Correction: A prospective cohort study of dynamic cell-free DNA elevation during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

A prospective cohort study of dynamic cell-free DNA elevation during cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) are associated with a systemic inflammatory reaction that occasionally induces a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the dysregulated host response to the damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). In severe inflammation, cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and histones are released by inflammatory cells and damaged tissue and act as DAMPs. We sought to characterize the changes in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) levels during CPB.

Penetrating pulmonary vein laceration following blunt chest trauma.

Flail chest is a common injury in blunt trauma which is usually treated with analgesia, oxygen, and other conservative measures. In more severe cases mechanical ventilation and surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) may be warranted. Penetrating injury to the heart or great vessels due to rib fractures however, is much less common.

Heart Team/Guidelines Discordance Is Associated With Increased Mortality: Data From a National Survey of Revascularization in Patients With Complex Coronary Artery Disease.

Background: Practice guidelines emphasize the role of the SYNTAX score (SS; Synergy Between PCI With TAXUS and Cardiac Surgery) in choosing between percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass graft surgery in cases of complex coronary artery disease. There is paucity of data on the implementation of these recommendations in daily practice, and on the consequences of guideline discordant revascularization.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of a prospective national survey of consecutive real world patients undergoing coronary revascularization for complex coronary artery disease according to decisions of local heart team at each center.

Local prolonged release of antibiotic for prevention of sternal wound infections postcardiac surgery-A novel technology.

Introduction: Sternal wound infection (SWI) is a devastating postcardiac surgical complication. D-PLEX (D-PLEX) is a localized prolonged release compound applied as a prophylactic at the completion of surgery to prevent SWI. The D-PLEX technology platform is built as a matrix of alternating layers of polymers and lipids, entrapping an antibiotic (doxycycline).

Six-Month Performance of a 3-Dimensional Annuloplasty Ring for Repair of Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation.

Background: Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) secondary to left-sided heart disease may lead to poor quality of life and reduced long-term survival. This study evaluated clinical and functional outcomes of patients undergoing tricuspid valve (TV) repair using a rigid three-dimensional ring (Contour 3D, Medtronic) concomitant with another procedure.

Methods: From September 2011 to July 2015, 112 patients (mean age 70.

In-situ left-sided bilateral internal thoracic artery: elevated hemidiaphragm.

Background Procurement of the internal thoracic artery risks ipsilateral phrenic nerve injury and elevated hemidiaphragm. Anatomical variations increase the risk on the right side. Patients receiving left-sided in-situ right internal thoracic artery configurations appear to be at greatest risk.

Postoperative Atrial Fibrillation Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery Predicts Long-Term Atrial Fibrillation and Stroke.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common complication of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, occurring in 20%-40% of patients, mostly during the first week after surgery. It is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, but data are limited.

Objectives: To assess the correlation between new-onset in-hospital AF following CABG and long-term AF, cerebrovascular accident (CVA), or death.

Cardiothoracic surgery training in Israel: A critical look at the past, aiming for a better future.

Training the next generation of cardiothoracic surgeons is a global persistent challenge. Major issues, including length of training, decreasing volume of cases, shift toward high-risk, complex, and less-invasive procedures, increased specialization, and uncertainty with regard to future employment, are relevant and affect residency training programs in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world. To produce high-quality, mature, and qualified surgeons, these challenges mandate an ongoing effort by our specialty leadership aimed at identifying creative solutions and adapting the current residency training curricula and methodology to the dynamic changes in our field.

The physiologic and histologic properties of the distal internal thoracic artery and its subdivisions.

Objective: We compared the flow rates, reactivity, and morphology of the distal internal thoracic artery and its branches, the superior epigastric and musculophrenic arteries, to test their applicability as possible conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting surgeries.

Methods: Skeletonized internal thoracic artery and subdivisions of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting were studied intraoperatively (n = 100) for flow and length measurements and in vitro in organ baths (n = 58) for active response to norepinephrine. Quantitative microscopic analysis of the muscle density and degree of intimal hyperplasia was performed.

Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting of circumflex artery targets.

Background: Retroaortic right internal thoracic artery grafting has failed to gain popularity. We aimed to delineate patient correlates of eligibility, distribution of targets, and effects of target remoteness on outcome and risk of retroaortic bleeding.

Methods: Data of 861 patients undergoing skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting (2007-2012) were analyzed according to retroaortic (n = 300) or T-graft configuration.

Concomitant grafting of both postbifurcation internal thoracic artery branches.

Objective: We aimed to assess the clinical outcome and graft patency after concomitant grafting of both postbifurcation internal thoracic artery (ITA) branches.

Methods: Between 2007 and 2013, 17 patients (14 men; mean [SD] age, 60 [9.3] years) underwent skeletonized bifurcated ITA grafting.

Bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting in insulin-treated diabetes.

Background: We sought to assess the risk and late outcome of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting in eligible insulin-treated diabetic subsets.

Methods: 147 insulin-treated diabetic patients undergoing arterial revascularization were grouped as: skeletonized bilateral internal thoracic artery (n = 83) or internal thoracic artery-radial artery (n = 64). Chronic lung disease or overweight and female constituted exclusion criteria for bilateral internal thoracic artery grafts.

Primary cardiac valve tumors.

To assess the prevalence, characteristics, and outcome of surgical treatment of primary cardiac valve tumors in a single center, we reviewed our experience in 6 women and 1 man, aged 49 to 76 years (mean, 64.7 years) who presented between 1999 and 2006. In one patient, the diagnosis of cardiac valve tumor was made incidentally on transesophageal echocardiography during aortocoronary bypass surgery.

Association between mitral and aortic valve calcification and preferential left or right coronary artery disease.

Background And Aim Of The Study: Mitral annular calcification (MAC) and aortic valve calcification (AVC) are predictive of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, no data exist concerning the association between preferential CAD side localization to the left or right coronary arteries and MAC or AVC.

Methods: A cohort analysis was performed of 1,000 consecutive coronary angiographies recorded in patients with CAD.

[Criteria for the acceptable heart donor: maximizing the use of hearts recovered from potential donors in Israel].

The shortage of available donor hearts limits the number of cardiac transplantations worldwide and in Israel as well. This organ shortage results in 15%-20% annual mortality of heart transplant candidates. For the sub-group of hospitalized decompensated heart failure patients depending on continuous inotropic support (Status I), the annual mortality is over 50%.

Telomere dynamics in arteries and mononuclear cells of diabetic patients: effect of diabetes and of glycemic control.

Telomeres serve as a mitotic clock and biological marker of senescence. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with damage to target organs and premature aging. We assessed the effect of glycemic control on telomere dynamics in arterial cells of 58 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass and in mononuclear blood cells of other diabetic (32 type I and 47 type II) patients comparing well controlled to uncontrolled patients.

Value of echocardiography for stroke and mortality prediction following coronary artery bypass grafting.

There are known clinical and laboratory predictors for stroke and death following CABG. The aim of this study was to determine if transthoracic echocardiographic findings prior to CABG have additional predictive value for occurrence of perioperative cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and death. The files of patients who underwent CABG between January 2002 and November 2004, with perioperative echocardiographic assessment were reviewed.

The impact of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography in infective endocarditis.

Background: [corrected] The use of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram in patients with infective endocarditis is usually reserved for cases of inadequate preoperative testing or suspected extension to perivalvular tissue.

Objectives: To explore the impact of routine intraoperative TEE in patients with infective endocarditis.

Methods: The impact of intraoperative TEE on the operative plan, anatomic-physiologic results, and hemodynamic assessment or de-airing was analyzed in 59 patients (38 males, 21 females, mean age 57.

Bilateral skeletonized internal mammary versus single-pedicled internal mammary grafting in the elderly.

Background: The use of the bilateral internal mammary arteries has been reserved mainly for younger and low risk patients.

Aim: To assess the safety and efficacy of BIMA grafting in older patients (> or = 70 years).

Methods: We reviewed the records of all consecutive patients > or = 70 years old who underwent coronary artery bypass surgery with a BIMA graft in our institute over a 2 year period.