Minimally invasive vs. conventional mitral valve surgery: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Objective: The evidence underlying the efficacy and safety of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is inconclusive. We conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate whether MIMVS improves clinical outcomes compared with conventional sternotomy.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.

Minimally Invasive Pneumonectomy vs Open Pneumonectomy: Outcomes and Predictors of Conversion.

Background: In the modern era, whether minimally invasive pneumonectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) provides a survival advantage over open pneumonectomy is unknown.

Methods: Patients who underwent pneumonectomy for NSCLC between 2015 and 2020 were queried from the National Cancer Database. Surgical approach was categorized as robot-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (RATS), video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), or open pneumonectomy on an intention-to-treat basis.

Women are Underrepresented in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: To perform a systematic review of clinical trials examining non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) to better understand the equity afforded to women in the study of lung cancer.

Methods: An electronic search was conducted for all NSCLC clinical trials published between 2010 and 2020 with included words "carcinoma, non-small cell, lung" and "non-small cell lung cancer." Studies from PubMed, Cochrane, and SCOPUS were included and were uploaded into Covidence to assist with systematic review.

Pericardioesophageal fistulae after left atrial ablation: a case series.

Pericardioesophageal fistula is an uncommon, yet serious complication that can occur after left atrial ablation for cardiac arrhythmias. Timing of this complication is variable; however, it has been reported to occur from a week to over a month post-ablation. The incidence of this complication after ablation is <0.

A Serendipitous Outcome of COVID-19: Modifications to ICU Management.

Nosocomial infections are common in intensive care units (ICUs) and often cause increased morbidity and mortality rates in ICU patients. With the emergence of the highly infectious COVID-19, the high prevalence of hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) in ICU has caused much more concern because patients admitted to the ICU have a more severe and prolonged form of the disease. These patients are more likely to develop HAIs than non-ICU patients.

Perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids for cardiac surgery in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Perioperative corticosteroids have been used for pediatric cardiac surgery for decades, but the underlying evidence is conflicting. We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids in pediatric heart surgeries.

Methods: We searched electronic databases until March 2023 to retrieve all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that administered perioperative prophylactic corticosteroids to children undergoing heart surgery.

Design of a facile, green and efficient graphene oxide-based electrochemical sensor for analysis of acetaminophen drug.

Unlabelled: In this study an efficient and environment friendly electrochemical sensor has been designed for the analysis of acetaminophen (APAP) drug. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, differential pulse voltammetry and cyclic voltammetric techniques were used to demonstrate the fabricated erGO/GCE sensor performance. Voltammetric assessment of acetaminophen drug was done using bare GC electrode, drop-casted GO/GC electrode and erGO/GCE electrochemical sensor.

The Era of Polypills in the Management of Cardiovascular Diseases: Are We There Yet?

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of mortality globally. Wald and Law proposed the idea of a "polypill"; a fixed dose combination therapy (FDC) in the form of a single pill to curb the CVD epidemic. Such a drug would include the combination of a broad spectrum of drugs including cholesterol lowering drugs, antihypertensive drugs, antiplatelet drugs, anticoagulation drugs, and antiarrhythmic drugs, which are frequently integrated to combat specific CVDs.

Frequency and Determinants of Inappropriate Use of Treadmill Stress Test for Coronary Artery Disease.

Background In developing countries like Pakistan, treatment is mediated by private and public healthcare setups with a limited budget for health facilities. Moreover, the inappropriate use of treadmill tests imposes a burden on healthcare resources and leads to unwarranted interventions. Our aim is to assess the prevalence and predictors of inappropriate referrals for the exercise tolerance test (ETT) to diagnose coronary artery disease (CAD) while taking public and private healthcare settings into consideration.