In-Hospital Post-Operative Infection after Heart Transplantation: Epidemiology, Clinical Management, and Outcome.

Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality after heart transplantation (HT). Little information about its importance in the immediate post-operative period is available. The aim of this study was to analyze the characteristics, incidence, and outcomes of in-hospital post-operative infections after HT.

Spontaneous fracture and embolization of an inferior vena cava cannula: is it possible?

We present a case of spontaneous fracture and embolization of the distal part of a cannula into the left inferior lobar artery. The embolized fragment was captured with an angioplasty balloon and extracted through the right atrium appendage. No adverse event related to the embolization was observed and the patient was discharged with no sequelae.

Lower mini-sternotomy in congenital heart disease: just a cosmetic improvement?

Objectives: Lower mini-sternotomy represents a minimally invasive surgical technique that has been utilized for the repair of a wide variety of congenital heart defects with excellent surgical and cosmetic outcomes. However, clinical improvements provided for this technique beyond cosmetic results are controversial. The aim of our study is to report our results with lower mini-sternotomy for the repair of congenital heart malformations and compare them with a matched group with a full median sternotomy approach.

Lower limb overflow syndrome in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Peripheral extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is associated with a not negligible rate of vascular morbidity. Most vascular complications are related to limb ischaemia mainly due to insufficient limb perfusion or embolic events. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a severe epidermolysis and overflow syndrome as a result of an overperfusion phenomenon through an unknown femoral arterio-venous fistula in a patient requiring ECMO support.