To Compare the Effects of a Standard Versus Hydrophilic Polymer Coated Airway Stent in a Porcine Model: A Randomized, Single-Blinded Study.

Background: Stent encrustation with debris and mucostasis is a significant cause of airway injury and comorbidity, leading to ~25% of stent exchanges (1-3). Previous work from our group has shown that the experimental coating can reduce mucous adhesion in bench testing and demonstrated a signal for reducing airway injury and mucostasis in a feasibility study.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to continue our inquiry in a randomized, single-blinded multi-animal trial to investigate the degree of airway injury and mucostasis using silicone stents with and without this specialized coating.

Infant Mitral Valve Replacement: Current State of the Art.

Mitral valve replacement (MVR) in the very young is an imposing clinical challenge. Early and late mortality risk is substantial, severe adverse events are common, and redo mitral valve replacement is inevitable. Therapeutic options are limited.

Feasibility of intraoperative aortic root imaging in congenital heart surgery.

Background: Intraoperative vascular imaging is a useful tool to evaluate coronary ostia in congenital heart patients with suboptimal preoperative imaging findings. Additionally, vascular imaging has potential value for visualization of the ascending aortic intima media thickness (IMT) in certain clinical scenarios. This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of intraoperative vascular imaging of coronary ostia and IMT during congenital heart surgery.

The First Repair of Cor Triatriatum.

This article describes the first patient treated surgically for cor triatriatum, and also describes preoperative testing, operative findings, and procedures, as well as follow-up.

Downsized Contegra graft as a right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduit in the setting of mediastinitis.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) grafts are commonly used for construction of the right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery conduit in the modified Norwood procedure. Dehiscence of a PTFE conduit in the setting of purulent mediastinitis presents a challenging clinical problem because of limited availability of appropriately sized replacement vascular homografts. The Contegra bovine jugular vein graft is an alternative to placing another PTFE graft in an infected space when a homograft of appropriate size is not available.

The 2010 Thoracic Surgery Residents Association workforce survey report: a view from the trenches.

Background: Workforce estimates suggest 11% of general surgery residents are considering careers in cardiothoracic (CT) surgery. In an effort to identify areas for programmatic improvement, we examined trends in thoracic surgery residents' perspectives on training and employment.

Methods: Results from the 2010 Thoracic Surgery Residents Association workforce survey were analyzed.

Mucosal tube technique for creation of esophageal anastomosis after esophagectomy.

Background: The definitive treatment of esophageal cancer remains surgical resection. Morbidity and mortality are highly influenced by the success of the anastomosis created in the reconstruction of the resected esophagus. The results of an anastomotic technique that creates an esophageal mucosal tube are analyzed.

Results with continuous cardiopulmonary bypass for the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis.

Objective: Some centres have proposed creating the bidirectional cavopulmonary anastomosis without cardiopulmonary bypass, while others continue to use deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the results of using continuous cardiopulmonary bypass with moderate hypothermia, perhaps the most commonly used of the three techniques for this procedure.

Methods: Between 1990 and 2005, 114 patients, having a mean age of 1.

Topical application of bacitracin ointment is associated with decreased risk of mediastinitis after median sternotomy.

Background: The diagnosis of mediastinitis after open-heart surgery is infrequent but dreaded as it carries a high morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact that topical antibacterials would have on the postoperative mediastinitis rate.

Methods: Data were collected from 2455 consecutive patients who underwent sternotomy and cardiopulmonary bypass for both valvar and ischemic heart disease.

Paravalvular leaks around prosthetic valves implanted in the mitral position: technical refinements of the ovine model.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Currently, the sheep model is preferred for preclinical in-vivo evaluation of prosthetic heart valves implanted in the mitral position. In sheep, the anatomy and tissue characteristics in, and around, the native mitral valve's posterior commissure (12:00-3:00 quadrant) makes valve implantation technically challenging. As the majority of non-infectious paravalvular leaks occurred in this quadrant, the surgical technique was modified to offer greater exposure of the annulus in this region and permit more accurate placement of sutures.