Impact of Diabetes in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Within 48 Hours.

Background: Diabetic patients with coronary artery disease may benefit from elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. It is unknown whether this merit is transferable to patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) undergoing surgery.

Method: A total of 1,427 patients underwent CABG within 48 hours of being diagnosed with AMI at the current institution between 2001 and 2019.

Long-term follow-up of patients with complex coronary artery disease treated with minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass.

Background: Patients with complex coronary artery disease (CAD) may benefit from surgical myocardial revascularization but weighing the risk of peri-operative complications against the expected merit is difficult. Minimally invasive direct artery bypass (MIDCAB) procedures are less invasive, provide the prognostic advantage of operative revascularization of the left anterior descending artery and may be integrated in hybrid strategies. Herein, the outcomes between patients with coronary 1-vessel disease (1-VD) and patients with 2-VD and 3-VD after MIDCAB procedures were compared in this single-center study.

Pulmonary valve reconstruction for acquired pulmonary regurgitation in patients with treated congenital heart disease.

Objectives: Pulmonary valve regurgitation is a common problem after relief of right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) obstruction with a transannular patch. Pulmonary valve replacement with a homograft or xenograft is the routine treatment. Longevity of biological valves and the availability of homografts are limited.

Outcome after surgical embolectomy for acute pulmonary embolism.

Aims: Patients with pulmonary embolism (PE) and contraindications for or failed thrombolysis are at the highest risk for PE-related fatal events. These patients may benefit from surgical embolectomy, but data concerning this approach are still limited.

Methods: The method used here was retrospective data analysis of 103 patients who underwent surgical embolectomy from 2002 to 2020 at our department.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Cardiogenic Shock.

Objective: Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS) remains associated with a high rate of mortality and disabling morbidity. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is seldom considered in this setting due to the fear of peri-operative complications. Here, we analysed the outcome of CS patients undergoing CABG within 48 hours after diagnosed with AMI.

Prognostic impact of secondary prevention after coronary artery bypass grafting-insights from the TiCAB trial.

Objectives: There are disparities in the adherence to guideline-recommended therapies after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG). We therefore sought to evaluate the effect of guideline-adherent medical secondary prevention on 1-year outcome after CABG.

Methods: Data were taken from the randomized 'Ticagrelor in CABG' trial.

Myocardial Perfusion in Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

Background: The status of the systemic right ventricular coronary microcirculation in hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) is largely unknown. It is presumed that the systemic right ventricle's coronary microcirculation exhibits unique pathophysiological characteristics of HLHS in Fontan circulation. The present study sought to quantify myocardial blood flow by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and evaluate the determinants of microvascular coronary dysfunction and myocardial ischemia in HLHS.

Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement: A Novel Anchor Technology.

Background:  Mitral valved stents tend to migrate or to develop paravalvular leakage due to high-left ventricular pressure in this cavity. Thus, this study describes a newly developed mitral valved stent anchoring technology.

Methods:  Based on an existing mitral valved stent, four anchoring units with curved surgical needles were designed and fabricated using three-dimensional (3D) software and print technology.

Prosthetic graft replacement of a large subclavian aneurysm in a child with Loeys-Dietz syndrome: a case report.

Background: Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a genetic connective tissue disorder, which is characterized by rapid development of aortic and peripheral arterial aneurysms. Loeys-Dietz syndrome has some overlapping phenotypic features with other inherited aortopathies such as Marfan syndrome. However, LDS has a more aggressive vascular course with patient morbidity and mortality occurring at an early age.

Abnormal aortic arch shape and vortical flow patterns are associated with descending aortic dilatation in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Introduction: The descending aorta (DAo) in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) after Norwood procedure is frequenty enlarged and exhibits increased stiffness. Such findings of previous studies still remain unexplained given the fact that the DAo is not involved in the Norwood operation.

Methods: We studied five HLHS patients with DAo dilatation (aged: 2.

Glial Fibrillary Acid Protein and Cerebral Oxygenation in Neonates Undergoing Cardiac Surgery.

Background:  Neonates undergoing surgery for complex congenital heart disease are at risk of developmental impairment. Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury might be a contributing factor. We aimed to investigate the perioperative release of the astrocyte cytoskeleton component glial fibrillary acid protein and its relation to cerebral oxygenation.

Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction with the Labcor® stentless valved pulmonary conduit.

Objectives: The right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction is a common necessity in congenital cardiac surgery. As homograft availability is limited, alternatives need to be evaluated. The Labcor® conduit consists of a porcine tricomposite valve assembled inside a bovine pericardium tube.

DNA methylation profiling allows for characterization of atrial and ventricular cardiac tissues and hiPSC-CMs.

Background: Cardiac disease modelling using human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CM) requires thorough insight into cardiac cell type differentiation processes. However, current methods to discriminate different cardiac cell types are mostly time-consuming, are costly and often provide imprecise phenotypic evaluation. DNA methylation plays a critical role during early heart development and cardiac cellular specification.

Randomized trial of ticagrelor vs. aspirin in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting: the TiCAB trial.

Aims: The antiplatelet treatment strategy providing optimal balance between thrombotic and bleeding risks in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is unclear. We prospectively compared the efficacy of ticagrelor and aspirin after CABG.

Methods And Results: We randomly assigned in double-blind fashion patients scheduled for CABG to either ticagrelor 90 mg twice daily or 100 mg aspirin (1:1) once daily.

S100B and its relation to cerebral oxygenation in neonates and infants undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease.

Objectives: Neonates and infants undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease are at risk for developmental impairment. Hypoxic-ischemic brain injury might be one contributing factor. We aimed to investigate the perioperative release of the astrocyte protein S100B and its relation to cerebral oxygenation.

Transcatheter mitral valve implantation: supra-annular and subvalvular fixation techniques.

Objectives: Transcatheter mitral valved stent implantation provides an off-pump treatment option for mitral valve regurgitation, especially for secondary mitral valve regurgitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate novel fixation strategies: direct fixation (SUPRA) and subvalvular fixation (sub-VALV) to successfully implement alternative fixation methods at the mitral annulus and to reduce radial stent and apical tether forces.

Methods: Specific concepts were developed for the supra-annular hook-shaped fixation (SUPRA) and the subvalvular fixation (sub-VALV).

Impact of Patient-Prosthesis Mismatch following Aortic Valve Replacement on Long-Term Survival and Quality of Life.

Background: The impact of patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) on long-term survival and quality of life (QoL) remains controversial. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of PPM on long-term survival and QoL in a large cohort of patients treated with isolated stented biological AVR in a single-center experience.

Methods: We analyzed data of 632 consecutive patients following isolated stented biological AVR between 2007 and 2012 at our institution.

Improved Lung Perfusion After Left Pulmonary Artery Patch Enlargement During the Norwood Operation.

Background: Optimal pulmonary perfusion is crucial for a well-functioning Fontan circulation in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). To obtain an adequate size of the left pulmonary artery (LPA), patch enlargement is a routine part of the hemi-Fontan procedure in our center. However, LPA patch enlargement at the time of the modified Norwood procedure may have surgical advantages.

Outcome of Stable Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction and Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Within 48 Hours: A Single-Center, Retrospective Experience.

Background: The optimal timing of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in clinically stable patients with acute myocardial infarction who are unsuitable for percutaneous coronary intervention is unclear. We report our experience with early CABG in these patients.

Methods And Results: Between January 2001 and May 2015, 766 patients with ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI, n=305) or non-STEMI (NSTEMI, n=461) not including cardiogenic shock underwent CABG within 48 hours at our department.

Restrictive enlargement of the pulmonary annulus at repair of tetralogy of Fallot: a comparative 10-year follow-up study.

Objectives: Since 1996, our centre performs restrictive enlargement of the pulmonary annulus at surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot. A transannular patch is only used if the z-score of the pulmonary annulus is smaller than -2. We sought to determine whether this strategy reduces pulmonary insufficiency (PI) and reoperation rate compared to a nationwide contemporary cohort that has not been operated using a uniform strategy.

Coronary artery bypass surgery within 48 hours after cardiac arrest due to acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: Cardiac arrest (CA) in patients with acute myocardial infarction is associated with a poor prognosis. Due to the additional trauma, risk of stroke and lack of data, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a controversial revascularization strategy for patients who cannot be treated percutaneously. Against this background, we investigated the outcome of patients from our department with acute myocardial infarction undergoing CABG after CA.

Pericarditis in a Child with an Intrapericardial Bronchogenic Cyst.

 An intrapericardial bronchogenic cyst (IBC) is a rare congenital malformation seemingly asymptomatic in most subjects.  A 9-year-old boy presented with persistent chest pain and fever. Imaging revealed a large pericardial effusion with a tumor located at the left atrial appendage extending behind the great vessels.

A randomized, parallel group, double-blind study of ticagrelor compared with aspirin for prevention of vascular events in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft operation: Rationale and design of the Ticagrelor in CABG (TiCAB) trial: An Investigator-Initiated trial.

Background: For patients with coronary artery disease undergoing coronary bypass surgery, acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) currently represents the gold standard of antiplatelet treatment. However, adverse cardiovascular event rates in the first year after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) still exceed 10%. Graft failure, which is predominantly mediated by platelet aggregation, has been identified as a major contributing factor in this context.

Predictors for long-term outcome and quality of life of patients after cardiac surgery with prolonged intensive care unit stay.

Objectives: This study investigated factors determining the long-term outcome and quality of life of patients with a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay after cardiac surgery.

Design: A retrospective analysis was performed in 230 patients that had undergone cardiac surgery and suffered from a post-operative ICU stay of 7 or more days at our institution. Among 11 pre-, 13 intra-, and 14 post-operative variables, factors influencing 5-year outcome were identified by logistic regression analysis.