Case report: ST-elevation myocardial infarction complications. How far will you go?

Herein, we review the critical role of a multi-disciplinary team approach in managing the intricate complications of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS). Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) implantation represents a potentially life-saving intervention, often serving as a bridge to heart transplantation (HTx). However, complications from prior interventions, in patients receiving MCS due to STEMI-CS, may present additional challenges to successful HTx candidacy.

Preoperative Predictors of Recurrent Tricuspid Regurgitation After Annuloplasty: Insights into the Role of 3D Echocardiography.

Background: While tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) is an effective treatment option for tricuspid regurgitation (TR), understanding the echocardiographic factors contributing to recurrent TR can help in developing more effective preventive measures to reduce the rate of recurrent TR after TAP.

Methods: This study was designed as a prospective observational cohort study to investigate factors contributing to recurrent TR following surgical tricuspid valve (TV) repair in patients with moderate or severe functional TR caused by left heart valvular disease, with severe mitral regurgitation as the dominant pathology. The study included 66 patients who underwent preoperative two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) echocardiographic assessments.

One-year initial efficacy and safety outcomes of the premounted dry-pericardium Vienna self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve system: A first-in-human VIVA feasibility study.

Background: The dry-pericardium Vienna transcatheter aortic valve system is repositionable and retrievable, already premounted on the delivery system, eliminating the need for assembly and crimping of the device before valve implantation.

Methods: The VIVA first-in-human feasibility study, a prospective, nonrandomized, single-center trial, evaluated the Vienna aortic valve in 10 patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis, who were at intermediate or high surgical risk. This study, registered at ClinicalTrials.

Surgical coronary angioplasty of both coronary ostia after chest radiotherapy. Is it good alternative to conventional coronary bypass surgery?

Introduction: Isolated coronary ostial stenosis of both ostia is a rare, potentially life-threatening condition, occurring in 0.1%-0.2% of patients undergoing coronary angiography.

Safety and performance of the Vienna self-expandable transcatheter aortic valve system: 6-month results of the VIVA first-in-human feasibility study.

Background: The novel Vienna TAVI system is repositionable and retrievable, already pre-mounted on the delivery system, eliminating the need for assembly and crimping of the device prior to valve implantation.

Aims: The purpose of this first-in-human feasibility study was to determine the safety, feasibility, clinical and hemodynamic performance of the Vienna TAVI system at 6-month follow-up. (ClinicalTrials.

Left atrial strain rate: marker of hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis?

To assess the diagnostic value of left atrial deformation parameters during dobutamine stress echocardiography to predict significant coronary artery stenosis in patients with moderate pretest probability of coronary artery disease (CAD). Rest and stress echocardiography were performed on 61 patients with a moderate and high probability of CAD. Based on presence of CAD patients were divided into pathological and nonpathological groups.

Anterior basal left ventricular pseudoaneurysm in a single vessel disease.

Introduction: Left ventricular pseudoaneurysm is a rare but serious clinicopathologic entity.

Materials And Results: This article describes a case report of 51-year-old man who experienced recurrence of chest pain and dyspnea 4 months later after anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction of first diagonal branch. Anterior basal left ventricular pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed and successful surgical treatment was performed.

The impact of COVID-19 on adult cardiac surgery.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on cardiac surgery in a single cardiac surgery center in Lithuania.

Methods: Between November 2018 and March 2021, the data of male COVID-19-negative patients (n=81; mean age: 65.5±8.

The Effect of Birth Month on the Risk of Deep Sternal Wound Infections in Patients After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Heart Defect Surgery.

Background: Cardiovascular diseases remain one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, however its surgical treatment remains risky with possible complications. There is increasing evidence that the month of birth (MOB) has been related to different health problems during life. The aim of this study was to identify the effect of MOB on the risk of deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) in patients after open-heart surgery.

Instantaneous wave free ratio value impact on left internal mammary artery graft patency.

Objectives: To assess whether instantaneous wave - free ratio (iFR) value is associated with left internal mammary artery (LIMA) graft failure at 12 months follow-up post coronary artery bypass graft (CABG).

Background: Data suggests bypass to a non-significant left anterior descending artery (LAD) lesion due to visual over-estimation may lead to LIMA graft failure. Implementing iFR may result in better arterial graft patency.

Surgical dilemma - spare or replace regurgitant aortic valve: Late comparative outcomes of two strategies.

Background: To evaluate different aortic root surgery techniques and their contemporary clinical outcomes in patients with regurgitant aortic valve and aortic root aneurysm.

Methods: The study consisted of 141 adult patients who underwent aortic valve reimplantation (David group = 73) or aortic valve replacement surgery (Bentall group = 68) for aortic valve regurgitation (AR) and dilatation of the aortic root at our institution within the same period (April 2004-October 2016). Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival and other clinically relevant outcomes between the groups.

The association of left ventricular histologically verified myocardial fibrosis with pulmonary hypertension in severe aortic stenosis.

Objectives: To evaluate the association between histologically verified left ventricular (LV) myocardial fibrosis (MF) and its bio- and functional markers with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: About 34 patients with isolated severe AS underwent 2D echocardiography, cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging, and plasma NT-proBNP evaluation before aortic valve replacement (AVR). LV measurements were analyzed by CMR and LV strain using feature tracking software (Medis Suite QStrain 2.

Risk Factors Associated with an Increased Risk of Deep Sternal Wound Infections in Patients After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Heart Defect Surgery.

Background: Despite improvements over time with regard to morbidity, mortality, and long-term survival, deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) continues to be a major complication after open-heart surgery. This is why it is important to identify possible risk factors for postoperative development of DSWI in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and valve replacement. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for postoperative development of deep sternal wound infection in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting and heart defect surgery at the Department of Thoracic, Cardiac, and Vascular Surgery of the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences.

Intraoperative angiography during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence rate of technical failure of graft patency while performing intra-operative angiography after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Methods: This prospective pilot study included 50 patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, in addition to intra-operative angiographic graft assessments, on open-chest. Overall, 144 grafts and 160 distal anastomoses were assessed in a hybrid operating room.

Detection of Functionally Significant Coronary Artery Disease: Role of Regional Post Systolic Shortening.

Background: The main goal of this manuscript was to evaluate the diagnostic value of the global and regional postsystolic shortening (PSS) parameters, assessed by two-dimensional (2D) speckle-tracking echocardiography, at rest and during dobutamine stress for the detection of functionally significant coronary artery stenoses in patients with moderate pretest probability of stable coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) and adenosine stress myocardial perfusion imaging by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR-MPI) were performed on 83 patients with moderate pretest probability of stable CAD and left ventricle ejection fraction ≥55%. CAD was defined as ≥50% diameter stenoses on invasive coronary artery angiography (CAA) validated as hemodynamically significant by CMR-MPI.

Long Noncoding RNAs CARMN, LUCAT1, SMILR, and MALAT1 in Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm: Validation of Biomarkers in Clinical Samples.

Materials And Methods: Relative expression of lncRNAs CARMN, LUCAT1, SMILR, and MALAT1 was tested in clinical aortic tissue and blood plasma samples from TAA and non-TAA patients using the qRT-PCR method. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare Ct values between the study groups. ROC curve analysis was performed to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma lncRNAs.

A riddle yet unsolved: two case reports of primary cardiac sarcoma.

Primary malignant cardiac tumors are exceedingly rare and dangerous, often leading to very early death after initial symptom presentation. Each case poses a unique challenge, as no standardized practice guidelines have been developed due to their sheer rarity. Surgical excision and adjuvant therapy remain the mainstays of treatment.

Long-term outcomes and predictors of recurrent aortic regurgitation after aortic valve-sparing and reconstructive cusp surgery: a single centre experience.

Background: Aortic valve sparing surgery (AVS), in combination with aortic cusp repair (ACR), still raises many questions about the increased surgical complexity and applicability for patients with pure aortic valve regurgitation (AR). The aim of this study was to investigate our long-term outcomes and predictors of recurrent AR (> 2+) after AVS and reconstructive cusp surgery.

Methods: We reviewed data of 81 patients who underwent AVS (a reimplantation technique) with concomitant ACR for AR and or dilatation of the aortic root at our institution during the period from April 2004 to October 2016.

Predictors of early mortality after surgical treatment of infective endocarditis: a single-center experience.

Objective: Surgical management of infective endocarditis continues to be challenging and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The objective of our study was to determine the risk factors and conditions associated with poor early infective endocarditis surgical treatment outcomes-30-day postoperative mortality.

Methods: A total of 124 patients who underwent surgery for infective endocarditis at the Hospital of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences Kaunas Clinics from January 2010 to December 2017 were retrospectively included in this study.

Early and long-term results of aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery for bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves.

Introduction: To evaluate early and long-term clinical outcomes following aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery in patients with leaking bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves.

Methods: The study consisted of 92 consecutive adult patients (tricuspid aortic valve group = 63 and bicuspid aortic valve group = 29) who underwent aortic valve sparing aortic root reimplantation surgery with or without aortic cusp repair for dilatation of the aortic root and/or aortic valve regurgitation at our institution from April 2004 to October 2016. Clinical outcomes were investigated using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank tests between groups.

Non-ischaemic mitral valve suture annuloplasty: late follow-up results.

Objective: To evaluate late outcomes after posterior mitral valve (MV) annulus double-suture annuloplasty for degenerative (non-ischaemic) MV insufficiency.

Design: Between 2005 and 2011, 138 patients underwent MV repair using posterior MV double-suture annuloplasty and an additional 105 patients underwent tricuspid valve repair. The study protocol included operative mortality, reoperation rate and reasons, as well as echocardiographic parameters at pre- and postoperative and follow-up periods (2-9 years).