Sutureless Aortic Valve Replacement in a Patient with Transfemoral Aortic Valve Replacement and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy.

 Transarterial valve intervention (TAVI) is valuable in high-risk patients, however, in case of left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction, conventional surgery, including partial myectomy, is indicated.  An 84-year-old female patient presented with increasing fatigue after TAVI in 2012, demonstrated a narrowed LVOT. Conventional surgery was performed, including removal of the transcathether valve, partial septal myectomy, and implantation of a sutureless valve.

Clinical outcome and hemodynamic behavior of the Labcor Dokimos Plus aortic valve.

Background: The Labcor Dokimos Plus (LDP) is a stented externally mounted pericardial aortic bioprosthesis, which was recently introduced in Europe. Aims of the study are evaluation of operative and postoperative results as well as hemodynamic performance.

Methods: One hundred consecutive patients with a mean age of 65.

Surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis: associations between morbidity, mortality and costs.

Objectives: Surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE) is associated with significant morbidity and mortality as well as with increased resource utilization and costs. For risk and cost reduction, an understanding of contributing factors and interrelations is essential.

Methods: Out of 1080 heart valve procedures performed between January 2010 and December 2012, 41 patients underwent surgery for PVE.

The St. Jude Toronto stentless bioprosthesis: up to 20 years follow-up in younger patients.

Background: A retrospective long-term evaluation of the St. Jude Toronto stentless bioprosthesis in patients aged 60 years or younger.

Methods: From 1994 to 1997, 50 patients underwent aortic valve replacement with the prosthesis.

Risk and Outcome of Aortic Valve Surgery in the Transcatheter Valve Era: The Gender Aspect.

Objectives: In 2009, a transcatheter valve intervention program was introduced at our centre. The aim of this single-centre retrospective study was to evaluate gender-specific risk profiles and outcome of patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement before and after 2009.

Methods: We assessed the preoperative logistic EuroSCORE and age, gender and 30-day-survival of 357 patients diagnosed with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis that underwent primary isolated surgical aortic valve replacement in 2007-2008 (group I, n = 191, 47% female) and 2010-2011 (group II, n = 166, 40% female).

Predictive Power and Implication of EuroSCORE, EuroSCORE II and STS Score for Isolated Repeated Aortic Valve Replacement.

Objective: We evaluated the predictive power of the EuroSCORE, EuroSCORE II and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score for isolated redo aortic valve replacement.

Materials And Methods: 78 consecutive patients underwent the aforementioned procedure mainly with a stentless valve prosthesis at our institution. Observed mortality was compared to the predicted mortality, Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves were calculated and the area under the curve (AUC) analyzed.

From baby to man with a piggyback heart: long-term success of heterotopic heart transplantation.

We present a case of a young man, who underwent heterotopic heart transplantation 20 years ago, when he was 6 months old. The baby suffered from severe intractable cardiomyopathy. In this desperate situation only a miniature, compromised donor heart became available.

Hemodynamic behavior of stentless aortic valves in long term follow-up.

Objectives: Stentless aortic valve replacements show improved hemodynamics due to larger orifice area and lower transvalvular gradients in short and mid-term follow-up. Hemodynamic long-term behavior and the adaptation of the left ventricle as well as valve-durability in patients aged ≤60 years remains unclear.

Methods: 7 to 16 years after aortic valve replacement, 54 patients (mean age at operation 53.

Suitability of the rat subdermal model for tissue engineering of heart valves.

Background: Tissue engineering (TE) is a promising approach to overcome problems associated with biological heart valve prosthesis. Currently several animal models are used to advance this method. The rat subdermal model is uncomplicated and widely used, but its suitability for TE has not yet been shown.

Outcome after surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis and the impact of preoperative treatment.

Objectives: This study examined the outcomes of surgery for active prosthetic valve endocarditis in a recent decade, with special interest in preoperative treatment and predictors for early and late events.

Methods: From 2000 to 2010, a cohort of 149 consecutive patients (mean age, 64±13.9 years; 72% were male) underwent redo-surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis and were reviewed regarding early (≤60 days) and late (>60 days) events (death, reinfection, reoperation).

Eprosartan improves cardiac function in swine working heart model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background: Eprosartan is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist used as an antihypertensive. We sought to evaluate the regional effect of Eprosartan on postinfarct ventricular remodeling and myocardial function in an isolated swine working heart model of ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Material And Methods: 22 swine hearts were perfused with the Langendorff perfusion apparatus under standard experimental conditions.

Successful implantation of a decellularized equine pericardial patch into the systemic circulation.

Background: In the past, successful use of decellularized xenogenic tissue was shown in the pulmonary circulation. This study, however, evaluates a newly developed decellularized equine pericardial patch under high pressure circumstances.

Material And Methods: Seven decellularized equine pericardial scaffolds were implanted into the descending aorta of the juvenile sheep.

Surgical-transcatheter approach for endocarditis of a calcified aortic homograft.

Repeat aortic valve replacement (AVR) after freestanding homograft root replacement with reimplantation of the coronary arteries is challenging and risky, especially in patients with major homograft wall calcifications. Although new transcatheter techniques for AVR may offer an alternative in structurally degenerated homografts, they are not suitable to treat endocarditis. Here, the case is reported of successful treatment of bacterial endocarditis within a totally calcified homograft after aortic root replacement by combining conventional surgery and transcatheter techniques.

Six years of clinical follow-up with endothelial cell-seeded small-diameter vascular grafts during coronary bypass surgery.

This clinical study was performed to investigate the patency rate of endothelial cell-seeded small-diameter expanded polytetrafluoroethylene grafts during coronary artery bypass surgery. Between September 1995 and December 1998, 14 patients (median age: 71 years, range: 61-79 years) received 21 endothelial cell-seeded small-diameter grafts. In all, 43% of the performed implantations were reoperations.

Stentless aortic valve replacement in the young patient: long-term results.

Background: Stentless aortic valve replacement (SAVR) became a common surgical procedure to treat aortic valve disease, as it offers larger orifice area and improved hemodynamics. The aim of our single-centre retrospective study was to assess long term results of first generation stentless aortic valves in young patients, where mechanical prostheses are considered first line therapy.

Methods: From 1993 to 2001, 188 (149 male and 39 female) patients (≤60 years) underwent SAVR.

Cerebroprotective effect of preoperative dual antiplatelet therapy in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery.

Objectives: Reduction of cognitive function is a possible side effect after coronary artery surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We investigated the effect of single versus dual antiplatelet therapy on cognitive performance in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with CPB.

Methods: 50 consecutive CABG patients with preoperative intake of aspirin were compared to 49 consecutive patients with aspirin and clopidogrel.

Effect of different pump heads for CPB on early cognitive outcome after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: Reduction of cognitive function is a possible side effect after coronary artery surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We investigated the effect of roller versus centrifugal pumps for CPB on cognitive performance in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: 50 consecutive CABG patients operated with centrifugal pump were compared to 50 roller pump patients matched for age and duration of CPB.

Extracellular matrix in deoxycholic acid decellularized aortic heart valves.

Background: Only limited information is available regarding the influence of decellularization on the extracellular matrix in heart valves. Within the extracellular matrix proteoglycans (PG) play a central role in the structural organization and physical functioning of valves and in their capability of settling with endothelial and interstitial cells partially myofibroblasts. We have therefore estimated the effects of decellularization using deoxycholic acid on the structure of the extracellular matrix and PG´s in porcine aortic valves.

Long-term follow-up after aortic valve replacement with Edwards Prima Plus stentless bioprostheses in patients younger than 60 years of age.

Objectives: The Edwards Prima Plus was one of the first stentless aortic valve bioprostheses, with larger orifice areas and improved hemodynamics compared to stented bioprostheses. The aim of the present single-center retrospective study was to assess the long-term results of the Edwards Prima Plus in patients 60 years old or younger.

Methods: From 1993 to 2001, 120 patients (99 men and 21 women) aged 60 years or younger underwent implantation of the Edwards Prima Plus.

Transfemoral versus conventional aortic valve implantation--early postoperative cognitive outcome.

Objectives: Reduction of cognitive function is a possible side effect after cardiac surgery. We investigated the effect of transfemoral versus conventional aortic valve replacement on cognitive performance early after surgery.

Methods: 50 patients with transfemoral, catheter-based aortic valve implantations were compared to 50 patients with conventional surgical aortic valve replacement.

Cardiac effects of experimental intravenous bone marrow cell transplantation after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Chronic heart failure after myocardial infarction is still a serious problem without a fundamental therapy. Direct intramyocardial transplantation of bone marrow cells (BMC) is promising but difficult to perform. Therefore, cardiac effect of experimental intravenous application of BMC after myocardial infarction (MI) is evaluated.

Use of an antimicrobial skin sealant reduces surgical site infection in patients undergoing routine cardiac surgery.

Background: With high morbidity and potentially devastating consequences, surgical site infections (SSIs) after cardiac surgery add substantially to the healthcare burden. Inhibiting migration of skin microbes is likely to reduce contamination of the surgical incision by endogenous potential pathogens. We studied the effect of treatment with a cyanoacrylate-based antimicrobial skin sealant (INTEGUSEAL®) on the SSI rate in cardiac surgery patients.

Ten years of clinical results with a tissue-engineered pulmonary valve.

Background: This study was performed to collect prospective safety and effectiveness data from a tissue-engineered heart valve implanted for reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract during the Ross operation.

Methods: From May 2000 until June 2002, 11 consecutive patients, mean age 39.6 ± 10.

Encouraging experience with intracardiac transplantation of unselected autologous bone marrow cells concomitant with coronary artery bypass surgery after myocardial infarction.

Background: Chronic heart failure after myocardial infarction is still a serious problem without a fundamental therapy. Experimental transplantation of bone marrow cells (BMC) into infarcted myocardium resulted in regeneration and functional improvement.

Objective: Clinical investigation of safety and efficacy of intracardiac transplantation of unselected autologous BMC.

Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with decellularized porcine xenografts in patients with congenital heart disease.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Decellularized xenogeneic pulmonary valves have been introduced for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reconstruction in congenital heart disease. In the present study, the intermediate-term results from three institutions were analyzed.

Methods: Between January 2006 and September 2008, a total of 61 patients (median age 7 years; range: 9 days to 50 years; median body weight 21 kg; range: 1.