Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Feb 2013
Comparative StudyDoes a gentamicin-impregnated collagen sponge reduce sternal wound infections in high-risk cardiac surgery patients?
Sternal wound infections occurring after cardiac surgery have a critical impact on morbidity, mortality and hospital costs. This study evaluated the efficacy of a gentamicin-collagen sponge in decreasing deep sternal-wound infections in high-risk cardiac surgery patients. ⋯ A gentamicin-collagen sponge was not effective in preventing deep sternal wound infections in high-risk patients. Our results suggest that a substantial proportion of wound contaminations occur after bypass surgery with bilateral internal mammary artery grafts.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Feb 2013
Potassium-induced conversion of ventricular fibrillation after aortic declamping.
The anti-fibrillatory effect of potassium is well recognized from experimental models. There have, however, been very few clinical reports on the use of potassium to convert ventricular fibrillation (VF) after cardioplegic arrest. ⋯ The results from this register study demonstrate that potassium infusion is an effective and convenient first-hand measure to convert post declamping VF on CPB.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Feb 2013
A novel low-fidelity simulator for both mitral valve and tricuspid valve surgery: the surgical skills trainer for classic open and minimally invasive techniques.
Simulators have been proven to equip trainee surgeons with better skills than the traditional, standard approach to skill development. The purpose of this study was to develop a low-fidelity, low-cost, reusable and portable simulation device, which could provide training in nearly the full range of mitral valve surgery techniques, in both the classic, open approach as well as the minimally invasive approach. ⋯ This relatively simple, low-cost, low-fidelity model can provide simulation training in nearly the full range of mitral valve and tricuspid valve surgical techniques, in both the classic open approach and the minimally invasive approach-and do so almost anywhere. Especially when used by young cardiothoracic surgeons in training, this model may contribute to the development of technical skills and procedural knowledge required for adequate performance in the operating room.