The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Comparative Study
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplant: midterm outcomes.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used occasionally as a bridge to lung transplantation. The impact on mid-term survival is unknown. We analyzed outcomes after lung transplant over a 19-year period in patients who received ECMO support. ⋯ Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as a bridge to lung transplantation is associated with higher perioperative mortality but acceptable mid-term survival in carefully selected patients. Late allograft function did not differ in patients who received ECMO support before lung transplant from those who did not receive ECMO.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Statin therapy and saphenous vein graft disease after coronary bypass surgery: analysis from the CASCADE randomized trial.
Current guidelines recommend statin therapy after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) to attain low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels less than 100 mg/dL. Whether achieving LDL levels less than 70 mg/dL improves postoperative graft patency remains unknown. ⋯ Statin therapy to achieve LDL levels less than 100 mg/dL was independently associated with improved graft patency in the CASCADE trial. Randomized clinical trials are warranted to prospectively evaluate postoperative LDL reduction to less than 70 mg/dL and its impact on graft patency after CABG.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Cardiomyocyte apoptosis after antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia during aortic valve surgery.
Retrograde delivery is associated with inadequate perfusion of cardioplegia to all regions of the heart, but the effects on cardiomyocyte death and functional outcome remain unknown. We compared antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia in a randomized clinical trial to see whether it has effect on cardiomyocyte apoptosis and left ventricular function. ⋯ In contrast to antegrade cardioplegia, retrograde cardioplegia is associated with increased cardiomyocyte apoptosis, impaired immediate postoperative systolic function, and lack of long-term favorable left ventricle remodeling after aortic valve replacement, suggesting inadequate myocardial protection.
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Comparative Study
Cumulative radiation dose from medical imaging procedures in patients undergoing resection for lung cancer.
Radiation dose from diagnostic imaging procedures is not monitored in patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer. Evidence suggests an increased lifetime risk of malignancy of 1.0% per 100 millisieverts (mSv). As such, recommendations are to restrict healthcare and radiation workers to a maximum dose of 50 mSv per year or to 100 mSv over a three-year period. The purpose of this study was to estimate cumulative effective doses of radiation in patients undergoing lung cancer resection and to determine predictors of increased exposure. ⋯ This study demonstrates that lung cancer patients often receive a higher dose of radiation than that considered safe for healthcare and radiation workers. The median cumulative dose reported in this study could potentially increase the individual estimated lifetime cancer risk by as much as 0.8%. Although risk-benefit considerations are clearly different between these groups, strategies should be in place to decrease radiation doses during the preoperative workup and postoperative period.
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Acute kidney injury (AKI) occurs in as many as 40% of patients after cardiac surgery and requires dialysis in 1% of cases. Acute kidney injury is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity, predisposes patients to a longer hospitalization, requires additional treatments, and increases the hospital costs. ⋯ Recently, several novel biomarkers have emerged, showing reasonable sensitivity and specificity for AKI prediction and protection. The development and implementation of potentially protective therapies for AKI remains essential, especially for the relevant impact of AKI on early and late survival.