Transcatheter versus surgical valve replacement in patients with bicuspid aortic valves: an updated meta-analysis.

Patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) are predisposed to the development of aortic stenosis. We performed a pairwise meta-analysis, comparing the efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with BAV. Medical databases were queried to pool comparative studies of interest.

Impact of a Helmet Distribution Program in the Pediatric Emergency Department.

Objective: Bicycle helmet use has repeatedly been shown to protect riders from serious injury. Despite this, a majority of children and adolescents do not regularly wear helmets. Our primary objective was to determine if an emergency department (ED)-based helmet distribution program could increase the amount of time children report wearing helmets.

Eutectic mixture of local anesthetics and amethocaine as topical anesthetics in pediatrics: a meta-analysis.

Background: Pediatric patients often receive topical anesthesia before skin procedures in the Emergency Department, with EMLA cream and amethocaine gel being common choices. The most effective option remains a subject of debate.

Objective: Our goal was to compare EMLA cream with amethocaine gel in pediatric patients undergoing topical anesthesia, focusing on outcomes: first-attempt cannulation success, child-reported visual analogue scale (VAS) score, parent-reported VAS score, observed pain score, child-reported absence of pain, and child-reported acceptable anesthesia.

Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty revised to total knee arthroplasty versus primary total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis of matched studies.

Background: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) offers a less invasive alternative to total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but is accompanied by a high revision risk. The aim of our study was to perform a meta-analysis comparing outcomes of UKA revised to TKA versus primary TKA, to assess if UKA is an effective treatment option, despite its potential need for revision.

Methods: Studies comparing matched cohorts of patients with UKA revised to TKA versus primary TKA were identified via the PubMed, Ovid EMBASE, and Scopus databases.

Minimally Invasive Versus Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Updated Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Objective: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has arisen as a viable alternative to surgery. Similarly, minimally invasive surgical aortic valve replacement (mini-SAVR), such as ministernotomy and minithoracotomy, have also gained interest. We conducted a pairwise meta-analysis to further investigate the efficacy of TAVR versus mini-SAVR.

Minimally invasive, surgical, and transcatheter aortic valve replacement: A network meta-analysis.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has evolved as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). In addition to full-sternotomy (FS), recent reports have shown successful minimally-invasive SAVR approaches, including mini-sternotomy (MS) and mini-thoracotomy (MT). This network-meta-analysis (NMA) seeks to provide an outcomes comparison based on these different modalities (MS, MT, TAVR) compared with FS as a reference arm for the management of aortic valve disease.

Ross procedure versus pulmonary homograft versus mechanical valve versus bioprosthetic valve versus Ozaki procedure for surgical aortic valve replacement: a frequentist network meta-analysis.

Background: There has been a resurgence in interest regarding the Ross procedure due to recent publications detailing positive long-term outcomes. Conversely, surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with a pulmonary homograft (PH), mechanical (MV), bioprosthetic (BV), or the Ozaki procedure each has its own technical advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, we performed a network meta-analysis (NMA) comparing other alternatives to Ross procedure.

Bioprosthetic versus mechanical valves for mitral valve replacement in patients < 70 years: an updated pairwise meta-analysis.

Background: The ideal conduit for mitral valve replacement (MVR) remains elusive, particularly among younger patients due to increased life expectancy. We perform a pairwise meta-analysis comparing the use of bioprosthetic valves (BPV) and mechanical mitral valves (MMV) in patients < 70 years old undergoing MVR.

Methods: We comprehensively searched medical databases to identify studies comparing the use of BPV and MMV in patients < 70 years old undergoing MVR.

Opioid-free anesthesia versus opioid-based anesthesia in patients undergoing cardiovascular and thoracic surgery: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

Background: Despite their extensive clinical use, opioids are characterized by several side effects. These complications, coupled with the ongoing opioid epidemic, have favored the rise of opioid-free-anesthesia (OFA). Herein, we perform the first pairwise meta-analysis of clinical outcomes for OFA vs opioid-based anesthesia (OBA) in patients undergoing cardiovascular and thoracic surgery.

General Anesthesia Versus Local Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Updated Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Objectives: For patients with aortic stenosis, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) offers a less invasive treatment modality than conventional surgical valve replacement. Although the surgery is performed traditionally under general anesthesia (GA), recent studies have described success with TAVR using local anesthesia (LA) and/or conscious sedation. The study authors performed a pairwise meta-analysis to compare the clinical outcomes of TAVR based on operative anesthesia management.

Coronary Revascularization in Patients With Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Propensity-Matched Studies.

Objective: Patients with diabetes have poorer outcomes with coronary artery disease (CAD) and pose a unique clinical population for revascularization. We performed a pairwise meta-analysis of randomized trials (RCTs) and propensity-matched observational studies (PMS) to compare the clinical outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with diabetes.

Methods: A comprehensive literature search was performed to identify RCT and PMS studies comparing CABG with PCI in patients with diabetes with concurrent CAD.

Decellularized versus cryopreserved pulmonary allografts for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction during the Ross procedure: a meta-analysis of short- and long-term outcomes.

Background: The ideal conduit for repair of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) during the Ross procedure remains unclear and has yet to be fully elucidated. We perform a pairwise meta-analysis to compare the short-term and long-term outcomes of decellularized versus cryopreserved pulmonary allografts for RVOT reconstruction during the Ross procedure.

Main Body: After a comprehensive literature search, studies comparing decellularized and cryopreserved allografts for patients undergoing RVOT reconstruction during the Ross procedure were pooled to perform a pairwise meta-analysis using the random-effects model.