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Treatment approach to type A aortic dissection with malperfusion, immediate open aortic repair vs upfront endovascular treatment, remains controversial. From January 2017 to July 2021, 301 consecutive type A repairs were evaluated at our institution. Starting in 2019, all type A aortic dissections were performed in a fixed-fluoroscopy, hybrid operating room. Propensity score matching was used to control baseline patient characteristics between traditional and hybrid operating room approaches. There were 144 patients in the traditional group and 157 in the hybrid group. In the hybrid group, 41% (64/157) underwent intraoperative angiograms, and of those, 58% (37/64) received at least 1 endovascular intervention. Following propensity matching, 125 patients remained in each the traditional and hybrid groups. Thirty-day survival was significantly improved in the hybrid cohort at 96.7% (122/125) as compared to the traditional cohort at 87.2% (109/125) (P = 0.002). There were no significant differences in perioperative paralysis (1.6% vs 1.6%, P > 0.9), new hemodialysis (12% vs 9.6%, P = 0.5), fasciotomy (2.4% vs 5.6%, P = 0.20, and exploratory laparotomy (1.6% vs 4.8%, P = 0.3). The hybrid operating room approach to type A aortic dissection, provides the ability to immediately assess distal malperfusion and perform endovascular interventions at the time of open aortic repair, and is associated with significantly higher 30-day and 2-year survival when compared to a stepwise repair approach in a traditional operating room., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There are persistent structural barriers that threaten inclusion and retention of underrepresented in medicine (UIM) residents and fellows (trainees) as future faculty in academic medicine. We developed the Leadership Education in Advancing Diversity (LEAD) Program at a single, academic institution, to address these barriers through a 10-month longitudinal curriculum across GME for trainees to develop leadership and scholarship skills in DEI., Objective: Explore how participation in LEAD impacted UIM trainees' sense of belonging and professional identity formation in academic medicine; as well as perceptions about pursuing a career in academic medicine and future leadership roles., Methods: IRB-approved qualitative study in August 2020-August 2021 with individual, semi-structured interviews of UIM LEAD graduates from the first 4 cohorts (2017-2021). Data were analyzed by two authors using modified grounded theory., Results: 14 UIM trainees were interviewed; seven themes emerged. Critical aspects of the program: (1) Creation of a community of shared DEI values (2) Mentorship (3) Role of allies. Results of the program: (4) Deepened appreciation of personal and professional identity as UIM (5) Fostered belonging in academic medicine (6) Appreciation of different careers in academic medicine and how to integrate DEI interests (7) Inspired trainees to pursue leadership roles., Conclusions: LEAD can serve as a model for other institutions that seek to support UIM trainees' sense of belonging, professional identity formation, and perceptions about pursuing careers in academic medicine and future leadership roles., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Purpose: Showing results of open and percutaneous surgical management of traumatic AO type A3, A4 and B2 thoracic and lumbar fractures., Methods: Retrospective comparative analysis of traditional open fusion versus percutaneous navigated fixation of thoracic and lumbar spinal fractures. Minimum 24 months follow-up to collect ODI and VAS outcome scores for comparative analysis was required., Results: Fifty-seven patients with a mean age of 39 years met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-six patients were in the open group (Group O) and 31 in the percutaneous group (Group P). The majority of fractures were either type A3 or A4; there were three type B chance fractures in Group O and one in Group P. VAS and ODI scores followed comparable trends in the two groups until the final follow-up. The main statistically significant result between the two groups was blood loss, which was lower in Group P (110 versus 270 ml in Group O on average), although this did not reflect into different clinical outcomes. Similar peri-operative measures of operating time and length of stay were found between the two groups. A significantly higher degree of loss of reduction was noted at follow-up in Group P (8° versus 5° in Group O on average)., Conclusions: Open and percutaneous posterior fixation techniques of thoracic and lumbar fractures in this cohort were associated with different perioperative blood losses as well as radiological measurements, but not with clinically meaningful differences in patient reported outcome measures at 24 months' follow-up.

Rationale and Objectives: Post-TAVR persistent pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a better predictor of poor outcome than pre-TAVR PH. In this longitudinal study we sought to evaluate whether pulmonary artery (distensibility (D PA ) measured on preprocedural ECG-gated CTA is associated with persistent-PH and 2-year mortality after TAVR., Materials and Methods: Three hundred and thirty-six patients undergoing TAVR between July 2012 and March 2016 were retrospectively included and followed for all-cause mortality until November 2017. All patients underwent retrospectively ECG-gated CTA prior to TAVR. Main pulmonary artery (MPA) area was measured in systole and in diastole. D PA was calculated as: [(area-MPA max -area-MPA min )/area-MPA max ]%. ROC analysis was performed to assess the AUC for persistent-PH. Youden Index was used to determine the optimal threshold of D PA for persistent-PH. Two groups were compared based on a D PA threshold of 8% (specificity of 70% for persistent-PH). Kaplan-Meier, Cox proportional-hazard, and logistic regression analyses were performed. The primary clinical endpoint was defined as persistent-PH post-TAVR. The secondary endpoint was defined as all-cause mortality 2 years after TAVR., Results: Median follow-up time was 413 (interquartiles 339-757) days. A total of 183 (54%) had persistent-PH and 68 (20%) patients died within 2-years after TAVR. Patients with D PA <8% had significantly more persistent-PH (67% vs 47%, p<0.001) and 2-year deaths (28% vs 15%, p=0.006), compared to patients with D PA >8%. Adjusted multivariable regression analyses showed that D PA <8% was independently associated with persistent-PH (OR 2.10 [95%-CI 1.3-4.5], p=0.007) and 2-year mortality (HR 2.91 [95%-CI 1.5-5.8], p=0.002). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that 2-year mortality of patients with D PA <8% was significantly higher compared to patients with D PA ≥8% (mortality 28% vs 15%; log-rank p=0.003)., Conclusion: D PA on preprocedural CTA is independently associated with persistent-PH and two-year mortality in patients who undergo TAVR., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2023 The Association of University Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The objective of this work was to delineate career progression and research productivity of women practicing cardiothoracic surgery in the academic setting., Methods: Cardiothoracic surgeons at the 79 accredited US cardiothoracic surgery training programs in 2020 were included in this cross-sectional analysis. Data regarding subspecialization, training, practice history, and publications were gathered from public sources including department websites, CTSNet, and Scopus., Results: A total of 1065 surgeons (51.3% cardiac, 32.1% thoracic, 16.6% congenital) were identified. Women accounted for 10.6% (113) of the population (7.9% of cardiac, 15.5% of thoracic, 9.6% of congenital surgeons). The median number of cardiothoracic surgeons per institution was 12 (interquartile range [IQR], 10-17), with a median of 1 woman (IQR, 0-2). Fifteen of 79 programs (19%) had no women. Among women faculty 5.3% were clinical instructors, 51.3% were assistant professors, 23.0% were associate professors, 16.8% were full professors, and 3.5% had unspecified titles (vs 2.0%, 32.9%, 23.0%, 37.5%, and 4.6% among men, respectively; P < .001). Women and men authored a comparable number of first-author (0.4 [IQR, 0.0-1.3] vs 0.5 [IQR, 0.0-1.1], P = .56) publications per year but fewer last-author (0.1 [IQR, 0.0-0.7] vs 0.4 [IQR, 0.0-1.3], P < .0001) and total publications per year (2.7 [IQR, 1.0-6.2] vs 3.7 [IQR, 1.3-7.8], P = .05) than men. The H-index was lower for women than for men overall (8.0 [IQR, 3.0-15.0] vs 15.0 [IQR, 7.0-28.0], P < .001) but was similar between men and women who had been practicing for 10 to 20 years., Conclusions: Gender disparities persist in academic cardiothoracic surgery. Efforts should be made to support women in achieving senior roles and academic productivity., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Retrograde false lumen perfusion has limited the utility of aortic stent grafting for chronic aortic dissection. It is unknown whether balloon septal rupture can improve the outcomes for endovascular management of chronic aortic dissection., Methods: Included patients underwent false lumen obliteration and creation of a single-lumen aortic landing zone using balloon aortoplasty during thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The distal thoracic stent graft was sized to the total aortic lumen diameter, and septal rupture was performed within the stent graft with a compliant balloon in the region 5 cm proximal to the distal fabric edge. Clinical and radiographic outcomes are reported., Results: Forty patients, with an average age 56 years, underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair with septal rupture. Seventeen patients (43%) had chronic type B dissections, 17 of 40 patients (43%) had residual type A dissections, and 6 of 40 patients (15%) had acute type B dissections. Nine cases were emergency, complicated by rupture or malperfusion. Perioperative complications included 1 death (2.5%) due to rupture of the descending thoracic aorta and 2 (5%) instances each of stroke (neither permanent) and spinal cord ischemia (1 permanent). Two (5%) stent graft-induced new injuries were seen. Average postoperative computed tomography follow-up was 1.4 years. Thirteen patients (33%) had a decrease in aortic size, 25 of 39 patients (64%) were stable, and 1 of 39 patients (2.6%) had an increased aortic size. Partial and complete false lumen thrombosis were achieved in 10 of 39 patients (26%) and 29 of 39 patients (74%), respectively. Midterm aortic-related survival was 97.5% at an average of 1.6 years., Conclusions: Controlled balloon septal rupture offers an effective endovascular method to treat aortic dissection in the distal thoracic aorta., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Aortic dissection is a chronic disease that requires lifelong clinical and imaging surveillance, long after the acute event. Imaging has an important role in prognosis, timing of repair, device sizing, and monitoring for complications, especially in the endovascular therapy era. Important anatomic features at preprocedural imaging include the location of the primary intimal tear and aortic zonal and branch vessel involvement, which influence the treatment strategy. Challenges of repair in the chronic phase include a small true lumen in conjunction with a stiff intimal flap, complex anatomy, and retrograde perfusion from distal reentry tears. The role of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) remains controversial for treatment of chronic aortic dissection. Standard TEVAR is aimed at excluding the primary intimal tear to decrease false lumen perfusion, induce false lumen thrombosis, promote aortic remodeling, and prevent aortic growth. In addition to covering the primary intimal tear with an endograft, several adjunctive techniques have been developed to mitigate retrograde false lumen perfusion. These techniques are broadly categorized into false lumen obliteration and landing zone optimization strategies, such as the provisional extension to induce complete attachment (PETTICOAT), false lumen embolization, cheese-wire fenestration, and knickerbocker techniques. Familiarity with these techniques is important to recognize expected changes and complications at postintervention imaging. The authors detail imaging options, provide examples of simple and complex endovascular repairs of aortic dissections, and highlight complications that can be associated with various techniques. Online supplemental material is available for this article. © RSNA, 2022.

Background: A mean pulmonary artery pressure >20 mm Hg now defines pulmonary hypertension. We hypothesize that echocardiographic thresholds must be adjusted., Research Question: Should tricuspid regurgitation velocity thresholds to screen for pulmonary hypertension be revised, given the new hemodynamic definition?, Study Design and Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 1,608 patients who underwent both echocardiography and right heart catherization within 4 weeks. The discovery cohort consisted of 1,081 individuals; the validation cohort included 527. Screening criteria for pulmonary hypertension were derived with the use of receiver operating characteristic analysis and the Youden index, assuming equal cost for false-positive and -negative classification. A lower threshold was calculated with the use of a predefined sensitivity: 95%., Results: In the discovery cohort, echocardiographic tricuspid regurgitation velocity had a good discrimination for pulmonary hypertension: area under the curve, 88.4 (95% CI, 85.3-91.5). A 3.4-m/s threshold provided a 78% sensitivity, 87% specificity, and 6.13 positive likelihood ratio to detect pulmonary hypertension; 2.7 m/s had a 95% sensitivity and 0.12 negative likelihood ratio to exclude pulmonary hypertension. In the validation cohort, the discovery threshold of 2.7 m/s provided sensitivity and negative likelihood ratios of 80% and 0.31, respectively. Right cardiac size improved detection of pulmonary hypertension in the lower tricuspid regurgitation velocity groups., Interpretation: Our data support a lower tricuspid regurgitation velocity of approximately 2.7 m/s for screening pulmonary hypertension, with a high sensitivity in tertiary referral centers. Right heart chamber measurements improve the diagnostic yield of echocardiography., (Copyright © 2021 American College of Chest Physicians. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose of Review: This review explores trends in the United States (US) transplant surgery workforce with a focus on historical demographics, post-fellowship job market, and quality of life reported by transplant surgeons. Ongoing efforts to improve women and racial/ethnic minority representation in transplant surgery are highlighted. Future directions to create a transplant workforce that reflects the diversity of the US population are discussed., Recent Findings: Representation of women and racial and ethnic minorities among transplant surgeons is minimal. Although recent data shows an improvement in the number of Black transplant surgeons from 2% to 5.5% and an increase in women to 12%, the White to Non-White transplant workforce ratio has increased 35% from 2000 to 2013. Transplant surgeons report an average of 4.3 call nights per week and less than five leisure days a month. Transplant ranks 1st among surgical sub-specialties in the prevalence of three well-studied facets of burnout. Concerns about lifestyle may contribute to the decreasing demand for advanced training in abdominal transplantation by US graduates., Summary: Minimal improvements have been made in transplant surgery workforce diversity. Sustained and intentional recruitment and promotion efforts are needed to improve the representation of women and minority physicians and advanced practice providers in the field., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Transplanting hepatitis C viremic donor organs into hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative recipients is becoming increasingly common; however, practices for posttransplant direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatment vary widely. Protracted insurance authorization processes for DAA therapy often lead to treatment delays., Methods: At our institution, 2 strategies for providing DAA therapy to HCV - recipients of HCV + transplants have been used. For thoracic organ recipients, an institution-subsidized course of initial therapy was provided to ensure an early treatment initiation date. For abdominal organ recipients, insurance approval for DAA coverage was sought once viremia developed, and treatment was initiated only once the insurance-authorized supply of drug was received. To evaluate the clinical impact of these 2 strategies, we retrospectively collected data pertaining to the timing of DAA initiation, duration of recipient viremia, and monetary costs incurred by patients and the institution for patients managed under these 2 DAA coverage strategies., Results: One hundred fifty-two transplants were performed using HCV viremic donor organs. Eighty-nine patients received DAA treatment without subsidy, and 62 received DAA treatment with subsidy. One patient who never developed viremia posttransplant received no treatment. Subsidizing the initial course enabled earlier treatment initiation (median, 4 d [interquartile range (IQR), 2-7] vs 10 [IQR, 8-13]; P  < 0.001) and shorter duration of viremia (median, 16 d [IQR, 12-29] vs 36 [IQR, 30-47]; P  < 0.001). Institutional costs averaged $9173 per subsidized patient and $168 per nonsubsidized patient. Three needlestick exposures occurred in caregivers of viremic patients., Conclusions: Recipients and their caregivers stand to benefit from earlier DAA treatment initiation; however, institutional costs to subsidize DAA therapy before insurance authorization are substantial. Insurance authorization processes for DAAs should be revised to accommodate this unique patient group., Competing Interests: The authors declare no funding or conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Transplantation Direct. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Identifying high-risk patients who will not derive substantial survival benefit from TAVR remains challenging. Pulmonary hypertension is a known predictor of poor outcome in patients undergoing TAVR and correlates strongly with pulmonary artery (PA) enlargement on CTA. We sought to evaluate whether PA enlargement, measured on pre-procedural computed tomography angiography (CTA), is associated with 1-year mortality in patients undergoing TAVR., Methods: We retrospectively included 402 patients undergoing TAVR between July 2012 and March 2016. Clinical parameters, including Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score and right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) estimated by transthoracic echocardiography were reviewed. PA dimensions were measured on pre-procedural CTAs. Association between PA enlargement and 1-year mortality was analyzed. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards regression analyses were performed., Results: The median follow-up time was 433 (interquartiles 339-797) days. A total of 56/402 (14%) patients died within 1 year after TAVR. Main PA area (area-MPA) was independently associated with 1-year mortality (hazard ratio per standard deviation equal to 2.04 [95%-confidence interval (CI) 1.48-2.76], p ​< ​0.001). Area under the curve (95%-CI) of the clinical multivariable model including STS-score and RVSP increased slightly from 0.67 (0.59-0.75) to 0.72 (0.72-0.89), p ​= ​0.346 by adding area-MPA. Although the AUC increased, differences were not significant (p ​= ​0.346). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that mortality was significantly higher in patients with a pre-procedural non-indexed area-MPA of ≥7.40 ​cm 2 compared to patients with a smaller area-MPA (mortality 23% vs. 9%; p ​< ​0.001)., Conclusions: Enlargement of MPA on pre-procedural CTA is independently associated with 1-year mortality after TAVR., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors., (Copyright © 2021 Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In 1960, Dr Nina Starr Braunwald became the first woman to perform open heart surgery. Sixty years later, despite the fact that women outnumbered men in American medical school in 2017, men still dominate the field of cardiac surgery. Women surgeons remain underrepresented in cardiac surgery; 11% of practicing cardiac surgeons in Canada were women in 2015, and 6% of practicing adult cardiac surgeons in the US were women in 2019. Although women remain a minority in other surgical specialties also, cardiothoracic surgery remains one of the most unevenly-gender distributed specialties. Why are there so few women cardiac surgeons, and why does it matter? Evidence is emerging regarding the benefits of diversity for a variety of industries, including healthcare. In order to attract and retain the best talent, we must make the cardiac surgery environment more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. Some causes of perpetuation of the gender gap have been documented in the literature-these include uneven compensation and career advancement opportunities, outdated views on family dynamics, and disproportionate scrutiny of women surgeons, causing additional workplace frictions for women. Diversity is an organizational strength, and gender-diverse institutions are more likely to outperform their non-gender-diverse counterparts. Modifiable issues perpetuate the gender gap, and mentorship is key in helping attract, develop, and retain the best and brightest within cardiac surgery. Facilitating mentorship opportunities is key to reducing barriers and bridging the gap., (© 2021 The Authors.)

Background: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become first-line treatment for descending thoracic aortic rupture (DTAR), but its midterm and long-term outcomes remain undescribed. This study evaluated whether TEVAR would improve midterm outcomes of nontraumatic DTAR relative to open surgical repair (OSR)., Methods: Between December 1999 and October 2018, 118 patients with DTAR were treated with either OSR (n = 39) or TEVAR (n = 79) at a single center. Primary end points were 30-day and long-term all-cause mortalities. Secondary end points included stroke, permanent spinal cord ischemia (SCI), prolonged ventilation support or tracheostomy, permanent hemodialysis, and aortic reintervention., Results: Thirty-day mortality was significantly lower with TEVAR (OSR, 38.5%; TEVAR, 16.5%; P = .01). Stroke (15.6% vs 3.8%; P = .03), permanent SCI (15.6% vs 2.5%; P = .02), prolonged ventilation (30.8% vs 8.9%; P = .002), and tracheostomy (12.8% vs 2.5%; P = .04) were significantly lower after TEVAR than OSR. Need for hemodialysis trended higher after OSR (12.8% vs 5.1%; P = .2). Mean follow ups were 1048 ± 1591 days for OSR group and 828 ± 1258 days for TEVAR. All-cause mortality at last follow-up was significantly lower after TEVAR than OSR (35.4% vs 66.7%; P = .001). Aortic reintervention was required more frequently within 30 days after TEVAR (15.2% vs 2.6%; P = .06). By multivariate analysis, TAAA was an independent predictor for mortality., Conclusions: TEVAR improves both early and midterm outcomes of DTAR relative to OSR. TAAA was a predictor of mortality. Endovascular approach to DTAR may provide the greatest chance at survival., (Copyright © 2019 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the outcome of endovascular aortic arch repair for chronic dissection with a custom-made branched endograft., Background: Acute type A aortic dissections are often treated with prosthetic replacement of the ascending aorta. During follow-up, repair of an aneurysmal evolution of the false lumen distal to the ascending prosthesis can be a challenge both for the surgeon and the patient., Methods: We conducted a multicenter, retrospective study of consecutive patients from 14 vascular units treated with a custom-made, inner-branched device (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN) for chronic aortic arch dissection. Rates of in-hospital mortality and stroke, technical success, early and late complications, reinterventions, and mortality during follow-up were evaluated., Results: Seventy consecutive patients were treated between 2011 and 2018. All patients were considered unfit for conventional surgery. In-hospital combined mortality and stroke rate was 4% (n = 3), including 1 minor stroke, 1 major stroke causing death, and 1 death following multiorgan failure. Technical success rate was 94.3%. Twelve (17.1%) patients required early reinterventions: 8 for vascular access complication, 2 for endoleak correction, and 2 for pericardial effusion drainage. Median follow-up was 301 (138-642) days. During follow-up, 20 (29%) patients underwent secondary interventions: 9 endoleak corrections, 1 open repair for prosthetic kink, and 10 distal extensions of the graft to the thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta. Eight patients (11%) died during follow-up because of nonaortic-related cause in 7 cases., Conclusions: Endovascular treatment of aortic arch chronic dissections with a branched endograft is associated with low mortality and stroke rates but has a high reintervention rate. Further follow-up is required to confirm the benefits of this novel approach., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Burnout among surgeons has been attributed to increased workload and decreased autonomy. Although prior studies have examined burnout among transplant surgeons, no studies have evaluated burnout in abdominal transplant surgery fellows. The objective of our study was to identify predictors of burnout and understand its impact on personal and patient care during fellowship. A survey was sent to all abdominal transplant surgery fellows in an American Society of Transplant Surgeons-accredited fellowship. The response rate was 59.2% (n = 77) and 22.7% (n = 17) of fellows met criteria for burnout. Fellows with lower grit scores were more likely to exhibit burnout compared with fellows with higher scores (3.6 vs 4.0, P = .026). Those with burnout were more likely to work >100 hours per week (58.8% vs 27.6%, P = .023), have severe work-related stress (58.8% vs 22.4%, P = .010), consider quitting fellowship (94.1% vs 20.7%, P < .001), or make a medical error (35.3% vs 5.2%, P = .003). This national analysis of abdominal transplant fellows found that burnout rates are relatively low, but few fellows engage in self-care. Personal and program-related factors attribute to burnout and it has unacceptable effects on patient care. Transplant societies and fellowship programs should develop interventions to give fellows tools to prevent and combat burnout., (© 2020 The American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons.)

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was proved to be effective in thoracic descending aortic aneurysm (TDAA) repair in 1994 and approved by the FDA in 2005. Since then, TEVAR has become the first-line, recommended treatment for intact or ruptured DTAA or as a bridge to definitive open surgical repair in connective tissue disease. TEVAR has decreased perioperative morbidity and mortality compared to open surgery due to the lack of thoracotomy, aortic cross-clamping and left heart bypass. Improvement in materials, manufacturing and device delivery systems have allowed for the expansion of indications. Thoughtful and accurate pre-procedure planning is the hallmark of successful TEVAR. Familiarization and adherence to the instructions for use for an aortic device will give the best possible chance of success.

A 59-year-old man with a history of coarctation repair, mechanical aortic valve, and warfarin therapy presented with right flank pain. Computed tomography showed a large hematoma encircling an intact descending thoracic aorta. Computed tomography angiography demonstrated multiple areas of intercostal artery extravasation. An interventional radiologist performed angiography and embolization. The patient's course was complicated by an effusion and hypoxia, but no further bleeding was noted. We hypothesize that coarctation associated aneurysms and potential vessel wall weakness are the causes of hematoma in our case. We present this case with history of repaired coarctation with multiple spontaneous intercostal artery aneurysmal rupture., (Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 36-year-old female underwent left lower lobectomy with left atrial and left upper pulmonary vein (LUPV) reconstruction with a bovine pericardial patch for an intrathoracic pheochromocytoma. Postoperatively, she developed shortness of breath and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated LUPV stenosis with increased velocities. Computed tomography angiogram of the chest revealed LUPV stenosis at the left atrium ostium with an area of 39 mm 2 . Under angiographic and echocardiographic guidance, a 10 × 19 mm Omnilink Elite uncovered stent was deployed in the LUPV ostia. While reported following left atrial ablation, pulmonary vein stenting can be successful in a pulmonary vein surgically reconstructed with bovine pericardium.

Background: The American Board of Surgery has initiated a pilot study to investigate the incorporation of Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) into the training of general surgery residents (GSR). Limited data exist on perception of EPAs by GSR. We aimed to assess the impact of EPAs on GSR for 2 included program topics: inguinal hernia and general surgery consultation., Study Design: A 21-question, cross-sectional, Likert scale survey was distributed to 64 GSR at an urban university hospital to assess perceptions and apprehensions regarding EPA implementation. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze differences in responses between junior residents (PGY 1-3) and senior residents (PGY 4-5), and by gender of respondent, α = 0.05., Results: Forty-one (64%) GSR completed surveys. Approximately one-half of respondents had "faint to some" knowledge about EPAs. Fifty-seven percent of GSR were "moderately to highly concerned" about being assessed by attending surgeons with whom they did not have a prior relationship. Additionally, concerns were raised about being assessed by attending surgeons who may have observed their patient interaction only in part. Most GSR expressed "little to no concern" about impact of EPAs to potentially increase workload, the view of their program director as to their clinical competency, or American Board of Surgery plans to use collected data. Forty-two percent GSR in PGY 1 to 3 were "moderately to highly" concerned about impact on progression to the next year of residency, whereas senior GSR had "little to no concern." Most GSR (57%) expressed "moderate to high" concern about emergency medicine attending physicians evaluating them. Similar themes regarding EMA evaluation were identified in the comments section of the survey., Conclusions: EPAs are intended to be a major part of GSR's competency-based assessment and advancement. More work needs to be done to alleviate concerns as to who should provide assessments, as well as in defining how EPAs will be used to assess clinical competency., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: Feedback (FB) regarding perioperative care is essential in general surgery residents' (GSRs) training. We hypothesized that FB would be distributed unevenly across preoperative (PrO), intraoperative (IO), and postoperative (PO) continuum of the perioperative period. We aimed to compare results between university- and community-hospital settings planning to institute structured, formalized FB in a large health care system operating multiple surgery residency programs in departments that are linked strategically., Methods: Quantitative, cross-sectional, Likert scale anonymous surveys were distributed to all GSRs (categorical and preliminary; university: community 1:2). Twenty-five questions considered frequency and perceived quality of FB in PrO, IO, and PO settings. Data were tabulated using REDCap and analyzed in Microsoft Excel using the Mann-Whitney U test, with α = 0.05. Comparisons were made between university- and community-hospital settings, between junior (Post-Graduate Year (PGY) 1-3) and senior (PGY 4-5) GSRs, and by gender., Results: Among 115 GSRs surveyed, 83 (72%) responded. Whereas 93% reported receiving some FB within the past year, 46% reported receiving FB ≤ 20% of the time. A majority (58%) found FB to be helpful ≥ 80% of the time. Among GSRs, 77%, 24%, and 64% reported receiving PrO, IO, or PO FB ≤ 20% of the time, respectively, but 52% also believed that FB was lacking in all 3 areas. Most GSRs wanted designated time for PrO planning FB (82%) and PO FB (87%), respectively. Thirty-six percent of GSRs reported that senior/chief (i.e., PGY-4/PGY-5 GSRs) took them through cases ≥40% of the time; notably,78% reported that FB from senior/chief GSRs was equally or more valuable than FB from attending surgeons. A majority (78%) reported that attending surgeons stated explicitly when they were providing FB only ≤20% of the time. GSRs at the community hospital campuses reported receiving a higher likelihood of "any" FB, IO FB, and PO FB (p < 0.05). Most GSRs surveyed preferred a structured format and designated times for debriefing and evaluation of performance. Subanalyses of gender and GSR level of training showed no differences., Conclusions: FB during GSR training varies across the perioperative continuum of care. Community programs seem to do better than University Programs. More work need to be done to elucidate why differences exist between the frequency of FB at University and Community programs. Further, data show particularly low FB outside of the operating room. Ideally, according to respondents, FB would be provided in a structured format and at designated times for debriefing and evaluation of performance, which poses a challenge considering the temporal dynamism of general surgery services., (Copyright © 2020 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We describe the endovascular repair for a proximal endograft migration following a modified frozen elephant trunk (mFET) repair for a retrograde type A dissection (retro-A AD). A 40-year-old man presented with a type B aortic dissection that progressed to a retro-A AD. He was emergently taken to the operating room for an mFET repair. Computed tomography (CT) angiogram on the day of discharge revealed that the proximal end of the endograft migrated through the primary intimal tear resulting in obstruction of true lumen flow. The patient returned to the catheterization lab for endovascular repair utilizing a through-and-through wire to extend the endograft proximally and a left carotid-subclavian artery bypass. This complication highlights the importance of postoperative CT surveillance and the endovascular technique utilized to restore aortic true lumen flow.

Background: Endovascular treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) with proximal chronic aortic dissection is challenging as a false and true lumen at the level of the infra-renal neck does not allow a sufficient landing zone. We describe staged endovascular neck stabilization prior to standard endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for AAA with chronic aortic dissection., Technique: To create a stable proximal neck (PN) by closing entry tears, thereby resulting in total false lumen thrombosis (FLT) prior to standard EVAR. Case 1 false lumen fenestrations were present at the descending aorta, the right renal artery orifice and PN. After closing the entry tear by thoracic EVAR, an aortic cuff was placed in the true lumen of the PN and renal stenting for the right renal artery was performed. After 2 months, total FLT was achieved, and EVAR was performed. Case 2 false lumen fenestrations were present at the descending, super celiac aorta and PN. After closing the entry by TEVAR, aortic cuffs were placed at infrarenal aorta to close residual entries. After 1 month of achieving total FLT, EVAR was performed. Both cases had no type 1 endoleak during follow-up., Conclusion: The endovascular neck stabilization is a useful treatment option that facilitates standard EVAR for AAA in chronic aortic dissection.

Connective tissue disease (CTD) represents a group of genetic conditions characterized by disruptive matrix remodeling. When this process involves aortic and vascular wall, patients with CTD have a high risk of developing arterial aneurysms, dissections and ruptures. Open surgical repair is still the gold standard therapy for patients with CTD with reasonable morbidity and mortality risk. The surgical treatment of CTD often requires multiple operations. In the endovascular era, fenestrated and branched stent grafts may play a role in reducing the complications of multiple open operations. Although the long-term results of endovascular treatment in the setting of CTD are unknown, it is generally accepted that endovascular treatment is restricted to selected patients with high surgical risk. In an emergency setting, endovascular intervention can serve as a lifesaving bridge to elective open aortic repair. Aortic centers performing a large volume of complex open and endovascular aortic repairs have started to combine these two techniques in a staged fashion. The goal is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with extensive aortic repairs in CTD patients. For this reason, recommend endovascular therapy when a "graft-to-graft" approach is possible. In this scenario, the surgeon who performs the open repair must take into consideration future interventions. Surgical repair in any aortic segment should allow creation of proximal and distal landing zones over 4 cm to secure the sealing of a future stent graft. Connective tissue disease should be treated with a multidisciplinary approach, in high volume centers. Endovascular treatment represents a potential option in patients at high risk for open repair. Staged hybrid procedures have emerged as a way to reduce spinal cord ischemia and avoid multiple open surgeries. The aim of this article is to discuss the management of aortic diseases in CTD, focusing on to the role of standard open surgery and emerging endovascular treatment, and to give an overview of the few series published regarding this topic with a small number of patients.

Background: The aim of this study is to compare the outcome of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) using the Zenith ® Spiral Z abdominal aortic aneurysm iliac leg (ZSLE) versus the Zenith ® Flex abdominal aortic aneurysm iliac leg (TFLE)., Methods: Patients undergoing EVAR using TFLE or ZSLE between October 2009 and December 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical end points were freedom from limb-related complications and change in arterial tortuosity indexes. Limb-related complication was defined as limb stenosis or occlusion, stent kink, stent disconnection, and type 1b endoleak. Tortuosity indexes were measured on the preoperative and postoperative computed tomography and compared., Results: A total of 56 patients (11 female, average age 78.5 ± 5.5 years), 111 limbs, were enrolled. One patient was treated using aortouni-iliac device. TFLE was deployed in 43 limbs (22 patients) and ZSLE in 68 limbs (34 patients). Average follow-up was 43.6 ± 27.6 months. During follow-up, 8 limb-related complications occurred in the TFLE group and 2 in the ZSLE group. Freedom from limb-related complications at 3 years was 84.4% in the TFLE group and 96.1% in the ZSLE group (P = 0.039). There was no statistically significant difference between the TFLE and the ZSLE group in the aortoiliac tortuosity change (TFLE versus ZSLE -6.1 ± 5.8 vs. -4.9 ± 6.4, P = 0.324). However, there was significance in the iliac tortuosity change (-7.4 ± 11.7 vs. -3.0 ± 7.9, P = 0.022)., Conclusions: Spiral Z leg showed less occurrence of limb-related complications and less iliac artery tortuosity index change compared to Zenith Flex leg. The spiral Z leg provided better conformability as a stent-graft limb., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We describe renal stent migration following thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection. A 68-year-old male presented with type B aortic dissection. His course was complicated by renal and lower extremity malperfusion. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed and completion angiogram showed no flow in the left renal artery. A renal stent was deployed with the proximal margin of the stent 1 mm into the aortic true lumen, providing improved renal perfusion. One week after TEVAR, contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) revealed that the renal stent had embolized to the aortic bifurcation. Additional endovascular therapy successfully crushed the renal stent against the iliac artery wall utilizing a larger bare metal stent. At 3 year follow-up, contrast-enhanced CT demonstrated good patency of the left renal artery and right iliac artery. This complication alerts physicians to consider subsequent aortic remodeling during endovascular intervention for acute aortic dissection with malperfusion.

Any quantitative assessment of blood flow using conventional angiography remains impossible with current technology. Physicians decide the clinical end point of a procedure by subjective interpretation. Color-coded digital subtraction angiography has been invented to meet this demand and is used primarily in neuroradiology. This report presents the endovascular treatment of a rare complex combination of peripheral artery disease and arteriovenous fistula using guidance of blood flow parameters, such as area under the curve.

The frozen elephant technique has simplified aortic arch surgery. As with thoracic endovascular aortic repair, frozen elephant technique reconstructions often require reintervention. Skilled endovascular management of frozen elephant technique complications is imperative as novel devices emerge. We describe 2 patients who required early intervention for severe foreshortening and incomplete expansion of the Thoraflex (Vascutek, Inchinnan, United Kingdom) stent graft., (Copyright © 2019 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) released new guidelines for operating room attire in 2015 in an attempt to reduce surgical site infections (SSIs). These guidelines have been adopted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We aimed to assess the relationships among operating room attire, SSIs, and healthcare costs., Study Design: In March 2016, our center introduced the AORN attire policy. National Health Safety Network data from our hospital were collected on general surgery, cardiac, neurosurgery, orthopaedic, and gynecology procedures from January 2014 to November 2017. The SSI rates and microbiological culture data for 30,493 procedures before and after policy implementation were compared using propensity score matching. The associated costs of the AORN policy were analyzed., Results: After 1:1 propensity score matching, 12,585 matched pairs spanning the policy change were included (25,170 patients total); before policy change (BC group) and after policy change (AC group). The rate of SSIs did not differ between groups (1.0% AC group vs 1.1% BC group; p = 0.7). There was no difference in the incidence of Staphylococcal species cultured from wounds (19.3% AC group vs 16.8% BC group; p = 0.6). Multivariable analyses demonstrated that wound classification and emergent procedures were the strongest independent predictors of SSIs. The cost of attire for 1 person entering the operating room increased from $0.07 to $0.12 before policy change to $1.11 to $1.38 after policy change. Use of the mandated operating room long-sleeved jackets alone in our institution was associated with an added cost of $1,128,078 annually, which translates to an estimated $540 million per year for all US hospitals combined., Conclusions: Implementation of the AORN guidelines has not decreased SSIs and has increased healthcare costs., (Copyright © 2018 American College of Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Renal transplant allograft function in patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism who are treated with cinacalcet versus parathyroidectomy remains unclear., Methods: This is a retrospective, single-center review of patients with tertiary hyperparathyroidism between 2000 and 2017. We compared clinical parameters and outcomes, including renal allograft failure in patients who had undergone parathyroidectomy versus treatment with cinacalcet therapy., Results: A total of 133 patients were included (33 who received parathyroidectomy and 100 who received cinacalcet); median renal allograft survival was 5.9 years (interquartile range 4.0-9.0). There were no differences in age, sex, body mass index, comorbidities, duration of pretransplant dialysis, cadaveric donor utilization, or rates of delayed allograft function between cohorts. In the parathyroidectomy cohort, normalization of parathyroid hormone occurred more frequently (67% vs 15%, P < .001) and renal allograft failure rates were less (9% vs 33%, P = .007), with similar median posttransplant follow-up (7.0 years [interquartile range 4.5-10.0]). On multivariable analysis, parathyroidectomy was inversely associated with allograft failure (odds ratio 0.20, 95%-confidence interval 0.06-0.71, P = .013); there were no other associated factors. A greater median parathyroid hormone (pg/mL) 1 year posttransplant (348 [interquartile range 204-493] vs 195 [interquartile range 147-297], P = .025) was associated with allograft failure in the cinacalcet cohort., Conclusion: Parathyroidectomy for tertiary hyperparathyroidism is associated with lesser rates of renal allograft failure compared with cinacalcet management. Patients with inadequate parathyroid hormone control on cinacalcet at 1 year posttransplant should be considered for parathyroidectomy to prevent potential allograft failure., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Cardiac surgery for structural heart disease has poor outcomes in the presence of cardiogenic shock or advanced heart failure. We applied venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) to restore end-organ function and resuscitate patients before high-risk cardiac operation., Methods: Twelve patients with cardiogenic shock and end-organ failure were evaluated for cardiac surgery. The average Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality risk was 24% ± 13%. Patients were peripherally cannulated on ECMO for 7 ± 4 days, before undergoing operation for prosthetic mitral stenosis (n = 4), ruptured papillary muscle (n = 4), ischemic ventricular septal defect (n = 3), or severe aortic stenosis (n = 1)., Results: Mean age was 61 ± 8 years. Comorbidities included acute renal failure (n = 11), inotrope requirement (n = 10), intraaortic balloon pump (n = 8), severe acidosis (n = 6), high-dose vasopressor requirement (n = 8), and cardiac arrest (n = 1). With ECMO support, vasopressor requirement, central venous pressure, creatinine, lactate, pH, pulmonary hypertension, and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality risk and EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) II all improved significantly. Care was withdrawn in 1 patient on ECMO with initially unknown anoxic brain injury. No patients required dialysis at discharge. Complications included 1 permanent stroke. All operative patients survived to hospital discharge. Average length of follow-up was 420 days, with 2 patient deaths at 76 and 230 days and 6 patients surviving over 1 year., Conclusions: ECMO can be used as a bridge to heart valve or septal defect surgery in severely decompensated patients. Through recovery of end-organ function, ECMO may allow surgical correction of structural heart disease in patients considered inoperable or convert a salvage situation to an elective operation., (Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chronic aortic dissecting aneurysms (TAAD) presenting after acute Stanford type A or B dissection includes both arch and/or thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA). Approximately 60% of patients who survive surgical treatment of acute type A aortic dissections will require another aortic procedure. Similarly, more than 70% of patients with chronic type B aortic dissections will experience false lumen dilation at 5-year follow-up, often requiring intervention. Open or hybrid aortic repairs of complex TAAD involving the arch and the TAAA are very demanding procedures for both patients and clinicians. Open surgery remains the first line therapy in fit patients. Recent development of branched arch devices has offered an alternative option for high-risk patients. Technical challenges associated with the endovascular management of these complex aneurysms include proximal sealing zone often located in the aortic arch or the ascending aorta, narrow true lumen working space, and aortic branch perfusion by either the true or false lumen, or both. Recent studies have reported encouraging results with endovascular treatment of these complex dissecting aneurysms, especially following open ascending aortic repair. The aim of this review was to describe the available strategies for arch repair in the setting of a chronic TAAD and to determine the subset of patients that can benefit from of a totally endovascular approach.

Background: Accurate risk assessment before surgery is complex and hampered by behavioral factors. Underutilized risk-based decision-support tools may counteract these barriers. The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of and barriers to the use of surgical risk-assessment tools and assess the importance of data framing as a barrier to adoption in surgical trainees., Methods: We distributed a survey and risk assessment activity to surgical trainees at four training institutions. The primary outcomes of this study were descriptive risk assessment practices currently performed by residents, identifiable influences and obstacles to adoption, and the variability of preference sets when comparing modified System Usability Scores of a current risk calculator to a purpose-built calculator revision. Risk calculator comparison responses were compared with simple and multivariable regression to identify predictors for preferentiality., Results: We collected responses from 124 surgical residents (39% response rate). Participants endorsed familiarity with direct verbal communication (100%), sketch diagrams (87%), and brochures (59%). The most contemporary risk communication frameworks, such as best-worst case scenario framing (38%), case-specific risk calculators (43%), and all-procedure calculators (52%) were the least familiar. Usage favored traditional models of communication with only 26% of residents regularly using a strategy other than direct verbal discussion or anatomic sketch diagrams. Barriers limiting routine use included lack of electronic and clinical workflow integration. The mean modified System Usability Scores domain scores were widely dispersed for all domains, and no domain demonstrated one calculator's superiority over another., Conclusion: Risk assessment tools are underutilized by trainees. Of importance, preference sets of clinicians appear to be unpredictable and may benefit more from a customizable, bespoke approach., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Throughout surgery, specialization in a procedure has been shown to improve outcomes. Currently, there is no evidence for or against subspecialization in coronary surgery. Tasked with the goal of improving outcomes after isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), our institution sought to determine whether the development of a subspecialized coronary surgery program would improve morbidity and mortality., Methods: All isolated CABG operations at a single institution were retrospectively examined in two distinct periods, 2002 to 2013 and 2013 to 2016, before and after the implementation of a subspecialized coronary surgery program. Improved policies included leadership and subspecialization of a program director, standardization of surgical technique and postoperative care, and monthly multidisciplinary quality review. Outcomes were collected and compared., Results: Between 2002 and 2013, 3,256 CABG operations were done by 16 surgeons, the most frequent surgeon doing 33%. Between 2013 and 2016, 1,283 operations were done by 10 surgeons, 70% by the coronary program director. CABGs done in the specialized era had shorter bypass and clamps times and increased use of bilateral internal mammary arteries. Blood transfusion and complication rates, including permanent stroke and prolonged ventilation, were significantly decreased after implementation of the coronary program. Likewise, overall operative mortality (2.67% vs 1.48%, p = 0.02) was significantly reduced., Conclusions: Subspecialization in CABG and dedicated coronary surgery programs may lead to faster operations, increased use of bilateral internal mammary arteries, fewer complications, and improved survival after isolated CABG., (Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study provides an updated description of diversity along the academic surgical pipeline to determine what progress has been made., Methods: Data was extracted from a variety of publically available data sources to determine proportions of minorities in medical school, general surgery training, and academic surgery leadership., Results: In 2014-2015, Blacks represented 12.4% of the U.S. population, but only 5.7% graduating medical students, 6.2% general surgery trainees, 3.8% assistant professors, 2.5% associate professors and 2.0% full professors. From 2005-2015, representation among Black associate professors has gotten worse (-0.07%/year, p < 0.01). Similarly, in 2014-2015, Hispanics represented 17.4% of the U.S. population but only 4.5% graduating medical students, 8.5% general surgery trainees, 5.0% assistant professors, 5.0% associate professors and 4.0% full professors. There has been modest improvement in Hispanic representation among general surgery trainees (0.2%/year, p < 0.01), associate (0.12%/year, p < 0.01) and full professors (0.13%/year, p < 0.01)., Conclusion: Despite efforts to promote diversity in surgery, Blacks and Hispanics remain underrepresented. A multi-level national focus is imperative to elucidate effective mechanisms to make academic surgery more reflective of the US population., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 74-year-old man presented with progressive dyspnea on exertion. History included peripheral arterial disease and coronary artery bypass grafting with aortic valve replacement 12 years ago. Subsequently, the surgical valve developed severe stenosis and moderate insufficiency. He underwent a transapical valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement 5 years before presentation. This second valve developed a mean gradient of 66 mm Hg with mild insufficiency. The patient was treated with a third aortic valve using an alternative transcaval approach, significantly alleviating his symptoms.

We report a patient with refractory electrical storm after coronary artery bypass grafting who was successfully treated with thoracoscopic sympathectomy. Cardiac arrest with ventricular tachycardia occurred on postoperative day 2, and the patient required emergency support with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Frequent episodes of ventricular tachycardia prevented cardiac recovery and weaning from mechanical circulatory support. A percutaneous left stellate ganglion block initially demonstrated successful prevention of ventricular tachycardia, and definitive sympathetic denervation was achieved by a left thoracoscopic sympathectomy. The patient remained in normal sinus rhythm and gained recovery of baseline ventricular function, permitting successful decannulation and weaning of inotropic support., (Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: As an adjunct to simulation-based teaching, laparoscopic video-based surgical coaching has been an effective tool to augment surgical education. However, the wide use of video review in open surgery has been limited primarily due to technological and logistical challenges. The aims of our study were to (1) evaluate perceptions of general surgery (GS) residents on video-assisted operative instruction and (2) conduct a pilot study using a head-mounted GoPro in conjunction with the operative performance rating system to assess feasibility of providing video review to enhance operative feedback during open procedures., Design: GS residents were anonymously surveyed to evaluate their perceptions of oral and written operative feedback and use of video-based operative resources. We then conducted a pilot study of 10 GS residents to assess the utility and feasibility of using a GoPro to record resident performance of an arteriovenous fistula creation with an attending surgeon. Categorical variables were analyzed using the chi-square test., Setting: Academic, tertiary medical center., Participants: GS residents and faculty., Results: A total of 59 GS residents were anonymously surveyed (response rate = 65.5%). A total of 40% (n = 24) of residents reported that structured evaluations rarely or never provided meaningful feedback. When feedback was received, 55% (n = 32) residents reported that it was only rarely or sometimes in regard to their operative skills. There was no significant difference in surveyed responses among junior postgraduate year (PGY 1-2), senior (PGY 3-4), or chief residents (PGY-5). A total of 80% (n = 8) of residents found the use of GoPro video review very or extremely useful for education; they also deemed video review more useful for operative feedback than written or communicative feedback. An overwhelming majority (90%, n = 9) felt that video review would lead to improved technical skills, wanted to review the video with the attending surgeon for further feedback, and desired expansion of this tool to include additional procedures., Conclusions: Although there has been progress toward improving operative feedback, room for further improvement remains. The use of a head-mounted GoPro is a dynamic tool that provides high-quality video for operative review and has the potential to augment the training experience of GS residents. Future studies exploring a wide array of open procedures involving a greater number of trainees will be needed to further define the use of this resource., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Background: To determine if preoperative embolic stroke is associated with an increased risk of postoperative stroke among patients undergoing early operation for mitral valve (MV) infective endocarditis (IE), we compared outcomes among patients presenting with and without acute stroke., Methods: From 2003 to 2015, 243 consecutive patients underwent surgery for active MV IE. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: 72% (174 of 243 patients) with no preoperative acute stroke (clinical, radiographic or both) and 28% (69 of 243 patients) with stroke. Both preoperative and postoperative strokes were confirmed in all patients with brain computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging and comprehensive examination by a neurologist., Results: Among patients presenting with stroke, 33% (23 of 69 patients) were asymptomatic and had only positive imaging findings. The median time from admission to operation was 5 days. The overall rate of new postoperative stroke was 4% (10 of 243 patients). The rate of postoperative stroke was not different between the 2 groups: 4% (7 of 174 patients) among patients with no preoperative stroke and 4% (3 of 69 patients) with stroke (p = 0.9). One patient developed a hemorrhagic conversion of an acute infarct. Operative mortality was 7% (13 of 174 patients) among patients with no preoperative stroke and 7% (5 of 69 patients) among patients with stroke (p = 0.9)., Conclusions: MV surgery for IE and acute stroke can be performed early with a low risk of postoperative neurologic complications. When indicated, surgical intervention for MV IE complicated by acute stroke should not be delayed., (Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Medication non-adherence in transplant patients is a grave problem that results in increased rejection episodes, graft loss and significant morbidity., Methods: The efficacy of users and non-users of a mobile phone application (mobile app) in promoting medication adherence was investigated. The Beliefs about Medicine Questionnaire (BMQ) and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) were used in these cohorts to assess the predilection for poor adherence. Serum tacrolimus, creatinine levels, and rejection episodes were also recorded. Lastly, the patients were tested on their recall of their immunosuppression., Results: Overall, patients had extremely negative beliefs about medication reflected in their tendency toward higher predicted rates of non-adherence. Interestingly, though not significant, app users had higher rates of medication recollection., Conclusions: The high-risk nature of this population demands efforts to abrogate non-adherence. Caregivers are charged with the responsibility to offer patients a feasible option to safeguard treatment compliance. Mobile apps are a potentially powerful tool, which can be used to decrease non-adherence., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)