echocardiographic Outcomes after Aortic Valve Repair in Patients with Bicuspid or Unicuspid Aortic Valve.

Background: Unicuspid and bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) are congenital cardiac anomalies associated with valvular dysfunction and aortopathies occurring at a young age.

Objectives: To evaluate our experience with aortic valve repair (AVr) in patients with bicuspid or unicuspid aortic valves.

Methods: Eighty patients with BAV or unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) underwent AVr.

Pericardial Patch Augmentation Is Associated With a Higher Risk of Recurrent Aortic Insufficiency.

Background: This study assessed early and late clinical outcomes in patients who underwent aortic valve repair or an aortic valve-sparing operation and investigated predictors for failure.

Methods: Of 227 consecutive patients who underwent aortic valve repair or a valve-sparing operation in our department between 2004 and 2016, 81 (36%) underwent aortic root replacement with or without cusp repair, 97 (42%) ascending aorta replacement with or without cusp repair, and 49 (22%) isolated aortic valve repair. Clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was complete.

Short- and long-term results after prosthetic mitral valve implantation in patients with severe mitral annulus calcification†.

Objectives: To investigate short- and long-term outcomes of a conservative decalcification approach in mitral valve replacement (MVR) surgery in the presence of mitral annulus calcification (MAC).

Methods: Of the 1038 patients who underwent MVR, 133 (13%) had significant MAC with at least 30% of the annular circumference heavily calcified. In most patients, the surgical approach to MAC included conservative decalcification, supra-annular prosthesis implantation and insertion of a pericardial patch between the MV annulus and the prosthesis.

Sutureless Versus Stented Valve in Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Small Annulus.

Background: Aortic valve replacement, particularly in elderly patients with small aortic annulus, could lead to patient-prosthesis mismatch. Sutureless bioprosthesis could be an ideal solution for these patients. We compared results of aortic valve replacement with sutureless versus stented bioprosthetic valves.

Sutureless Aortic Valve: Early and Mid-Term Results at a Single Center.

Unlabelled: Background: Prolonged life expectancy has increased the number of elderly high risk patients referred for surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). These referred high risk patients may benefit from sutureless bioprosthesis procedures which reduce mortality and morbidity.

Objectives: To present our initial experience with sutureless aortic bioprotheses, including clinical and echocardiographic results, in elderly high risk patients referred for AVR.