Patients' experiences following total knee arthroplasty: a qualitative evidence synthesis.

Purpose: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical intervention for patients with advanced arthritis. The aim of this qualitative evidence synthesis was to systematically review the qualitative literature on patients' experiences following primary TKA.

Materials And Methods: Four electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane and Embase) were searched from inception until October 2021.

Endotoxin in pooled pericardial blood contributes to the systemic inflammatory response during cardiac surgery.

Although endotoxin has been implicated as an important contributor to the systemic inflammatory response (SIR) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), its source remains unclear. While gut translocation has traditionally been perceived as the primary source of endotoxemia, accumulation of endotoxin in pooled pericardial blood may represent an additional source of endotoxin that is continually reinfused into the CPB circuit. Eighteen patients undergoing primary coronary revascularization procedures were prospectively evaluated.

Improved survival in patients with acute myocarditis using external pulsatile mechanical ventricular assistance.

Background: Acute myocarditis remains a disease with a variable clinical course, from full ventricular recovery to complete heart failure; to date, few cases have been reported that describe the efficacy of temporary mechanical ventricular assistance for its treatment.

Methods: We evaluated the voluntary world registry with the use of an external pulsatile ventricular assist device (the ABIOMED BVS 5000 [BVS]) for acute myocarditis to determine the impact of mechanical ventricular assistance on outcome. Variables analyzed included patient demographics, serum chemistries, and overall hemodynamics prior to BVS, while on BVS support, and after BVS explanation.