Treatment options for isolated aortic valve insufficiency: a review.

Aortic insufficiency (AI) is a valvular disease with increasing prevalence in older patients. The modern era provides numerous options for the management of AI which is explored here. Traditional interventions included aortic valve replacement with either mechanical or bioprosthetic aortic valves.

The state of cardiac surgery in Ethiopia.

Objectives: Six billion people globally do not have access to cardiac surgical care. In this study, we aimed to describe state of cardiac surgery in Ethiopia.

Methods: Data on status of local cardiac surgery collected from surgeons and cardiac centers.

Time Spent Engaging in Health Care Among Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Objectives: This study aims to examine a novel patient-centered metric of time spent engaging in left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-related clinical care outside the home.

Background: Although LVAD implantation can improve survival and functional capacity in patients with advanced heart failure, this may occur at the expense of significant time spent engaging in LVAD-related health care activities.

Methods: The authors retrospectively assessed consecutive patients at a single center who received a continuous-flow LVAD between May 9, 2008, and December 31, 2019, and queried health care encounters after implantation, including all inpatient encounters and LVAD-related ambulatory encounters.

Fracture of dual lumen cannula leading to cerebrovascular accident in a patient supported with ECMO.

Extended duration extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), using dual-lumen cannulas, is being used with increased frequency to support patients, including those with COVID-19; both as a bridge to transplant and lung recovery. During such an extended duration of support, there are several factors that might lead to the attrition of the physical structure of the ECMO cannulas, predisposing them to the risk of fracture. Although rare, fracture of the ECMO cannula can be a potentially lethal event.

Non-Governmental Organizations Delivering Global Cardiac Surgical Care: A Quantitative Impact Assessment.

In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), 93% of the population lacks safe, timely, and affordable access to cardiac surgical care when needed. As countries slowly build or expand local, independent cardiac centers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) partially bridge the gap in cardiac surgical care delivery in LMICs. However, little is known about the current scope of cardiac NGOs.

A SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance System in Sub-Saharan Africa: Modeling Study for Persistence and Transmission to Inform Policy.

Background: Since the novel coronavirus emerged in late 2019, the scientific and public health community around the world have sought to better understand, surveil, treat, and prevent the disease, COVID-19. In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), many countries responded aggressively and decisively with lockdown measures and border closures. Such actions may have helped prevent large outbreaks throughout much of the region, though there is substantial variation in caseloads and mortality between nations.

Abnormal Neural Responses During Reflexive Blinking in Blepharospasm: An Event-Related Functional MRI Study.

Background: The neurophysiological disruptions underlying blepharospasm, a disabling movement disorder characterized by increased blinking and involuntary muscle spasms of the eyelid, remain poorly understood.

Objective: To investigate the neural substrates underlying reflexive blinking in blepharospasm patients compared to healthy controls using simultaneous functional MRI and surface electromyography.

Methods: Fifteen blepharospasm patients and 15 healthy controls were recruited.

The state of research on cyberattacks against hospitals and available best practice recommendations: a scoping review.

Background: The health sector has quickly become a target for cyberattacks. Hospitals are especially sensitive to these sorts of attacks as any disruption in operations or even disclosure of patient personal information can have far-reaching consequences. The objective of this study was to map the available literature on cyberattacks on hospitals and to identify the different domains of research, while extracting the recommendations and guidelines put forth in the literature.