Personal Relationships and Well-being for Cardiothoracic Surgeons.

This article summarizes relevant research on relational psychology and interpersonal neurobiology and how it applies to cardiothoracic surgeons, their partners and their children. It also provides a synopsis of data retrieved from a well-being survey of cardiothoracic surgeons in the AATS, as well as a separate survey of the well-being experiences of their significant others. Additionally, the article makes recommendations for improving the well-being of cardiothoracic surgeons, as well as their relationships with their partners and children.

Assessment of the well-being of significant others of cardiothoracic surgeons.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate how the current working climate of cardiothoracic surgery and burnout experienced by cardiothoracic surgeons influences their spouses and significant others (SOs).

Methods: A 33-question well-being survey was developed by the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Wellness Committee and distributed by e-mail to the SOs of cardiothoracic surgeons and to all surgeon registrants of the 2020 and 2021 American Association for Thoracic Surgery Annual Meetings with a request to share it with their SO. The 5-item Likert-scale survey questions were dichotomized, and associations were determined by χ or independent samples t tests, as appropriate.

Well-being of Cardiothoracic Surgeons in the Time of COVID-19: A Survey by the Wellness Committee of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery.

The prevalence of burnout among physicians has been increasing over the last decade, but data on burnout in the specialty of cardiothoracic surgery are lacking. We aimed to study this topic through a well-being survey. A 54-question well-being survey was developed by the Wellness Committee of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) and sent by email from January through March of 2021 to AATS members and participants of the 2021 annual meeting.

Short- and Mid-Term Autograft Outcomes Following the Reinforced Ross Operation.

Background: The Ross operation for aortic valve replacement continues to be a controversial option because of concerns related to late autograft dilation and progressive neo-aortic insufficiency. In 2005, the reinforced Ross procedure was described at our institution to address this problem. We aim to analyze the short and mid-term outcomes following this procedure.

Temporal Trends in Medical Student Burnout.

Background And Objectives: There is a paucity of longitudinal data documenting the temporal development of distress and burnout during medical school. The aim of this study was to examine trends and identify stressors associated with medical student distress over 4 years of medical education.

Methods: Medical students from the class of 2016 at a Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical school completed surveys nine times from orientation through after the residency match.

Whole Brain Leadership for Creating Resonant Multidisciplinary Health Care Teams.

The culture of health care creates important challenges for health care professionals. In particular, we work in a culture that is (1) hierarchical, (2) competitive, and (3) perfectionistic. Unfortunately, the consequence of acquiescing to those demands is contrary to promoting Resonant teamwork, and it is important for leaders of multidisciplinary teams to understand how to create environments that flatten the hierarchy (by encouraging all members of the team to contribute; and to genuinely seek the wisdom and knowledge of their colleagues), that encourage collaboration and cooperation (emphasizing collective wins and losses both for the immediate team as well as for all of us, as a profession), and that invites excellence (which is a process) versus expectation of perfection (which is an unrealistic outcome).

Right ventricular remodeling in response to volume overload in fetal sheep.

The fetal myocardium is known to be sensitive to hemodynamic load, responding to systolic overload with cellular hypertrophy, proliferation, and accelerated maturation. However, the fetal cardiac growth response to primary volume overload is unknown. We hypothesized that increased venous return would stimulate fetal cardiomyocyte proliferation and terminal differentiation, particularly in the right ventricle (RV).

Prenatal Diagnosis Influences Preoperative Status in Neonates with Congenital Heart Disease: An Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

The early postnatal course for a newborn with critical congenital heart disease (CHD) can be negatively impacted if diagnosis is delayed. Despite this, there continues to be inconsistent evidence regarding potential benefits associated with prenatal diagnosis (PND) in neonates who undergo cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to better define the impact of a PND on pre-operative morbidity by utilizing a large clinical database.

Medium-Term Outcomes After Implantation of Expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene Valved Conduit.

Background: Pulmonary valve replacement is becoming the most frequent congenital heart surgery performed on adolescents and young adults. Numerous surgical options are available, including autologous pericardium, mechanical valves, allografts, and bioprosthetic valves. Each option has limitations with durability and freedom from reintervention for stenosis or insufficiency, particularly in the pediatric population.

Timing of adding blood to prime affects inflammatory response to neonatal cardiopulmonary bypass.

Complications from systemic inflammation are reported in neonates following exposure to cardiopulmonary bypass. Although the use of asanguinous primes can reduce these complications, in neonates, this can result in significant haemodilution, requiring addition of blood. This study investigates whether the addition of blood after institution of bypass alters the inflammatory response compared with a blood prime.

Development of chylous ascites in an infant with ventricular septal defect: a case report.

This case report describes chylous ascites associated with a CHD in a 4-month-old infant. Although atraumatic chylous ascites are a rare clinical finding, the recognition and treatment of chylous ascites influence the timing of cardiac surgery.

The Impact of Aortic Valve Replacement on Left Ventricular Remodeling in Children.

There are scant data in pediatrics on the optimal timing for aortic valve repair (AVR). This study assesses the midterm response to AVR and possible predictors of poor outcome. From 2001 to 2006, 41 patients had greater than 3-month follow-up after AVR for aortic insufficiency, aortic stenosis, or both.

Variation in Prenatal Diagnosis of Congenital Heart Disease in Infants.

Background And Objective: Prenatal diagnosis allows improved perioperative outcomes for fetuses with certain forms of congenital heart disease (CHD). Variability in prenatal diagnosis has been demonstrated in other countries, leading to efforts to improve fetal imaging protocols and access to care, but has not been examined across the United States. The objective was to evaluate national variation in prenatal detection across geographic region and defect type in neonates and infants with CHD undergoing heart surgery.

Ross procedure for patient with Marfan syndrome.

The most prominent long-term complication after the Ross procedure is the risk of autograft dilatation, and therefore its application in patients at increased perceived risk of autograft dilatation (those with bicuspid aortic valve disease, aortic insufficiency [AI] with dilated aorta, collagen vascular diseases such as Marfan syndrome) has been discouraged. We reported a modified Ross procedure in 2005 in which the autograft was completely encased in a polyester graft before implantation to prevent further dilatation of the autograft. This case report describes follow-up of a patient with Marfan syndrome who underwent this modified Ross procedure in July 2005.

A modification of the pulmonary autograft procedure to prevent late autograft dilatation.

Although the pulmonary autograft procedure for aortic valve replacement is a commonly utilized option for children, its use is diminishing in adult-aged patients. One commonly cited concern is the tendency for the pulmonary autograft to dilate in the aortic position. This article reviews a technique we have used in 36 patients since October, 2004 that stabilizes the autograft so that it cannot dilate.

Anomalous pulmonary venous connections and related anomalies: nomenclature, embryology, anatomy, and morphology.

This article combines material from three complementary overviews presented in the Symposium on Pulmonary Venous Anomalies during the Joint Meeting of the World Society for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery and Sociedad Latina de Cardiologia y Cirugia Cardiovascular Pediátrica in Lima, Peru. We discuss the embryologic basis for nomenclature, the hierarchical diagnostic categories, and the important anatomic and morphologic characteristics of anomalous pulmonary venous connections. The anatomic descriptions help to guide an understandable and sensible approach to the diagnosis and surgical management of these various disorders.

Contemporary patterns of surgery and outcomes for aortic coarctation: an analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe characteristics and early outcomes across a large multicenter cohort undergoing coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch repair.

Methods: Patients undergoing coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch repair (2006-2010) as their first cardiovascular operation in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database were included. Group 1 patients consisted of those with coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch without ventricular septal defect (coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch, isolated); group 2, coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch with ventricular septal defect (coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch, ventricular septal defect); and group 3, coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch with other major cardiac diagnoses (coarctation or hypoplastic aortic arch, other).

Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary arteryin an adult.

Anomalous left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital heart defect that usually presents before the age of 1 year. Several surgical options exist for the correction of ALCAPA; however, debate continues regarding the optimal repair technique in adult populations. We report the case of successful surgical repair of ALCAPA with a direct aortic implantation technique in a 44-year-old mother of 4 children.

Valve-sparing replacement of the aortic root after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Progressive aortic root dilatation is a common feature after surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. This report describes a successful valve-sparing replacement of the aortic root in a patient with significant dilated aortic root and aortic regurgitation after repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Pentalogy of Cantrell with double-outlet right ventricle: a case of surgical correction.

Pentalogy of Cantrell is characterised by a combination of severe defects in the middle of the chest including the sternum, diaphragm, heart, and abdominal wall. Mortality rate after cardiac surgery is usually high. We report a successful total correction of the cardiac defects in a case of Pentalogy of Cantrell with a double-outlet right ventricle prior to abdominal wall defect repair.

Modified Ross procedure to prevent autograft dilatation.

The most prominent, long-term complication after the Ross procedure is autograft dilatation that can present within 1 to 2 years after the Ross operation. We describe a modified Ross procedure in which the autograft is completely encased in a Dacron graft (Hemashield; Maquet Cardiovascular, Wayne, NJ) prior to implantation. We have performed 30 modified Ross procedures since October 2004.

Adults or big kids: what is the ideal clinical environment for management of grown-up patients with congenital heart disease?

Background: Initiatives to develop Adult Congenital Centers for management of grown-up congenital heart disease (GUCH) patients (aged >/=18 years) have widened without evidence identifying the ideal clinical environment. To elucidate the optimum care paradigm, we investigated whether mortality for patients with GUCH was influenced by the type of hospital where they had surgery, children's specialty hospital (CH) versus general hospital (GH), and by the clinical focus of the surgeon, congenital heart surgery (CHS) or noncongenital (adult acquired) heart surgery (NCHS).

Methods: In the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 1988-2003, we identified index procedures in patients 18 or more years of age within 12 congenital cardiac disease diagnostic groups.