Lactate Dehydrogenase Levels after Aortic Valve Replacement: What Do They Tell Us?

Introduction:  Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is a standard postoperative marker for hemolysis in the presence of paravalvular leakage (PVL) after replacement of the aortic valve (AVR). LDH is elevated in certain valves by a fluttering phenomenon. Previous studies suggested a correlation between microparticles (MPs) and LDH elevation after AVR.

External stenting for saphenous vein grafts reduces early postoperative graft failure.

Objectives: Multiple studies have shown that external stenting (ExSt) mitigates the progression of vein graft disease years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We used computed tomography to evaluate the effect of ExSt on perioperative vein graft patency.

Methods: This study assessed graft patency rates of saphenous vein grafts (SVG) in consecutive patients with isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between 2018 and 2021.

Conversion from off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: impact of surgeon and anaesthetist experience.

Objectives: Intraoperative conversion from off-pump to on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with increased postoperative morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of surgeon and anaesthetist experience on the conversion rate.

Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of all patients who underwent planned off-pump CABG in a single centre in 2007-2021, some of whom were non-electively converted to on-pump.

Strong German Hearts 2023: A Field Report.

What do the special forces of the Federal Police and heart surgeons have in common? To find out, a team of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG) started a pilot project called "Strong German Hearts" with an intensive 36-hour training supported by the special forces of the Federal Police.

Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch after Aortic Valve Replacement with the Mosaic Ultra Bioprosthesis.

Background:  Several studies have reported high rates of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with the Mosaic prosthesis. This work assesses the incidence of PPM after AVR with a modified version of the Mosaic prosthesis, the Mosaic Ultra.

Methods:  We performed a retrospective analysis of the data of 532 patients who underwent AVR with implantation of the Mosaic Ultra prosthesis in the period 2007-2016 in our institution.