Successful clinical approach to the metastatic uterine leiomyosarcoma to the epicardium-a case report.

Background: Uterine leiomyosarcoma is a rare and aggressive tumour with a poor prognosis. Its metastases to the heart are even rarer, especially to the epicardium. The majority of reported cardiac metastases of uterine leiomyosarcoma were in the cardiac chambers or intramyocardial.

Heart failure in patients is associated with downregulation of mitochondrial quality control genes.

Background: Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of key factors causing heart failure. We performed a comprehensive analysis of expression of mitochondrial quality control (MQC) genes in heart failure.

Methods: Myocardial samples were obtained from patients with ischemic and dilated cardiomyopathy in a terminal stage of heart failure and donors without heart disease.

Recurrent HeartMate 3 Right Ventricular Assist Device Stoppages in a Biventricular Assist Device Carrier.

A 44-year-old female patient with chemotherapy-induced cardiomyopathy presented with acute cardiogenic shock requiring ECMO support. Multiple failed weaning trials from temporary mechanical circulatory assistance prompted a transition to staged durable biventricular support. Her course was complicated with recurrent RVAD stoppages.

Sex-related differences in left ventricular assist device utilization and outcomes: results from the PCHF-VAD registry.

Aims: Data on sex and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) utilization and outcomes have been conflicting and mostly confined to US studies incorporating older devices. This study aimed to investigate sex-related differences in LVAD utilization and outcomes in a contemporary European LVAD cohort.

Methods And Results: This analysis is part of the multicentre PCHF-VAD registry studying continuous-flow LVAD patients.

Cryopreserved human heart valve allografts: a ten-year single centre experience.

This study provides an overview of tissue banking activities at the Croatian Cardiovascular Tissue Bank (CTB) during past ten years and presents the outcomes of cryopreserved heart valve allografts (CHAs) use in different patient groups. From June 2011 until December 2021, 75 heart donations were referred to CTB: 41 recipient of heart transplant (RHT), 32 donors after brain death (DBD) and 2 donors after circulatory death (DCD) donations. Processing resulted in 103 valves of which 65 met quality requirements for clinical use.

The Association between Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level and Platelets Reactivity in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Elective Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Diabetic patients tend to have increased platelet reactivity after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of this study was to determine the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values and platelet reactivity and to evaluate the consequent impact on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing CABG.

Methods: This prospective observational trial consecutively enrolled 225 diabetic patients undergoing CABG, between February 2014 and October 2018.

Impact of progressive aortic regurgitation on outcomes after left ventricular assist device implantation.

Aortic regurgitation (AR) following continuous flow left ventricular assist device implantation (cf-LVAD) may adversely impact outcomes. We aimed to assess the incidence and impact of progressive AR after cf-LVAD on prognosis, biomarkers, functional capacity and echocardiographic findings. In an analysis of the PCHF-VAD database encompassing 12 European heart failure centers, patients were dichotomized according to the progression of AR following LVAD implantation.

Improved survival of left ventricular assist device carriers in Europe according to implantation eras: results from the PCHF-VAD registry.

Aims: Temporal changes in patient selection and major technological developments have occurred in the field of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), yet analyses depicting this trend are lacking for Europe. We describe the advances of European LVAD programmes from the PCHF-VAD registry across device implantation eras.

Methods And Results: Of 583 patients from 13 European centres in the registry, 556 patients (mean age 53 ± 12 years, 82% male) were eligible for this analysis.

Ventricular Assist Device Driveline Infections: A Systematic Review.

Infection is the most common complication in patients undergoing ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation. Driveline exit site (DLES) infection is the most frequent VAD infection and is a significant cause of adverse events in VAD patients, contributing to morbidity, even mortality, and repetitive hospital readmissions. There are many risk factors for driveline infection (DLI) including younger age, smaller constitution of patients, obesity, exposed velour at the DLES, longer duration of device support, lower cardiac index, higher heart failure score, DLES trauma, and comorbidities such as diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and depression.

Bleeding risk stratification in coronary artery surgery: the should-not-bleed score.

Background: An estimated 20% of allogeneic blood transfusions in the United States are associated with cardiac surgery. It is estimated that 11% of red cell resources were used for transfusion support of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with a documented wide variability in transfusion rate (7.8 to 92.

Cost Analysis of Transfusion Therapy in Coronary Artery Surgery.

Background:  In patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), wide variability in transfusion rate (7.8% to 92.8%) raises the question of the amount of unnecessary transfusions.

Cardiac implantable electronic devices with a defibrillator component and all-cause mortality in left ventricular assist device carriers: results from the PCHF-VAD registry.

Aims: To compare characteristics of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) recipients receiving a cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) with a defibrillator component (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator and cardiac resynchronization therapy with defibrillation, CIED-D) vs. those without one, and to assess whether carrying such a device contiguously with an LVAD is associated with outcomes.

Methods And Results: Overall, 448 patients were analysed (mean age 52 ± 13 years, 82% male) in the multicentre European PCHF-VAD registry.

Association among Clopidogrel Cessation, Platelet Function, and Bleeding in Coronary Bypass Surgery: An Observational Trial.

Objectives:  This study sought to determine (1) the association between the length of preoperative clopidogrel discontinuation, blood loss, and transfusion requirements and (2) whether preoperative platelet function testing predicts excessive postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

Methods:  In this retrospective analysis, patients undergoing CABG were divided into three groups with regard to the period between preoperative clopidogrel cessation and surgery: group 1 ( = 94, ≤3 days), group 2 ( = 100, 4-5 days), and group 3 ( = 83, 6-7 days), respectively. Impedance aggregometry (Multiplate) with arachidonic acid (ASPI) test assay (used for platelets stimulation) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) test (used for platelets stimulation) was performed before the surgery.

Staged management of a giant cardiac hydatid cyst: a case report.

Background: We report on a 21-year-old patient with a giant symptomatic hydatid cyst of the interventricular septum, to whom a staged management approach was employed. Induction medical therapy led to a reduction in the size of the cyst, which was then completely removed via surgical excision.

Case Presentation: A 21-year-old male Caucasian, with main complaints of fatigue and palpitations, was referred to our Centre due to a cystic formation in his left ventricle.

Diagnosis and Management of Acquired von Willebrand Disease in Heart Disease: A Review of the Literature.

The incidence of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AvWS) in patients with heart disease is commonly perceived as rare. However, its occurrence is underestimated and underdiagnosed, potentially leading to inadequate treatment resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.In patients with cardiac disease, AvWS frequently occurs in patients with structural heart disease and in those undergoing mechanical circulatory support (MCS).

Impact of remote ischemic preconditioning preceding coronary artery bypass grafting on inducing neuroprotection.

Background: Neurological complications after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) reduce quality of life, increase mortality, and inflate resource utilization. The risk of postoperative neurological complications parallels the increasing risk burden of the contemporary patient population. We evaluated the efficacy of remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) on inducing neuroprotection.

Preponderance of microbial isolates among heart transplantation recipients requiring renal replacement therapy: a propensity score-adjusted analysis.

Aim: To assess the association between renal replacement therapy (RRT) and post-transplant infection incidence.

Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study included 158 patients who underwent heart transplantation (HTx) in our center from 2008 to 2016, survived beyond the first post-procedural day, and had available microbial data. The patients were dichotomized according to the need for periprocedural RRT.