Publications by authors named "Ramzi Abi Akar"
Article Synopsis
- - The study aims to determine if the preoperative pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) can predict mortality after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, as right ventricular failure is a significant concern following the procedure.
- - An analysis of 117 patients from 2007 to 2021 revealed that those with a PAPi of 2.84 or higher had a significantly better 3-month survival rate compared to those with lower PAPi levels.
- - Other factors influencing 2-year mortality included systemic hypertension, diabetes, and whether the LVAD was used as a bridge to transplant, with notable differences in survival outcomes between these groups.
Objectives: Obesity may increase the risk of vascular complications in transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) procedures. The transcarotid (TC) approach has recently emerged as an alternative access in TAVR. We sought to compare vascular complications and early clinical outcomes in obese patients undergoing TAVR either by TF or TC vascular access.
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- Advanced heart failure patients often experience delays in being referred for mechanical circulatory support, specifically left ventricular assist devices (LVAD), which raises concerns about their survival rates post-implantation.
- The study analyzed data from the ASSIST-ICD registry involving 303 non-inotrope-dependent patients, discovering that factors like older age and certain surgical procedures significantly increase mortality risk after receiving an LVAD.
- Despite LVAD support, survival rates over five years remain low, highlighting the need for improved patient selection to enhance outcomes in such high-risk individuals.
Since the earliest cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection were reported, our care delivery systems have been reorganized and challenged in unprecedent ways, specifically the cardiovascular community. COVID-19 poses a challenge for heart transplantation, affecting donor selection, immunosuppression, and posttransplant management. Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) therapy is currently a viable option for patients with end-stage heart failure as a bridge to heart transplantation or destination therapy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Femoral access is the gold standard for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Guidelines recommend reconsidering surgery when this access is not feasible. However, alternative peripheral accesses exist, although they have not been accurately compared with femoral access.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Aortopathy is common in patients with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV).
Aim: To evaluate the fate of unreplaced Valsalva sinuses in patients with BAV, 10 years after aortic valve replacement (AVR) with or without replacement of the ascending aorta (RAA).
Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all surgical patients with BAV who were operated on between January 2005 and December 2007.
Background The optimal access for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) who are not candidates for a transfemoral approach has not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to compare the safety, feasibility, and early clinical outcomes of transcarotid TAVR compared with thoracic approaches. Methods and Results From a multicenter consecutive cohort of 329 alternative-access TAVR patients (2012-2017), we identified 101 patients who underwent transcarotid TAVR and 228 patients who underwent a transapical or transaortic TAVR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHeyde's syndrome is the association between calcific aortic stenosis and gastrointestinal bleeding due to angiodysplasia. Alterations in von Willebrand factor due to turbulence across the diseased aortic valve have been incriminated in the pathophysiology of this syndrome. Replacement of the aortic valve has been reported to stop the bleeding, but this is debatable.
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