Preoperative anemia management program reduces blood transfusion in elective cardiac surgical patients, improving outcomes and decreasing hospital length of stay.

Background: Anemia is an independent risk factor for hospitalization, readmission, prolonged length of stay (LOS), diminished quality of life, and mortality. A multidisciplinary program was implemented to manage anemia preoperatively as a patient blood management (PBM) initiative.

Methods And Materials: From March 2016 to August 2018, 240 patients were screened for anemia during their preoperative cardiovascular visit.

Titanium Fastener Utilization During HeartMate 3 Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using titanium fasteners for securement of the inflow sewing ring during HeartMate 3 implantation. The secondary objective was to compare cardiopulmonary bypass and total operative times between the titanium fastener and hand-tied knot groups.

Methods: Clearance between the sewing ring and the HeartMate 3 device was assessed in vitro.

Video assisted right mini-thoracotomy for aortic valve replacement.

Aortic valve replacement through minimally invasive access is increasing. These procedures have several advantages over conventional sternotomy including decreased intensive care unit and hospital length of stay and decreased ventilation time. The right anterior mini-thoracotomy (RAM) approach is potentially attractive in that it completely spares the sternum leading to improved cosmesis, reduced blood loss, and improved patient satisfaction.

Video assisted right mini-thoracotomy for aortic root replacement.

Aortic root replacement is typically performed through a median sternotomy. The right anterior mini-thoracotomy approach has been shown to decrease hospital length of stay in aortic valve surgery when compared to sternotomy. This approach is rare in ascending aortic surgery due to technical challenges which include exposure and annular suture placement.

Novel Automated Suturing Technology for Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacements.

Purpose: Annular suture placement during minimally invasive right anterior thoracotomy aortic valve replacements (MI-AVR) can be challenging. We present the early clinical experience with novel automated suturing technology that may reduce the technical difficulty of this operation.

Description: The technology presented involves an automated articulating suturing device that simultaneously drives dual-curved needles through the aortic annulus to place a pledgeted horizontal mattress suture remotely; a second device with 2 straight needles places suture through the sewing cuff of a prosthetic heart valve.

Implementation of a Standardized Transfusion Protocol for Cardiac Patients Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Is Associated With Decreased Blood Component Utilization and May Improve Clinical Outcome.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation supplies oxygenated blood to the body supporting the heart and lungs. Survival rates of 20% to 50% are reported among patients receiving ECMO for cardiac arrest, severe cardiogenic shock, or failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass following cardiac surgery. Bleeding is one of the most common complications in ECMO patients due to coagulopathy, systemic anticoagulation, and the presence of large bore cannulas at systemic pressure.

Cannulation-Related Complications on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Prevalence and Effect on Mortality.

Cannulation-related complications are a known source of morbidity in patients supported on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Despite its prevalence, little is known regarding the outcomes of patients who suffer such complications. This is a single institution review of cannulation-related complications and its effect on mortality in patients supported on VA-ECMO from January 2010-2015 using three cannulation strategies: axillary, femoral, and central.

Early and late outcomes with prolonged open chest management after cardiac surgery.

Objectives: Open chest management (OCM) is an important intervention for patients who are unable to undergo sternal closure after cardiac surgery. This study reviews the factors associated with a prolonged need for this intervention and investigates its association with early and late mortality.

Methods: Patients undergoing OCM from January 2009 to December 2014 were reviewed.

Anticoagulation Reversal Strategies for Left Ventricular Assist Device Patients Presenting with Acute Intracranial Hemorrhage.

The safety of alternative vitamin K antagonist (VKA) reversal strategies in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD's) who present with intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) are not well known. A review of LVAD patients with ICH from May 2008 to 2015 was conducted, comparing the safety and efficacy of 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate-assisted VKA reversal (4F-PCC group, n = 10) to reversal with traditional agents alone (no-PCC group, n = 10). An analysis of a no-reversal strategy in selected patients (n = 11) with ICH was additionally performed.

Single-Center Experience With HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device Explantation.

In patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVADs) myocardial recovery is uncommon. Given the heterogeneity of the population implanted and low incidence of recovery, the discovery of native left ventricular (LV) recovery and criteria for explantation of CF-LVAD system is not clearly determined. We sought to analyze the characteristics of the patients who underwent CF-LVAD explantation at our institution.

Late erosion of Amplatzer septal occluder device resulting in cardiac tamponade.

Transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) is a minimally invasive technique that offers an alternative to conventional surgical repair. There are risks imposed by this technique; however, they compare favourably with risks of surgical closure. Here, we present a case of a 59-year old male with late erosion of an Amplatzer septal occluder device resulting in cardiac tamponade 5 years after device placement.