Strategies in Diagnosis and Therapy of External Outflow Graft Obstruction in Patients with a Fully Magnetically Levitated Left Ventricular Assist Device: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

The HeartMate 3 (HM3, Abbott) left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is the only commercially available option considered suitable for long-term circulatory support. External compression of the outflow graft causing obstruction (eOGO) is a serious adverse event affecting patients on long-term support. The obstruction occurs due to the accumulation of gelatinous substance between the bend relief and outflow graft.

The impact of onset-to-cut time in surgery for stable acute type A aortic dissection-a single-centre retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to investigate the impact of onset-to-cut time on mortality in patients undergoing surgery for stable acute type A aortic dissection.

Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for acute type A aortic dissection between January 2006 and December 2021 and available onset-to-cut times were included. Patients with unstable aortic dissection (preoperative shock, intubation, resuscitation, coma, pericardial tamponade and local/systemic malperfusion syndromes) were excluded.

The role of concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting in acute type A aortic dissection complicated by coronary malperfusion.

Objectives: Managing acute type A aortic dissection with coronary malperfusion is challenging. This study outlines our revascularization strategy for these patients.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgery for acute type A aortic dissection with coronary malperfusion and aortic root involvement from January 2000 to December 2021 were included.

Infectious mass debulking in lead-associated endocarditis with a percutaneous aspiration system.

Aims: Debulking of infective mass to reduce the burden if infective material is a fundamental principle in the surgical management of infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the validity of this principle in patients undergoing transvenous lead extraction in the context of bloodstream infection (BSI).

Methods And Results: We performed an observational single-centre study on patients that underwent transvenous lead extraction due to a BSI, with or without lead-associated vegetations, in combination with a percutaneous aspiration system during the study period 2015-22.

Risk Perception and Fatigue in Port Workers: A Pilot Study.

Introduction And Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess fatigue in port workers; analyze the association between fatigue and levels of trust in organizations, as well as the association between authorities and risk perception; and examine the official documents governing the studied port, along with the current health and communication status of the port workers.

Materials And Methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional pilot study, which presented quantitative and qualitative data, and it was carried out among port workers in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Thirty-nine port workers responded to quantitative questionnaires, which collected their socio-demographic data, as well as a risk perception questionnaire, the Chalder Fatigue Scale, and the Checklist of Individual Strength.

Mechanical Circulatory Support Strategies in Takotsubo Syndrome with Cardiogenic Shock: A Systematic Review.

Background: Takotsubo syndrome is, by definition, a reversible form of acute heart failure. If cardiac output is severely reduced, Takotsubo syndrome can cause cardiogenic shock, and mechanical circulatory support can serve as a bridge to recovery. To date, there are no recommendations on when to use mechanical circulatory support and on which device is particularly effective in this context.

Just World Beliefs among Medical Students and the General Public in Hawai'i.

Just World Beliefs (JWBs) are a psychological tendency to conclude the world is an inherently fair place in which people experience the outcomes they deserve. Strong JWBs positively correlate with a personal commitment to long-term ambitions and blaming people for their negative health outcomes. This study aimed to measure JWBs in medical students and the general population of Hawai'i.

Treatment of cardiac implantable electronic device endocarditis in pacemaker-dependent patients utilizing a percutaneous aspiration system.

With the increasing use of cardiac implantable electronic devices, the number of patients with cardiac implantable electronic device-related endocarditis is also rising. The treatment of this type of endocarditis is a challenging clinical task, in particular if device removal is required in patients who are pacemaker dependent. This video tutorial describes a treatment strategy for cardiac implantable electronic device-related endocarditis involving the tricuspid valve in pacemaker-dependent patients.

Case Report: Successful endovascular treatment of acute type A aortic dissection.

Introduction: Open surgical repair remains the current gold standard for the treatment of acute type A aortic dissection. However, especially elderly patients with relevant comorbidities who are deemed unfit for open surgery may benefit from a minimally invasive endovascular approach.

Methods: We report a case of an 80-year-old male with retrograde acute type A aortic dissection and peripheral malperfusion after receiving thoracic endovascular aortic repair due to thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest treated with prehospital double sequential external defibrillation during eCPR in refractory VF - a case report.

Background: Double sequential external defibrillation (DSED) has demonstrated increased survival with good neurological outcome in a recent randomized controlled trial. DSED has not been studied in patients with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR).

Case: We present the first case of prehospital eCPR with ongoing refractory ventricular fibrillation (VF), terminated by DSED.

Transvenous lead extraction in children with bidirectional rotational dissection sheaths.

Objectives: Due to the limited longevity of endovascular leads, children require thoughtful lifetime lead management strategies including conservation of access vessel patency. Consequently, there is an increasing interest in transvenous lead extraction (TLE) in children, however, data on TLE and the use of powered mechanical dissection sheaths is limited.

Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study analyzing all children <18 years that underwent TLE in our institution from 2015 to 2022.

Removal of Wall-Adherent Inferior Vena Cava Thrombus with a Combined Approach Using Vacuum-Assisted Thrombectomy and a Rotational Thrombectomy Device.

. Large thrombi in the inferior vena cava pose a high risk for a pulmonary embolism. Percutaneous extracorporeal circulation-based vacuum-assisted thrombus aspiration is a viable option for removal.

The impact of malperfusion patterns in elderly patients undergoing surgery for acute type A aortic dissection.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the outcome of elderly patients with surgically treated acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) complicated by malperfusion.

Methods: Patients ≥70 years old who underwent surgical treatment for ATAAD between January 2000 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study and stratified by their specific Penn Classification into 4 different subgroups, where Penn Abc was defined as multilevel malperfusion. Short- and long-term outcomes were investigated.

Outcomes and survival following thoracic endovascular repair in patients with aortic aneurysms limited to the descending thoracic aorta.

Background: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a well-established therapy for descending aortic aneurysms (DTA). There is a paucity of large series reporting the mid- and long-term outcomes from this era. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of TEVAR with regards to the effect of aortic morphology and procedure-related variables on survival, reintervention and freedom from endoleaks.

Exploring the Feasibility and Usability of Smartphones for Monitoring Physical Activity in Orthopedic Patients: Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Smartphones are often equipped with inertial sensors that measure individuals' physical activity (PA). However, their role in remote monitoring of the patients' PAs in telemedicine needs to be adequately explored.

Objective: This study aimed to explore the correlation between a participant's actual daily step counts and the daily step counts reported by their smartphone.

"UFO procedure" for massive aortic and mitral annular calcification involving left atrial and ventricular myocardium: a potential radical solution.

Background: The "UFO procedure" was initially developed as a surgical option to enlarge the aortic annulus in patients requiring valve replacement. This technique can be employed to treat extensive endocarditis located in the intervalvular fibrous body (IVFB). One of the indications for a "UFO procedure" is massive aortic and mitral valve calcification.

Cerebral Protection Strategies and Stroke in Surgery for Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

Background: Perioperative stroke remains a devastating complication in the operative treatment of acute type A aortic dissection. To reduce the risk of perioperative stroke, different perfusion techniques can be applied. A consensus on the preferred cerebral protection strategy does not exist.