Early to mid-term results after total cavopulmonary connection performed in the second decade of life.

Objectives: Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) performed in the second decade of life has rarely been studied. Thus, we investigated (bicentric study) early and late morbidity and mortality following completion of TCPC in these patients.

Methods: From January 1999 to June 2014, 63 patients (14.

Tricuspid valve repair and pulmonary valve replacement in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) often is performed in adults with repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). For patients who have tricuspid regurgitation (TR), tricuspid valve (TV) repair associated to PVR is still debated.

Objective: We sought to evaluate perioperative factors related to TV repair when performed at the time of PVR in patients with repaired TOF.

Scimitar Syndrome Repair in Adults: Intermediate-Term Results Using an Extracardiac Conduit.

Background: Scimitar syndrome may be corrected using different techniques. Repair using an extracardiac conduit has rarely been performed. This study assessed the intermediate-term outcomes of this technique in adults.

A Methodology for Concomitant Isolation of Intimal and Adventitial Endothelial Cells from the Human Thoracic Aorta.

Background: Aortic diseases are diverse and involve a multiplicity of biological systems in the vascular wall. Aortic dissection, which is usually preceded by aortic aneurysm, is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in modern societies. Although the endothelium is now known to play an important role in vascular diseases, its contribution to aneurysmal aortic lesions remains largely unknown.

Pulmonary-Valve Replacement in Adults: Results With the Medtronic Freestyle Valve.

Background: We used the Medtronic Freestyle valve (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN) as an orthotopic conduit in pulmonary valve replacement in repaired tetralogy of Fallot and as part of the Ross procedure. Midterm outcomes and hemodynamic status of this conduit were analyzed and performances in both subgroups were compared.

Methods: From February 2002 to July 2012, 115 Freestyle valves were implanted in 52 patients with tetralogy of Fallot and 63 patients within the Ross procedure.

The use of Impella 2.5 in severe refractory cardiogenic shock complicating an acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To investigate the outcome of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by refractory cardiogenic shock (CS) who underwent mechanical circulatory support with Impella 2.5.

Background: AMI complicated by CS remains a highly fatal condition.

Electrophysiological study 6 months after Epicor™ high-intensity focused ultrasound atrial fibrillation ablation.

Purpose: Little is presently known about the outcome of atrial lesions performed with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for atrial fibrillation ablation. We aimed to assess endocardial atrial lesions 6 months after epicardial HIFU ablation (Epicor(™)) and to evaluate the benefit of a combined ablation approach.

Methods: Thirty patients (21 males, mean age 68 ± 12 years old) undergoing HIFU atrial fibrillation ablation during cardiac surgery were enrolled.

Left posterolateral thoracotomy: an alternative approach for pulmonary valve replacement.

Pulmonary valve replacement in adults who have a repaired tetralogy of Fallot is realized through a redo median sternotomy. A dilated ascending aorta is often present and adherent to the sternum and can be injured during sternum reentry, with dramatic consequences. We report on an adult patient with a corrected tetralogy of Fallot who underwent pulmonary valve replacement, thick transannular patch excision, and left pulmonary artery enlargement.

Early to midterm results of total cavopulmonary connection in adult patients.

Background: Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) has not been studied in adults. We investigated early and midterm morbidity and mortality in adults undergoing TCPC and assessed risk factors for mortality.

Methods: Between June 1994 and October 2010, 30 adults (21.

Mediastinal lymphadenectomy in elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer.

Objectives: The progressive ageing of the population is accompanied by an increasing incidence of cancer. Our objective was to compare mediastinal lymphadenectomy performed in the surgical treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients between ≥ 70 and <70.

Methods: We performed a retrospective single-centre case-control study, including 80 patients ≥ 70 years of age, surgically treated for NSCLC between January 2008 and December 2010, matched 1:1 to 80 younger controls on gender, American Society of Anesthesia score, performance status and histological subtype of the tumour.

Fast track echo of abdominal aortic aneurysm using a real pocket-ultrasound device at bedside.

Background: Ultraminiaturization of echographic systems extraordinarily provides the image "within" the clinical examination. Abdominal aorta aneurysm (AAA) diagnosis based on conventional evaluation with a dedicated operator and ultrasound machine is still controversial due to the lack of evidence of the proposed management and guidelines' cost-effectiveness. We hypothesized that less expensive ultraportable devices could identify AAA with the same level of accuracy as conventional approaches.

Late outcome of 132 Senning procedures after 20 years of follow-up.

Background: Risk factors and rates of reoperation, arrhythmias, systemic right ventricular dysfunction (RVD), and late death after a Senning procedure were investigated.

Methods: One-hundred thirty-two patients underwent a Senning operation between 1977 and 2004 (105 simple and 27 complex transpositions of the great arteries). Mean follow-up time was 19.

Beating-heart coronary artery bypass surgery with the help of mini extracorporeal circulation for very high-risk patients.

Background: Left ventricle dysfunction and co-morbidities are responsible for a large number of complications after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The best strategy for these patients, including the use or not and type of extracorporeal circulation (ECC), the use of minimized ECC (MECC), or conventional ECC (CECC), remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential effect of on-pump beating-heart (OPBH) surgery with the help of MECC for CABG in patients with a high-risk EuroSCORE and to compare this strategy to three other different procedures, including OPCAB and MECC or CECC with cardiac arrest.

Adjustment and characterization of an original model of chronic ischemic heart failure in pig.

We present and characterize an original experimental model to create a chronic ischemic heart failure in pig. Two ameroid constrictors were placed around the LAD and the circumflex artery. Two months after surgery, pigs presented a poor LV function associated with a severe mitral valve insufficiency.

Validation of an animal model of right ventricular dysfunction and right bundle branch block to create close physiology to postoperative tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: In the past 5 years a few number of studies and case reports have come out focusing on biventricular (BiV) stimulation for treatment of congenital heart disease related ventricular dysfunction. The few available studies include a diverse group of pathophysiological entities ranging from a previously repaired tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) to a functional single ventricle anatomy. Patient's status is too heterogeneous to build important prospective study.

Freedom SOLO valve: early- and intermediate-term results of a single centre's first 100 cases.

Objective: The Freedom SOLO aortic valve is a bovine pericardial stentless valve, which requires only one suture line. The aim of our single-centre retrospective study was to assess postoperative and intermediate-term haemodynamic results of the first 100 consecutively implanted valves.

Methods: One hundred patients (39 male and 61 female) underwent aortic valve replacement with a Freedom SOLO from November 2006 to January 2008.

Biventricular stimulation improves right and left ventricular function after tetralogy of Fallot repair: acute animal and clinical studies.

Background: Optimal treatment of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction observed in patients after tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair is unclear. Studies of biventricular (BiV) stimulation in patients with congenital heart disease have been retrospective or have included patients with heterogeneous disorders.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects on cardiac function of stimulating at various cardiac sites in an animal model of RV dysfunction and dyssynchrony and in eight symptomatic adults with repaired TOF.

Echocardiographic analysis with a two-dimensional strain of chronic myocardial ischemia induced with ameroid constrictor in the pig.

Despite much progress in the medical management of myocardial ischemia, several problems remain and experimental models help to improve our understanding of the pathophysiology involved in this domain. The ameroid constrictor model is the most widely used to create ischemia but evaluation of patent ischemia is still under debate. In the present study, we describe the potential of a two-dimensional (2D) strain for experimentally evaluating myocardial ischemia in the pig.

Intra-diaphragmatic pacemaker implantation in very low weight premature neonate.

Implantation of a pacemaker (PM) in very low weight premature neonates can be a challenging procedure because of the actual dimension of generators. Ideal placement of the PM is still controversial. We describe a technique of intra-diaphragmatic PM implantation in a 1.

Management of prosthetic heart valve obstruction: fibrinolysis versus surgery. Early results and long-term follow-up in a single-centre study of 263 cases.

Optimal management of prosthetic heart valve obstruction (PHVO) remains controversial even though surgery is usually recommended. To better define the efficacy and safety of fibrinolysis versus surgery in the pre- and post-transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) eras. We analysed initial results and follow-up data from a large, retrospective, single-centre series, comparing fibrinolysis and surgery in patients with PHVO treated over 20 years.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in very high-risk patients: adjustment and preliminary results.

Left ventricle dysfunction and comorbidities are responsible for a large number of complications after CABG. OPCAB could be an interesting alternative for very high-risk patients. Patients were included if EuroSCORE >9, or with at least two of the following criteria, severe LV dysfunction, recent myocardial infarction (MI), terminal renal failure, lung dysfunction, PVD, BMI>30.

Edwards Mira bileaflet prosthesis in aortic position: midterm results of a prospective multi-centre study.

This prospective multicentre study assessed the midterm clinical and haemodynamic results of the Edwards Mira curved bileaflet prosthesis in aortic position. From June 1998 to October 2000, 117 patients, mean age 64 years (31-78 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with the Edwards Mira valve in three institutions. Clinical status, haemodynamic performance and valve related complications were assessed.

Surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation with off-pump, epicardial, high-intensity focused ultrasound: results of a multicenter trial.

Background: A simplified alternative to the Cox maze procedure to treat atrial fibrillation with epicardial high-intensity focused ultrasound was evaluated clinically, and the initial clinical results were assessed at the 6-month follow-up visit.

Methods: From September 2002 through February 2004, 103 patients were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter study. Atrial fibrillation duration ranged from 6 to 240 months (mean, 44 months) and was permanent in 76 (74%) patients, paroxysmal in 22 (21%) patients, and persistent in 5 (5%) patients.

Clinical significance of early thrombosis after prosthetic mitral valve replacement: a postoperative monocentric study of 680 patients.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of early thrombosis, its prognostic significance, and the therapeutic implications.

Background: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is the method of choice for detecting symptomless early postoperative thrombosis of prosthetic valves. However, the clinical significance is not yet known.

Surgery for prosthetic valve obstruction. A single center study of 136 patients.

Objectives: Prosthetic heart valve obstruction (PHVO) is a potentially fatal complication of heart valve replacement with mechanical substitute mainly due to thrombosis. The purpose of this report is to present a single-center experience of 136 consecutive patients operated on between 1978 and 2001.

Methods: The diagnosis of PHVO was mainly assessed by fluoroscopy and/or echocardiography.