Primary pericardial synovial sarcoma requiring emergency salvage right atrial debulking: a case report.

A 52-year-old gentleman presented with symptoms of breathlessness and type 1 respiratory failure. His CT pulmonary angiogram showed a heterogenous, oval-shaped lesion between the heart and diaphragm with a right atrial (RA) filling defect, pericardial thickening and pulmonary metastasis. An RA debulking salvage operation confirmed this to be a pericardial tumour and further cytology and immunohistochemistry testing confirmed a primary synovial sarcoma.

Acute endocarditis in a pregnant patient requiring post-partum emergency mitral valve repair: a case report.

A 37-year-old pregnant patient presented with symptoms of shortness of breath, cough and malaise at 36 weeks' gestation. Antibiotics were started because of suspected bilateral pneumonia. A lower segment caesarean section was undertaken and significant desaturation lead to intubation of the patient.

The impact of antiarrhythmics on human pulmonary arteries: Ex vivo characterization.

Background And Aim: The safety and efficacy of the antiarrhythmic agents, amiodarone, and digoxin, in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), is not described well in the literature, although their use is common practice. Our study aims to investigate the effect of these drugs on pulmonary arteries (PA) which may have implications for their use in patients with PH.

Methods: Human PAs were obtained from consenting patients undergoing lobectomies.

Outcomes following coronary artery bypass surgery in diabetic treatment sub-groups. A propensity matched analysis of >7000 patients over 18 years.

Background: European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II incorporates insulin-controlled diabetes whilst omitting tablet-controlled diabetes. Differences in adverse clinical outcomes following coronary artery bypass graft between these groups are poorly established. Therefore, a propensity matched comparison of short and longer term mortality and morbidity in insulin-controlled diabetes, tablet-controlled diabetes and non-diabetic patients was undertaken.

The impact of closed incision negative pressure therapy on prevention of median sternotomy infection for high risk cases: a single centre retrospective study.

Background: Sternal wound infection (SWI) following cardiothoracic surgery is a major complication. It may significantly impact patient recovery, treatment cost and mortality rates. No universal guideline exists on SWI management, and more recently the focus has become prevention over treatment.

Validation of Cardiac Surgery Score (CASUS) in Postoperative Cardiac Patients.

. Cardiac Surgery Score (CASUS) was introduced in 2005 as the first postoperative scoring system specific for patients who had cardiac surgery. Prior to this, European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) has been used preoperatively, while Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre Score (ICNARC) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) scores, which are widely used in general intensive care unit population, have been used to score cardiac patients postoperatively.

Differential effects of atrial and brain natriuretic peptides on human pulmonary artery: An study.

Background: The prevalence of cardiovascular diseases, especially heart failure, continues to rise worldwide. In heart failure, increasing levels of circulating atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) are associated with a worsening of heart failure and a poor prognosis.

Aim: To test whether a high concentration of BNP would inhibit relaxation to ANP.

Changing clinical profiles and in-hospital outcomes of octogenarians undergoing cardiac surgery over 18 years: a single-centre experience†.

Objectives: With an ageing population, increasing numbers of octogenarians are undergoing high-risk cardiac surgery. We examine the changing characteristics and in-hospital outcomes for octogenarians over an 18-year period.

Methods: Clinical data from our prospective database for all octogenarians who had cardiac surgery from March 1999 through May 2016 were reviewed.

Mini-extracorporeal circulation technology, conventional bypass and prime displacement in isolated coronary and aortic valve surgery: a propensity-matched in-hospital and survival analysis.

Objectives: Conventional cardiopulmonary bypass is the most commonly used means of artificial circulation in cardiac surgery. However, it suffers from the effects of haemodilution and activation of inflammatory/coagulation cascades. Prime displacement (PD) can offset haemodilution and mini-extracorporeal technology (MIECT) can offset both.

The differential effects of systemic vasoconstrictors on human pulmonary artery tension.

Objectives: Acute pulmonary hypertension following cardiac surgery can have a significant effect on postoperative morbidity and mortality. However, limited data are available on the efficacy and potency of clinically used systemic vasopressors on the pulmonary vasculature. The aim of this study was to use human pulmonary artery to characterize the pharmacological effects of clinically used vasopressors on the human pulmonary vasculature.

Characterization of optimal resting tension in human pulmonary arteries.

Aim: To determine the optimum resting tension (ORT) for in vitro human pulmonary artery (PA) ring preparations.

Methods: Pulmonary arteries were dissected from disease free sections of the resected lung in the operating theatre and tissue samples were directly sent to the laboratory in Krebs-Henseleit solution (Krebs). The pulmonary arteries were then cut into 2 mm long rings.

Single versus multiple lung biopsies for suspected interstitial lung disease.

Background: There is a belief that in patients with suspected interstitial lung disease, multiple biopsies from different lobes are more likely to result in a diagnosis. We compared the results of single biopsies with those of multiple biopsies in terms of positive yield of histological diagnoses and the patients' postoperative outcomes.

Methods: Data of 115 patients who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy, between 2009 and 2015, for suspected interstitial lung disease were analyzed retrospectively and grouped according to single or multiple lung biopsies.

Multicentre, propensity-matched study to evaluate long-term impact of implantation technique in isolated aortic valve replacement on mortality and incidence of redo surgery.

Objectives: Studies suggest that the use of semicontinuous suture (SC) technique increases the risk of redo valve surgery after aortic valve replacement (AVR). The objective of this study was to identify 30-day mortality, rate of redo operation and long-term outcomes after AVR using either a semicontinuous suture or interrupted suture (IS) technique.

Methods: A total of 1617 patients from 2 cardiothoracic centres, undergoing isolated AVR between April 2005 and August 2013 were included.

Short- and long-term outcomes of pneumonectomy in a tertiary center.

Background: Surgery is the most important therapeutic modality for lung cancer. Surgical outcomes are normally reported as 30-day or 90-day mortality or 5-year survival; 10-year survival is rarely mentioned in national data or international studies.

Methods: Three hundred and six patients (79% male) underwent pneumonectomy, mainly for lung cancer, from January 1998 to February 2013.

Validation of the Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre Scoring System in a UK Adult Cardiac Surgery Population.

Objective: The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre (ICNARC) scoring system was conceived in 2007, utilizing 12 physiologic variables taken from the first 24 hours of adult admissions to the general intensive care unit (ICU) to predict in-hospital mortality. The authors aimed to evaluate the ICNARC score in predicting mortality in cardiac surgical patients compared to established cardiac risk models such as logistic EuroSCORE as well as to the Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II.

Design: Retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively.

WITHDRAWN: Is there life after the Mesothelioma and Radical Surgery trial? Does extrapleural pneumonectomy still have a role in the management of pleural mesothelioma? A 13-year, single-center experience.

This article has been withdrawn at the request of the author(s) and/or editor. The Publisher apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.

The effect of deep hypothermia on the human pulmonary circulation.

Objective: Acute rises in pulmonary artery pressures following complex cardiac surgery are associated with high morbidity and mortality. We hypothesised that periods of deep hypothermia predispose to elevated pulmonary pressures upon rewarming. We investigated the effect of this hypothermic preconditioning on isolated human pulmonary arteries and isolated perfused lungs.

Could Thoracoscore predict postoperative mortality in patients undergoing pneumonectomy?

Objectives: Thoracoscore is incorporated in the new British Thoracic Society and National Institute of Health and clinical Excellence guidelines to evaluate the operative mortality risk of patients undergoing thoracic surgery. This study examines the accuracy of Thoracoscore in predicting postoperative mortality in patients undergoing pneumonectomy.

Methods: All patients who underwent pneumonectomy from January 1998 to March 2008 were included.

Antegrade rapid prime displacement in elective coronary artery surgery is associated with lower perioperative blood transfusions and a shorter hospital stay.

Objectives: Haemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass is associated with increased perioperative blood transfusions and is thought to reduce intraoperative oxygen delivery to the brain. We sought to evaluate our method of rapid antegrade prime displacement in the context of the perioperative blood transfusion rate, intraoperative cerebral saturations and postoperative hospital stay.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of 160 propensity-matched patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting was performed comparing different perfusion strategies on perioperative blood transfusion and length of postoperative stay.

Hyperoxic vasoconstriction of human pulmonary arteries: a novel insight into acute ventricular septal defects.

Objectives. Acute rises in pulmonary artery pressures following postinfarction ventricular septal defects present a challenge. We hypothesised that the abnormally high oxygen content exposure to the pulmonary arteries may be a factor.

Early and late prognostic significance of remote and reversible preoperative neurological events in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objectives: Preoperative neurological event with functional impairment is high risk for operative morbidity and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, data regarding the influence of remote and reversible neurological events on early and late survival are lacking.

Methods: The clinical profile and operative outcome of 5542 patients who underwent first-time CABG from 01 April 1999 through 30 June 2008 were analysed.

Erythrocyte-containing versus crystalloid cardioplegia in the rat: effects on myocardial capillaries.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of crystalloid and erythrocyte-containing cardioplegia on capillary morphology of the isolated erythrocyte-perfused rat heart.

Methods: Hearts from adult Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused throughout with resuspended sheep erythrocytes and subjected to the following protocols (n = 6, all groups): (1) 15 minutes nonworking and 30 minutes working heart mode (control; group 1); (2) as for group 1, with 30 minutes erythrocyte-containing (BL) or crystalloid (CR) cardioplegic arrest without reperfusion (groups 2BL and 2CR); (3) as for group 2, with 30 minutes nonworking reperfusion (groups 3BL and 3CR); and (4) as for group 3, with 30 minutes working heart mode (groups 4BL and 4CR). After each protocol troponin I from coronary effluent was measured.