Validation of the German Registry for Acute Aortic Dissection Type A Score in predicting 30-day mortality after type A aortic dissection surgery.

Objectives: No reliable scores are available to predict mortality following surgery for type A acute aortic dissection (TAAAD). Recently, the German Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA) score has been developed. We aim to compare how the GERAADA score performs in predicting operative mortality for TAAAD to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) II.

Females have an increased risk of short-term mortality after cardiac surgery compared to males: Insights from a national database.

Objectives: Female sex is considered a risk factor for mortality and morbidity following cardiac surgery. This study is the first to review the UK adult cardiac surgery national database to compare outcomes following surgical coronary revascularisation and valvular procedures between females and males.

Methods: Using data from National Adult Cardiac Surgery Audit, we identified all elective and urgent, isolated coronary artery by-pass grafting (CABG), aortic valve replacement (AVR) and mitral valve replacement/repair (MVR) procedures from 2010 to 2018.

Hybrid coronary revascularization versus coronary artery bypass grafting for multivessel coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) combines the benefits of a left internal mammary artery to left anterior descending artery anastomosis, via a mini thoracotomy, with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for other diseased coronaries.

Aims: The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of HCR with those of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for multi-vessel coronary artery disease (MCAD).

Methods: We performed a meta-analysis with a primary outcome of short-term mortality and secondary outcomes of mid-term survival, length of hospital stay, stroke, renal failure and mid-term MACE rate.

Endovascular Surgery of Descending Thoracic Aorta Involved in T4 Lung Tumor.

Purpose: Surgical treatment of primary lung T4 tumors is controversial especially when the cancer invades the mediastinal structures or the descending thoracic aorta. Conventional surgical treatment is associated with a high perioperative mortality and morbidity rate. Thoracic EndoVascular Aortic Repair has emerged as a valid off-label alternative to conventional surgery.

Surgical treatment of a giant right coronary aneurysm following coronary stent fracture.

Background: Coronary artery aneurysm represents a challenging and potentially fatal disease.

Aim And Material Methods: We present the case of a giant right coronary artery aneurysm treated surgically after percutaneous intervention and fracture of the stent.

Results And Discussion: The aneurism was opened and the coronary ligated proximally and distally.

Impact of sex on outcomes after cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Despite advances in cardiac surgery, observational studies suggest that females have poorer post-operative outcomes than males. This study is the first to review sex related outcomes following both coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and valve surgery with or without combined CABG.

Methods: We identified 30 primary research articles reporting either short-term mortality (in-hospital/30 day), long-term mortality, and post-operative stroke, sternal wound infection and myocardial infarction (MI) in both sexes following CABG and valve surgery with or without combined CABG.

Pericardial effusion after pediatric cardiac surgery: A single-center study.

Background: Postoperative pericardial effusion (pPE) still remains a frequent complication after congenital heart surgery and it usually leads to an increased morbidity and re-hospitalization rate. There are only few published papers about pPE clinical course or large randomized studies that analyze its prevalence or preoperative risk factors. In this regard, we report a single-center 10-years retrospective analysis of prevalence, outcomes and risk factors of postoperative pericardial effusion after congenital heart surgery.

Annuloplasty for mitral valve repair in degenerative disease: to be flexible or to be rigid? That's still the question.

The choice of ring for mitral valve repair is still largely left to the surgeon's preferences and there are no specific guidelines regulating this decision. Despite this previous researches have described important features appertaining to each of the different types of rings currently available. Particularly, the debate is still open in regards to the flexibility that these devices should or should not have.

Off-Label Treatment With Transfemoral Bare Stents for Isolated Aortic Arch Dissection.

Background: Aortic arch dissection is a catastrophic acute event involving the aorta. Its accurate diagnosis and treatment are mandatory to optimize patient outcome. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of endovascular treatment with transfemoral bare stents of isolated aortic arch dissection as a valid alternative in patients unsuitable for conventional surgery.

Impact of Body Mass Index on Short- and Long-Term Outcomes After Isolated First-Time Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis.

Objective: To ascertain whether body mass index (BMI) has a clinical effect on short- and long-term postoperative outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis.

Design: Single-center, retrospective study.

Setting: Tertiary referral hospital.

Treatment with transfemoral bare-metal stent of residual aortic arch dissection after surgical repair of acute type an aortic dissection.

Background: Here we evaluate the usefulness of transfemoral uncovered stent implantation to avoid secondary conventional surgery for residual type A aortic dissection (TAAD) of the aortic arch after ascending aorta replacement.

Methods: From June 2009 to April 2015, 11 patients were treated with transfemoral implantation of uncovered stents in the aortic arch after surgical replacement of ascending aorta performed on average 4.7±2.

Paraneoplatic Obstruction of Descending Thoracic Aorta: A New Indication for Endovascular Surgery?

We describe the rare case of a 61-year-old man admitted to our emergency department with visceral-organ and lower-limb malperfusion because of an unknown retroperitoneal high-grade undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma and a severe paraneoplastic obstruction of the descending thoracic aorta, treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The postoperative period was uneventful, and the patient was discharged within 4 days. At 6-month follow-up, computed tomography showed complete patency of the descending thoracic aorta.

Endovascular Treatment of Distal Aortic Arch Aneurysm Associated with Coarctation of Aorta in a Jehovah's Witness.

Late aneurysm formation in the proximal aorta or distal aortic arch is a recognized sequela of untreated stenosis of the aortic isthmus and is associated with substantial risk of aortic rupture. We describe the case of a 44-year-old man with untreated coarctation of the aorta who presented with a prestenotic dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm. He declined surgery because he was a Jehovah's Witness.

Doxycycline prevents intimal hyperplasia in vitro and may improve patency of the internal thoracic artery.

Objectives: The development of intimal hyperplasia and graft failure is an important problem in cardiac surgery. A fundamental process in intimal hyperplasia is the degradation of extracellular matrix by metalloproteases which induces the vascular smooth-muscle cells migration and sets the scene for graft atherosclerosis. This study investigated whether doxycycline, a metalloproteases inhibitor, can prevent the intimal hyperplasia occurrence in cultured human internal mammary artery, thus extending graft patency.

Treatment of a rapidly expanding thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm after endovascular repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an old patient.

Background: Aortic pathology progression and/or procedure related complications following endovascular repair should always be considered mostly in older patients. We herein describe a hybrid procedure for treatment of rapidly expanding thoracoabdominal aneurysm following endovascular treatment of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an older patient.

Case Presentation: A 82-year-old man at 18 months after endovascular surgery for a contained rupture of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm revealed a type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysm with significant increase of the aortic diameters at superior mesenteric and renal artery levels.