The Right Coronary Anatomy and Operative Topography of the Tricuspid Valve Annulus.

Background: The region of the tricuspid valve is an important area for various cardiac interventions. In particular, the spatial relationships between the right coronary artery and the annulus of the tricuspid valve should be considered during surgical interventions. The aim of this study was to provide an accurate description of the clinical anatomy and topography of this region.

AltaValve Atrial Fixation System for the Treatment of Severe Mitral Regurgitation and Mitral Annular Calcification.

Background: Treatment options for patients with mitral regurgitation (MR) and mitral annular calcification (MAC) are limited. The limitations of current transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) technologies include high screen failure rates, increased risk of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, and high residual regurgitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of TMVR with the AltaValve system (4C Medical, Maple Grove, MN), a supra-annular TMVR with atrial fixation, in patients with severe MR and moderate or severe MAC.

Chronic thromboembolic disease among patients undergoing surgical pulmonary embolectomy for acute pulmonary embolism.

Background: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of chronic thromboembolic lesions in the pulmonary arteries among patients undergoing pulmonary embolectomy for acute pulmonary embolism and their impact on treatment outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective, single-center analysis of consecutive patients undergoing emergency pulmonary embolectomy for acute pulmonary embolism between 2013 and August 2021. According to European Society of Cardiology guidelines, the diagnosis was based on clinical presentation, imaging studies and laboratory tests.

The Utility of a Resting Electrocardiogram (ECG-PH Index) in Evaluating the Efficacy of Pulmonary Endarterectomy in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Background: The ECG-PH index (PH-ECG score) has been proposed as a valuable ECG-derived method of evaluating the effectiveness of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is the main form of therapy for CTEPH with a proximal clot location. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical utility of a resting electrocardiogram (ECG-PH index) in assessing the effectiveness of PEA in CTEPH patients.

Surgical pulmonary embolectomy: state of the art.

Acute pulmonary embolism is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients in life-threatening conditions require timely and effective interventions to improve pulmonary perfusion. The indications for surgical embolectomy in the thrombolysis era have been limited.

Transcatheter transseptal treatment of patients with severe mitral regurgitation using an atrial fixation mitral valve replacement technology.

Background: Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common valvular heart disease worldwide with a 5-year mortality rate of 50 % with medical therapy alone. Several transcatheter mitral valve replacement (TMVR) devices are being investigated in clinical trials. Early evidence has demonstrated clinical benefits with a reduction in heart failure symptoms, low rates of residual MR, and reverse remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) over time.

Investigating the Impact of Guided Imagery on Stress, Brain Functions, and Attention: A Randomized Trial.

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential impact of guided imagery (GI) on attentional control and cognitive performance and to explore the relationship between guided imagery, stress reduction, alpha brainwave activity, and attentional control using common cognitive performance tests. Executive function was assessed through the use of attentional control tests, including the anti-saccade, Stroop, and Go/No-go tasks. Participants underwent a guided imagery session while their brainwave activity was measured, followed by attentional control tests.

Changing Face of Inflammatory Activation in Complex Coronary Artery Disease during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the immunological status of the population, indicating increased activation. The aim of the study was to compare the degree of inflammatory activation in patients admitted for surgical revascularization in the period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective analysis included an analysis of inflammatory activation assessed on the basis of whole blood counts in 533 patients (435 (82%) male and 98 (18%) female) with a median age of 66 (61-71) years who underwent surgical revascularization, including 343 and 190 patients operated on in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

Investigating brain cortical activity in patients with post-COVID-19 brain fog.

Brain fog is a kind of mental problem, similar to chronic fatigue syndrome, and appears about 3 months after the infection with COVID-19 and lasts up to 9 months. The maximum magnitude of the third wave of COVID-19 in Poland was in April 2021. The research referred here aimed at carrying out the investigation comprising the electrophysiological analysis of the patients who suffered from COVID-19 and had symptoms of brain fog (sub-cohort A), suffered from COVID-19 and did not have symptoms of brain fog (sub-cohort B), and the control group that had no COVID-19 and no symptoms (sub-cohort C).

Acute pulmonary embolism with coexisting right heart thrombi in transit-surgical treatment of 20 consecutive patients.

Objectives: The presence of right heart thrombi in transit (RHTiT) in the setting of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is associated with high mortality. The optimal management in such cases is inconclusive. We present the results of surgical treatment of 20 consecutive patients diagnosed with high- or intermediate-high-risk PE with coexisting RHTiT.

Mechanical Circulatory Support in Delayed Surgery of Post-Infarction Ventricular Septal Rupture in Patients in Cardiogenic Shock-A Review.

Post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) is a serious complication of myocardial infarction, which, in its natural course or treated medically, is related to high mortality rate. Surgical intervention remains the treatment of choice. Recent studies have shown that delayed surgery is related to better outcomes in comparison with urgent surgery; however, in many studies the impact of the patients' initial hemodynamic status on the treatment outcomes often remains unclear.

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients Consulted by a Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Team: 5-Year Experience.

(1) Background: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is the third most frequent acute cardiovascular condition worldwide. PE response teams (PERTs) have been created to facilitate treatment implementation in PE patients. Here, we report on the 5-year experience of PERT operating in Warsaw, Poland, with regard to the characteristics and outcomes of the consulted patients.

Safety and Efficacy of a Novel Blunt-Tip Concealed-Needle Epicardial Access Device: First-in-Human Feasibility Study.

Epicardial access is becoming increasingly important for various cardiovascular interventions. Access to dry pericardial space can be challenging and is often associated with significant complications. A novel concealed-needle blunt-tip device is designed to capture the parietal pericardium layer and retract it into the distal end of the device, which houses a fixated concealed needle, in a bid to minimize the likelihood of lacerating the visceral layer of the pericardium.

The Middleware for an Exoskeleton Assisting Upper Limb Movement.

This article presents the possibilities of newly developed middleware dedicated for distributed and modular control systems. The software enables the exchange of information locally, within one control module, and globally, between many modules. The executed information exchange system speed tests confirmed the correct operation of the software.