Global Access to Cardiac Surgery Centers: Distribution, Disparities, and Targets.

Background: Global data on cardiac surgery centers are outdated and survey-based. In 1995, there were 0.7 centers per million population, ranging from one per 120,000 in North America to one per 33 million in sub-Saharan Africa.

Superior safety of direct oral anticoagulants compared to Warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation and underlying cancer: a national veterans affairs database study.

Background: Studies evaluating safety of warfarin and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) for prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are lacking.

Methods & Results: All patients ( = 196,521) receiving care at veteran's affairs with active cancer and AF from 2010-2015 were included. One-year mortality was significantly higher in unadjusted analysis with warfarin (44.

Operator Experience and Outcomes after Transcatheter Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion with the Watchman Device.

Background: Transcatheter left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has become a suitable alternative to anticoagulation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, volume-outcome relationships at the individual operator level have not been studied.

Methods: Study population included 425 consecutive patients with AF undergoing LAAO from August 2015 to November 2018 by seven operators at BUMC-Phoenix.

Comparison of Rotational with Orbital Atherectomy During Percutaneous Coronary Intervention for Coronary Artery Calcification: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) outcomes for patients with significant calcification have been consistently inferior compared to patients without significant calcification. Procedural success and long-term outcomes after PCI have been worse in patients with severe coronary calcium.

Objective: A Bayesian meta-analysis of outcomes comparing rotational atherectomy (RA) with orbital atherectomy (OA) was performed.

Prognostic value of frontal QRS-T angle in predicting survival after primary percutaneous coronary revascularization/coronary artery bypass grafting for ST-elevation myocardial infarction.

Background: Frontal QRS-T angle (FQRST) has previously been correlated with mortality in patients with stable coronary artery disease, but its role as survival predictor after ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) remains unknown.

Methods: We evaluated 267 consecutive patients with STEMI undergoing reperfusion or coronary artery bypass grafting. Data assessed included demographics, clinical presentation, electrocardiograms, medical therapy, and one-year mortality.