Starting Pediatric VAD Program: Transforming Challenges into Opportunities; A Case Series of a Single Center.

Background: The prevalence of heart failure is constantly increasing in both children and adults. End-stage heart failure in children unresponsive to medical therapy has limited treatment options. Surgical options include heart transplantation or implantation of durable ventricular assist devices (VADs).

The Association between Glycosylated Hemoglobin Level and Platelets Reactivity in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Elective Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting.

Background: Diabetic patients tend to have increased platelet reactivity after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The aim of this study was to determine the association between hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values and platelet reactivity and to evaluate the consequent impact on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing CABG.

Methods: This prospective observational trial consecutively enrolled 225 diabetic patients undergoing CABG, between February 2014 and October 2018.

Intragastric Application of Aspirin, Clopidogrel, Cilostazol, and BPC 157 in Rats: Platelet Aggregation and Blood Clot.

We suggest that the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 may rescue thrombocyte function. We focused on the antithrombotic agent aspirin, clopidogrel, and cilostazol application in rats; arachidonic acid, ADP, collagen, and arachidonic acid/PGE1 platelet aggregation (aggregometry) and blood clot viscoelastic properties (thromboelastometry); and the pentadecapeptide BPC 157. Rats received intragastrically for three days once daily treatment with antithrombotic agents-aspirin (10 mg/kg) or clopidogrel (10 mg/kg) or cilostazol (10 mg/kg).

Successful separation of xypho-omphalopagus conjoined twins with extrauterine twin-twin transfusion syndrome: a case report.

Conjoined twining is a rare medical phenomenon, with an overall prevalence of 1.47 per 100 000 births. This report describes a successful separation of xypho-omphalopagus conjoined twins complicated by unbalanced blood shunting through the porto-systemic anastomoses within the shared liver parenchyma.

Bleeding risk assessment in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery using ROTEM(®) platelet and Multiplate(®) impedance aggregometry.

Impaired platelet function is a major risk factor for peri-operative bleeding and transfusion. This prospective, observational study enrolled 101 consecutive patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Platelet function was assessed by two whole blood impedance aggregometers (ROTEM(®) platelet and Multiplate(®) ), using three different activators (arachidonic acid, adenosine diphosphate and thrombin receptor-activating peptide-6), at three peri-operative time points (before anaesthesia, after aortic declamping and 5-10 min after protamine administration).

Results of extracorporeal life support implementation in routine clinical practice: single center experience.

Aim: To describe our experience in the clinical application of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) and analyze whether ECLS leads to acceptable clinical outcomes in patients with cardiac failure.

Methods: Data from clinical database of University Hospital Center Zagreb, Croatia, on 75 patients undergoing ECLS support from 2009 to 2014 due to cardiac failure were retrospectively analyzed. Outcomes were defined as procedural and clinical outcomes.

Activated coagulation time vs. intrinsically activated modified rotational thromboelastometry in assessment of hemostatic disturbances and blood loss after protamine administration in elective cardiac surgery: analysis from the clinical trial (NCT01281397).

Background: Excessive bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is risk factor for adverse outcomes after elective cardiac surgery (ECS). Although many different point-of-care devices to diagnose hemostatic disturbances after CPB are available, the best test is still unclear. The study aim was to compare the accuracy of hemostatic disorder detection between two point-of-care devices.

Definition of acetylsalicylic acid resistance using whole blood impedance aggregometry in patients undergoing coronary artery surgery.

A beneficial effect of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on vein graft patency has been described, but some patients experience adverse cardiac events despite appropriate ASA treatment. Study aim was to define ASA resistance using Multiple electrode aggregometry (MEA) preoperatively in group of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Prospective observational trial at University Hospital Center Zagreb enrolled 131 patients scheduled for CABG, and divided them into 4 groups with respect to preoperative antiplatelet therapy (APT).

Bleeding risk assessment using whole blood impedance aggregometry and rotational thromboelastometry in patients following cardiac surgery.

Excessive bleeding after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is risk factor for adverse outcomes after elective cardiac surgery (ECS). Differentiating between patients who bleed due to surgical issues and those whose excessive chest tube output (CTO) is due to coagulopathy, remains challenging. Bedside suitable tests to identify hemostatic disturbances and predict excessive bleeding are desirable.

Bleeding risk assessment using multiple electrode aggregometry in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery.

Individual variability in the response to antiplatelet therapy (APT), frequently administered preoperatively, has been established by various platelet function assays and could reflect bleeding tendency after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Our hypothesis is that multiple electrode whole-blood aggregometry (MEA) can identify patients at risk for excessive bleeding. We enrolled 211 patients (155 male and 56 female) undergoing isolated CABG in a prospective observational study.

[Disorders of hemostasis in chronic renal failure and renal transplantation].

The presence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) has been associated with profound clinical effects on hemostasis ranging from thrombosis to bleeding complications. The pathogenesis of uremic bleeding is multifactorial. It has been attributed to platelet dysfunction, the most important feature, particularly platelet-platelet and platelet-vessel wall interactions.

Assessment of platelet function by whole blood impedance aggregometry in coronary artery bypass grafting patients on acetylsalicylic acid treatment may prompt a switch to dual antiplatelet therapy.

Residual platelet reactivity (RPR) following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) might be related to thrombotic complications and major ischemic cardiac events. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes in platelet reactivity monitored pre- and postoperatively using multiple-electrode aggregometry (MEA) and to propose an alternative therapeutic approach in a subgroup of patients with postoperative RPR. Ninety-nine patients undergoing elective CABG were enrolled in the study, of whom 41 (41.