First-time surgical aortic valve replacement: nationwide trends and outcomes from The Netherlands Heart Registration.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe trends and outcomes for patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in the Netherlands.

Methods: The Netherlands Heart Registration database was used to report the number and outcomes of isolated, primary SAVR procedures performed from 2007 to 2018 in adult patients.

Results: A total of 17 142 procedures were included, of which 77.

Interventions to prevent postoperative atrial fibrillation in Dutch cardiothoracic centres: a survey study.

Introduction: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is a common phenomenon following cardiac surgery. In this study, we assessed current preventive strategies used by Dutch cardiothoracic centres, identified common views on this matter and related these to international guidelines.

Methods: We developed an online questionnaire and sent it to all cardiothoracic surgery centres in the Netherlands.

MicroRNAs in atrial fibrillation target genes in structural remodelling.

We aim to elucidate how miRNAs regulate the mRNA signature of atrial fibrillation (AF), to gain mechanistic insight and identify candidate targets for future therapies. We present combined miRNA-mRNA sequencing using atrial tissues of patient without AF (n = 22), with paroxysmal AF (n = 22) and with persistent AF (n = 20). mRNA sequencing previously uncovered upregulated epithelial to mesenchymal transition, endothelial cell proliferation and extracellular matrix remodelling involving glycoproteins and proteoglycans in AF.

Atrial epicardial adipose tissue abundantly secretes myeloperoxidase and activates atrial fibroblasts in patients with atrial fibrillation.

Background: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) secretome induces fibrosis. Fibrosis, primarily extracellular matrix (ECM) produced by fibroblasts, creates a substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether the EAT secretome from patients with AF activates human atrial fibroblasts and through which components, remains unexplored.

Does left atrial epicardial conduction time reflect atrial fibrosis and the risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence after thoracoscopic ablation? Post hoc analysis of the AFACT trial.

Objectives: To determine the association between left atrial epicardial conduction time (LAECT), fibrosis and atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence after thoracoscopic surgical ablation of persistent AF.

Setting: Single tertiary care centre in the Netherlands.

Participants: Patients with persistent AF from the randomised Atrial Fibrillation Ablation and Autonomic Modulation via Thoracoscopic Surgery (AFACT)-trial were included.

Prediction of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence after Thoracoscopic Surgical Ablation Using Machine Learning Techniques.

Thoracoscopic surgical ablation (SA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) has shown to be an effective treatment to restore sinus rhythm in patients with advanced AF. Identifying patients who will not benefit from this procedure would be valuable to improve personalized AF therapy. Machine learning (ML) techniques may assist in the improvement of clinical prediction models for patient selection.

Thoracoscopic surgical atrial fibrillation ablation in patients with an extremely enlarged left atrium.

Purpose: Efficacy of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for atrial fibrillation (AF) decreases as left atrial (LA) volume increases. However, surgical AF ablation with unknown efficacy is being performed in patients with a giant LA (GLA). We determined efficacy of thoracoscopic AF ablation in patients with compared to without a GLA.

What Can We Learn from the Past by Means of Very Long-Term Follow-Up after Aortic Valve Replacement?

Background: Studies on very long-term outcomes after aortic valve replacement are sparse.

Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, long-term outcomes during 25.1 ± 2.

Extracellular matrix remodeling precedes atrial fibrillation: Results of the PREDICT-AF trial.

Background: To which extent atrial remodeling occurs before atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown.

Objective: The PREventive left atrial appenDage resection for the predICtion of fuTure Atrial Fibrillation (PREDICT-AF) study investigated such subclinical remodeling, which may be used for risk stratification and AF prevention.

Methods: Patients (N = 150) without a history of AF with a CHADS-VASc score of ≥2 at an increased risk of developing AF were included.

Prosthesis-patient mismatch affects late survival after valve surgery for severe aortic stenosis.

Background: The effect of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) on late survival after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patient with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) remains unclear. Also, late follow-up in previous studies is confined to only one decade. We aimed to determine the effect of PPM on late survival after isolated AVR for symptomatic severe AS during 25 years of follow-up.

Endobronchial ultrasound for T4 staging in patients with resectable NSCLC.

Background: In lung cancer patients, accurate assessment of mediastinal and vascular tumor invasion (stage T4) is crucial for optimal treatment allocation and to prevent unnecessary thoracotomies. We assessed the diagnostic accuracy of linear endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) for T4-status in patients with centrally located lung cancer.

Methods: This is a retrospective study among consecutive patients who underwent EBUS for diagnosis and staging of lung cancer in four hospitals in The Netherlands (Amsterdam, Leiden), Italy (Bologna) and Poland (Zakopane) between 04-2012 and 04-2019.

Neutrophil degranulation interconnects over-represented biological processes in atrial fibrillation.

Despite our expanding knowledge about the mechanism underlying atrial fibrillation (AF), the interplay between the biological events underlying AF remains incompletely understood. This study aimed to identify the functionally enriched gene-sets in AF and capture their interconnection via pivotal factors, that may drive or be driven by AF. Global abundance of the proteins in the left atrium of AF patients compared to control patients (n = 3/group), and the functionally enriched biological processes in AF were determined by mass-spectrometry and gene set enrichment analysis, respectively.

Effect of aortic cross-clamp time on late survival after isolated aortic valve replacement.

Objectives: Longer aortic cross-clamp (ACC) time is associated with decreased early survival after cardiac surgery. Because maximum follow-up in previous studies on this subject is confined to 28 months, it is unknown whether this adverse effect is sustained far beyond this term. We aimed to determine whether longer ACC time was independently associated with decreased late survival after isolated aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis during 25 years of follow-up.

Capillary Leukocytes, Microaggregates, and the Response to Hypoxemia in the Microcirculation of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients.

Objectives: In this study, we hypothesized that coronavirus disease 2019 patients exhibit sublingual microcirculatory alterations caused by inflammation, coagulopathy, and hypoxemia.

Design: Multicenter case-controlled study.

Setting: Two ICUs in The Netherlands and one in Switzerland.

Continuous postoperative pericardial flushing reduces postoperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting: A randomized trial.

Background: Prolonged or excessive bleeding after cardiac surgery can lead to a broad spectrum of secondary complications. One of the underlying causes is incomplete wound drainage, with subsequent accumulation of blood and clots in the pericardium. We developed the continuous postoperative pericardial flushing (CPPF) therapy to improve wound drainage and reduce postoperative blood loss and bleeding-related complications after cardiac surgery.

Continuous postoperative pericardial flushing method versus standard care for wound drainage after adult cardiac surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: Excessive bleeding, incomplete wound drainage, and subsequent accumulation of blood and clots in the pericardium have been associated with a broad spectrum of bleeding-related complications after cardiac surgery. We developed and studied the continuous postoperative pericardial flushing (CPPF) method to improve wound drainage and reduce blood loss and bleeding-related complications.

Methods: We conducted a single-center, open-label, ITT, randomized controlled trial at the Academic Medical Center Amstserdam.

Clinical course of sinus node dysfunction after thoracoscopic surgery for atrial fibrillation-analysis of the Atrial Fibrillation Ablation and Autonomic Modulation via Thoracoscopic Surgery (AFACT) study.

Purpose: Sinus node dysfunction (SND) may complicate thoracoscopic surgical atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Identifying patients at risk is important, as SND may require temporary or permanent pacing. To determine the incidence of postoperative SND and duration of symptoms in patients who underwent thoracoscopic surgical ablation.