Objective method to evaluate the competency of residents in cardiac surgery.

Objectives: Cardiac surgery training has become more challenging as patients and their diagnoses become more complex. Our goal was to develop a multicategorical assessment model for evaluating residents in cardiac surgery. This model is intended to ensure goal-directed progress in their training as well as to recognize and support their surgical talents.

Mid-term results of a modified arterial switch operation using the direct reconstruction technique of the pulmonary artery.

Background: There is ongoing discussion as to whether it is beneficial to avoid pulmonary sinus augmentation in the arterial switch operation. We report a single-surgeon series of mid-term results for direct pulmonary artery anastomosis during switch operation for transposition of the great arteries (TGA).

Methods: This retrospective study includes 17 patients with TGA, combined with an atrial septal defect, patent foramen ovale or ventricular septal defect.

Familial ankyloglossia (tongue-tie): a case report.

Ankyloglossia (tongue-tie) is a congenital anomaly with a prevalence of 4-5% and characterized by an abnormally short lingual frenulum. For unknown reasons the abnormality seems to be more common in males. The pathogenesis of ankyloglossia is not known.

Cardiac myxomas: short- and long-term follow-up.

Background: Cardiac myxomas are the most frequently encountered benign intracardiac tumors, that, if left untreated, are inexorably progressive and potentially fatal. Patients with cardiac myxoma can be treated only by surgical removal. This study summarizes our experience over 22 years with these tumors.

Endovascular aortic arch repair after aortic arch de-branching.

Purpose: Conventional surgical therapy of aortic arch aneurysms consists of aortic arch replacement requiring cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. This method is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, mainly due to neurologic complications and the sequelae of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. Thus, it makes sense to work on developing less invasive surgical techniques.

Upregulation of phospholipase d expression and activation in ventricular pressure-overload hypertrophy.

Evidence for a role of phospholipase D (PLD) in cellular proliferation and differentiation is accumulating. We studied PLD activity and expression in normal and hypertrophic rat and human hearts. In rat heart, abdominal aortic banding (constriction to 50% of original lumen) caused hypertrophy in the left ventricle (as shown by weight index and ANP expression) by about 15% after 30 days without histological evidence of fibrosis or signs of decompensation and in the right ventricle after 100 days.

Comparison of cardiac troponin I versus T and creatine kinase MB after coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with and without perioperative myocardial infarction.

Background And Purpose: Cardiac troponins have shown to be specific markers of myocardial injury. The aim of this prospective study was to compare patterns and kinetics of troponin I and T after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with or without perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI).

Patients And Methods: 119 patients (male/female: 96/23, age 64 +/- 10 years) underwent first time elective CABG.

Annexin V does not represent a diagnostic alternative to myoglobin for early detection of myocardial infarction.

Annexin V is a calcium binding protein, which is widely present in various cells and tissues. Due to an early release reaction after myocardial injury the determination of annexin V might be useful for the rapid diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure annexin V in comparison to myoglobin in samples from healthy individuals, patients suffering from acute or chronic liver, renal, and pulmonary diseases as well as acute coronary syndromes and aortocoronary bypass surgery.