Publications by authors named "Lawrence M Wei"
Purpose: Left chest robotic left internal thoracic artery (LITA) to left anterior descending (LAD) coronary revascularization has been established. We hereby describe robotic aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass via a right lateral approach.
Description: A 73-year-old female with severe aortic insufficiency, 70% LAD stenosis, and ejection fraction of 35% presents with recalcitrant symptoms.
Background: Societal guidelines support concomitant management of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. To assess real-world adoption and outcomes, this study evaluated Medicare beneficiaries with AF who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with surgical ablation (SA) or left atrial appendage obliteration (LAAO) or both procedures in combination (SA + LAAO).
Methods: The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services inpatient claims database identified all patients with AF who underwent isolated CABG from 2018 to 2020.
Objectives: Aortic valve repair can be limited by inadequate leaflet tissue for proper coaptation. Various kinds of pericardium have been used for cusp augmentation, but most have failed because of tissue degeneration. A more durable leaflet substitute is needed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRobotic mitral repair: maintaining quality at all levels of complexity.
Ann Cardiothorac Surg
November 2022
Over the last two decades, robotic mitral valve surgery has evolved from application of standard repair techniques for focal degenerative disease to a broad range of repair techniques navigating nearly all mitral pathologies at different complexity levels, the latter only performed in highly experienced robotic programs. The basic setup and steps of the operation have been standardized and many groups have reported reproducibility, excellent long-term durability and exceedingly rare mortality rates comparable to sternotomy. This has created a surge of interest in robotic cardiac surgery by patients, referring physicians and cardiac surgeons, all seeking the least invasive approach to mitral valve repair.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Leiomyosarcomas (LMS) involving the inferior vena cava (IVC) is a clinically rare entity, accounting for approximately 0.5% of all adult sarcomas.
Case Presentation: A 67-year-old male presented to the emergency department with mild back and lower abdominal pain.
Objectives: Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation (AF) is recommended as a stand-alone therapy for patients refractory to medical or catheter-based treatment, or as a concomitant therapy when associated with structural disease. We report a single-therapy robotic approach to the Cox maze with longitudinal follow-up.
Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent robotic biatrial cryothermic Cox maze for nonparoxysmal AF between November 2016 and January 2022 were examined at 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, 36, 48, and 60 months.
Objectives: Isolated right coronary leaflet prolapse is a common cause of nonaneurysmal aortic insufficiency, but can rarely occur in patients with proximal aortic aneurysms. Standardized techniques for routine autologous repair of this disorder are presented.
Methods: Most aortic valve leaflet prolapse is isolated to the right coronary leaflet, with hypertension and annular dilatation being contributory.
Objectives: As aortic valve repair (AVr) for aortic insufficiency (AI) expands, minimally invasive (Mi) approaches are increasingly being applied. Cardiac surgical techniques can be more difficult through small incisions, and this report analyzes medium-term outcomes for MiAVr facilitated by geometric ring annuloplasty.
Methods: Since 2013, 58 patients were selected for AVr through upper sternotomy third-interspace incisions.