Interatrial block is an independent risk factor for new-onset atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association between interatrial conduction block and postoperative atrial fibrillation, which can precipitate acute cardiopulmonary instability and is associated with subsequent heart failure, stroke, and mortality following cardiac surgery.

Methods: Perioperative 12-channel electrocardiograms from 3405 patients undergoing myocardial revascularization, valve surgery, aortic surgery, or combinations thereof, were considered. Clinical and electrographic parameters were compared between patients with and without atrial fibrillation, and significant variables were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression.

Surgical or Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement After Prior Bioprosthesis or Ring Implantation: A Landmark Analysis of Early and Long-Term Outcomes.

In recent years, the use of transcatheter valve-in-valve implantation in the mitral position (TMVI) for the treatment of mitral valve pathology following ring or bioprosthetic implantation has emerged as a less invasive option in comparison to repeated mitral valve surgery (RMVS). We aimed to compare the early and mid-term results of these two strategies. We retrospectively analyzed all patients who underwent a mitral intervention in our institution between 2005 and 2022.

Preoperative interatrial block is associated with postoperative atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery.

Objectives: Atrial fibrillation is common complication after heart surgery potentially leading to chronic atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between preoperative interatrial block and the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation.

Methods: Perioperative 12-channel ECGs of patients in sinus rhythm, scheduled for heart surgery including bypass and/or valve surgery were analysed.

Outcomes of surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation in on- versus off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Objectives: A considerable number of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery suffer from atrial fibrillation and should be treated concomitantly. This manuscript evaluates the impact of on-pump versus off-pump bypass grafting on the applied lesion set and rhythm outcome.

Methods: Between January 2017 and April 2020, patients who underwent combined bypass grafting and surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation were consecutively enrolled in the German CArdioSurgEry Atrial Fibrillation registry (CASE-AF, 17 centres).

Reliability of EuroSCORE II on Prediction of Thirty-Day Mortality and Long-Term Results in Patients Treated with Sutureless Valves.

EuroSCORE II (ES2) is a reliable tool for preoperative cardiac surgery mortality risk prediction; however, a patient's age, a surgical procedure's weight and the new devices available may cause its accuracy to drift. We sought to investigate ES2 performance related to the surgical risk and late mortality estimation in patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with sutureless valves. : Between 2012 and 2021, a total of 1126 patients with isolated aortic stenosis who underwent surgical AVR by means of sutureless valves were retrospectively collected from six European centers.

Epicardial and endocardial surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: outcomes from CASE-AF Registry.

Objectives: The German CArdioSurgEry Atrial Fibrillation Registry is a prospective, multicentric registry analysing outcomes of patients undergoing surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation as concomitant or stand-alone procedures. This data sub-analysis of the German CArdioSurgEry Atrial Fibrillation Registry aims to describe the in-hospital and 1-year outcomes after concomitant surgical ablation, based on 2 different ablation approaches, epicardial and endocardial surgical ablation.

Methods: Between January 2017 and April 2020, 17 German cardiosurgical units enrolled 763 consecutive patients after concomitant surgical ablation.

Partial versus Complete Sternotomy for Aortic Valve Replacement-Multicenter Study.

Background:  The benefits of minimally invasive techniques in cardiac surgery remain poorly defined. We evaluated the short- and mid-term outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement through partial upper versus complete median sternotomy (MS) in a large, German multicenter cohort.

Methods:  A total of 2,929 patients underwent isolated surgical aortic valve replacement via partial upper sternotomy (PUS,  = 1,764) or MS ( = 1,165) at nine participating heart centers between 2016 and 2020.

Isolated or Combined Ascending Aortic Replacement through a Partial Sternotomy: Early and Midterm Outcomes.

Background:  We aimed to investigate the in-hospital and midterm outcomes of patients undergoing ascending aortic replacement (AAR) through a partial or a full sternotomy approach through a propensity matching analysis.

Methods:  We retrospectively included all patients ( = 167) who underwent elective AAR in our institution between 2013 and 2020. The study population was divided into two groups according to the surgical access (40 patient in the partial sternotomy or "PS" group and 127 in the full sternotomy or "FS" group).

Platelet Reduction after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: Results from the PORTRAIT Study.

An unexplained condition that follows transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is platelet count reduction (PR). According to published research, patients with balloon-expandable valves (BEVs) had a greater PR than those with self-expandable valves (SEVs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence and clinical effects of PR following TAVI.

Impact of COVID-19 on incidence and outcomes of post-infarction mechanical complications in Europe.

Objectives: Post-acute myocardial infarction mechanical complications (post-AMI MCs) represent rare but life-threatening conditions, including free-wall rupture, ventricular septal rupture and papillary muscle rupture. During the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic, an overwhelming pressure on healthcare systems led to delayed and potentially suboptimal treatments for time-dependent conditions. As AMI-related hospitalizations decreased, limited information is available whether higher rates of post-AMI MCs and related deaths occurred in this setting.

Platelet Reduction after Aortic Bioprosthesis Implantation: Results from the PORTRAIT Study.

: Platelet count reduction (PR) is a common but unclear phenomenon that occurs after aortic bioprosthesis valve implantation (bio-AVR). This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and clinical impact of PR in patients receiving stented, rapid deployment (RDV), or stentless bioprostheses. : 1233 adult bio-AVR patients were enrolled.

The current clinical practice for management of post-infarction ventricular septal rupture: a European survey.

Aims: Many historical and recent reports showed that post-infarction ventricular septal rupture (VSR) represents a life-threatening condition and the strategy to optimally manage it remains undefined. Therefore, disparate treatment policies among different centres with variable results are often described. We analysed data from European centres to capture the current clinical practice in VSR management.

A Machine Learning Model for the Accurate Prediction of 1-Year Survival in TAVI Patients: A Retrospective Observational Cohort Study.

Background: predicting the 1-year survival of patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) is indispensable for managing safe early discharge strategies and resource optimization.

Methods: Routinely acquired data (134 variables) were used from 629 patients, who underwent transfemoral TAVI from 2012 up to 2018. Support vector machines, neuronal networks, random forests, nearest neighbour and Bayes models were used with new, previously unseen patients to predict 1-year mortality in TAVI patients.

Sutureless and Rapid Deployment vs. Transcatheter Valves for Aortic Stenosis in Low-Risk Patients: Mid-Term Results.

Background: Recent trials showed that TAVI is neither inferior nor superior to surgical aortic valve replacement. The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of Sutureless and Rapid Deployment Valves (SuRD-AVR) when compared to TAVI in low surgical risk patients with isolated aortic stenosis.

Methods: Data from five European Centers were retrospectively collected.

Impact of prophylactic intra-aortic balloon pump on early outcomes in patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Objective: Our aim was to analyse whether prophylactic preoperative intraaortic balloon pump (IABP) improves outcomes in hemodynamically stable patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≤30%) undergoing elective myocardial revascularization (CABG) using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Secondary aim was to identify the predictors for low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS).

Methods: Prospectively collected data of 207 consecutive patients with LVEF ≤30% undergoing elective isolated CABG with CPB from 01/2009 to 12/2019, 136 with and 71 patients without IABP, were retrieved retrospectively.

Extracorporeal life support in mitral papillary muscle rupture: Outcome of multicenter study.

Background: Post-acute myocardial infarction papillary muscle rupture (post-AMI PMR) may present variable clinical scenarios and degree of emergency due to result of cardiogenic shock. Veno-arterial extracorporeal life support (V-A ECLS) has been proposed to improve extremely poor pre- or postoperative conditions. Information in this respect is scarce.

Microbiologic diagnostics and pathogen spectrum in infective endocarditis of surgically treated patients: a five-year, retrospective, monocentric study.

Purpose: The spectrum of causative organisms in infective endocarditis (IE) has changed significantly in the last decades. Reliable pathogen detection is crucial for appropriate antimicrobial therapy for IE. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of microbiological methods for detecting the causative microorganism of IE and to analyze the spectrum of pathogens.

Baseline CT-Based Risk Factors for Atrioventricular Block after Surgical AVR.

Background:  We aimed to evaluate the impact of membranous interventricular septum (MIS) length and calcifications of the native aortic valve (AV), via preoperative multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scan, on postoperative atrioventricular block III (AVB/AVB III) and permanent pacemaker implantation in surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Methods:  We retrospectively analyzed preoperative contrast-enhanced MDCT scans and procedural outcomes of patients affected by AV stenosis who underwent SAVR at our center (June 2016-December 2019). The study population was divided into two groups (AVB and non-AVB), and variables were compared with a Mann-Whitney's -test or chi-square test.

Does valve size impact hemodynamic, left ventricular mass regression, and prosthetic valve deterioration with a sutureless aortic valve?

Objective: To assess the mid-term clinical outcomes, hemodynamics, left ventricular (LV) mass regression, and structural valve deterioration (SVD) in patients implanted with the Perceval aortic sutureless valve across valve sizes.

Methods: Data were obtained from a multicenter European trial and a US Investigational Device Exemption trial. Echocardiography data were analyzed by an echocardiography core lab.