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BACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) represent an important therapeutic option for patients progressing to end-stage heart failure. Women have been historically underrepresented in LVAD studies, and have been reported to have worse outcomes despite technological optimisation. We aimed to systematically explore the evidence on sex disparities in the use and outcomes of LVAD implantation. METHODS: A systematic database search with meta-analysis was conducted of comparative original articles of men versus women undergoing LVAD implantation, in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar, from inception to July 2022. Primary outcomes were stroke (haemorrhagic and ischaemic) and early/overall mortality. Secondary outcomes were LVAD thrombosis, right VAD implantation, major bleeding, kidney dysfunction, and device/driveline infection. RESULTS: Our search yielded 137 relevant studies, including 22 meeting the inclusion criteria with a total of 53 227 patients (24.2% women). Overall mortality was higher in women (odds ratio [OR] 1.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.62, p = 0.02), as was overall stroke (OR 1.32, 95%CI 1.06-1.66, p = 0.01), including ischemic (OR 1.80, 95%CI 1.22-2.64, p = 0.003) and haemorrhagic (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.09-2.70, p = 0.02). Women had more frequent right VAD implantation (OR 2.11, 95%CI 1.24-3.57, p = 0.006) and major bleeding (OR 1.40, 95%CI 1.06-1.85, p = 0.02). Kidney dysfunction, LVAD thrombosis, and device/driveline infections were comparable between sexes. CONCLUSIONS: Our analysis suggests that women face a greater risk of adverse events and mortality post-LVAD implantation. Although the mechanisms remain unclear, the difference in outcomes is thought to be multifactorial. Further research, that includes comprehensive pre-operative characteristics and post-operative outcomes, is encouraged.

Outcomes of transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with aortic stenosis and bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) must be better investigated.A meta-analysis including studies published by January 2022 reporting immediate outcomes (in-hospital death, stroke, acute kidney injury [AKI], major bleeding, new permanent pacemaker implantation [PPI], paravalvular leakage [PVL]), mortality in the follow-up (with Kaplan-Meier curves for reconstruction of individual patient data).Five studies met our eligibility criteria. No statistically significant difference was observed for in-hospital death, stroke, AKI, and PVL. TAVI was associated with lower risk of major bleeding (odds ratio [OR]: 0.29; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.12-0.69; p = .025), but higher risk of PPI (OR: 2.00; 95% CI: 1.05-3.77; p = .041). In the follow-up, mortality after TAVI was significantly higher in the analysis with the largest samples (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.01-1.53, p = .043), but no statistically significant difference was observed with risk-adjusted populations (HR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.86-1.32, p = .57). Landmark analyses suggested a time-varying risk with TAVI after 10 and 13 months in both largest and risk-adjusted populations (HR: 2.13, 95% CI: 1.45-3.12, p .001; HR: 1.7, 95% CI: 1.11-2.61, p = .015, respectively).Considering the immediate outcomes and comparable overall survival observed in risk-adjusted populations, TAVI can be used safely in selected BAV patients. However, a time-varying risk is present (favoring SAVR over TAVI at a later timepoint). This finding was likely driven by higher rates of PPI with TAVI.

Since the development of endoscopic vision in the late 1970s, the implementation of minimally invasive surgical methods has been rapidly progressing throughout a wide range of surgical disciplines, including cardiovascular surgery. The benefits of minimally invasive procedures including a reduction in operative trauma and postoperative morbidity, have been well-documented and compared to open-heart procedures, eventually becoming the preferred modality of treatment by many centers. Due to the cost ineffectiveness of the robotic systems for numerous institutions, new technologies have been developed to provide the advantages of robotic surgical systems at a lower price, thus making them more widely available. In this paper, we aimed to share our first experiences with Artisential® surgeon-powered robotic instruments and review their general advantages compared to conventional and robotic devices.

Background: The ideal timing of a durable assist device implantation in patients with end-stage heart failure presenting with INTERMACS profile I is still controversial. The data on extracorporeal life support (ECLS) bridge to durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) in these patients is limited. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of 35 patients in acute cardiogenic shock (CS) who, between December 2013 and September 2020, were bridged with ECLS to durable LVAD. The mean age was 52.3 ± 12.0 years. The primary endpoints of this study were in-hospital, 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year mortality. The secondary endpoint was the development of any postoperative adverse events and other characteristics during the follow-up period. We also assessed the impact of the rescue ECLS on the recovery of the end-organ function. Results: In-hospital, 30-day, 6-month, and 1-year survival was 65.6%, 75.9%, 69.2%, and 62.7% respectively. The median time on ECLS was 7 days (IQR 5.0–13.0). We observed a high incidence of a severe right heart failure (22.9%), acute kidney injury on dialysis (68.6%), and respiratory failure (77.1%). Bridge with ECLS provided a significant recovery of liver and kidney function prior to durable LVAD implantation. Conclusion: The concept of bridging patients presenting in end-stage heart failure and cardiogenic shock with ECLS prior to durable LVAD implantation is a feasible method to ensure acceptable survival rates and significant recovery of the end-organ function.

Sutureless/rapid-deployment (SURD) valves are options different from the stented prostheses included in the pivotal trials comparing surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) and transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We performed a meta-analysis with reconstructed time-to-event data of matched studies published by November 2021 to compare SURD-AVR and TAVI. Primary endpoints were 30-day mortality and overall survival in the follow-up. Secondary endpoints included: 30-day stroke, acute kidney injury (AKI), major bleeding, permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI), paravalvular leak (PVL), prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM), postoperative aortic valve area (AVA), and mean gradients. Ten studies met our eligibility criteria, including a total of 5134 patients (2567 underwent SURD-AVR and 2567 underwent TAVI). Pooled risk of 30-day mortality did not favor any group (odds ratio [OR]: 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31-1.53; p = 0.360). Patients undergoing SURD-AVR had lower risk of PVL (OR: 0.09; 95% CI: 0.05-0.17; p

OBJECTIVES Extended reality (XR), encompassing both virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality, allows the user to interact with a computer-generated environment based on reality. In essence, the immersive nature of VR and augmented reality technology has been warmly welcomed in all aspects of medicine, gradually becoming increasingly feasible to incorporate into everyday practice. In recent years, XR has become increasingly adopted in thoracic surgery, although the extent of its applications is unclear. Here, we aim to review the current applications of XR in thoracic surgery. METHODS A systematic database search was conducted of original articles that explored the use of VR and/or augmented reality in thoracic surgery in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar, from inception to December 2020. RESULTS Our search yielded 1494 citations, of which 21 studies published from 2007 to 2019 were included in this review. Three main areas were identified: (i) the application of XR in thoracic surgery training; (ii) preoperative planning of thoracic procedures; and (iii) intraoperative assistance. Overall, XR could produce progression along the learning curve, enabling trainees to reach acceptable standards before performing in the operating theatre. Preoperatively, through the generation of 3D-renderings of the thoracic cavity and lung anatomy, VR increases procedural accuracy and surgical confidence through familiarization of the patient’s anatomy. XR-assisted surgery may have therapeutic use particularly for complex cases, where conventional methods would yield inadequate outcomes due to inferior accuracy. CONCLUSION XR represents a salient step towards improving thoracic surgical training, as well as enhancing preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance., Extended reality (XR), encompassing both virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR), allows the user to interact with a computer-generated environment based on reality.

Surface electromyography (EMG), typically recorded from muscle groups such as the mentalis (chin/mentum) and anterior tibialis (lower leg/crus), is often performed in human subjects undergoing overnight polysomnography. Such signals have great importance, not only in aiding in the definitions of normal sleep stages, but also in defining certain disease states with abnormal EMG activity during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, e.g., REM sleep behavior disorder and parkinsonism. Gold standard approaches to evaluation of such EMG signals in the clinical realm are typically qualitative, and therefore burdensome and subject to individual interpretation. We originally developed a digitized, signal processing method using the ratio of high frequency to low frequency spectral power and validated this method against expert human scorer interpretation of transient muscle activation of the EMG signal. Herein, we further refine and validate our initial approach, applying this to EMG activity across 1,618,842 s of polysomnography recorded REM sleep acquired from 461 human participants. These data demonstrate a significant association between visual interpretation and the spectrally processed signals, indicating a highly accurate approach to detecting and quantifying abnormally high levels of EMG activity during REM sleep. Accordingly, our automated approach to EMG quantification during human sleep recording is practical, feasible, and may provide a much-needed clinical tool for the screening of REM sleep behavior disorder and parkinsonism.

BACKGROUND: The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) in patients with advance heart failure is still associated with an important risk of immune dysregulation and infections. The aim of this study was to determine whether extracorporeal blood purification using the CytoSorb device benefits patients after LVAD implantation in terms of complications and overall survival.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between August 2010 and January 2020, 207 consecutive patients underwent LVAD implantation, of whom 72 underwent CytoSorb therapy and 135 did not. Overall survival, major adverse events, and laboratory parameters were compared between 112 propensity score-matched patients (CytoSorb: 72 patients; non-CytoSorb: 40 patients).RESULTS: WBC (p = .033), CRP (p = .001), and IL-6 (p < .001), significantly increased with LVAD implantation, while CytoSorb did not influence this response. In-hospital mortality and overall survival during follow-up were similar with CytoSorb. However, patients treated with CytoSorb were more likely to develop respiratory failure (54.2% vs. 30.0%, p = .024), need mechanical ventilation for longer than 6 days post-implant (50.0% vs. 27.5%, p = .035), and require tracheostomy during hospitalization (31.9% vs. 12.5%, p = .040). No other significant differences were observed with regard to major adverse events during follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: Overall, our results showed that CytoSorb might not convey a significant morbidity or mortality benefit for patients undergoing LVAD implantation.

Background Single‐arm trials are common in precision oncology. Owing to the lack of randomized counterfactual, resultant data are not amenable to comparative outcomes analyses. Difference‐in‐difference (DID) methods present an opportunity to generate causal estimates of time‐varying treatment outcomes. Using DID, our study estimates within‐cohort effects of genomics‐informed treatment versus standard care on clinical and cost outcomes. Methods We focus on adults with advanced cancers enrolled in the single‐arm BC Cancer Personalized OncoGenomics program between 2012 and 2017. All individuals had a minimum of 1‐year follow up. Logistic regression explored baseline differences across patients who received a genomics‐informed treatment versus a standard care treatment after genomic sequencing. DID estimated the incremental effects of genomics‐informed treatment on time to treatment discontinuation (TTD), time to next treatment (TTNT), and costs. TTD and TTNT correlate with improved response and survival. Results Our study cohort included 346 patients, of whom 140 (40%) received genomics‐informed treatment after sequencing and 206 (60%) received standard care treatment. No significant differences in baseline characteristics were detected across treatment groups. DID estimated that the incremental effect of genomics‐informed versus standard care treatment was 102 days (95% CI: 35, 167) on TTD, 91 days (95% CI: −9, 175) on TTNT, and CAD$91,098 (95% CI: $46,848, $176,598) on costs. Effects were most pronounced in gastrointestinal cancer patients. Conclusions Genomics‐informed treatment had a statistically significant effect on TTD compared to standard care treatment, but at increased treatment costs. Within‐cohort evidence generated through this single‐arm study informs the early‐stage comparative effectiveness of precision oncology., Difference‐in‐difference analysis is used to address confounding when analyzing real‐world data from a single‐arm precision oncology trial. Enrolled patients receiving genomics‐informed treatment are treated longer, suggesting improved efficacy, but at an increased cost compared to those receiving standard care.

Aims: Therapy with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE5Is) after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation has been associated with lower mortality and device thrombosis but increased risk for post-operative and gastrointestinal bleeding. We aimed to evaluate the impact of long-term PDE5Is on the overall bleeding risk after LVAD implantation. Methods and results: We retrospectively included patients who received a continuous-flow LVAD at our site and were prescribed with long-term oral PDE5Is after discharge from the index hospitalization. The primary endpoint was the occurrence of bleeding at 12 month follow-up. Secondary endpoints were all-cause death and the combination of bleeding and all-cause death. Our analysis included 109 patients of whom 75 (69%) received long-term PDE5Is. Mean age was 56 years, and 85% were male. At 12 months, 19 (17%) patients experienced at least one bleeding event. Patients on PDE5Is had higher bleeding rates (23% vs. 6%, P = 0.03) and more bleeding events per patient-year (0.32 vs. 0.06, P = 0.03) compared with patients not on PDE5Is. While overall bleeding incidence was excessively higher in the PDE5I group, there were no significant differences in the incidence of major bleeding (19% vs. 6%, P = 0.08) and gastrointestinal bleeding (11% vs. 3%, P = 0.18). Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed higher cumulative incidence of bleeding for the PDE5I group (log rank = 0.04) with no difference on all-cause death (log rank = 0.67) and the combination of bleeding and all-cause death (log rank = 0.13). Hospitalizations for bleeding and their duration were numerically higher in the PDE5I group (0.28 vs. 0.03, P = 0.07 and 2.4 vs. 0.2, P = 0.07, respectively). Conclusions: Phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor treatment after LVAD implantation is associated with increased bleeding risk after LVAD implantation. The safety of long-term PDE5Is in LVAD patients remains unclear and needs to be further clarified in prospective studies with randomized study design. OA Förderung 2021

Background Machine learning is a set of models and methods that can automatically detect patterns in vast amounts of data, extract information, and use it to perform decision-making under uncertain conditions. The potential of machine learning is significant, and breast surgeons must strive to be informed with up-to-date knowledge and its applications. Methods A systematic database search of Embase, MEDLINE, the Cochrane database, and Google Scholar, from inception to December 2021, was conducted of original articles that explored the use of machine learning and/or artificial intelligence in breast surgery in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar. Results The search yielded 477 articles, of which 14 studies were included in this review, featuring 73 847 patients. Four main areas of machine learning application were identified: predictive modelling of surgical outcomes; breast imaging-based context; screening and triaging of patients with breast cancer; and as network utility for detection. There is evident value of machine learning in preoperative planning and in providing information for surgery both in a cancer and an aesthetic context. Machine learning outperformed traditional statistical modelling in all studies for predicting mortality, morbidity, and quality of life outcomes. Machine learning patterns and associations could support planning, anatomical visualization, and surgical navigation. Conclusion Machine learning demonstrated promising applications for improving breast surgery outcomes and patient-centred care. Neveretheless, there remain important limitations and ethical concerns relating to implementing artificial intelligence into everyday surgical practices.

BACKGROUND: This review aims to systematically evaluate the currently available evidence investigating the effectiveness of simulation-based training (SBT) in emergency obstetrics care (EmOC) in Low- and Lower-Middle Income Countries (LMIC). Furthermore, based on the challenges identified we aim to provide a series of recommendations and a knowledge base for future research in the field. METHODS: A systematic database search was conducted of original articles that explored the use of simulation-based training for EmOC in LMIC in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Cochrane database and Google Scholar, from inception to January 2022. RESULTS: The literature search identified 1,957 articles of which a total of 15 studies were included in this review, featuring 8,900 healthcare professionals from 18 countries. The SBT programmes varied in the reviewed studies. The most common training programme consisted of the PRONTO programme implemented by four studies, comprising of 970 participants across four different countries. In general, programmes consisted of lectures, workshops and simulations of emergency obstetric scenarios followed by a debrief of participants. There were thirteen studies, comprising of 8,332 participants, which tested for improvements in clinical knowledge in post-partum haemorrhage, neonatal resuscitation, pre-eclampsia, shoulder dystocia and sepsis. All the included studies reported improvements in clinical knowledge following the simulation of scenarios. Changes in teamwork, improvement in leadership and in communication skills were also widely reported. CONCLUSION: The use of SBT programmes is not only sustainable, feasible and acceptable in LMIC, but could also improve clinical knowledge, communication, and teamwork among healthcare providers, thus directly addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Introduction Primary cardiac sarcomas (PCSs) are an extremely rare and aggressive type of malignancies that have been described only by a limited number of observational studies. This study aimed to evaluate the currently existing evidence comparing surgical to multimodality treatment of PCS. Methods We systematically reviewed Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar, from inception to December 2020, for original articles about surgical and multimodality treatment of PCS. The outcomes included were mortality at various time points, resection margin status, and mean estimated survival. The pooled treatment effects were calculated using a random-effects model. Results Ten studies including a total of 1570 patients met our inclusion criteria. Surgery was associated with significantly lower mortality when compared to conservative treatment at 1, 2, and 3 years, whereas no significant difference was found at 5 years. Furthermore, multimodality treatment showed significantly lower mortality at 1 year when compared to surgery alone, but not at 2 and 5 years. We found no difference in mortality between angiosarcomas and other PCS subtypes. Conclusion Overall, surgery was found to provide a significant mortality advantage to PCS patients up to 3 years following treatment. Multimodality treatment might be of additional benefit, although only within the first year. Prospective randomized studies are needed to further explore these differences in the treatment of PCS.

Background: There is an ongoing debate about the influence of the female gender on postoperative outcomes after durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Despite the differences in pathophysiology of heart failure in females, therapy concepts are the same as in the male population. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the female gender in surgical heart failure therapy. Materials and methods: Between August 2010 and January 2020, 207 patients were treated with durable LVAD at out institution. We matched 111 patients in two groups to compare the outcomes in male and female patients and to stratify the risk factors of mortality. Results: The groups were matched 2:1 and were comparable after matching. We found no difference in in-hospital and follow-up mortality between male and female patients. Postoperative adverse events and complications were found to be unvaried across male and female patients. Female patients had higher rates of postoperative LVAD-thrombosis compared to their male counterparts (13.5% vs 0, p = 0.001) and the rates of renal replacement therapy lasting over 90 days were also higher in the female group (33.8% vs 56.8%, p = 0.021). Furthermore, the female gender was not an independent predictor neither of in-hospital nor follow-up mortality. Conclusions: Durable continuous flow left ventricular assist devices as a bridge to transplantation or recovery in female patients are associated with a higher risk of acute kidney injury requiring RRT and are at a higher risk of LVAD-thrombosis. Nevertheless, survival rates between genders are similar.

Introduction Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) techniques are increasingly being adopted into clinical routine for various risk groups. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is seen in up to 75% of patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) presenting with typical angina pectoris. Due to high mortality rates and procedural complications in these patients, a hybrid concept of simultaneous transaortic TAVI and off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) can be a feasible treatment option. Methods Between April 2014 and July 2020, 10 consecutive high-risk patients underwent concomitant transaortic TAVI and OPCAB at our institution. All indications were discussed in Heart Team and decisions were made based on patients' comorbidities and complexity of CAD. The study endpoints were 30-day mortality, device success, and development of postoperative adverse events defined by the Valve Academic Research Consorium. Results The mean age of the patients was 77.9 ± 7.1 years old. All patients presented with multiple comorbidities (mean logistic EuroSCORE 26.5 ± 12.3%, median EuroSCORE II 5.13% [interquartile range 4.2-9.5], mean STS-Score 6.04 ± 1.6%). Five patients (50%) presented with porcelain aorta. No conversion to conventional procedures was needed. 30-day mortality occurred in one patient (10%). Complete revascularization was achieved in seven (70%) of the patients. Device success rate was 100%. No paravalvular leakage was detected. No stroke, myocardial infarction or vascular complications were observed. Conclusions A hybrid approach combining transaortic TAVI and OPCAB might be a safe and feasible method of treatment in high-risk patients presenting with severe AS and CAD who are not eligible for conventional surgical or interventional solutions.

Virtual and augmented reality can be defined as a three-dimensional real-world simulation allowing the user to directly interact with it. Throughout the years, virtual reality has gained great popularity in medicine and is currently being adopted for a wide range of purposes. Due to its dynamic anatomical nature, permanent drive towards decreasing invasiveness, and strive for innovation, cardiac surgery depicts itself as a unique environment for virtual reality. Despite substantial research limitations in cardiac surgery, the current literature has shown great applicability of this technology, and promising opportunities.

Background: With the rapid development of mechanical circulatory support technologies, patients presenting with cardiogenic shock have gained access to various treatment opportunities which were not until recently available. The Impella (R) pump (Abiomed, Danvers, USA) is a minimally invasive device which provides excellent left ventricular unloading and full circulatory support. The aim of the study was to review our center's experience with Impella (R) and to analyze the major adverse events associated with the device. Methods: From January 2020 to January 2022, a total of 32 patients underwent impella (R) implantation at our center for various indications. Results: The mean age at surgery was 60.3 +/- 12.4 years and 9.4% were female. All patients presented with acute cardiogenic shock in INTERMACS Class I (53.1%) and INTERMACS Class II (46.9%). Twenty-six patients (81.25%) out of the whole cohort have been mobilized on impella (R) support. Seventeen patients (53.1%) have been weaned from the Impella (R) support and 10 patients (31.3%) have been bridged to durable LVAD. The median time on Impella (R) was 7days (IQR 5.0-11.0). 30-day mortality was 37.5%, with 56.25% survival until hospital discharge. Only one patient developed vascular complications consisting of arm hypoperfusion. There were no cases of stroke on Impella (R) support. Conclusion: The Impella (R) axial-flow pump seems an appropriate therapeutic option for patients with acute cardiogenic shock requiring partial or full hemodynamic support. It also provides sufficient left ventricular unloading to allow full mobilization and neurological assessment of the patients. Furthermore, Impella (R) offers a high rate of myocardial recovery.

In rare cases of extensive aortic root or mitral valve infective endocarditis (IE), severe calcification of the aortic and mitral valves, or double-valve procedures in patients with small aortic and mitral annuli, surgical reconstruction of the intervalvular fibrous body (IVFB) is required. A high mortality is generally associated with this procedure, and it is frequently avoided by surgeons due to a lack of experience. It is crucial to radically resect all tissues that are severely affected by IE to prevent recurrence in the patient. Our experience with the Commando procedure in patients with extensive double-valve IE involving the IVFB is presented in this article.

Background Mechanical complications of percutaneous coronary interventions are treated percutaneously in most cases. If the rescue intervention is unsuccessful, bailout bypass surgery is necessary to restore the coronary flow. The surgical risk in these cases is higher than that of patients operated on for other indications. The aim of our study was to characterize patients who underwent surgical treatment at our institution and to compare their long-term outcomes with patients who underwent emergency bypass surgery for other indications. Methods We analyzed 707 consecutive patients who underwent isolated emergency bypass surgery at our institution from 2007 to 2015. In 44 of these cases, the surgery was necessitated by mechanical complications of percutaneous coronary interventions. There were 31 coronary dissections, 5 entrapped guidewires, and 8 coronary perforations. We compared patients in these three groups with one another. Follow-up was performed to assess long-term outcomes. Results The median age of the cohort was 68 years (range 59–75 years), and 36 (81.8%) patients presented in cardiogenic shock. Thirty-seven (84.1%) patients had history of a percutaneous coronary intervention. The courses were typical for bypass patients. The long-term survival was similar in all three subgroups ( p = 0.16). The survival profiles within our sample did not differ significantly from that in patients who underwent emergency bypass surgery for other indications. Conclusions Surgical risk and short- and long-term outcomes of patients undergoing emergency bypass surgery due to mechanical complications of percutaneous coronary interventions are similar to those of patients receiving the same surgery for other indications.

Background Multi‐gene panel testing is replacing single‐gene testing for patients with suspected hereditary cancer syndromes. The detection of a hereditary cancer syndrome allows tested individuals to initiate enhanced primary and secondary prevention efforts—where available—with a view to reduce disease burden. Current policy prevents testing programmes from communicating genetic test results with potentially affected family members, yet it is well documented that tested individuals face multiple challenges in initiating such discussions with relatives. Objective In response to this challenge, we sought patient recommendations about how to improve genetic risk communication to enhance interfamilial discussions about primary and secondary disease prevention. Design We conducted 25 semi‐structured interviews with individuals who received genetic testing through British Columbia’s Hereditary Cancer Program between 2017 and 2018. Interviews were professionally transcribed and analysed using a constant comparative approach. Results Participants described difficulty engaging in conversations with relatives who were resistant to receiving genetic risk information, when communicating with younger relatives and where participants reported strained familial relationships. Participants recommended that testing facilities provide a summary of results and implications and that resources be made available to prepare patients for challenging discussions with family members. Discussion Our study demonstrates that individuals undergoing genetic testing for suspected hereditary cancer syndromes would benefit from additional supportive resources alongside genetic counselling. Providing this on‐going support will enhance the accurate and transparent communication of risk to facilitate the uptake of cascade testing and enhanced prevention strategies.

Objective: To test the German Aortic Valve (GAV) score at our university hospital in patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods: A total of 224 patients who underwent isolated conventional AVR between January 2015 and December 2018 were included. Patients with concomitant procedures and transcatheter aortic valve implantation were excluded. Patients’ data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Patients’ risk scores were calculated according to criteria described by GAV score. Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy (area under the ROC curve [AUC]) were also calculated. The calibration of the model was tested by the Hosmer-Lemeshow method. Results: The mortality rate was 8.04% (18 patients). The patients’ mean age was 58.2±19.3 years and 25% of them were female (56 patients). Mean GAV score was 1.73±5.86 (min: 0.0; max: 3.53). The GAV score showed excellent discriminative capacity (AUC 0.925, 95% confidence interval 0.882-0.956; P

This study aims to investigate the outcomes of venoarterial extracorporeal life support (VA-ECLS) in a large single-center patient cohort regarding survival and adverse events. Between June 2009 and March 2019, 462 consecutive patients received VA-ECLS. The mean age was 66.2 ± 11.9 years. Two patient groups were identified: Group 1-patients with ECLS due to postcardiotomy shock (PCS) after cardiac surgery (PCS, n = 357); Group 2-patients with ECLS due to cardiogenic shock (CS) without previous surgery (nonPCS, n = 105). The primary end point was overall in-hospital survival, while secondary end points were adverse events during the study period. Overall, the in-hospital survival rate was 26%. There was no statistically significant difference between the groups: 26.3% for PCS and 24.8% for nonPCS, respectively (P > .05). Weaning from VA-ECLS was possible in 44.3% for PCS and in 29.5% for nonPCS (P = .004). The strong predictors of overall mortality were postoperative hepatic dysfunction (OR = 14.362, 95%CI = 1.948-105.858), cardiopulmonary resuscitation > 30 minutes (OR = 6.301, 95%CI = 1.488-26.673), bleeding with a need for revision (OR = 2.123, 95%CI = 1.343-3.355), and previous sternotomy (OR = 2.077, 95%CI = 1.021-4.223). Despite its low survival rates, VA-ECLS therapy is the last resort and the only lifesaving option for patients in refractory CS. In contrast, there is still a lack of evidence for VA-ECLS in PCS patients. Future studies are warranted to evaluate the outcomes of VA-ECLS therapy after cardiac surgery.

To compare outcomes of complete transcatheter (TAVI plus PCI) versus complete surgical (SAVR plus CABG) approach to treat patients with aortic stenosis (AS) and concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD).Study-level meta-analysis with reconstructed time-to-event data including studies published by November 2021. The primary endpoints were 30-day mortality, overall survival, and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). The secondary endpoints were 30-day stroke, myocardial infarction, and permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI); in-hospital major vascular events and acute kidney injury (AKI).Eight studies met our eligibility criteria, including a total of 33,286 patients (3448 for TAVI plus PCI and 29,838 for SAVR plus CABG). The pooled risk of 30-day mortality was lower for TAVI plus PCI (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.51-0.80; p .001). Patients undergoing TAVI plus PCI had lower risk of in-hospital AKI (OR 0.49; 95% CI 0.28-0.85; p = .01), however, higher risk of major vascular events (OR 7.33; 95% CI 1.80-29.85; p = .005) and higher risk of PPI (OR 2.96; 95% CI 1.80-4.85; p .001). No statistically significant difference was observed for myocardial infarction and stroke between the groups. In the follow-up analyses, we observed a higher risk of mortality (HR 1.64, 95% CI 1.36-1.96, p .001) and MACCE with TAVI plus PCI (HR 1.35 (95% CI 1.08-1.69, p = .009).Patients who undergo TAVI plus PCI (in comparison with SAVR plus CABG) initially experience lower rates of in-hospital death and AKI; however, they experience significantly lower survival rates and more MACCE at 5-year follow up. Structural heart surgeons and interventional cardiologists should consider these aspects when referring patients for one approach or the other.

Background Postoperative sepsis is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with infective endocarditis undergoing surgical therapy. Blood purification using hemoadsorption therapy shows promising results in the treatment of sepsis. In this study, the clinical effects of intraoperative hemoadsorption in high-risk patients with infective endocarditis were evaluated. Methods Eligible candidates were high-risk patients with infective endocarditis undergoing cardiac surgery between January 2014 and December 2019. Patients with intraoperative hemoadsorption (hemoadsorption) were compared to patients without hemoadsorption (control). The endpoints were the incidence of postoperative sepsis, sepsis-associated death and in-hospital mortality. Additionally, postoperative vasopressor need, systemic vascular resistance indices and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were compared. Results After propensity score matching, 70 high-risk patients were included. Postoperative sepsis occurred in 14 patients in the hemoadsorption group and in 16 patients in the control group, p = 0.629. Four patients died due to postoperative sepsis in the hemoadsorption group, while 11 postoperative septic patients died in the control group, p = 0.041. In-hospital mortality was 34% in the hemoadsorption group versus 43% in the control group, p = 0.461. On ICU-admission and the first postoperative day, the cumulative vasopressor need was 0.17 versus 0.25 μg/kgBW/min, p = 0.123 and 0.06 versus 0.11 μg/kgBW/min, p = 0.037, and the systemic vascular resistance index was 1448 versus 941 dyn·s·cm-5, p = 0.013 and 1156 versus 858 dyn·s·cm-5, p = 0.110 in the hemoadsorption versus control group, respectively. Postoperative course of SOFA score normalized significantly (p = 0.01) faster in the hemoadsorption group. Conclusions In high-risk cardiac surgical patients with infective endocarditis, intraoperative hemoadsorption significantly reduced sepsis-associated mortality. Furthermore, intraoperative hemoadsorption resulted in significant faster recovery of hemodynamics and organ function. Intraoperative hemoadsorption seems to attenuate the severity of postoperative sepsis.

Aims To report the largest single-center experience in surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) using the Enable sutureless bioprosthesis concerning the clinical outcome and hemodynamic behavior. Material and methods From April 2010 to May 2017, a total of 432 patients (36.3% of them women) received the Enable sutureless prosthesis for aortic valve stenosis, regurgitation, and/or endocarditis. The endpoints were overall survival after operation for 30 days and adverse events. Results No intraoperative complications occurred; intraoperative mortality was 0%. The 30-day mortality rate was 3.5% overall and 0.9% for isolated procedure. No valve-related deaths were observed. There was a need for prosthesis replacement during the early postoperative period in eight patients (1.9%): seven patients (1.6%) had a significant paravalvular leak and one patient (0.2%) developed early postoperative endocarditis. The maximum and mean pressure gradients across the prosthesis were 19.2 ± 7.1 mmHg and 11.1 ± 4.6 mmHg, respectively. A permanent pacemaker was necessary in 6.5% of the patients. Conclusions The Enable sutureless prosthesis showed a reliable clinical outcome with low perioperative mortality and morbidity. The hemodynamic performance was satisfactory. Our data confirmed the safety of SAVR using the Enable bioprosthesis. However, a higher rate of pacemaker implantation (6.5%) has to be mentioned.

PURPOSE Researchers are automating the process for identifying the number of lines of systemic cancer therapy received by patients. To date, algorithm development has involved manual modifications to predefined classification rules. In this study, we propose a supervised learning algorithm for determining the best-performing proxy for number of lines of therapy and validate this approach in four patient groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed BC Cancer pharmacy records from patients’ cancer diagnosis until end of follow-up (cohort-specific, 2014/2015). We created and validated a cyclic algorithm in patients with advanced cancers of varying histologies, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. To assess internal and external validity, we used a split-sample approach for all analyses and considered lines of therapy identified through manual review as our criterion standard. We measured agreement using correlation coefficients, mean squared error, nonparametric hypothesis testing, and quantile-quantile plots. RESULTS Cohorts comprised 91 patients with advanced cancers, 121 with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 440 with follicular lymphoma, and 679 with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Number of lines of therapy received and patients’ treatment period length varied substantially across cohorts. Despite these differences, our algorithm successfully identified a best-performing proxy for number of lines of therapy for each cohort, which was moderate to highly correlated with (within-sample: 0.73 ≤ Pearson correlation ≤ 0.84; out-of-sample: 0.52 ≤ Pearson correlation ≤ 0.76) and whose distribution did not significantly differ from the criterion standard within or out of sample ( P > .10). CONCLUSION Supervised learning is an ideal tool for generating a best-performing proxy that recognizes prescription drug patterns and approximates number of lines of therapy. Our cyclic approach can be used in jurisdictions with access to administrative pharmacy data.

Background Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is a common finding in adults with congenital heart disease referred for pulmonary valve replacement (PVR). However, indications for combined valve surgery remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate early results of concomitant tricuspid valve intervention (TVI) at the time of PVR. Methods and Results Observational studies comparing TVI+PVR and isolated PVR were identified by a systematic search of published research. Random‐effects meta‐analysis was performed, comparing outcomes between the 2 groups. Six studies involving 749 patients (TVI+PVR, 278 patients; PVR, 471 patients) met the eligibility criteria. In the pooled analysis, both TVI+PVR and PVR reduced TR grade, pulmonary regurgitation grade, right ventricular end‐diastolic volume, and right ventricular end‐systolic volumes. TVI+PVR, but not PVR, was associated with a decrease in tricuspid valve annulus size (mean difference, −6.43 mm, 95% CI, −10.59 to −2.27; P =0.010). Furthermore, TVI+PVR was associated with a larger reduction in TR grade compared with PVR (mean difference, −0.40; 95% CI, −0.75 to −0.05; P =0.031). No evidence could be established for an effect of either treatment on right ventricular ejection fraction or echocardiographic assessment of right ventricular dilatation and dysfunction. There was no evidence for a difference in hospital mortality or reoperation for TR. Conclusions While both strategies are effective in reducing TR and right ventricular volumes, routine TVI+PVR can reduce TR grade to a larger extent than isolated PVR. Further studies are needed to identify the subgroups of patients who might benefit most from combined valve surgery.

Recent advances are enabling delivery of precision genomic medicine to cancer clinics. While the majority of approaches profile panels of selected genes or hotspot regions, comprehensive data provided by whole-genome and transcriptome sequencing and analysis (WGTA) present an opportunity to align a much larger proportion of patients to therapies.Samples from 570 patients with advanced or metastatic cancer of diverse types enrolled in the Personalized OncoGenomics (POG) program underwent WGTA. DNA-based data, including mutations, copy number and mutation signatures, were combined with RNA-based data, including gene expression and fusions, to generate comprehensive WGTA profiles. A multidisciplinary molecular tumour board used WGTA profiles to identify and prioritize clinically actionable alterations and inform therapy. Patient responses to WGTA-informed therapies were collected.Clinically actionable targets were identified for 83% of patients, of which 37% of patients received WGTA-informed treatments. RNA expression data were particularly informative, contributing to 67% of WGTA-informed treatments; 25% of treatments were informed by RNA expression alone. Of a total 248 WGTA-informed treatments, 46% resulted in clinical benefit. RNA expression data were comparable to DNA-based mutation and copy number data in aligning to clinically beneficial treatments. Genome signatures also guided therapeutics including platinum, poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors and immunotherapies. Patients accessed WGTA-informed treatments through clinical trials (19%), off-label use (35%) and as standard therapies (46%) including those which would not otherwise have been the next choice of therapy, demonstrating the utility of genomic information to direct use of chemotherapies as well as targeted therapies.Integrating RNA expression and genome data illuminated treatment options that resulted in 46% of treated patients experiencing positive clinical benefit, supporting the use of comprehensive WGTA profiling in clinical cancer care.

Introduction: Destructive aortic root endocarditis is associated with high mortality rates. The objective of this article was to characterize the clinical and microbiological profiles of these patients, especially concerning an already implanted aortic valve prosthesis. We also focused on prognostic factors. Methods: Eighty patients underwent aortic root replacement due to destructive endocarditis from 1999 to 2018 in our institution. We analyzed their pre, intra, and postoperative data, outcomes, and predictors of mortality. Results: Thirty-one patients had native valve endocarditis (NVE), eight patients had early-onset prosthetic valve endocarditis (PVE), and 41 patients had late-onset PVE. Streptococcus was found in 19.4% of NVE cases and no PVE case. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was responsible for 62.5% of the cases of early-onset PVE. Thirty-four (42.5%) patients had received inappropriate antibiotics before admission. No microorganism was associated with higher risk of mortality. Aortoventricular dehiscence was identified as an independent risk factor of mortality along with PVE, concomitant bypass surgery, and delayed diagnosis. The incidence of postoperative complications was similar in all three groups. Rates of long-term survival (P=0.044) and freedom from the composite endpoint (P=0.024) defined as death, stroke, aortic valve reinfection, and aortic valve reoperation were the lowest within the NVE group and the highest among the PVE patients. Conclusion: In endocarditis, prolonged diagnostics, inadequate antimicrobial treatment, and late surgery led to destructive local complications and worsened the prognosis. PVE is associated with higher mortality than NVE.

BACKGROUND: Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a common finding in patients with end-stage heart failure. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of preoperative moderate-to-severe MR on postoperative outcomes and survival after durable left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.METHODS: From August 2010 to May 2021, 246 patients underwent a durable LVAD implantation. We stratified the patients into two groups: Group A (n = 109) presented with MR 0-I°, and Group B presented with MR II-III° (n = 137). MR II-III° was defined according to the current recommendations (i.e., vena contracta ≥ 7 mm, regurgitation volume ≥ 30 ml or effective regurgitation orifice area ≥ 20 mm2 ).RESULTS: Significantly more patients in Group B suffered from pulmonary hypertension and presented with chronic obstructive lung disease. We observed significantly higher rates of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) II-III° in Group B (76.1%) versus Group A (14.8%) (p < 0.001) and TR III° in Group B (30.4%) versus Group A (3.7%) (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the incidence of right heart failure between the groups. Within our cohort, the in-hospital, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year mortality was 22.4%, 32.1%, 50.7%, and 64.4%, respectively. Group B showed significantly worse overall survival (p = 0.05). Patients with preoperative TR II-III° had a significantly worse survival than those with TR 0-I° (p = 0.048). In patients presenting with MR II-III°, we discovered that TR III° seems to predict both in-hospital and mid-term mortality.CONCLUSION: MR II-III° negatively affects the outcomes in patients requiring LVAD implantation. Persisting MR II-III° is an independent predictor of mortality. Patients with concomitant preoperative TR II-III° are at increased risk of developing postoperative major adverse events. Addressing the MR might be considered for these patients.

Objectives: Precision oncology is generating vast amounts of multiomic data to improve human health and accelerate research. Existing clinical study designs and attendant data are unable to provide comparative evidence for economic evaluations. This lack of evidence can cause inconsistent and inappropriate reimbursement. Our study defines a core data set to facilitate economic evaluations of precision oncology. Methods: We conducted a literature review of economic evaluations of next-generation sequencing technologies, a common application of precision oncology, published between 2005 and 2018 and indexed in PubMed (MEDLINE). Based on this review, we developed a preliminary core data set for informal expert feedback. We then used a modified-Delphi approach with individuals involved in implementation and evaluation of precision medicine, including 2 survey rounds followed by a final voting conference to refine the data set. Results: Two authors determined that variation in published data elements was reached after abstraction of 20 economic evaluations. Expert consultation refined the data set to 83 unique data elements, and a multidisciplinary sample of 46 experts participated in the modified-Delphi process. A total of 68 elements (81%) were selected as required, spanning demographics and clinical characteristics, genomic data, cancer treatment, health and quality of life outcomes, and resource use. Conclusions: Cost-effectiveness analyses will fail to reflect the real-world impacts of precision oncology without data to accurately characterize patient care trajectories and outcomes. Data collection in accordance with the proposed core data set will promote standardization and enable the generation of decision-grade evidence to inform reimbursement.

Background Coronary artery bypass grafting has remained an important treatment option for acute coronary syndromes, particularly in patients (1) with ongoing ischemia and large areas of jeopardized myocardium, if percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) cannot be performed; (2) following successful PCI of the culprit lesion with further indication for coronary artery bypass grafting; and (3) where PCI is incomplete, not sufficient, or failed. Methods and Results We aimed to analyze coronary artery bypass grafting outcome following prior PCI in acute coronary syndromes from the North‐Rhine‐Westphalia surgical myocardial infarction registry comprising 2616 patients. Primary end points were in‐hospital all‐cause mortality and major adverse cardio‐cerebral event. Patients were 68±11 years of age, had 3‐vessel and left main‐stem disease in 80.4% and 45.3%, presenting a logistic EuroSCORE of 15.1% in unstable angina, 20.3% in non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction, and 23.5% in ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction. A history of PCI was present in 36.2% and PCI was performed within 24 hours before surgery in 5.2% in unstable angina, 5.9% in non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction, and 16.1% in ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction. PCI failed in 5.3% in unstable angina, 6.8% in non–ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction and 17.2% in ST‐segment–elevation myocardial infarction, and 28.8% of patients presented with cardiogenic shock. In‐hospital mortality without PCI was 7.4%, but increased to 8.7% with prior PCI >24 hours, 14.5% with prior PCI P 24 hours, 25.6% with prior PCI P =0.014). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed prior PCI ( P =0.039), as well as failed PCI ( P =0.001) to be predictors for in‐hospital all‐cause mortality and major adverse cardio‐cerebral event. Conclusions In the current PCI era, immediately prior or failed PCI before coronary artery bypass grafting in acute coronary syndromes is associated with high perioperative risk, cardiogenic shock, and increased morbidity and mortality.

OBJECTIVES To determine the outcomes of bioprosthetic valve fracture (BVF) in valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve implantation (ViV-TAVI) for patients with structural valve degeneration (SVD) of bioprosthetic surgical valves (BSV) implanted during surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). METHODS A systematic review was conducted including studies published by May 2021. The primary endpoints of the study were 30-day mortality, annular rupture, stroke, paravalvular leak, pacemaker implantation, and coronary obstruction. The secondary endpoints were mean valve gradients (mmHg) and aortic valve area (AVA-cm2 ). A meta-analysis was conducted using the software R, version 3.6.3 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing). RESULTS Four studies including 242 patients met our eligibility criteria. The overall proportions for 30-day mortality, annular rupture, stroke, paravalvular leak, pacemaker implantation and coronary obstruction were 2.1%

Redo mitral valve replacement remains the standard treatment for recurrent mitral valve disease. Most patients referred for a redo surgery in the western world are older and present with multiple comorbidities. With the successful broad implementation of anti-infective treatment, rheumatic mitral valve disease has become highly uncommon. Nonetheless, rheumatic heart disease is still thriving in developing countries causing the most severe mitral valve conditions. The guidelines are there to help us in our decision-making process, but the actual decision has to be made based on each patients' individual criteria.

Background The Medtronic Freestyle prosthesis has proven to be a promising recourse for aortic root replacement in various indications. The present study aims to evaluate clinical outcomes and geometric changes of the aorta after Freestyle implantation. Methods Between October 2005 and November 2020, the computed tomography angiography (CTA) data of 32 patients were analyzed in a cohort of 68 patients that underwent aortic root replacement using Freestyle prosthesis. The minimum and maximum diameters and areas of the aortic annulus, aortic root, ascending aorta, and the proximal aortic arch were measured at a plane perpendicular to the long axis of the aorta using 3D multiplanar reconstruction in both the preoperative (n = 32) and postoperative (n = 10) CTAs. Moreover, volumetric changes of the aortic root and ascending aorta were quantified. Results Mean age was 64.6 ± 10.6 years. Indications for surgery using Freestyle prosthesis were combined aortic valve pathologies, aortic aneurysm or dissection, and endocarditis, with concomitant surgery occurring in 28 out of 32 patients. In-hospital mortality was 18.6%. Preoperative diameter and area measurements of the aortic annulus strongly correlated with the implanted valve size (p 3 to 18.7 ± 4.5 cm3, p = 0.029). Volume of the aortic root and the ascending aorta decreased from 137.3 ± 65.2 cm3 to 54.5 ± 21.1 cm3 after Freestyle implantation (p = 0.023). Conclusion Implantation of the Freestyle prosthesis presents excellent results in restoring the aortic geometry. Preoperative CTA measurements are beneficial to the surgical procedure and valve selection and therefore, if available, should be considered in pre-operative planning.

Genomic testing is becoming routine for diagnosing rare childhood genetic disease. Evidence underlying sustainable implementation is limited, focusing on short-term endpoints such as diagnostic yield, unable to fully characterize patient and family valued outcomes. Although genomic testing is becoming widely available, evidentiary and outcomes uncertainty persist as key challenges for implementation. We examine whether the current evidence base reflects public tolerance for uncertainty for genomics to diagnose rare childhood genetic disease. We conducted focus groups with general population parents in Vancouver, Canada, and Oxford, United Kingdom, to discuss expectations and concerns related to genomic testing to diagnose rare childhood genetic disease. Applying a purposive sampling technique, recruitment continued until thematic saturation was reached. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Thirty-three parents participated across four focus groups. Participants valued causal diagnoses alongside management strategies to improve patient health and wellbeing. Further, participants valued expanding the evidence base to reduce evidentiary uncertainty while ensuring security of information. Willingness to pay out of pocket for testing reflected perceived familial health benefit. Diagnostic yield fails to fully capture valued outcomes, and efforts to resolve uncertainty better reflect public priorities. Evaluations of genomic testing that fully integrate valued endpoints are necessary to ensure consistency with best practices and public willingness to accept the uncertain familial benefit.

Introduction Redo surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR) remains the gold standard treatment in patients with a history of mitral valve surgery presenting with recurrent mitral valve pathologies. Whilst this procedure is demanding, it is an inevitable intervention for some indications, such as infective endocarditis, thrombosis, or multivalve procedures. In this study, we aim to evaluate our institutional experience with SMVR on a real-life cohort, identifying the factors that contribute to poor surgical outcomes whilst avoiding selection bias. Methods Between March 2012 and November 2020, 58 consecutive high-risk patients underwent a redo SMVR at our institution. The primary endpoints of this study were 30-day and 1-year mortality. The secondary endpoint was the development of any postoperative adverse events. We analyzed and compared the survival in patients undergoing an isolated SMVR and in those that required at least one concomitant procedure. Results The overall operative, 30-day, and 1-year mortality were 3.4%, 22.4%, and 25.9%, respectively. The mortality in patients undergoing isolated SMVR was significantly lower than in patients requiring concomitant procedures. The multivariable regression model showed that NYHA Class IV, infective endocarditis, and postoperative dialysis were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score, infective endocarditis, concomitant procedures, and mechanical valve implantation appeared to predict long-term mortality. Conclusion This study illustrates that SMVR after prior mitral valve surgery presents a demanding procedure with high operative risk, significant mortality, and morbidity. Whilst this procedure is inevitable for some indications, a careful patient selection and risk stratification provides acceptable surgical results in this cohort.

Objectives In many centers, training in cardiac surgery is considered to increase perioperative risk. This study aims to test whether a resident working as the main operator is a genuine risk factor. Methods We analyzed patients who underwent elective isolated aortic valve replacement, elective isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, or both, in our institution, from 2008 to 2016. Redo- and off-pump surgery, ejection fraction Results The times of surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, and cross-clamp were longer if residents operated (p Conclusion Training in cardiac surgery is safe, and carefully selected patients can be operated by residents without increased risk of perioperative mortality and complications.

Objective The main purpose of this article is to evaluate an impact of epicardial ligation of the left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) on the development of ischemic stroke and mortality. Methods From 2009 to 2013, a total of 125 patients (86.4% men, mean age 64 ± 7 years, 95% confidence interval: 61–65 years) received a combined OPCAB and LAA ligation because of coronary artery disease and AF. All the subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 57)—LAA ligation during OPCAB, group 2 (n = 68) without LAA ligation during OPCAB. Primary endpoints were postoperative incidence of ischemic stroke and mortality. Results No difference in the number of ischemic stroke (0 vs. 5.9%) and death (0 vs. 4.4%) in both groups during the hospital period (p > 0.05). Median overall follow-up was 41 (22–61) months: without difference for groups (p > 0.05). During follow-up, there was a difference in the number of ischemic stroke (0 vs. 17.6%, p 0.05). Conclusion Epicardial ligation of LAA during OPCAB in patients with AF may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke in long-term follow-up and does not affect the mortality.

Patient: Male, 66 Final Diagnosis: Ischemic cardiomyopathy Symptoms: Angina pectoris • dyspnoea Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Surgery Objective: Unusual clinical course Background: We report a 66-year-old patient who received implantation of HeartMate II LVAD (St. Jude Medical, Minneapolis, MN, USA) as destination therapy 10 years ago. Case Report: Preoperatively, the patient developed acute heart failure due to transmural myocardial infarction requiring catecholamine therapy and intra-aortic balloon pump. Echocardiography revealed a left ventricular ejection fraction of 15%. We saw an indication for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. The intraoperative course was uncomplicated. The operation time was 153 minutes and the cardiopulmonary bypass time was 69 minutes. The procedure was performed in normothermia, and no further combined procedures were necessary. Only one re-hospitalization, due to driveline infection, was required. Once a month, the patient visited our heart failure outpatient clinic for laboratory control, echocardiographic examination, and device measurement. There was always a normal LVAD function. During the 10 years of follow-up, the patient did not have any other complications. Conclusions: Patients with a strict indication for LVAD and fewer risk factors can show a relatively uncomplicated postoperative course. Our case report demonstrates the opportunity to care for a patient for years using LVAD. Modern LVADs are reliable cardiac support systems as destination therapy from the long-term perspective. Careful patient selection, timely decision on LVAD implantation, and structured patient care are critical.

Patient: Male, 50 Final Diagnosis: Coronary artery disease in a patient with situs inversus totalis Symptoms: Angina pectoris Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Coronary artery bypass grafting Specialty: Cardiac surgery Objective: Rare disease Background: We report a rare case of total arterial coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in a patient with situs inversus totalis (SIT). SIT is a rare variant of biologically normal anatomy, in which the main internal organs are mirrored compared to normal localization. Case Report: A 50-year-old patient with SIT and severe coronary stenosis of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and the ramus circumflexus (RCX) was admitted to our hospital. CABG was performed promptly using 2 conduits. After medial sternotomy, both mammary arteries were isolated by the skeletal method. Next, the cannulation of the aorta and the physiologically right atrium was performed. Custodiol cardioplegia was performed antegrade in a single shot. The left internal mammary artery (LIMA) was anastomosed to the LAD and the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) to the RCX. The aortic clamping time was 29 minutes. The operation was completed without complications. The patient was extubated 6 hours after surgery. On the first postoperative day, the patient was transferred to a regular ward. Postoperative therapy was performed without complications. Conclusions: Surgical correction is indicated for many patients with SIT in combination with coronary heart disease. Performing a CABG operation on these patients requires the operating team to have certain skills. Surgeons face a number of problems and issues: preoperative preparation of the patient, the position of the surgeon to the left or right during the operation, the choice of conduit for anastomosis, and the tactics of the operation.

Background In our institution, we developed a modification of the standard implantation technique of the Perceval sutureless aortic prosthesis (LivaNova, London, United Kingdom) that involves the usage of snuggers for the guiding sutures during valve deployment. The technique has been described elsewhere. In this article, we present the results of our initial case series comprising 128 consecutive patients. Methods From September 2016 to June 2018, 128 patients received a sutureless Perceval prosthesis (mean age 72.2 ± 8.5 years, 66 males). The data of the patients were prospectively collected in our general database and retrospectively analyzed using the SPSS software version 25 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States). Primary end points were primary implantation success and 30-day mortality. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography on discharge. Results Our cohort consisted of real-world scenario patients with infective endocarditis, bicuspid aortic valves and one patient with left ventricular assist device. However, we had 100% primary implantation success with no need for valve explantation or paravalvular leaks. All-cause 30-day mortality was 2.3% (3 patients) with no cardiac deaths. Two patients (1.6%) had a permanent neurological deficit, three patients (2.3%) had new-onset renal dialysis, and four patients (3.1%) needed a permanent pacemaker postoperatively. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first case series to report on a modified implantation technique of the Perceval prosthesis. The Perceval valve prosthesis produces excellent outcome in most pathologies, so that current contraindications should be revised.

Patient: Male, 26 Final Diagnosis: Pulmonary valve replacement Symptoms: No symptom Medication: — Clinical Procedure: — Specialty: Surgery Objective: Congenital defects/diseases Background: One of the most common complications after repair of Fallot’s tetralogy is pulmonary valve regurgitation (PR). There are many concepts of treatment, such as surgical, percutaneous, or hybrid pulmonary valve repair. Surgical pulmonary valve replacement is associated with low operative morbidity and mortality and shows very good long-term results. For that reason, it remains the standard of treatment. Case Report: We present a case of a 26-year-old male patient who underwent a successful emergent surgical pulmonary valve replacement after a failed percutaneous pulmonary valve intervention, which was performed due to pulmonary regurgitation. Conclusions: Despite the modern (interventional and hybrid) procedures in the treatment of pulmonary valve regurgitation after repair of Fallot’s tetralogy, surgical treatment for pulmonary regurgitation still remains the gold standard for young adult patients.

Background: To investigate whether preoperative short-term extracorporeal life support therapy in patients undergoing continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation has an impact on the outcome regarding survival and adverse events. Methods: Between January 2011 and May 2018, 100 consecutive patients received HeartMate II, HeartWare, or HeartMate III for end-stage heart failure. Mean age was 64.2 ± 10.3 years. Three patient groups were identified: without preoperative extracorporeal life support (non-extracorporeal life support group, n = 80), with preoperative extracorporeal life support due to postcardiotomy shock after conventional cardiac surgery (postcardiotomy shock group, n = 9), and with preoperative extracorporeal life support without previous surgery (non-postcardiotomy shock group, n = 11). The primary endpoint was overall survival after device implantation. Secondary endpoints were adverse events during the follow-up period. Results: Survival was significantly different between the groups (p Conclusion: Continuous-flow left ventricular assist device implantation with prior extracorporeal life support appears to have a worse outcome regarding survival, right heart failure, renal and respiratory dysfunction (p

Objective biomarkers of the presence and severity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are elusive, yet badly needed. Electroencephalographic (EEG) coherence represents a promising approach to identifying and understanding brain biomarker activity in PTSD. Overnight polysomnography data containing EEG across sleep and wake states was collected in n = 76 Veterans with and without PTSD from a single site under IRB approval. Brain coherence markers (BCM) were calculated from EEG signals using a novel approach to produce one index for PTSD diagnosis (PTSDdx), and another index for PTSD severity (PTSDsev). PTSDdx showed strong sensitivity to the presence of PTSD in the awake state, during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) stage N2 sleep, and in a hybrid BCM incorporating both awake and NREM sleep states. PTSDsev showed a strong correlation with PTSD symptom severity (using the PTSD Checklist 5, or PCL5 survey) in the awake state, during N2 sleep, and in a hybrid BCM incorporating both awake and NREM sleep states. Thus, sleep EEG-based brain coherence markers can be utilized as an objective means for determining the presence and severity of PTSD. This portable, inexpensive, and non-invasive tool holds promise for better understanding the physiological mechanisms underlying PTSD and for tracking objective responses to treatment.

Our aim was to analyse the hospital outcome for the worldwide largest series of stentless bioroot xenografts (Medtronic Freestyle) as full root replacement in a single centre over a period of 18 years. Retrospective data analysis was performed for the entire cohort of patients undergoing aortic root surgery with the Medtronic Freestyle valve prosthesis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to analyse predictors of in-hospital mortality. 971 patients underwent aortic full root replacement with the Medtronic Freestyle valve in the period from 1999–2017, with an average age of 68.8 ± 10.3y and gender distribution of 608:363 (male:female). Concomitant surgery was performed in 693 patients (71.4%). In-hospital all-comers mortality was 9.8% (95 patients), with the respective highest risk profiles including dissections (6.4%), endocarditis (5.6%) and re-do procedures (12.5%). In-hospital mortality for elective patients was 7.6% while isolated aortic root replacement demonstrated a mortality of 3.6%. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated age (OR 1.05, p = 0.005), dissection (OR 5.78, p

Background The main purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of previous sternotomy (PS) on the outcome of three different left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Methods Between June 2007 and February 2018, a total of 121 patients received HeartMate II (60.3%), HeartWare (12.4%), or HeartMate III (27.3%), with or without previous sternotomy (PS and non-PS groups, respectively). Propensity matching resulted in 44 patient pairs. The primary end point was overall survival at 30 days, 1 year, 2, and 5 years, postoperatively. Secondary end points were adverse events. Results The overall cumulative survival rates for the two study groups were significantly different (77, 63, 54, and 38% for non-PS group vs 64, 39, 27, and 24% for PS group, p = 0.036). In the PS group, there was a higher need for intraoperative implantation of short-term right ventricular assist device (22.7 vs 6.8%, p = 0.034) and a higher incidence of hepatic dysfunction (20.5 vs 4.5%, p = 0.025) and acute kidney dysfunction (40.9 vs 20.5%, p = 0.032). Conclusion PS is a reliable predictor of mortality and morbidity after LVAD implantation.