The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Recent reports indicate that age is not a contraindication to pulmonary resection for octogenarians with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but other data are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine outcomes in these patients, particularly short- and long-term survival with stage I disease. ⋯ The 5-year survival, particularly in patients with stage Ia tumors with favorable ASA and FEV(1), supports the notion that health status and tumor stage outweigh chronologic age in determining surgical candidates.
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The objective of this study was to assess the role of a symptom-limited stair climbing test in predicting postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in elderly candidates for lung resection. ⋯ A symptom-limited stair climbing test was a safe and simple instrument capable of predicting cardiopulmonary complications in the elderly after lung resection.
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Comparative Study
Left ventricular pressure and volume unloading during pulsatile versus nonpulsatile left ventricular assist device support.
Nonpulsatile axial or centrifugal pumps are the latest generation of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). Whether left ventricular (LV) unloading and outcome in these devices is similar to pulsatile LVADs during long-term support has not been investigated. We compared LV unloading and mortality between different types of LVAD support (pulsatile versus nonpulsatile). ⋯ Left ventricular pressure unloading is similar in patients with nonpulsatile as compared with pulsatile implantable long-term assist devices. Left ventricular volume unloading is pronounced in pulsatile LVADs.
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This study evaluates the results of the arterial switch operation for early total repair of double-outlet right ventricle with subpulmonary ventricular septal defect (the Taussig-Bing heart). ⋯ The Taussig-Bing anomaly should be corrected in the neonatal period or in early infancy by arterial switch operation, closure of the ventricular septal defect, and simultaneous correction of associated cardiovascular anomalies as a one-stage procedure. Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction often complicates the postoperative course and is the main cause for reintervention.
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Postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock occurs in approximately 1% of patients. We prospectively evaluated the early and long-term outcome as well as predictors of survival when using temporary extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. ⋯ Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation is an acceptable technique for short-term treatment of refractory postoperative low cardiac output. It can save the lives of a group of very high risk patients.