Driveline Infection in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices Implanted as Destination Therapy.

Background: Donor organ shortages cause increasing demand for mechanical circulatory support in patients with end-stage heart failure not only as a bridge to heart transplantation but mainly as a destination therapy. Improved results and increased applicability and durability of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have established this treatment option as an alternative to heart transplantation in selected patients. One of the most common complications after LVAD implantation is driveline infections (DLIs).

Outcomes and Complications after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Background: Heart transplantation is the treatment of choice for selected patients with end-stage heart failure. Persistent donor organ shortage causes a growing demand for mechanical circulatory support not only as a bridge to transplantation but mainly as a destination therapy (DT).

Methods: The aim of the study was to analyze the indications, comorbidities, and complications during the follow-up of all patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation with at least 12 months of follow-up time in one of the most experienced clinics in Poland between 2015 and 2023.

Nutritional Risk Assessment and Adverse Events in Patients Undergoing Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation-A Retrospective Cohort Study Using Hospital Information System.

Clinical or subclinical malnutrition occurs in 30% to 70% of patients with advanced heart failure and increases the risk of postoperative adverse events. The main objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients prior to left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation using different methods of malnutrition assessment and to evaluate the relationship between nutritional status and postoperative adverse events. A retrospective cohort study included 120 patients aged 26-74 years referred for LVAD surgery.

Preoperative and mid-term right ventricular systolic function assessment, at rest and during exercise, with speckle-tracking echocardiography after left ventricular assist device implantation.

Objectives: The study aimed to compare pre- and postoperative resting as well as postprocedural resting and exertional right ventricular speckle-tracking echocardiographic parameters at a mid-term follow-up after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

Methods: Patients with implanted third-generation LVADs with hydrodynamic bearings were prospectively enrolled (NCT05063006). Myocardial deformation was evaluated before pump implantation and at least three months after the procedure, both at rest and during exercise.

How to Improve the Outcomes of LVAD Implantation?

Background: Heart transplantation is the treatment of choice for selected patients with end-stage heart failure. Persistent donor organ shortage has resulted in a growing interest in mechanical circulatory support not only as a bridge to transplantation but also as a destination therapy.

Methods: The aim of the study was to analyze the indications, comorbidities, operative technique, complications, and follow-up of all patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation in one of the most experienced clinics in Poland between 2015 and 2020 and state the best timing of the procedure.

Echo-guided left ventricular assist device speed optimisation for exercise maximisation.

Objective: Current generation left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) operate with a fixed rotation speed and no automated speed adjustment function. This study evaluates the concept of physiological pump speed optimisation based on aortic valve opening (AVO) imaging during a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET).

Methods: This prospective crossover study (NCT05063006) enrolled patients with implanted third-generation LVADs with hydrodynamic bearing.

Postoperative hyperlactatemia and serum lactate level trends among heart transplant recipients.

Background: Advanced heart failure (HF), that affects 10% of the HF population, is associated with high mortality rate, meeting 50% at 1-year from diagnosis. For these individuals, heart transplantation (HTX) remains the ultimate and the gold-standard treatment option. Serum lactate level measurements has been proven useful for determining the outcome following other cardiac surgeries and among critically ill patients.

A comparison of the ultrasound measurement of the inferior vena cava obtained with cardiac and convex transducers.

Background: Ultrasound measurement of the inferior vena cava diameter and its respiratory variability are amongst the predictors of fluid volume status. The primary purpose of the present study was to compare the consistency of inferior vena cava diameter measurements and the collapsibility index, obtained with convex and cardiac transducers. A secondary aim was to assess the agreement of the patient's allocation to one of the two groups: "fluid responder" or "fluid non-responder", based on inferior vena cava collapsibility index calculation made with two different probes.

Impact of Postoperative Bleeding on Short-Term Outcome in Patients After Orthotopic Heart Transplantation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND Orthotopic heart transplantation (HTX) remains the ultimate treatment option in patients with end-stage heart failure, endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology guidelines. The aim of the study is a complex evaluation of the postoperative bleeding after HTX and its influence on short-term outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS A retrospective cohort study consisted of 53 patients (4 females and 49 males, median age 52.

Reliability of focused cardiac ultrasound by novice sonographer in preoperative anaesthetic assessment: an observational study.

Background: Use of preoperative echocardiography may help to identify patients with increased cardiac risk, who may benefit from modification of perioperative plan. The objective of our study was to evaluate the reliability of preoperative focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS) performed by an anaesthetist with basic ultrasound training and its impact on patient's management.

Methods: The prospective observational study was conducted in 159 adult patients, scheduled for elective operations.

Fibrin clot properties are altered in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Beneficial effects of simvastatin treatment.

Increased risk of thrombotic events occurs in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Elevated fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP), being common in COPD, are associated with formation of dense fibrin clots resistant to lysis. Statins have been found to display anti-inflammatory and antithrombotic effects.

Cardiac metastasis due to pulmonary metastasis from a transitional cell carcinoma.

We report a rare case of symptomatic cardiac metastasis from a transitional cell carcinoma of the renal pelvis diagnosed by echocardiography. A 75-year-old patient with a long history of neoplasm since 1999 and coronary artery disease with CABG in 2003, was admitted to our department. He underwent cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass with tumor excision.

[Clinical relevance of tricuspid regurgitation after orthotopic heart transplantation].

Unlabelled: Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is common after heart transplantation (OHT). Some possible factors include: disturbed geometry of right atria anastomosis with subsequent impairment of the functional integrity of the valvular apparatus, asynchronous contraction of the donor and recipient atria compartment and damage of the sub-valvular apparatus during endomyocardial biopsy.

The Purpose Of The Study: To determine the incidence of subclinical and severe TR, to evaluate its clinical significance, and to assess the risk factors for TR in the heart transplantation population.

[Low ejection fraction as risk factor after aortic valve replacement].

Unlabelled: The aim of the study is to estimate the operative risk of aortic valve replacement for severe aortic valve stenosis in patients with distinctly impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction below 40%). From the population of 2512 pts, who underwent aortic valve replacement in the years 1990 to 1999 because of acquired malformation, a group of 108 pts (4.3%), fulfilling the above mentioned conditions was selected.