Validity and Accuracy of the Derived Left Ventricular End-Diastolic Pressure in Impella 5.5.

Background: Consensus regarding on-support evaluation and weaning concepts from Impella 5.5 support is scarce. The derived left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (dLVEDP), estimated by device algorithms, is a rarely reported tool for monitoring the weaning process.

Hypothermic Ventricular Fibrillation in Redo Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: A Promising Solution for a Surgical Challenge.

: Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is a treatment for severe mitral valve pathologies. In redo cases, especially after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery with patent mammary bypass grafts, establishing aortic clamping followed by antegrade cardioplegia application might be challenging. Here, we present the outcome of hypothermic ventricular fibrillation as an alternative to conventional cardioprotection.

Minimally Invasive Surgery through Right Mini-Thoracotomy for Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis: Contraindicated or Safely Possible?

: Mitral valve infective endocarditis (IE) still has a high mortality. Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) is technically more challenging, especially in patients with endocarditis. Here, we compare the early postoperative outcome of patients with endocarditis and other indications for MIMVS.

Five-year results from a prospective, single-arm European trial on decellularized allografts for aortic valve replacement-the ARISE Study and ARISE Registry Data.

Objectives: Decellularized aortic homografts (DAH) were introduced as a new option for aortic valve replacement for young patients.

Methods: A prospective, EU-funded, single-arm, multicentre study in 8 centres evaluating non-cryopreserved DAH for aortic valve replacement.

Results: A total of 144 patients (99 male) were prospectively enrolled in the ARISE Trial between October 2015 and October 2018 with a median age of 30.

Paediatric aortic valve replacement using decellularized allografts: a multicentre update following 143 implantations and five-year mean follow-up.

Objectives: Decellularized aortic homografts (DAH) were introduced in 2008 as a further option for paediatric aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: Prospective, multicentre follow-up of all paediatric patients receiving DAH for AVR in 8 European centres.

Results: A total of 143 DAH were implanted between February 2008 and February 2023 in 137 children (106 male, 74%) with a median age of 10.

Oversizing lung allografts deteriorates outcomes in patients with pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Lung transplantation is the only curative treatment for patients with end-stage pulmonary fibrosis. It is still under debate whether over- or undersizing of lung allografts is preferably performed regarding the postoperative outcome. We therefore analyzed our data using predicted total lung capacity to compare size mismatches.

Short anesthesia without intravenous fluid therapy in children: Results of a prospective non-interventional multicenter observational study.

Background: The German guidelines recommend that intravenous fluid therapy should not be mandatorily performed in children with short fasting times undergoing short anesthesia, but there is a lack of clinical studies including a large number of pediatric patients. Therefore, we performed a prospective non-interventional multicenter observational study to evaluate the perioperative hemodynamic and metabolic stability of children undergoing short anesthesia without intravenous fluid therapy.

Aims: The primary aim was to assess the incidence of hypotension and the secondary aim was to assess the real preoperative fasting times, the incidence of hypoglycemia and the impact on ketone bodies and acid-base balance.

Lung transplantation despite preformed donor-specific antihuman leukocyte antigen antibodies: a 9-year single-center experience.

Pretransplant allosensitization to human leukocyte antigens (HLA) increases the recipient's waiting list time and mortality in lung transplantation. Rather than waiting for crossmatch-negative donors, since 2013, recipients with preformed donor-specific antiHLA antibodies (pfDSA) have been managed with repeated IgA- and IgM-enriched intravenous immunoglobulin (IgGAM) infusions, usually in combination with plasmapheresis before IgGAM and a single dose of antiCD20 antibody. This retrospective study presents our 9-year experience with patients transplanted with pfDSA.

Impact of total ischaemic time and disease severity class on graft function after bilateral lung transplantation.

Objectives: Total ischaemic time (IT) is considered a limiting factor in lung transplantation. In this retrospective study, we investigate effects of IT and disease burden on outcomes after bilateral lung transplantation.

Methods: A total of 1298 patients undergoing bilateral lung transplantation between January 2010 and May 2022 (follow-up 100%, median 54 months) were included.

Matched comparison of decellularized homografts and bovine jugular vein conduits for pulmonary valve replacement in congenital heart disease.

For decades, bovine jugular vein conduits (BJV) and classic cryopreserved homografts have been the two most widely used options for pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) in congenital heart disease. More recently, decellularized pulmonary homografts (DPH) have provided an alternative avenue for PVR. Matched comparison of patients who received DPH for PVR with patients who received bovine jugular vein conduits (BJV) considering patient age group, type of heart defect, and previous procedures.

Features and risk factors of early intraluminal thrombus formation within the frozen elephant trunk stent graft.

Objective: The frozen elephant trunk is a standard treatment method for aortic arch pathologies extending into the descending aorta. We previously described the phenomenon of early postoperative intraluminal thrombosis within the frozen elephant trunk. We investigated the features and predictors of intraluminal thrombosis.

Incidence and characteristics of errors detected by a short team briefing in pediatric anesthesia.

Background: In our institution, a modified WHO surgical safety checklist was implemented more than ten years ago. In retrospect, we noticed that pediatric anesthesia was underrepresented in our surgical safety checklist modification. Therefore, we added a standardized team briefing (pedSOAP-M) immediately before induction of anesthesia and hypothesized that the use of this checklist was effective to detect relevant errors with potentially harmful consequences.

Lung transplant and severe coronary artery disease: results from a single-centre experience.

Objectives: The management of severe coronary artery disease at the time of a lung transplant remains a challenge. We analysed the short- and long-term outcomes of lung transplant recipients with severe coronary artery disease.

Methods: Records of adult patients who received transplants at our institution between April 2010 and February 2021 were reviewed retrospectively.

Is there a sex gap in outcomes of comparable patients supported with left ventricular assist devices?

Objectives: Historically, females were described as suffering from worse outcomes after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. However, females' preoperative conditions are unique, making direct comparisons with males challenging. This study aimed to select through propensity score (PS) matching two preoperatively comparable populations of females and males and test if any real sex-related difference exists regarding survival and adverse events after LVAD implantation.

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a straight tube graft (David I procedure).

Objectives: We present our 25-year experience with valve-sparing aortic root replacement using a straight tube graft (David-I).

Methods: From 1993 to 2019, 677 patients (median age, 56.0 years; range, 42-65) underwent the David-I procedure with a straight tube graft.

The impact of modified fluid gelatin 4% in a balanced electrolyte solution on plasma osmolality in children-A noninterventional observational study.

Background: Intravenous fluids for perioperative infusion therapy should be isotonic to maintain the body fluid homeostasis in children. Modified fluid gelatin 4% in a balanced electrolyte solution has a theoretical osmolarity of 284 mosmol L , and a real osmolality of 264 mosmol kg H O . Because both values are lower than those of 0.

5-Year results from the prospective European multi-centre study on decellularized homografts for pulmonary valve replacement ESPOIR Trial and ESPOIR Registry data.

Objectives: Early results from the prospective ESPOIR Trial have indicated excellent results for pulmonary valve replacement using decellularized pulmonary homografts (DPH).

Methods: A 5-year analysis of ESPOIR Trial patients was performed to provide an insight into the midterm DPH performance. ESPOIR Trial and Registry patients were matched with cryopreserved homografts (CH) patients considering patient age, type of heart defect and previous procedures to present the overall experience with DPH.

Pulmonary valve prostheses: patient's lifetime procedure load and durability. Evaluation of the German National Register for Congenital Heart Defects.

Objectives: We evaluated 4384 procedures performed between 1957 and 2018, collected in the National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, conducted on 997 patients with 1823 pulmonary valve replacements (PVRs), including 226 implanted via catheter [transcatheter valve (TCV)]. Main study targets are as follows: TCV benefit, valve type durability, decade-wise treatment changes and procedure frequencies over the lifetime of a PVR patient.

Methods: We studied TCV impact on surgical valve replacement (via Kaplan-Meier); pulmonary valve type-specific performance (Kaplan-Meier and Cox regressions with age group as stratification or ordinary variable); procedure interval changes over the decades (Kaplan-Meier); procedure load, i.

Valve-sparing aortic root replacement in adult patients with congenital heart disease.

Objectives: Aortic root dilatation is frequently observed in patients with congenital heart defects (CHD), but has received little attention in terms of developing a best practice approach for treatment. In this study, we analysed our experience with aortic valve-sparing root replacement in patients following previous operations to repair CHD.

Methods: In this study, we included 7 patients with a history of previous surgery for CHD who underwent aortic valve-sparing operations.

Coronary artery bypass grafts to chronic occluded right coronary arteries.

Background: The benefit of revascularizing chronically occluded coronary arteries remains debatable, and available long-term outcome reports are sparse. Current guidelines recommend revascularization of chronically occluded arteries only in patients with myocardial ischemia and/or symptoms associated with angina. We investigated outcome of patients with total chronic occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA) receiving coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery with and without revascularization of the RCA.

Continuous intra-gastral monitoring of intra-abdominal pressure in critically ill children: a validation study.

Background: In critically ill children, detection of intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH > 10 mmHg) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS = IAH + organ dysfunction) is paramount and usually monitored through intra-vesical pressures (IVP) as current standard. IVP, however, carries important disadvantages, being time-consuming, discontinuous, with infection risk through observer-dependent manipulation, and ill-defined for catheter sizes. Therefore, we sought to validate air-capsule-based measurement of intra-gastric pressure (ACM-IGP).

Liver-first strategy for a combined lung and liver transplant in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Objectives: A combined lung and liver transplant in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) is an uncommon procedure. The goal of this study was to compare long-term outcomes between patients with CF who underwent either a combined lung-liver or a lung-only transplant.

Methods: This is a retrospective single-centre study of patients with CF who underwent a lung transplant between January 2005 and May 2020.