Training Residents in Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A 14-year Experience
OPCAB is a safe and reproducible surgical technique that can be taught successfully to cardiothoracic trainees.
Perioperative Fluid Balance and Acute Kidney Injury
Positive FB was associated with increased incidence of AKI.
Preoperative Hypoalbuminemia is a Major Risk Factor for Acute Kidney Injury Following Off-pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery
Preoperative low serum albumin level is an independent risk factor for AKI, and postoperative AKI is associated with poor outcomes after OPCAB in patients with preoperative normal renal function.
Infections Occurring in Adult Patients Receiving Mechanical Circulatory Support: The Two-Year Experience of an Italian National Referral Tertiary Care Center
Infection during mechanical circulatory support is a frequent adverse complication. We analyzed infections occurring in this population in a national tertiary care center, and assessed the differences existing between the setting of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and ventricular assist devices (VADs).
Can Long-Term Ventricular Assist Devices Be Safely Implanted in Low-Volume Non-Heart Transplant Centres
Long-term VADs can be implanted at low-volume, nontransplant centres with survival rates comparable with contemporary clinical trials.
Physical Therapist Management of Patients With Ventricular Assist Devices: Key Considerations for the Acute Care Physical Therapist
This article provides an overview of the utilization of ventricular assist devices (VADs), reviews the common features of VADs and management of VAD recipients, discusses clinical considerations in the rehabilitation process, and describes the role of the acute care physical therapist in the care of VAD recipients.
Diagnosis and Management of Circulatory Arrest in Pediatric Ventricular Assist Device Patients: Presentation of Two Cases and Suggested Guidelines
Pediatric patients supported by ventricular assist devices (VADs) are becoming more common. No guidelines exist to provide an approach to diagnosis or management of circulatory arrest in these patients. We present two case reports of apparent circulatory arrest in pediatric VAD-supported patients at our institution.
Contemporary Results for Proximal Aortic Replacement in North America
The purpose of this study was to characterize operative outcomes for ascending aorta and arch replacement on a national scale and to develop risk models for mortality and major morbidity.
Selective Antegrade Cerebral Perfusion and Mild (28°C-30°C) Systemic Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest for Aortic Arch Replacement: Results from 1002 Patients
Current data suggest that ACP and mild systemic hypothermic circulatory arrest can be safely applied to complex aortic arch surgery even in a subgroup of patients with up to 90 minutes of ACP. Unilateral ACP offers at least equal brain and visceral organ protection as bilateral ACP and might be advantageous in that it reduces the incidence of embolism arising from surgical manipulation on the arch vessels.
Total Arch Replacement Under Flow Monitoring During Selective Cerebral Perfusion Using a Single Pump
Flow monitoring showed that selective perfusion using a single pump adequately distributed flow among all supraaortic vessels. This monitoring system might help to improve brain protection and outcomes during total aortic arch replacement.
Total Arch Replacement in Patients With Aortic Dissection With an Isolated Left Vertebral Artery
Acceptable results were obtained in patients with aortic dissection with an isolated left vertebral artery. Although there was no clear evidence that the spinal cord injury was related to the isolated left vertebral artery using stented elephant trunk implantation, the isolated left vertebral artery was constructed as soon as possible in patients with this vessel anomaly.
β-Blockers Improve Survival of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
This study showed that in patients with COPD undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting the administration of β-blockers is safe and significantly improves survival at mid-term follow-up.