Influence of Rigor Mortis on Tendon Mobility in an Animal Fresh Cadaver Model.

(1) Many biomechanical studies are performed using fresh frozen cadavers or embalmed specimens, although the biomechanical characteristics do not match the characteristics of in vivo tendons. Therefore, a fresh in vivo-like cadaver model has been introduced recently. As a limitation for studies with fresh cadavers, must be considered.

Simultaneous minimally invasive LVAD implantation and extracorporeal RVAD placement by patient with pectus excavatum and biventricular acute heart failure.

The optimal surgical approach in patients with pectus excavatum (PEx) who need cardiac surgery remains uncertain. The challenge is even greater, if it is already foreseeable that the patient will be needed further procedure in the next future. We describe a novel sternotomy-sparing approach for minimal-invasive biventricular assist device (BiVAD) implantation in a patient with an acute heart failure (HF) due to dilated cardiomyopathy and severe PEx.

Biomechanical analysis of the interval slide procedure: a fresh porcine cadaver study.

Introduction: The interval slide procedure (IS) has been introduced to improve mobility in massive, retracted rotator cuff tears. As clinical studies showed controversial results, the benefit of the IS is still widely discussed.

Aim: Aim of this study was to analyze the effect of IS procedure on tendon mobility in a fresh porcine cadaver model.

Assessment and Management of Delirium in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Review.

Many critically ill patients suffer from delirium which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. There is a paucity of data about the incidence, symptoms, or treatment of delirium in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Risk factors for delirium are common in the PICU including central nervous system immaturity, developmental delay, mechanical ventilation, and use of anticholinergic agents, corticosteroids, vasopressors, opioids, or benzodiazepines.

Mobility Assessment of the Supraspinatus in a Porcine Cadaver Model Using a Sensor-Enhanced, Arthroscopic Grasper.

Tendon mobility is highly relevant in rotator cuff surgery. Objective data about rotator cuff mobility is rare. Tendon mobility still needs to be evaluated subjectively by the surgeon.

Early Post-traumatic Seizure Occurrence in Pediatric Patients Receiving Levetiracetam Prophylaxis With Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Although levetiracetam is used for the prevention of early Post-traumatic seizures (EPTS) after traumatic brain injury (TBI), limited data exist describing the incidence of seizures in pediatric patients receiving levetiracetam prophylaxis. The objective of this research is to evaluate the prevalence of EPTS in children given prophylactic levetiracetam after severe TBI.

Methods: This study was conducted at a Level 1 pediatric trauma center and included pediatric patients with severe TBI who received levetiracetam for EPTS prophylaxis.

Quantitative coronary computed tomography angiography for the detection of cardiac allograft vasculopathy.

Objectives: To associate coronary wall volume and composition, derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA), with cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) detected on invasive coronary angiography (ICA) in heart-transplanted (HTX) patients.

Methods: We included consecutive adults who received ICA and coronary CTA for evaluation of CAV ≥ 10 months after HTX. In all coronary segments, we assessed lumen and wall volumes and segmental length, calculated volume-length ratio (VLR) (volumes indexed by segmental length; mm/mm), wall burden (WB) (wall/wall + lumen volumes; %), and assessed proportions of calcified, fibrotic, fibro-fatty, and low-attenuation tissue (%) in coronary wall.

Cardiac MRI and Texture Analysis of Myocardial T1 and T2 Maps in Myocarditis with Acute versus Chronic Symptoms of Heart Failure.

BackgroundThe establishment of a timely and correct diagnosis in heart failure-like myocarditis remains one of the most challenging in clinical cardiology.PurposeTo assess the diagnostic potential of texture analysis in heart failure-like myocarditis with comparison to endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) as the reference standard.Materials and MethodsSeventy-one study participants from the Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Myocarditis (MyoRacer) trial (ClinicalTrials.

Acetaminophen Serum Concentrations in Infants Treated Intravenously for Patent Ductus Arteriosus.

Objective: Although acetaminophen has emerged as a therapeutic option for treating hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in preterm infants, limited data exist on pharmacodynamics. The objective of this research is to report serum acetaminophen concentrations at steady state in infants treated with intravenous acetaminophen for PDA and to examine associations with clinical outcomes.

Methods: This retrospective study evaluated all infants admitted during the study period who received intravenous acetaminophen for the treatment of PDA.

Computed tomography improves the differentiation of infectious mediastinitis from normal postoperative changes after sternotomy in cardiac surgery.

Objectives: To identify CT parameters independently associated with infectious mediastinitis after cardiac surgery and to improve the discrimination of patients with acute infection from those with normal postoperative changes.

Methods: In this single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study, we evaluated thoracic CT scans of poststernotomy cardiac surgery patients. Inclusion criteria were clinically suspected mediastinitis, unclear CT signs (e.

Cardiac MRI Texture Analysis of T1 and T2 Maps in Patients with Infarctlike Acute Myocarditis.

Purpose To assess the diagnostic potential of texture analysis applied to T1 and T2 maps obtained with cardiac MRI for the diagnosis of acute infarctlike myocarditis. Materials and Methods This prospective study from August 2012 to May 2015 included 39 participants (overall mean age ± standard deviation, 34.7 years ± 12.

Pain Management in Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease.

Pain is a common problem in children with chronic kidney disease (CKD); however, limited data exist regarding its management. Although most pain is managed pharmacologically, in some instances non-pharmacologic management can aid in safely ameliorating discomfort. Because of the accumulation of toxic metabolites, many common pain medications have adverse effects on kidney function or altered pharmacokinetics in the setting of CKD.

Combined Mitral and Tricuspid Versus Isolated Mitral Valve Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Patients With Symptomatic Valve Regurgitation at High Surgical Risk.

Objectives: The present study aimed to test the clinical benefit of combined transcatheter mitral plus tricuspid valve edge-to-edge repair (TMTVR) as compared with transcatheter mitral valve edge-to-edge repair (TMVR) alone in patients with both significant mitral (MR) and tricuspid regurgitation (TR) at high surgical risk.

Background: A growing number of patients with severe MR at increased surgical risk are treated by transcatheter techniques. Evidence suggests that residual TR remains a predictor of adverse outcome in these patients.

Association of Depression and Anxiety Disorders With Autoimmune Thyroiditis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: With a prevalence of 4% to 13% in the United States, autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a major health problem. Besides somatic complications, patients with AIT can also experience psychiatric disorders. The extent of these organic psychiatric diseases in patients with AIT, however, is so far not commonly known.

Acetaminophen for Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Neonates.

Objective: Although non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the current standard therapy for the treatment of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), many neonates have contraindications to receiving or may fail NSAID therapy. To avoid surgical ligation, these patients may benefit from an alternative therapy. The objective of this research is to report the efficacy and safety of acetaminophen for the treatment of PDA in a cohort of premature neonates.

Treatment of Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn: Use of Pulmonary Vasodilators in Term Neonates.

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) represents a challenging condition associated with significant morbidity. A successful transition from intrauterine to extrauterine life is contingent on adequate pulmonary vasodilation. Several pathophysiologies contribute to the failure of this cascade and may result in life-threatening hypoxia and acidosis in the newborn.

CMR-Derived Extracellular Volume Fraction as a Marker for Myocardial Fibrosis: The Importance of Coexisting Myocardial Inflammation.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether extracellular volume fraction (ECV) can reliably inform on the extent of diffuse fibrosis in the simultaneous presence of myocardial inflammation, which has not been verified to date.

Background: Diffuse myocardial fibrosis is associated with unfavorable outcome in patients with cardiomyopathy, and is of prognostic relevance. Assessment of ECV bears promise for being a noninvasive surrogate parameter, but it may be altered by other pathologies.

Comprehensive Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients With Suspected Myocarditis: The MyoRacer-Trial.

Background: Data suggest that T1 and T2 mapping have excellent diagnostic accuracy in patients with suspected myocarditis. However, the true diagnostic performance of comprehensive cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) mapping versus endomyocardial biopsy (EMB) has not been determined.

Objectives: This study assessed the performance of CMR imaging, including T1 and T2 mapping, compared with EMB in an unselected, consecutive patient cohort with suspected myocarditis.

CT evaluation prior to transapical aortic valve replacement: semi-automatic versus manual image segmentation.

To compare the performance of semi-automatic versus manual segmentation for ECG-triggered cardiovascular computed tomography (CT) examinations prior to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), with focus on the speed and precision of experienced versus inexperienced observers. The preoperative ECG-triggered CT data of 30 consecutive patients who were scheduled for TAVR were included. All datasets were separately evaluated by two radiologists with 1 and 5 years of experience (novice and expert, respectively) in cardiovascular CT using an evaluation software program with or without a semi-automatic TAVR workflow.

Understanding how lake populations of arctic char are structured and function with special consideration of the potential effects of climate change: a multi-faceted approach.

Size dimorphism in fish populations, both its causes and consequences, has been an area of considerable focus; however, uncertainty remains whether size dimorphism is dynamic or stabilizing and about the role of exogenous factors. Here, we explored patterns among empirical vital rates, population structure, abundance and trend, and predicted the effects of climate change on populations of arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) in two lakes. Both populations cycle dramatically between dominance by small (≤300 mm) and large (>300 mm) char.

Incidence, characteristics and functional implications of cerebral embolic lesions after the MitraClip procedure.

Aims: This study aimed to assess the incidence and impact of cerebral embolic events after the MitraClip procedure.

Methods And Results: Twenty-seven high-risk patients (logistic EuroSCORE I 25±15%) underwent the MitraClip procedure and cerebral diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in median two days before and three days after the procedure. On the same day, neurocognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) questionnaire and thorough clinical examination.

The potential additional diagnostic value of assessing for pericardial effusion on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with suspected myocarditis.

Background: The presence of pericardial effusion (PE) is considered to be suggestive of inflammation in suspected myocarditis. However, the incremental value of assessing for PE in addition to comprehensive cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging remains unclear.

Methods: In total, 132 patients with suspected acute (AMC) or chronic myocarditis (CMC) were included.