The Future of Obamacare
Since 2010, the fate of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been uncertain. The ACA was a historic achievement for the Obama administration and Congressional Democrats.
Making Health Care Safer II: An Updated Critical Analysis of the Evidence for Patient Safety Practices
Important patient safety practices were reviewed for evidence of effectiveness, implementation, and adoption.
Best Strategy for Cerebral Protection in Arch Surgery – Antegrade Selective Cerebral Perfusion and Adequate Hypothermia
The following perspective details the preferred surgical practice for cerebral protection in aortic arch surgery, based on existing evidence.
Blood Component Recalls and Market Withdrawals: Frequency, Reasons, and Management in the United States
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued several recent guidances that address transfusion service actions for dealing with specific infectious disease problems. This present article updates our 2004 recommendations as to when to notify physicians about transfused nonconforming blood components.
Robotics in Cardiac Surgery: Past, Present, and Future
The history and evolution of these procedures, as well as the present status and future directions of robotic cardiac surgery, are presented in this review.
Survey of Methods Used to Detect Bacterial Contamination of Platelet Products in the United States in 2011
An Internet-based survey of AABB member institutions was conducted from May to June 2012, to document current practices used in 2011 for bacterial detection in different PLT products and to assess the impact of the new standard.
Impact of Preoperative Risk Factors on Outcomes after Norwood Palliation for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
Infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) are susceptible to pre-Norwood comorbidities (PCs) and complications. This study aimed to describe the effect of PCs on timing and survival of Norwood palliation (NP).
Coarctation of the Aorta – The Current State of Surgical and Transcatheter Therapies
This review focuses on the current state of both transcatheter and surgical therapies, paying special attention to recent data on long-term follow-up of both approaches.
Revascularization Surgery as a Treatment Concept for Heart Failure
Patients with heart failure symptoms due to ischemic cardiomyopathy face a poor prognosis without adequate treatment. In these patients with viable ischemic myocardium, revascularization surgery is not a new but an established treatment concept.
Less Invasive Surgical and Perfusion Technique for Implantation of the Jarvik 2000 Left Ventricular Assist Device
Left ventricular assist device implantation might require extensive surgical incision and use of cardiopulmonary bypass.
Heart Motion Prediction Based on Adaptive Estimation Algorithms for Robotic Assisted Beating Heart Surgery
Robotic assisted beating heart surgery aims to allow surgeons to operate on a beating heart without stabilizers as if the heart is stationary. In this paper, two least-square based prediction algorithms, using an adaptive filter to generate future position estimates, are implemented and studied.
A Novel Surgical Procedure: Scaffold-Pulmonary Autograft Transplantation
Mitral valve-related operations are easy to perform and show good results, but to prevent severe thromboembolism or a high ratio of prosthetic valve destruction by tissue, lifetime anticoagulant therapy is essential after the operation.