Establishing a reliable multiple reaction monitoring-based method for the quantification of obesity-associated comorbidities in serum and adipose tissue requires intensive clinical validation.

Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-based mass spectrometric quantification of peptides and their corresponding proteins has been successfully applied for biomarker validation in serum. The option of multiplexing offers the chance to analyze various proteins in parallel, which is especially important in obesity research. Here, biomarkers that reflect multiple comorbidities and allow monitoring of therapy outcomes are required.

Acute type A aortic dissection surgery impeded by substernal colon interposition.

A 54-year old female patient presented with acute aortic dissection, Stanford type A, and a past history of oesophageal resection with substernal colon interposition. Preoperative computer tomography confirmed the aortic dissection and revealed a colonic graft that was adherent to the sternum. We report the first successful surgical treatment of aortic dissection in this challenging patient.

The role of the heart team in complicated transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a 7-year single-centre experience.

Objectives: European guidelines recommend to perform transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) within a multidisciplinary heart team. However, there is a strong drive--despite existing guidelines--to perform TAVI outside of specialized centres. The aim of this study was to clarify the necessity of on-site cardiac surgery by providing a clear insight into the complications during/after TAVI that needed surgical management.

Acute hemodynamic effects of angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibition after prolonged cardiac arrest with Bretschneider's solution.

Evidence as to how ACE inhibitors attenuate ischemia-reperfusion injury (IR) after cardioplegic arrest remains scarce. Twenty-four rabbit hearts were perfused on a Langendorff apparatus. Control hearts (n = 6) were arrested with pure histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK)-Bretschneider.

Bilateral versus single lung transplant for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Objectives: It is unknown if uni- or bilateral lung transplant is best for treatment of usual idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. We reviewed our single-center experience comparing both treatments.

Materials And Methods: Between 2002 and 2011, one hundred thirty-eight patients at our institution underwent a lung transplant.

Novel emboli protection system during cardiac surgery: a multi-center, randomized, clinical trial.

Background: Stroke is a major cause of morbidity and mortality during open-heart surgery. Up to 60% of intraoperative cerebral events are emboli induced. This randomized, controlled, multicenter trial is the first human study evaluating the safety and efficacy of a novel aortic cannula producing simultaneous forward flow and backward suction for extracting solid and gaseous emboli from the ascending aorta and aortic arch upon their intraoperative release.

Decade in review--valvular disease: Current perspectives on treatment of valvular heart disease.

Tremendous advances in the understanding and treatment of structural heart valve disease have been made in the past decade, including widespread utilization of minimally-invasive surgical procedures and the invention and evolution of numerous interventional techniques.These innovations will become the norm in therapy for valvular disease in the future.

Access path angle in transapical aortic valve replacement: risk factor for paravalvular leakage.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the angle between the left ventricular (LV) long axis and the LV outflow tract (αLV-LVOT) on cardiac computed tomography and to describe its effect on the occurrence of paravalvular leakage (PL), fluoroscopy time, and postoperative creatine kinase-MB levels in transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR).

Methods: High-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis scheduled for TA-TAVR using an Edwards SAPIEN (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA) prosthesis were retrospectively included. The αLV-LVOT was measured during systole and diastole as far as retrospectively gated data sets were available.

Three-year hemodynamic performance, left ventricular mass regression, and prosthetic-patient mismatch after rapid deployment aortic valve replacement in 287 patients.

Objective: Superior aortic valve hemodynamic performance can accelerate left ventricular mass regression and enhance survival and functional status after surgical aortic valve replacement. This can be achieved by rapid deployment aortic valve replacement using a subannular balloon-expandable stent frame, which functionally widens and reshapes the left ventricular outflow tract, to ensure a larger effective orifice area compared with conventional surgical valves. We report the intermediate-term follow-up data from a large series of patients enrolled in the Surgical Treatment of Aortic Stenosis With a Next Generation Surgical Aortic Valve (TRITON) trial.

Interhospital air transport of a blind patient on extracorporeal life support with consecutive and successful left ventricular assist device implantation.

The use of extracorporeal life support systems (ECLS) in patients with postcardiotomy low cardiac output syndrome (LCO) as a bridge to recovery and bridge to implantation of ventricular assist device (VAD) is common nowadays. A 59-year-old patient with acute myocardial infarction received a percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting of the circumflex artery. During catheterization of the left coronary artery (LAD), the patient showed ventricular fibrillation and required defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

[Aneurysms of the ascending aorta and aortic arch].

Background: The treatment of patients with aneurysms of the ascending aorta and aortic arch often represents a challenge due to their complexity. The clinical picture is characterized by further progression of the disease and severe complications, such as acute aortic dissection or even aortic rupture are not uncommon.

Objectives: This article gives a review of definitions, etiology and indications for operative treatment of patients with aneurysms of the ascending aorta and aortic arch.

The effect of stent graft oversizing on radial forces considering nitinol wire behavior and vessel characteristics.

Stent graft fixation in the vessel affects the success of endovascular aneurysm repair. Thereby the radial forces of the stent, which are dependent on several factors, play a significant role. In the presented work, a finite element sensitivity study was performed.

Emergency PCI after occlusion of the circumflex artery due to minimally invasive mitral valve replacement in re-do operation.

A lesion of the circumflex artery (RCX) is one of the potential complications of mitral valve (MV) surgery. An intraoperative transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) should be performed for early detection of potential myocardial damage. We report on an emergency PCI after minimally invasive mitral valve replacement in a redo operation.

[Influence of ECMO and IABP on coronary blood flow. Valuable combination or waste of resources?].

Background: The treatment of patients in severe cardiogenic shock with an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a common procedure to achieve stabilization. Only limited data are available on the simultaneous use of both systems. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of the concomitant use of IABP and ECMO on coronary blood flow.

Effective diameter of the aortic annulus prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation: influence of area-based versus perimeter-based calculation.

In computed tomography (CT) evaluation prior to transcatheter aortic valve implantation area- and perimeter-based calculation of the aortic annulus diameter, the so-called effective annulus diameter (ED), is the preferred parameter for decision making regarding prosthesis sizes. Currently, it is unclear how relevant the differences between the two methods of measurement are and how they are influenced by the cardiac cycle. The aim of this study was to compare area- and perimeter-based measurements in computed tomography derived aortic annulus sizing.

A global proteome approach in uric acid stimulated human aortic endothelial cells revealed regulation of multiple major cellular pathways.

Background: Uric acid (UA) has been identified as one major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Lowering of serum UA levels improves endothelial function. The present study investigates for the first time concentration-dependent effects of UA on human aortic endothelial cells (HAEC) and the cellular pathways involved in global proteomic analysis.

Invasive cardiac aspergillosis after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Invasive aspergillus infection occurs in 5 - 42 % of liver-transplanted recipients and is a dangerous complication, associated with high mortality if untreated. However, the early diagnosis of invasive aspergillosis can be elusive, as clinical signs are unspecific and the pathogenic agent is difficult to demonstrate. We here report about a 58-year-old man with acute liver failure caused by newly diagnosed chronic hepatitis B infection who underwent liver transplantation.

Cost-effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention with drug-eluting stents versus bypass surgery for patients with 3-vessel or left main coronary artery disease: final results from the Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial.

Background: The Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery (SYNTAX) trial demonstrated that in patients with 3-vessel or left main coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) was associated with a lower rate of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization compared with percutaneous coronary revascularization with drug-eluting stents (DES-PCI)). The long-term cost-effectiveness of these strategies is unknown.

Methods And Results: Between 2005 and 2007, 1800 patients with left main or 3-vessel coronary artery disease were randomized to CABG (n=897) or DES-PCI (n=903).

Prognostic value of site SYNTAX score and rationale for combining anatomic and clinical factors in decision making: insights from the SYNTAX trial.

Background: The results of SYNTAX trial have been reported based on "corelab" calculated SS (cSS). It has been shown that reproducibility of SS is better among the core laboratory technicians than interventional cardiologists. Thus, the prognostic value and clinical implication of the "site" SYNTAX SS (sSS) remain unknown.

A minimally invasive off-pump implantation technique for continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices: early experience.

Background: The HeartWare (HeartWare International, Inc. Framingham, MA) ventricular assist device (HVAD) is approved for implantation through a sternotomy with cardiopulmonary bypass. We report on our initial experience with this device implanted off-pump via thoracotomy.