Rationale and design of the ELEANOR trial early aortic valve surgery versus watchful waiting strategy in severe asymptomatic aortic regurgitation, ACRONYM: ELEANOR.

Background: The optimal treatment of patients with severe symptomatic aortic regurgitation (AR) is state-of-the-art surgery. Asymptomatic patients with advanced left ventricular (LV) dilatation and/or impaired ejection fraction should undergo surgical treatment, but there is no guidelines consensus on cut-off values for this recommendation. Multimodality imaging has brought new tools for the accurate selection of asymptomatic patients at risk of early clinical deterioration, however, prospective and randomized data are pending.

Comparison of bicuspidization and Ross procedure in the treatment of unicuspid aortic valve disease in adults - Insight from the AVIATOR registry.

Background: Unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) is the second most common underlying cause of aortic valve dysfunction in young adults after the bicuspid valve. The valve may be replaced (for example by pulmonary autograft) or repaired using the bicuspidization technique. The aim of our study was to compare short- and mid-term outcomes of Ross procedure with bicuspidization in patients with severe UAV dysfunction.

Unicuspid Aortic Valve in Patients Undergoing the Ross Procedure.

Background: The prevalence and outcomes of the unicuspid aortic valve (UAV) in patients undergoing the Ross procedure have been strongly underreported in the current literature. We sought to evaluate this in comparison with bicuspid (BAV) and tricuspid valve (TAV) in our Ross cohort.

Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of patients undergoing the Ross procedure at 2 dedicated centers between 2009 and 2020.

Ross procedure provides survival benefit over mechanical valve in adults: a propensity-matched nationwide analysis.

Objectives: The choice of optimal surgical treatment for young and middle-aged adults with aortic valve disease remains a challenge. Mechanical aortic valve replacement (mAVR) is generally preferred despite promising recent outcomes of the Ross procedure. Our goal was to compare the strategies at a nationwide level.

Personalized external aortic root support - how to implant it.

Personalized External Aortic Root Support (PEARS) is an evolving method of treatment for patients with a dilated aortic root or ascending aorta. This treatment is being adopted in an increasing number of centres. For the sake of the safety of the procedure a standardized surgical technique is necessary.

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion during Cardiac Surgery to Prevent Stroke.

Background: Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage has been hypothesized to prevent ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but this has not been proved. The procedure can be performed during cardiac surgery undertaken for other reasons.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial involving participants with atrial fibrillation and a CHADS-VASc score of at least 2 (on a scale from 0 to 9, with higher scores indicating greater risk of stroke) who were scheduled to undergo cardiac surgery for another indication.

Long-Term Outcomes of Patients Undergoing the Ross Procedure.

Background: Treatment of aortic-valve disease in young patients still poses challenges. The Ross procedure offers several potential advantages that may translate to improved long-term outcomes.

Objectives: This study reports long-term outcomes after the Ross procedure.

Serum transferrin as a biomarker of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha activity and hepatocyte function in liver diseases.

Background: Serum transferrin levels represent an independent predictor of mortality in patients with liver failure. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4α) is a master regulator of hepatocyte functions. The aim of this study was to explore whether serum transferrin reflects HNF4α activity.

Personalized external aortic root support.

Objectives: Implantation of a personalized external aortic root support (PEARS) can prevent dilatation of the aortic root and ascending aorta in patients with aortopathy of various aetiologies. Because PEARS is an emerging technology, all aspects concerning indications, surgical technique and safety should be elucidated. Our goal was to summarize all of these aspects so that physicians and patients would have sufficient information to evaluate this alternative approach.

Plasma Levels of Myocardial MicroRNA-133a Increase by Intraoperative Cytokine Hemoadsorption in the Complex Cardiovascular Operation.

Background: Complex cardiovascular procedures may initiate a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) with a massive cytokine release, which is involved in postoperative myocardial injury. Intraoperative cytokine hemoadsorption (HA) mitigates the inflammatory response. Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are emerging as a marker of myocardial injury.

Mitral bioprosthetic valve leaflet fusion treated by balloon valvuloplasty in patients on ECMO.

We present two patients who required extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support after bioprosthetic mitral valve replacement, who developed early structural valve failure due to leaflet fusion. Percutaneous balloon valvuloplasty restored normal leaflet motion and allowed discontinuation of ECMO support.

The First Manifestation of a Left Atrial Myxoma as a Consequence of Multiple Left Coronary Artery Embolisms.

A case of multiple embolisms in the left coronary artery as a rare first manifestation of left atrial myxoma is reported. A patient with embolic myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure was treated by percutaneous aspirations and balloon dilatations. Transesophageal echocardiography disclosed a villous myxoma with high embolic potential.

Monitoring of allograft vasculopathy by intravascular ultrasound one month and one year after heart transplantation: A single center study.

Aims: The aim of this trial was to use intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to determine whether cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) starts progressing during the first year after heart transplantation (HTx).

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 51 patients (11 women) who received heart transplants in our center between January 2010 and September 2013 and underwent coronary angiography as well as IVUS examination one month and one year after HTx. Patients with proven calcification and fibrotic plates in the IVUS examination one month after HTx constituted a group with defined donor-transmitted atherosclerosis (DTA).

[Surgical therapy of myocardial infarction].

Introduction: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has been replaced by percutaneous coronary interventions in the treatment of myocardial infarction (MI) nowadays. The surgical repair is the only option for mechanical complications of MI. The aim of our study was to assess the results of surgical treatment of MI.

Successful transplantation of a heart with an atrial septal defect caused by blunt trauma.

We report a case of a successful heart transplantation from a donor after multiple trauma. A traumatic atrial septal defect was repaired, and the postoperative course was uneventful.