Strategies and outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witnesses.

Background: Jehovah's Witnesses (JW) are a Christian faith, with an estimated 1.1 million members in the United States, well recognized for their refusal of blood and blood products. JW may not be considered for cardiac surgery due to perceived higher risks of morbidity and mortality.

Improving patient care in cardiac surgery using Toyota production system based methodology.

Background: A new cardiac surgery program was developed in a community hospital setting using the operational excellence (OE) method, which is based on the principles of the Toyota production system. The initial results of the first 409 heart operations, performed over the 28 months between March 1, 2008, and June 30, 2010, are presented.

Methods: Operational excellence methodology was taught to the cardiac surgery team.

Acute aortic valve rupture secondary to blunt chest trauma.

Cardiac valve injury after blunt chest trauma is rare. We present a case of blunt chest trauma resulting in an isolated aortic valve rupture treated with aortic valve replacement.

Preoperative statin is associated with decreased operative mortality in high risk coronary artery bypass patients.

Background: Statins are widely prescribed to patients with atherosclerosis. A retrospective database analysis was used to examine the role of preoperative statin use in hospital mortality, for patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG.)

Methods: The study population comprised 2377 patients who had isolated CABG at Allegheny General Hospital between 2000 and 2004.

Effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) on glycemic control and left ventricular function in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Increasing evidence suggests that tight glycemic control improves clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). However, the risk for hypoglycemia with insulin often results in less aggressive glycemic control. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a naturally occurring peptide whose insulinotropic effects are predicated on the glucose concentration, minimizing the risk for hypoglycemia.