Evaluation of a rapid deployment prosthesis strategy for the treatment of aortic valve endocarditis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of patients suffering from native aortic valve (NVE) or prosthetic aortic valve endocarditis (PVE) treated with the EDWARDS INTUITY Elite rapid-deployment valve prosthesis.

Methods: Between February 2019 and June 2020, 25 patients suffering from NVE (n = 9; 36%) and PVE (n = 16; 64%) of the aortic valve received an INTUITY valve at our institution. Preoperative, operative and follow-up data were collected.

Atrioventricular Block after Tricuspid Valve Surgery.

Tricuspid valve (TV) surgery is associated with a high risk of postoperative pacemaker requirement. We set out to identify the incidence of atrioventricular block (AVB) after TV surgery and determine whether atrioventricular conduction recovers within time.We investigated pre/intra- and postoperative predictors of AVB in patients who underwent tricuspid valve surgery (not only isolated TV surgery) at our institution between 2004 and 2017.

Thrombocytopenia and end stage renal disease are key predictors of survival in patients with cardiac implantable electronic device infections.

Introduction: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections are associated with a high mortality. Our aim was to identify key predictors of survival in patients with CIED infections as to be able to detect high-risk patients and possibly affect modifiable factors.

Methods And Results: In this observational study, we collected data from 277 patients with CIED infections treated in our department between 2001 and 2017; predictors of survival were evaluated.

Autologous endothelialized vein allografts in coronary artery bypass surgery - Long term results.

Background: Lack of autologous graft material restricts the ability to treat patients requiring coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). An off the shelf tissue engineered small diameter vascular graft is the holy grail of cardiovascular surgery.

Methods: Allograft saphenous veins were harvested from organ donors, cryopreserved, deendothelialized and then seeded with autologous endothelial cells prior to implantation during coronary artery bypass surgery.

A feasibility study of a multimodal stimulation bioreactor for the conditioning of stem cell seeded cardiac patches via electrical impulses and pulsatile perfusion.

Background/objective: Ischemic heart disease is a major cause of mortality worldwide. Myocardial tissue engineering aims to create transplantable units of myocardium for the treatment of myocardial necrosis caused by ischemic heart disease - bioreactors are used to condition these bioartificial tissues before application.

Methods: Our group developed a multimodal bioreactor consisting of a linear drive motor for pulsatile flow generation (500 ml/min) and an external pacemaker for electrical stimulation (10 mA, 3 V at 60 Hz) using LinMot-Talk Software to synchronize these modes of stimulation.

Pediatric heart transplantation-What are the risk factors for pacemaker implantation and how much pacing is required?

Background: In an attempt to improve pacemaker therapy after pediatric transplantation, we investigated risk factors, indication for pacing, and pacing burden after pediatric heart transplantation.

Methods And Results: In this retrospective study, 139 pediatric heart transplant recipients, of whom 122 did not and 17 did require pacemakers, were investigated. Eleven of the 17 patients requiring a permanent pacemaker (PPM) received their heart from a female donor (68.

A Single Center Study of 1,179 Heart Transplant Patients-Factors Affecting Pacemaker Implantation.

Background: After around 10% of heart transplant patients require pacemaker implantation. The bradyarrhythmias causing pacemaker requirement include sinus node dysfunction (SND) and atrioventricular block (AVB). This study sought to define clinical predictors for pacemaker requirement as well as identify differences in the patient groups developing SND and AVB.