Use of Organ Care System Lung for Single-Lung Transplantation.

The Organ Care System-Lung allows for normothermic lung preservation in double-lung transplantation. Deterioration of the lung bloc may due to a single nonfunctional side, and surgeons need to be aware of this scenario in hopes of preserving the functional side for transplantation.

The importance of surgical therapy with expansion of TAVR to low-risk patients.

Despite the landmark release of recent transcatheter aortic valve replacement data, the gold standard of surgical therapy is here to stay. Surgery remains vital in patient populations with low coronary height raising risk of coronary occlusion, aneurysmal ascending aorta, isolated aortic regurgitation, noncalcific disease, bicuspid valves, and multivessel coronary disease, or other structural abnormality requiring cardiac surgery. Consideration of these issues highlights the ongoing importance of multidisciplinary consideration of individual patient cases, careful review of imaging, and preservation of a robust surgical program to complement transcatheter development.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a salvage therapy for patients with severe primary graft dysfunction after heart transplant.

Background: Severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is the leading cause of early death after heart transplant.

Aim: To examine the outcomes of heart transplant recipients who received venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) for severe PGD.

Methods: We reviewed electronic health records of adult patients who underwent heart transplant from November 2005 through June 2015.

Triple bridge of mechanical circulatory support to heart transplantation listing: A case report.

A 60-year-old male patient presented to an outside hospital with severe cardiogenic shock. A triple bridge of mechanical circulatory support was utilized to transition him to heart transplantation listing. Initially, coronary artery disease was percutaneously treated and Impella 2.

Transplantation of a three-lobed donor left lung: A case report.

A true left middle lobe (lingular lobe) is very rare, but accessory fissures can be unexpectedly found at transplant. Pre-transplant knowledge of accessory lobes and accessory fissures aids in preparation, transplantation, postoperative assessment, and long-term care planning; however, fissures and accessory lobes can be overlooked by radiologists during routine evaluation of images. Here, we describe the first left lung with three anatomical lobes that was successfully transplanted into a 63-year-old patient with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Electric Shock-Induced Coronary Artery Thrombosis and Dissection.

Electric shock-induced myocardial infarction is rare. Shock-induced coronary artery thrombosis and dissection in multiple distributions have not been reported. After shock, coronary thrombosis may cause anginal symptoms, and any coronary artery may be damaged.

Idarucizumab (Praxbind) for reversal of pradaxa prior to emergent repair of contained ruptured transverse arch aneurysm.

Idarucizumab before cardiopulmonary bypass was used for the reversal of dabigatran during an emergent frozen elephant trunk repair of a transverse arch aneurysm. Reversal was successful and minimal not massive transfusion was required with no abnormal sequelae seen with use before cardiopulmonary bypass.

Two Decades of Lung Retransplantation: A Single-Center Experience.

Background: Lung retransplantation (ReTx) comprises an increasing share of lung transplants and recently has shown improved outcomes. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors affecting overall survival after pulmonary ReTx.

Methods: The United Network for Organ Sharing database was used to identify patients undergoing lung transplantation at our institution from 1995 to 2014.

Survival After Lung Retransplantation in the United States in the Current Era (2004 to 2013): Better or Worse?

Background: To understand the current patient survival after lung retransplantation (LRTx) in the United States, which has historically been worse compared with primary lung transplantation (LPTx).

Methods: The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) registry was retrospectively analyzed to determine survival after adult LRTx performed in 604 (2.48%) of 14,850 patients from 2004 to 2013.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with HeartMate II left ventricular assist devices.

Introduction: With an expanding population of patients requiring ventricular assist devices, it is inevitable that these patients will require noncardiac surgery. Ventricular assist devices provide mechanical support for a failing heart either as a bridge to transplant or now as a long-term support if transplant is not available, so-called destination therapy. These devices can add significant technical challenges to abdominal surgery, in that the power supply and drivelines crossing the abdomen can potentially be damaged.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return in a lung transplant recipient.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is a rare condition in which some of the pulmonary veins empty into the systemic venous system. The presence of PAPVR in a lung transplant recipient may cause technical challenges during transplantation. We present a technique for left atrial reconstruction when faced with a recipient with PAPVR.

Persistent ischiorectal fistula with supralevator origin secondary to a chronic tubo-ovarian abscess: report of a case and review of the literature.

Background: Chronic tubo-ovarian abscess is an uncommon finding in postmenopausal women. This abscess may rupture or fistulize to adjacent organs into the ischiorectal space.

Case: A gravida three, para three, postmenopausal woman with extensive sigmoid diverticulosis presented with perianal fistula of 2 years' duration.

Treatment of a mycotic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm using endovascular stent-graft placement and rifampin infusion with postoperative aspiration of the aneurysm sac.

Purpose: Mycotic aortic aneurysms are rare but are associated with high morbidity and mortality due to their propensity for rupture. Traditional therapy consists of open surgical repair with resection and aortic reconstruction or extra-anatomic bypass combined with long-term antibiotic therapy.

Case Report: An 85-year-old male with persistent bacteremia was found to have a descending mycotic aortic aneurysm.

Hiatal mesh is associated with major resection at revisional operation.

Background: Mesh-assisted hiatal closure during foregut surgery is increasing. Our aim was to evaluate the complications that follow revisional foregut surgery. Specifically, we compared surgical indications and perioperative outcomes between patients with and without prior hiatal mesh (PHM).