Artificial intelligence-based, non-invasive assessment of the central aortic pressure in adults after operative or interventional treatment of aortic coarctation.

Background: Aortic coarctation (CoA) is a congenital anomaly leading to upper-body hypertension and lower-body hypotension. Despite surgical or interventional treatment, arterial hypertension may develop and contribute to morbidity and mortality. Conventional blood pressure (BP) measurement methods lack precision for individual diagnoses and therapeutic decisions.

Calcified Amorphous Tumor and Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis-Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature.

Calcified amorphous tumor (CAT) is a rare, mostly incidental tumor-like cardiac lesion of unknown histogenesis. Current imaging modalities do not differentiate between CAT and other masses. As it can be a source for embolization, surgical excision of CAT is mandatory.

Continuous Long-Term Assessment of Heart Rate Variability in Adults with Cyanotic Congenital Heart Disease after Surgical Repair.

Heart rate variability (HRV) is an established, non-invasive parameter for the assessment of cardiac autonomic nervous activity and the health status in general cardiology. However, there are few studies on HRV in adults with congenital heart defects (CHDs). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of long-term continuous HRV measurement for the assessment of global health status in adults with cyanotic CHD.

PATHFINDER-CHD: prospective registry on adults with congenital heart disease, abnormal ventricular function, and/or heart failure as a foundation for establishing rehabilitative, prehabilitative, preventive, and health-promoting measures: rationale, aims, design and methods.

Background: Adults with congenital heart defects (ACHD) globally constitute a notably medically underserved patient population. Despite therapeutic advancements, these individuals often confront substantial physical and psychosocial residua or sequelae, requiring specialized, integrative cardiological care throughout their lifespan. Heart failure (HF) is a critical challenge in this population, markedly impacting morbidity and mortality.

Rare Case Report: Left Atrial Sarcoma Obstructing the Left Ventricular Inflow.

Malignant cardiac tumors of the heart are extremely rare and may present tremendous diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. These tumors are able to infiltrate the heart and metastasize systemically. Early detection is often elusive as the clinical presentation is highly variable, posing significant diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.

A Dual-Pathogen Mitral Valve Endocarditis Caused by and -Which Came First?

Infective endocarditis (IE) is still a life-threatening disease with high morbidity and mortality. While usually caused by a single bacterium, poly-microbial infective endocarditis (IE) is rare. Here, we report a (blood-culture-negative) dual pathogen mitral valve IE caused by and : A 53-year-old woman was presented to an internal medicine department with abdominal pain for further evaluation.

The lost balloon at midnight: a case report reveals the inevitability of heart team existence.

Background: Dislodgement of a coronary stent-balloon catheter during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is rare but is a life-threatening complication. A 57- year-old male presented with a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI). Coronary angiography revealed total thrombotic occlusion of the Right coronary artery (RCA).

MELD-score for risk stratification in cardiac surgery.

The outcome of the patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is also influenced by the renal and hepatic organ functions. Risk stratification, using scores such as EURO Score II or STS Short-Term Risk Calculator for patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, ignores the quantitative renal and hepatic function; therefore, MELD-Score was applied in these cases. We retrospectively examined patient data using the MELD score as a predictor of mortality.

Better Late Than Never - A Case of a Congenital Left Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage Diagnosed and Treated in The Sixth Decade of Life.

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD) is a relatively uncommon cardiac anomaly. The diagnosis might be challenging as are the presenting symptoms. Its clinical course mimics more familiar diseases, e.

Single-Center Retrospective Analysis of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Outcome and Reoperation Focusing on Extended Versus Limited Initial Repair.

Background: The optimal management strategy for acute aortic type A dissection remains controversial. Whether a limited primary (index) repair would increase the need for late aortic reintervention is still an open debate.

Methods: A total of 393 consecutive adult patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent cardiac surgery were analyzed.

A Practical Approach to Systemic Mastocytosis Complications in Cardiac Surgery: A Case Report and Systematic Review of the Literature.

(1) Background: Systemic mastocytosis is a rare, non-curable disease with potential life-threatening complications in patients receiving cardiac surgery. (2) Methods: This systematic review of the literature was prompted by the case of a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction during cardiac surgery related to systemic mastocytosis. The search of all types of studies, using several databases (Pubmed, Scopus and Web of Science), was conducted through September 2022 to identify the relevant studies.

Pericardial tamponade, a diagnostic chameleon: from the historical perspectives to contemporary management.

Background: Pericardial tamponade (PT) early after cardiac surgery is a challenging clinical entity, not infrequently misrecognized and often only detected late in its course. Because the clinical signs of pericardial tamponade can be very unspecific, a high degree of initial suspicion is required to establish the diagnosis. In addition to clinical examination the deployment of imaging techniques is almost always mandatory in order to avoid delays in diagnosis and to initiate any necessary interventions, such as pericardiocentesis or direct cardiac surgical interventions.

Wearable cardioverter defibrillator after cardiac surgery: Analysis of real-life data from patients at transient risk of sudden cardiac death.

Background: Especially in the first 3 months after cardiac surgery, patients are at transient risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). To close the gap between hospital discharge and the final implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) decision, guidelines recommend temporarily using a wearable cardioverter-defibrillator (WCD) to protect these patients from SCD. We investigated real-life data on the safety, effectiveness, and compliance of the WCD in this population.

Intraoperative visualization of a deformed left main stent during surgical aortic valve replacement.

Background: While coronary artery bypass grafting is typically considered first choice for the treatment of left main stenosis, there is a trend towards left main stenting due to a steadily aging population in western countries with a high operative risk and patients with single vessel coronary artery disease affecting the left main artery. Nevertheless left main stenting remains controversial, especially in patients with concomitant indications for open-heart surgery.

Case Presentation: We want to present a case of a 78-year-old male patient with high-grade aortic stenosis who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement at our heart center due to anatomical contraindications for transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

The relation of aortic dimensions and obesity in adults with Marfan or Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Background: Aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection can have a major impact on the life expectancy of Marfan syndrome (MFS) or Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) patients. Although obesity can influence the development of aortic complications, evidence on whether obesity influences the development of aortic aneurysm or dissection in MFS and LDS is limited. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the relationship between aortic size and body composition, assessed by modern bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) in MFS/LDS-patients.

Successive surgical repair of a progressive aortic dissection in a case of Loeys-Dietz Syndrome.

Introduction: The Frozen Elephant Trunk technique is a well-established treatment for aortic dissections (Stanford Type A) involving the aortic arch and descending aorta. The Thoraflex™ Hybrid prosthesis (Vascutek Ltd.), consisting of a proximal flexible conduit and a distal self-expanding covered stent, has consistently shown positive results in the treatment of this condition.

Treatment of advanced heart failure in adults with congenital heart disease: a narrative review and clinical cases.

Background And Objective: The number of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) is increasing worldwide. Almost all congenital cardiac lesions can be successfully treated due to the progress in neonatal surgery and pediatric cardiology with a high likelihood of surviving until adulthood. However, ACHD frequently develop sequelae related to the initial cardiac anomaly.

Dysphonia as a Presenting Symptom of a Giant Left Atrial Sarcoma Developing within Five Years.

An 83-year-old woman presented with a new onset of dyspnea and dysphonia. Physical examination revealed no abnormalities. Computerized tomography, bidimensional echocardiography, and cardiac magnetic resonance confirmed the presence of a cardiac mass in the left atrium.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis as a Contemporary Biomarker of Obesity in Adults with Marfan- or Loeys-Dietz-Syndrome.

Background: It is clinically widely overlooked that many patients with Marfan- (MFS) or Loeys-Dietz-Syndrome (LDS) are obese. While anthropometric routine parameters are not very suitable, the modern Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) seems superior for the acquisition of reliable noninvasive assessment of body composition of patients. The aim of the study was to assess the body composition of patients with MFS/LDS by BIA in order to detect occult obesity, which may be a risk marker for aortic or vascular complications.

Pass On What You Have Learned: A Structured Mentor-Mentee Concept for the Implementation of a Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery Program.

Introduction: Starting a minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) for mitral valve repair (MVR) program is challenging as it requires a new learning curve, but compromising surgical results at the same time is not acceptable. Here, we describe our surgical educational experience of starting a new MICS program at a university heart center in Germany.

Methods: A dedicated team for the new MICS program including 2 cardiac surgeons, 1 cardiac anesthetist, 1 perfusionist, and 1 scrub nurse was chosen.

Development of a new sternal dehiscence prediction scale for decision making in sternal closure techniques after cardiac surgery.

Background: After sternotomy, the spectrum for sternal osteosynthesis comprises standard wiring and more complex techniques, like titanium plating. The aim of this study is to develop a predictive risk score that evaluates the risk of sternum instability individually. The surgeon may then choose an appropriate sternal osteosynthesis technique that is risk- adjusted as well as cost-effective.

Acute Type A Dissection during Pregnancy with Marfan's Syndrome.

 Marfan's syndrome (MFS) is a connective tissue disorder, caused by a mutation in the gene and affecting multiple organ systems including the vascular system. During pregnancy, women with MFS have an increased risk of aortic dissection due to changes in the cardiovascular system.  We present a 39-year-old woman that suffered from an acute aortic dissection in week 33 of her third pregnancy who urgently required lifesaving surgery.

Growth of hypoplastic mitral valves in hypoplastic left heart complex and similar constellations after anatomical left superior vena cava correction.

Objectives: Left superior vena cava (LSVC)-related obstruction of mitral inflow is a rare finding in patients with complex cardiac anomalies like hypoplastic left heart complex. We report our experience by establishing a left superior to right superior caval vein continuity (innominate vein creation by direct LSVC-right superior vena cava end-to-side-anastomosis), and coronary sinus unroofing if indicated for LSVC-related mitral inflow obstruction.

Methods: Nineteen patients (median age: 1.

Can we rely on out-of-hospital blood samples? A prospective interventional study on the pre-analytical stability of blood samples under prehospital emergency medicine conditions.

Background: Prehospital intravenous access provides the opportunity to sample blood from an emergency patient at the earliest possible moment in the course of acute illness and in a state prior to therapeutic interventions. Our study investigates the pre-analytical stability of biomarkers in prehospital emergency medicine and will answer the question whether an approach of blood sampling out in the field will deliver valid laboratory results.

Methods: We prepared pairs of blood samples from healthy volunteers and volunteering patients post cardio-thoracic surgery.

Internalized gay ageism, mattering, and depressive symptoms among midlife and older gay-identified men.

Objective: In this paper we introduce the construct of "internalized gay ageism," or the sense that one feels denigrated or depreciated because of aging in the context of a gay male identity, which we identify as an unexplored aspect of sexual minority stress specific to midlife and older gay-identified men.

Methods: Using a social stress process framework, we examine the association between internalized gay ageism and depressive symptoms, and whether one's sense of mattering mediates or moderates this association, controlling for three decades of depressive symptom histories. The sample is 312 gay-identified men (average age = 60.