Bleeding Risk of Anticoagulation Reversal Strategies Before Heart Transplantation: A Retrospective Comparative Cohort Study.

Heart transplantation (HT) poses high bleeding risks, especially for patients on anticoagulation. This study evaluates the use of idarucizumab for dabigatran (DBG) reversal compared to vitamin K antagonist (VKA) strategies in HT. A retrospective analysis of HT patients from January 2018 to December 2022, excluding those requiring ECMO immediately before or after surgery, was conducted.

EValuating the Effect of periopeRaTIve empaGliflOzin on cardiac surgery associated acute kidney injury: rationale and design of the VERTIGO study.

Background: Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a serious complication in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with extracorporeal circulation (ECC) that increases postoperative complications and mortality. CSA-AKI develops due to a combination of patient- and surgery-related risk factors that enhance renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) such as empagliflozin reduce renal glucose reabsorption, improving tubulo-glomerular feedback, reducing inflammation and decreasing intraglomerular pressure.

Infectious complications following major heart surgery from the day of the surgery to hospital discharge.

Background: At some point in their lives, many people will require major heart surgery (MHS). Patients are generally older adults with various risk factors for infection. However, the incidence of infection after MHS is poorly known, as reported infection data are frequently biased due to different factors like the surgical procedure, postoperative timing, and infectious syndromes or etiologic agents, among others.

Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour in the right ventricle of a 66-year-old man.

Herein, we present the case of a 66-year-old man with an inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour. An inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour is an extremely rare entity, with only 60 cases having been reported to date in the literature. The origin of this type of tumour is unknown and the treatment of choice is surgical resection.

Percutaneous Closure of Mitral Paravalvular Leaks Generating Refractory Heart Failure in the Immediate Postoperative Period.

We present two patients with refractory heart failure due to mitral paravalvular leak (PVL) in whom percutaneous PVL closure was performed in the immediate postoperative period.

"Double-barrel endocarditis".

We report a case of an 18-year-old woman who presented with infective endocarditis (IE), in two conduits percutaneously delivered in the right ventricle outflow tract ("double-barrel endocarditis"). The patient's clinical presentation, echocardiogram findings, infectious agent, clinical management, surgical approach, and follow-up assessment are described. Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation has emerged as a viable therapy for conduit dysfunction in the right ventricular outflow tract.

Perceval Less Invasive Aortic Replacement Register: multicentric Spanish experience with the Perceval S bioprosthesis in moderate-high-risk aortic surgery.

Objectives: The development of new percutaneous and surgical techniques has reduced the risk associated with aortic valve replacement procedures. We present the results of a Spanish register after initiating a programme for sutureless prostheses in moderate-high-risk patients.

Methods: This prospective multicentre study was carried out from November 2013 to November 2016.

Use of the Perceval Sutureless Valve in Active Prosthetic Aortic Valve Endocarditis.

Background: Surgical treatment of active prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis presents a challenge for cardiac surgeons because of tissue friability and destruction caused by infection. Sutureless prostheses, such as the Perceval S (LivaNova, Saluggia, Italy), have emerged as an option among the different surgical approaches for these complicated cases.

Methods: This study presents data from 9 patients who underwent aortic valve re-replacement with the Perceval S because of active prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis between January 2014 and August 2016.

Rationale and design of a multicentre, prospective, randomised, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of the adipose graft transposition procedure in patients with a myocardial scar: the AGTP II trial.

Introduction: Cardiac adipose tissue is a source of progenitor cells with regenerative capacity. Studies in rodents demonstrated that the intramyocardial delivery of cells derived from this tissue improves cardiac function after myocardial infarction (MI). We developed a new reparative approach for damaged myocardium that integrates the regenerative properties of cardiac adipose tissue with tissue engineering.

Direct injury to right coronary artery in patients undergoing tricuspid annuloplasty.

Background: Direct injury to the right coronary artery as a result of reparative operation on the tricuspid valve is a rare, probably underdiagnosed, but serious complication, which often involves dramatic clinical consequences. So far, only five cases have been described in the literature.

Methods: We describe our single-center experience of this complication, and review and analyze relevant clinical and anatomic considerations related to this entity.

Synchrony relationships between the left ventricle and a left ventricular assist device: an experimental study in pigs.

Background: Synchronization between the left ventricle and a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) may be important for ventricular unloading and coronary perfusion. We assessed the synchrony between cardiac and LVAD cycles by increasing delays in steps of 100 msec throughout the cycle, under conditions of total and partial left ventricular support.

Methods: We studied 7 healthy minipigs weighing 30-40 kg.

[Surgical echocardiography of the mitral valve].

In the western world, the prevalence of mitral regurgitation-particularly that due to degenerative disease-has gradually increased despite a substantial decrease in rheumatic disease. If present, secondary ventricular dysfunction, potentially irreversible when clinically diagnosed, requires close echocardiographic follow-up in order to establish a subclinical diagnosis. Thus, echocardiography has become an essential tool in managing patients with mitral valve regurgitation.

Plasma levels and vascular effects of vasopressin in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objective: Recent studies have suggested that endogenous vasopressin (AVP) acts as a spasmogen during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Given that AVP could induce vasospasm in the grafted vessel, we assessed the release of this peptide during and after CABG, and explored ways of counteracting its contractile effect on the internal mammary artery (IMA).

Methods: Plasma levels of AVP were determined by radioimmunoassay in 16 patients before, during and after CABG.

[Percutaneous closure of pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa].

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral-aortic intervalvular fibrosa is an uncommon event, which is usually secondary to endocarditis of the aortic valve. Its clinical evolution is variable and potentially serious complications can occur. Therefore, surgical treatment is usually recommended.

[Aortic root homograft in the surgical treatment of aortic valve disease with dilated ascending aorta].

Introduction And Objectives: Patients with aortic valve disease and a dilated ascending aorta are usually treated with a composite graft comprising a valve and conduit. We review here the results of treatment with an aortic root homograft as a valid alternative.

Patients And Method: Twenty-two consecutive patients with a mean age of 64.

Periannular extension of infective endocarditis.

Objectives: This prospective study was designed to assess the current clinical course, risk factors, microbiologic profile and echocardiographic findings of patients with left-sided endocarditis and perivalvular complications.

Background: Periannular complications worsen the prognosis of patients with endocarditis. The relation between these complications and the clinical and microbiologic data has not been clearly defined.