Cardioscopic tricuspid valve repair in a beating ovine heart.

Background: Open heart surgery is commonly associated with cardiopulmonary bypass and cardioplegic arrest. The attendant risks of cardiopulmonary bypass may be prohibitive in high-risk patients. We present a novel endoscopic technique of performing tricuspid valve repair without cardiopulmonary bypass in a beating ovine heart.

Real-time visualization and quantification of retrograde cardioplegia delivery using near infrared fluorescent imaging.

Background And Aim: Homogeneous delivery of cardioplegia is essential for myocardial protection during cardiac surgery. Presently, there exist no established methods to quantitatively assess cardioplegia distribution intraoperatively and determine when retrograde cardioplegia is required. In this study, we evaluate the feasibility of near infrared (NIR) imaging for real-time visualization of cardioplegia distribution in a porcine model.

Correction of aortic insufficiency with an external adjustable prosthetic aortic ring.

Purpose: Less invasive, valve-sparing options are needed for patients with aortic insufficiency (AI). We sought to evaluate the feasibility of reducing AI with an external adjustable aortic ring in an ovine model.

Description: To create AI, five sheep underwent patch plasty enlargement of the aortic annulus and root by placement of a 10 x 15 mm pericardial patch between the right and noncoronary cusps.