Contralateral discectomy as a novel approach for disc herniation compressing a conjoined nerve root: illustrative case.

Background: A conjoined nerve root is a rare condition with numerous variants. The diagnosis can be challenging, especially when the condition coexists with other pathologies. In cases where a disc herniation affects these nerve roots, any miscalculation or inexperience of the surgeon can irreversibly injure them.

Platelet count in heart failure patients undergoing left ventricular assist device.

Aims: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, a therapy for end-stage heart failure, is associated with platelet (PLT) activation. This study aims to evaluate the prognostic impact of PLT count in patients with LVAD implantation.

Methods And Results: Data from the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS) registry were investigated, and patients were divided into three groups according to tertiles.

Evaluation of the interhospital patient transfer after implementation of a regionalized trauma care system (TraumaNetzwerk DGU) in Germany.

Purpose: The aim of the study was to evaluate how many patients are being transferred between trauma centers and and their characteristics in the 2006 initiated TraumaNetzwerk DGU (TNW). We further investigated the time point of transfer and differences in outcome, compared to patients not being transferred. We wanted to know how trauma centers judged the performance of the TNW in transfer.

The pelvic vascular injury score (P-VIS): a prehospital instrument to detect significant vascular injury in pelvic fractures.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify predictive factors for peri-pelvic vascular injury in patients with pelvic fractures and to incorporate these factors into a pelvic vascular injury score (P-VIS) to detect severe bleeding during the prehospital trauma management.

Methods: To identify potential predictive factors, data were taken (1) of a Level I Trauma Centre with 467 patients (ISS ≥ 16 and AIS ≥ 3). Analysis including patient's charts and digital recordings, radiographical diagnostics, mechanism and pattern of injury as well as the vascular bleeding source was performed.

Presence and impact of anemia in patients supported with left ventricular assist devices.

Background: Data on anemia and its effects on patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are lacking.

Objectives: This study sought to describe the presence of anemia over time and investigate its association with mortality, quality of life, exercise capacity, and adverse events in LVAD patients.

Methods: Adults receiving durable LVADs between 2008 and 2017 were identified from the INTERMACS database.

Preoperative Levosimendan therapy reduces postoperative right ventricular failure in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation.

Objectives: Perioperative mortality and complications still remain high after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, especially in highly compromised patient cohorts. Here, we evaluate the effects of preoperative Levosimendan therapy on peri- and postoperative outcomes after LVAD implantation.

Methods: We retrospectively analysed 224 consecutive patients with LVAD implantation for end-stage heart failure between November 2010 and December 2019 in our centre with regard to short- and longer-term mortality as well as incidence of postoperative right ventricular failure (RV-F).

Ublituximab versus Teriflunomide in Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis.

Background: The monoclonal antibody ublituximab enhances antibody-dependent cellular cytolysis and produces B-cell depletion. Ublituximab is being evaluated for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis.

Methods: In two identical, phase 3, double-blind, double-dummy trials (ULTIMATE I and II), participants with relapsing multiple sclerosis were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive intravenous ublituximab (150 mg on day 1, followed by 450 mg on day 15 and at weeks 24, 48, and 72) and oral placebo or oral teriflunomide (14 mg once daily) and intravenous placebo.

Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture: epidemiology, associated injuries, and outcome-an analysis based on the TraumaRegister DGU®.

Introduction: Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is a rare injury in the severely injured patient and is most commonly caused by blunt mechanisms. However, penetrating mechanisms can also dominate depending on regional and local factors. Traumatic diaphragmatic rupture is difficult to diagnose and can be missed by primary diagnostic procedures in the resuscitation room.

[Use of extracorporeal circulation (ECLS/ECMO) for cardiac and circulatory failure : Short version of the S3 guideline].

In Germany, a remarkable increase regarding the usage of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and extracorporeal life support (ECLS) systems has been observed in recent years with approximately 3000 ECLS/ECMO implantations annually since 2015. Despite the widespread use of ECLS/ECMO, evidence-based recommendations or guidelines are still lacking regarding indications, contraindications, limitations and management of ECMO/ECLS patients. Therefore in 2015, the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS) registered the multidisciplinary S3 guideline "Use of extracorporeal circulation (ECLS/ECMO) for cardiac and circulatory failure" to develop evidence-based recommendations for ECMO/ECLS systems according to the requirements of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF).

[Use of extracorporeal circulation (ECLS/ECMO) for cardiac and circulatory failure : Short version of the S3 guideline].

In Germany, a remarkable increase regarding the usage of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and extracorporeal life support (ECLS) systems has been observed in recent years with approximately 3000 ECLS/ECMO implantations annually since 2015. Despite the widespread use of ECLS/ECMO, evidence-based recommendations or guidelines are still lacking regarding indications, contraindications, limitations and management of ECMO/ECLS patients. Therefore in 2015, the German Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (GSTCVS) registered the multidisciplinary S3 guideline "Use of extracorporeal circulation (ECLS/ECMO) for cardiac and circulatory failure" to develop evidence-based recommendations for ECMO/ECLS systems according to the requirements of the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies in Germany (AWMF).

Status quo of the use of DCS concepts and outcome with focus on blunt abdominal trauma : A registry-based analysis from the TraumaRegister DGU®.

Introduction: Damage control surgery (DCS) is a standardized treatment concept in severe abdominal injury. Despite its evident advantages, DCS bears the risk of substantial morbidity and mortality, due to open abdomen therapy (OAT). Thus, identifying the suitable patients for that approach is of utmost importance.

Treatment of donor-specific antibody-mediated rejection after heart transplantation by IgM-enriched human immunoglobulin.

Antibody-mediated graft rejection caused by donor-specific antibodies (DSA-MR) remains a serious problem after heart transplantation (HTx). IgM-enriched human intravenous immunoglobulin (IGM-IVIG) consists of 76% IgG, 12% IgM, and 12% IgA and provides a new multifactorial approach for DSA-MR. Between 2017 and 2020, four (P1-4) of 102 patients developed DSA-MR after HTx in our department and were repetitively treated with IGM-IVIG in combination with anti-thymocyte globulin.

Effects of Donor Age and Ischemia Time on Outcome After Heart Transplant: A 10-Year Single-Center Experience.

Objectives: In heart failure patients, heart transplant still remains the gold standard of care. Controversy prevails whether organs from older donors or with expected prolonged ischemia times may be accepted for transplant.

Materials And Methods: Between 2010 and 2020, a total of 149 patients underwent heart transplant at our department.

Iron deficiency does not impair the outcome after elective coronary artery bypass and aortic valve procedures.

Unlabelled: BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Iron deficiency (ID), a common malnutrition, has been linked to impaired prognosis in patients with congestive heart failure. It remains unclear whether ID also affects the outcome after elective cardiac surgery.

Methods: A total of 378 consecutive patients undergoing either coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) were prospectively enrolled, and blood samples were taken before surgery for analysis of iron metabolism.

Successful Heart Transplantation after Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Donors.

Background:  Heart transplantation (HTx) is the best therapy for end-stage heart failure. Unfortunately, death on the waiting list remains a problem. Decreasing the number of rejected organs could increase the donor pool.

Succesful treatment of a severe case of rhabdomyolysis following heart transplantation by hemoadsorption.

Patients after heart transplantation are often showing a variety of different perioperative complications causing an impaired outcome. Rhabdomyolysis can be caused by several reasons such as limb ischemia or myocardial damage and become a trigger for kidney injury. Chronic renal failure with the need for hemodialysis remains a common problem after transplantation and impacts post-transplant survival.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation after Heart Transplantation: Impact of Type of Cannulation.

Background: Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) is a common cause of early death after heart transplantation (htx). The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) after htx has increased during the last years. It is still discussed controversially whether peripheral cannulation is favorable compared to central cannulation.

Heart transplantation in patients with ventricular assist devices: Impacts of the implantation technique and support duration.

Background: Orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx) is the gold standard treatment for patients with terminal heart failure. As donor organs are limited, patients are often on ventricular assist device (VAD) support before receiving HTx. We aimed to compare the outcome after HTx in patients with and without preoperative VADs as well as in patients who underwent different VAD implantation techniques.

Wear Kinetics of Highly Cross-Linked and Conventional Polyethylene Are Similar at Medium-term Follow-Up After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: Wear debris is a major factor in aseptic loosening of total hip arthroplasty. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene inlays are known for significant wear, and the following generation, highly cross-linked polyethylene (HCLPE), has shown promising in vitro and short-term in vivo results. This study aimed to investigate wear debris of HCLPE liners with ceramic heads after 9 years to reveal the in vivo wear kinetics of this common bearing combination.

Interferon-γ Released by Activated CD8 T Lymphocytes Impairs the Calcium Resorption Potential of Osteoclasts in Calcified Human Aortic Valves.

In calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD), activated T lymphocytes localize with osteoclast regions; however, the functional consequences of this association remain unknown. We hypothesized that CD8 T cells modulate calcification in CAVD. CAVD valves (n = 52) dissected into noncalcified and calcified portions were subjected to mRNA extraction, real-time quantitative PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemical analyses.