Total Arch vs Hemiarch Repair in Acute Type A Aortic Dissection: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Comparative Studies.

Background: We aimed to compare the short- and long-term outcomes of total arch replacement (TAR) vs hemiarch replacement (HAR) in the management of acute type A aortic dissection.

Methods: We searched the literature for studies directly comparing TAR to HAR in acute type A aortic dissection. Hazard ratios (HRs) were extracted from digitized Kaplan-Meier curves.

Initial cannulation strategy impacts perioperative outcomes of acute type A dissection in high-volume centers.

Objective: We performed an intention-to-treat analysis of initial cannulation strategy to assess the impact on perioperative outcomes in acute type A dissection using multicenter data.

Methods: All patients undergoing surgical repair of acute type A dissection from a multicenter national registry of 9 high-volume aortic centers were analyzed. Cannulation strategies included in the analysis were axillary, femoral, direct aortic, and innominate.

Overcoming the Disparity in Mitral Valve Repair: A Sex-Based Analysis of Long-Term Outcomes.

Background: Sex disparities remain pervasive across most cardiovascular diseases and continue to demonstrate notably worse early and late outcomes for women, especially after surgical repair. This study aims to investigate outcomes of mitral valve (MV) repair by sex and identify opportunities for improvement.

Methods: A single center retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing MV repair from May 2008 to February 2023 was conducted.

Mitral valve replacement in young patients: review and current challenges.

Mitral valve repair is the ideal intervention for mitral valve disease with excellent long-term survival comparable to the age-matched general population. When the mitral valve is not repairable, mechanical prostheses may be associated with improved survival as compared with biological prostheses. Newer mechanical and biological valve prostheses have the potential to improve outcomes following mitral valve replacement in young patients.

Intrapericardial Ectopic Hepatic Tissue Masquerading as a Fetal Pericardial Tumor.

Prenatal diagnosis of pericardial mass, with associated large pericardial effusion, resected postnatally and diagnosed to be ectopic hepatic tissue on pathology.

Complete resolution of focal-on-diffuse myocardial activity pattern on FDG PET-CT by prolonging the dietary preparation protocol in cardiac sarcoidosis.

Patient preparation is crucial for reliable interpretation of cardiac inflammation FDG PET. We share our experience of improved reporting confidence and propose a simple approach of prolonging preparation (from 24 to 48 hours) with the high-fat, no-carbohydrate, and protein-permitted diet followed by fasting in cardiac sarcoidosis in cases with diffuse or focal-on-diffuse myocardial FDG uptake.

Randomized trial of an oblique versus standard fluoroscopic-guided micropuncture technique for femoral arterial access: The Micropuncture-CFA trial.

Background: The anterior-posterior fluoroscopic guidance (the AP technique) is a standard method for common femoral artery (CFA) access, but the rate of CFA access with ultrasound vs. the AP technique was not significantly different. We have shown an oblique fluoroscopic guidance (the oblique technique) with a micropuncture needle (MPN) resulted in CFA access in 100 % of patients.

ASA Physical Status Determination by General Internists and Impact on Cardiac Risk Assessment.

Objectives: Estimating cardiac risk is important for preoperative evaluation, and several risk calculators incorporate the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status score. The purpose of this study was to determine the concordance of ASA scores assigned by general internists and anesthesiologists and assess whether discrepancies affected cardiac risk estimation.

Methods: This observational study included military veterans evaluated in a preoperative evaluation clinic at a single center during a 12-month period.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology 2022: positron emission tomography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance.

In 2022, the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology® published many excellent original research articles and editorials focusing on imaging in patients with cardiovascular disease. In this review of 2022, we summarize a selection of articles to provide a concise recap of major advancements in the field. In the first part of this 2-part series, we addressed publications pertaining to single-photon emission computed tomography.

Review of cardiovascular imaging in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology 2022: single photon emission computed tomography.

In this review, we will summarize a selection of articles on single-photon emission computed tomography published in the Journal of Nuclear Cardiology in 2022. The aim of this review is to concisely recap major advancements in the field to provide the reader a glimpse of the research published in the journal over the last year. This review will place emphasis on myocardial perfusion imaging using single-photon emission computed tomography summarizing advances in the field including in prognosis, non-perfusion variables, attenuation compensation, machine learning and camera design.

Endothelial cells overexpressing CXCR1/2 are renoprotective in rats with acute kidney injury.

Inflammation that develops with the release of chemokines and cytokines during acute kidney injury (AKI) has been shown to participate in functional renal recovery. Although a major research focus has been on the role of macrophages, the family of C-X-C motif chemokines that promote neutrophil adherence and activation also increases with kidney ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study tested the hypothesis that intravenous delivery of endothelial cells (ECs) that overexpress (C-X-C motif) chemokine receptors 1 and 2 (CXCR1 and CXCR2, respectively) improves outcomes in kidney I/R injury.

Hybrid Frozen Elephant Trunk for Single-Stage Kommerell Diverticulum and Type A Dissection Repair.

Treatment of Kommerell diverticulum is challenging, often involving multistage repair to achieve successful exclusion of the aneurysmal diverticulum, division of the vascular ring to release compression, and reconstruction of the aberrant subclavian artery to maintain arm perfusion. A well-planned, elective repair remains the optimal scenario; however, emergency presentation can be extremely challenging, particularly in acute aortic dissection. We describe an innovative, single-stage approach using a novel multibranched hybrid arch frozen elephant trunk prosthesis to achieve complete repair of a Kommerell diverticulum and aberrant right subclavian artery in a patient who presented with an acute type A aortic dissection.

In-hospital thromboembolic complications after frozen elephant trunk aortic arch repair.

Objective: This study evaluated the frequency and clinical impact of thromboembolic complications after frozen elephant trunk aortic arch repair using the Thoraflex device (Terumo Aortic).

Methods: A total of 128 consecutive patients (mean age 67.9 ± 13.

Coaptation length predicts early- and intermediate-term durability following degenerative mitral repair.

Objectives: The impact of coaptation length on recurrent mitral regurgitation following degenerative mitral repair is not fully understood.

Methods: Between May 2008 and February 2021, 386 consecutive patients underwent mitral repair for degenerative mitral regurgitation at a single centre. We compared patients with a post-repair coaptation length >11 mm (long-coaptation group, n = 230) and ≤11 mm (short-coaptation group, n = 156).