The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Comparative Study
Long-term outcome of type B aortic intramural hematoma: comparison with classic aortic dissection treated by the same therapeutic strategy.
The long-term clinical course and therapeutic strategy of patients with type B aortic intramural hematoma (IMH) are not completely known. The purpose of this study was to clarify long-term prognosis of patients with type B IMH by comparison with type B classic aortic dissection (AD). ⋯ Patients with type B IMH have similar long-term prognosis to patients with type B AD. Medical therapy with frequent follow-up imaging studies and timed surgical repair in cases with progression can be a rational therapeutic strategy in patients with type B IMH.
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Comparative Study
Increased tissue microarray matrix metalloproteinase expression favors proteolysis in thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections.
Little information is available regarding the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. We applied tissue microarray analysis to determine MMP profiles in a large group of surgically resected thoracic aneurysms and dissections. ⋯ The increased MMP expression in aortic aneurysms and dissections indicates a metamorphosis in the aneurysm wall toward increased proteolysis compared with the normal aorta. Furthermore, we find even higher MMP-2 and MMP-9 presence in aortic dissection. In both aneurysms and dissections, this transformation to a proteolytic state likely plays an important pathophysiologic role in the development and progression of the aortic disease. The recognition of this pathophysiologic mechanism raises the potential for drug therapy to interrupt the cascade of events.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Left ventricular assist device performance with long-term circulatory support: lessons from the REMATCH trial.
Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) failure and malfunction rates are critical gauges for establishing LVADs as a long-term therapy for end-stage heart failure patients. These device performance measures, however, have been inadequately characterized in the bridge-to-transplantation literature. ⋯ Despite the observed rates of device malfunction and replacement, LVAD implantation confers clinically significant improvement with regard to survival as compared with medical management. Device modifications and innovations for infection management exhibit great promise of improving device performance in the near future.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A closed perfusion system with heparin coating and centrifugal pump improves cardiopulmonary bypass biocompatibility in elderly patients.
Cardiopulmonary bypass induces a systemic inflammatory and hemostatic activation, which may contribute to postoperative complications. Our aim was to compare the inflammatory response, coagulation, and fibrinolytic activation between two different perfusion systems: one theoretically more biocompatible with a closed-circuit, complete heparin coating, and a centrifugal pump, and one conventional system with uncoated circuit, roller pump, and a hard-shell venous reservoir. ⋯ The results suggest that a closed perfusion system with a heparin-coated circuit and a centrifugal pump may improve cardiopulmonary bypass biocompatibility in elderly cardiac surgery patients in comparison with a conventional system.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Hemodynamic changes during posterior vessel off-pump coronary artery bypass: comparison between deep pericardial sutures and vacuum-assisted apical suction device.
Displacement of the heart to expose posterior vessels during off-pump coronary artery bypass may cause hemodynamic derangement. The aims of this study were (1) to elucidate the hemodynamic changes during off-pump coronary artery bypass for the obtuse marginal branch (OM) of the left circumflex artery; and (2) to compare the hemodynamic changes caused by a deep pericardial suture technique with those caused by a vacuum-assisted apical suction device for displacement of the heart. ⋯ Displacement of the heart using either a deep pericardial suture technique or a vacuum-assisted apical suction device caused a significant decrease in SVI. The hemodynamic changes during OM grafting were smaller when using a vacuum-assisted apical suction device.