Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Oct 2014
Case Reports'Fast-implantable' aortic valve implantation and concomitant mitral procedures.
Concomitant aortic and mitral valve replacement or concomitant aortic valve replacement and mitral repair can be a challenge for the cardiac surgeon: in particular, because of their structure and design, two bioprosthetic heart valves or an aortic valve prosthesis and a rigid mitral ring can interfere at the level of the mitroaortic junction. Therefore, when a mitral bioprosthesis or a rigid mitral ring is already in place and a surgical aortic valve replacement becomes necessary, or when older high-risk patients require concomitant mitral and aortic procedures, the new 'fast-implantable' aortic valve system (Intuity valve, Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, CA, USA) can represent a smart alternative to standard aortic bioprosthesis. Unfortunately, this is still controversial (risk of interference). ⋯ Interestingly, we learned that there is no interference (or not significant interference) among the standard valve and the stent valve. Consequently, we can assume that a fast-implantable valve can also be safely placed next to a biological mitral valve or next to a rigid mitral ring without risks of distortion, malpositioning, high gradient or paravalvular leak. This paper describes two cases: a concomitant Intuity aortic valve and bioprosthetic mitral valve implantation and a concomitant Intuity aortic valve and mitral ring implantation.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Sep 2014
ReviewIn surgeons performing cardiothoracic surgery is sleep deprivation significant in its impact on morbidity or mortality?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was: is there a difference in cardiothoracic surgery outcomes in terms of morbidity or mortality of patients operated on by a sleep-deprived surgeon compared with those operated by a non-sleep-deprived surgeon? Reported search criteria yielded 77 papers, of which 15 were deemed to represent the best evidence on the topic. Three studies directly related to cardiothoracic surgery and 12 studies related to non-cardiothoracic surgery. ⋯ There is little direct evidence in the literature demonstrating the effect of sleep deprivation in cardiothoracic surgeons on morbidity or mortality. However, overall the non-cardiothoracic studies have demonstrated that operative time and sleep deprivation can have a significant impact on overall morbidity and mortality. It is likely that other confounding factors concomitantly affect outcomes in out-of-hours surgery.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Sep 2014
ReviewWhat type of valve is most appropriate for osteogenesis imperfecta patients?
A best evidence topic in cardiac surgery was written according to a structured protocol. The question addressed was in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) patients with valve disease undergoing valve replacement which type of valve (bioprosthetic or mechanical) is most appropriate in terms of safety, complications and survival. Altogether more than 77 papers were found as a result of the reported search, of which 43 represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question. ⋯ We conclude that based on the best available evidence, it appears that bioprosthetic valves have had better outcomes (mortality rate 10%) and a lower valve-related complication rate (0%) compared with mechanical valves (mortality rate 16.1%, complication rate 16.1%), even though differences were not statistically significant. Although the existing evidence is solely based on case reports of a relatively small number, we would suggest the use of bioprosthetic valves in OI patients with valve disease, as they appear to be safer according to our analysis. Moreover, considering the surgical difficulties related to the friability and weakness of the tissues in terms of suture lines and implantation of the valve as well as the high risk of perioperative bleeding which can be related to tissue friability, capillary fragility and platelet dysfunction followed by the risk of major traumatic fractures and a possible risk of aortic dissection in the future, the bioprosthetic valves seem to be safer taking into account the avoidance of lifelong anticoagulation and its secondary bleeding complications.
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Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg · Sep 2014
Mesenteric ischaemia following cardiac surgery: the influence of intraoperative perfusion parameters.
Mesenteric ischaemia (MesI) remains a rare but lethal complication following cardiac surgery. Previously identified risk factors for MesI mortality (age, poor left ventricular (LV) function, cardiopulmonary bypass time and blood loss) are non-specific and cannot necessarily be modified. This study aims to identify potentially modifiable risk factors for MesI mortality through analysis of peri- and intraoperative perfusion data. ⋯ Our study not only confirms previously known predictive factors, but also demonstrates a new association between intraoperative vasopressor use and MesI mortality.