Frailty, disability and comorbidity: different domains lead to different effects after surgical aortic valve replacement in elderly patients.

Objectives: Frailty syndrome predicts adverse outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement. However, disability or comorbidity is frequently associated with preoperative frailty evaluation. The effects of these domains on early and late outcomes were analysed.

Quick spontaneous remodelling of thrombosed false lumen in acute type-A aortic dissection.

Natural history of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAAD) implies the need of emergent surgical treatment in the vast majority of cases. Nevertheless, conservative treatment has been described to yield acceptable outcomes, when compared to surgery, in selected high risk cases of thrombosed false lumen. We report a significant quick remodelling of the false lumen occurred in an 85-year-old female 6 days after conservative treatment.

Use of self-expanding venous cannula in tricuspid reoperation.

Significant tricuspid regurgitation requiring surgical correction is associated with poor survival in patients undergoing tricuspid valve reoperations. Right chamber dilatation increases the risk of injury during resternotomy. The novel technique of peripheral cannulation using an expandable venous cannula for cardiopulmonary bypass can help to reduce the risk of complications and associated morbidity, thus enhancing the short-term outcomes.

Leaflet tear in a Trifecta aortic bioprosthesis 34 months after implantation.

Bioprosthetic valves are used in aortic valve replacement to avoid lifelong anticoagulation. Bovine pericardial valves have excellent haemodynamics and equivalent freedom from reoperation compared with a porcine bioprosthesis [ 1]. However, early failure (parastent post-cusp tear) can take place due to mechanical stress.

Predictive factors, management, and clinical outcomes of coronary obstruction following transcatheter aortic valve implantation: insights from a large multicenter registry.

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the main baseline and procedural characteristics, management, and clinical outcomes of patients from a large cohort of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) who suffered coronary obstruction (CO).

Background: Very little data exist on CO following TAVI.

Methods: This multicenter registry included 44 patients who suffered symptomatic CO following TAVI of 6,688 patients (0.

Comparison of drug-eluting stents versus surgery for unprotected left main coronary artery disease.

This study was conducted to compare the clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stents (DESs) with those of standard bypass surgery for the treatment of patients with left main lesions in a single-center experience. From January 2000 to October 2005, a total of 96 patients with significant unprotected left main disease were treated with DES implantation, and 245 with bypass surgery. Baseline features, such as Euroscore, were similar between groups, except for diabetes and hypertension, which were more frequent in the surgical group.

[Congenital apical left ventricular aneurysm].

Congenital ventricular aneurysm is an infrequently occurring disease entity that usually affects the left ventricle. Its etiopathology is unknown. Clinical presentation is variable, and the condition is potentially lethal in some cases.

[Percutaneous coronary intervention for iatrogenic occlusion of the circumflex artery after mitral anuloplasty].

We describe a patient with obstruction of the dominant circumflex artery after surgical repair of the mitral valve, repaired successfully with percutaneous coronary intervention during the immediate postoperative period. We discuss the etiology, prevention and management of this complication with special emphasis on percutaneous intervention.

Comprehensive experience with the Ross operation in Spain.

Objective: Although the first pulmonary autograft operations were performed in Spain in 1991, this procedure has gained substantial interest and has been consolidated since 1997. The establishment of the Spanish Registry of the Ross Operation pretends to evaluate the results of this option in aortic valve disease patients in our setting.

Methods: In a yearly fashion, the cardiac surgery departments in Spain currently performing this intervention send data from new patients or follow-ups to the reference center.