External stenting for saphenous vein grafts reduces early postoperative graft failure.

Objectives: Multiple studies have shown that external stenting (ExSt) mitigates the progression of vein graft disease years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We used computed tomography to evaluate the effect of ExSt on perioperative vein graft patency.

Methods: This study assessed graft patency rates of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) in consecutive patients with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between 2018 and 2021.

Thirteen Years of Impactful, Minimally Invasive Coronary Surgery: Short- and Long-Term Results for Single and Multi-Vessel Disease.

Objectives: Minimally invasive coronary surgery (MICS) via lateral thoracotomy is a less invasive alternative to the traditional median full sternotomy approach for coronary surgery. This study investigates its effectiveness for short- and long-term revascularization in cases of single and multi-vessel diseases.

Methods: A thorough examination was performed on the databases of two cardiac surgery programs, focusing on patients who underwent minimally invasive coronary bypass grafting procedures between 2010 and 2023.

Navigating the challenges of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery: a risk analysis and learning curve evaluation.

Background: This study aimed to report the risk and learning curve analysis of a minimally invasive mitral valve surgery program performed through a right mini-thoracotomy at a single institution.

Methods: From January 2013 through December 2019, 266 consecutive patients underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery in our department and were included in the current study. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used for the adverse event outcome.

Conversion from off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: impact of surgeon and anaesthetist experience.

Objectives: Intraoperative conversion from off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of surgeon and anaesthetist experience on the conversion rate.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of all patients who underwent planned off-pump CABG in a single centre in 2007-2021, some of whom were non-electively converted to on-pump.

Isolated Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery in Octogenarians: Perioperative Outcome.

Introduction: Despite the feasibility, safety, and excellent outcomes of mitral valve surgery through a right mini-thoracotomy, there is data paucity about its use in octogenarians. In this study, we assess the outcomes of mitral valve surgery via right mini-thoracotomy in octogenarians.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the in-hospital perioperative data of 38 octogenarian patients with severe mitral regurgitation undergoing isolated mitral valve surgery via right mini-thoracotomy from 2013 to 2021 in our institution.

Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch after Aortic Valve Replacement with the Mosaic Ultra Bioprosthesis.

Background:  Several studies have reported high rates of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with the Mosaic prosthesis. This work assesses the incidence of PPM after AVR with a modified version of the Mosaic prosthesis, the Mosaic Ultra.

Methods:  We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of 532 patients who underwent AVR with implantation of the Mosaic Ultra prosthesis in the period 2007-2016 in our institution.

Transseptal versus left atrial approach for mitral valve surgery: postoperative need for pacemaker.

Objectives: Concerns exist about higher rates of pacemaker implantation using the extended superior transseptal approach for mitral valve surgery. This study aims to compare the extended superior transseptal and the left atrial approach regarding the need for pacemaker implantation after mitral valve surgery.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of patients undergoing mitral valve surgery through either a sternotomy and transseptal approach or a mini-thoracotomy and left atrial approach in a single centre in the period January 2010 to May 2021.

Active clearance of chest tubes after cardiac surgery: a propensity score matched analysis.

Aims Of The Study: Chest tubes inserted to drain shed mediastinal blood after cardiac surgery often become clogged, limiting their capacity to evacuate blood, and leading to blood retention and retained blood syndrome. The aim of this study was the assessment of the efficacy of an active tube clearance (ATC) system in the reduction of retained blood syndrome after cardiac surgery.

Methods: This study included 2461 adult patients undergoing major cardiac surgery.

Left atrial myxoma: Unusual presentation as a cystic tumor.

Myxomas are the most common cardiac tumors, benign, and usually located in the left atrium. Typically echocardiography reveals a solid tumor, whereas cystic myxomas are rare with only a few cases documented in the literature. We describe the case of a 63-year-old, female patient with an unusual presentation of a left atrial myxoma as a cystic tumor.

A systemic review and meta-analysis: Bentall versus David procedure in acute type A aortic dissection.

This systemic review of the literature and meta-analysis examined the current state of the evidence in long-term outcomes for and/or against aortic valve reimplantation (RAV) versus composite valve graft (CVG) intervention in patients with an acute type A dissection. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the baseline characteristics of patients across studies. A random-effects metaregression was performed across study arms with logit-transformed proportions weighted by the study size for each of these outcomes.

A systemic review and meta-analysis: long-term results of the Bentall versus the David procedure in patients with Marfan syndrome.

This systemic review of the literature and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the current state of the evidence for and against reimplantation of the aortic valve (RAV) versus the composite valve graft (CVG) intervention in patients with Marfan syndrome. Random effects meta-regression was performed across the study arms with logit-transformed proportions of in-hospital deaths as an outcome measure when possible. Results are presented as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and P-values.