Outcomes of coronary artery bypass surgery using modified del Nido cardioplegia in patients with poor ventricular function.

Background: del Nido cardioplegia (DN) has been shown to be safe in adult patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting with normal left ventricular ejection fraction. We sought to determine whether it was also safe in adult patients with diminished left ventricular function.

Methods: All patients with preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction ≤ 40% undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting between 1/1/2019 and 7/10/2022 were retrospectively analyzed.

Penicillin-resistant gonorrheal endocarditis presenting with large annular abscess and aortic valve destruction.

Disseminated gonorrheal infections with cardiac involvement are rare, with fewer than 100 cases reported. The increasing prevalence of gonococcal infections and increasing antibiotic resistance represent a concerning challenge to public health. Here we report a case of antibiotic-resistant gonococcal endocarditis presenting with cardiogenic shock and discuss principles of diagnosis and treatment.

Temporary Left Ventricular Support Device as a Bridge to Heart-Liver or Heart-Kidney Transplant: Pushing the Boundaries of Temporary Support.

In patients with severe cardiogenic shock, temporary mechanical circulatory support has become a viable strategy to bridge patients to heart transplantation. However, end-stage heart failure is often associated with progressive organ dysfunction of the liver or kidney. This can require a dual organ transplant for definitive management (combined heart-liver [HL] or heart-kidney [HK] transplantation).

A case of a pregnant patient with COVID-19 infection treated with emergency c-section and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) causes the development of severe acute respiratory distress syndrome. Pregnant women may be at increased risk for the development of severe disease. We present the case of a pregnant patient who developed respiratory failure due to COVID-19 and rapidly decompensated requiring intubation.

Trans-abdominal wall traction as a universal solution to the management of giant ventral hernias.

Background: Domain loss following damage-control laparotomy is a challenging problem many surgeons face. The authors recently developed trans-abdominal wall traction, which closed 100 percent of domain loss abdomens in the acute setting. They hypothesized that it can be used successfully in patients with chronic giant ventral defects.

Single-incision results in similar pain and quality of life scores compared with multi-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A blinded prospective randomized trial of 100 patients.

Background: Our objective was to compare hospital charges and both perioperative and mid-term quality of life between single- (SILC) and multi-incision (MILC) laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a randomized controlled trial.

Methods: Patients with acute or chronic biliary disease were invited to participate. Pain scores, quality of life, and perioperative outcomes were measured.

Pulse carboxyhemoglobin-oximetry and cigarette smoking.

Purpose: We used a pulse carbon monoxide (CO)-oximeter to measure the levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) in smokers and non-smokers. Our goal was to determine if this device could not only define smoking status, but also to increase accuracy of self-reported data at various surveys on smoking.

Methods: Thirty-four healthy volunteers participated in this study.