The Annals of thoracic surgery
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We describe a new aortic retractor that is effective in maintaining aortic root geometry and providing for adequate intraoperative visual valve assessment, and therefore enables the surgeon to perform precise aortic valve repair or replacement procedures.
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Review Meta Analysis
Skeletonized internal thoracic artery harvest improves prognosis in high-risk population after coronary artery bypass surgery for good quality grafts.
Skeletonization of the internal thoracic artery is supposed to achieve extra length with added advantages of decreased sternal complications. There is no agreement whether skeletonization affects grafts, main adverse cardiac events, mortality, or pulmonary function when compared with the conventional pedicled method. The aim of our study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of different harvesting techniques. ⋯ Skeletonized harvesting for the internal thoracic artery provides superiority to the quality of grafts with additional advantages of lesser trauma, producing fewer postoperative complications. Above all, skeletonized grafting in the high-risk population has a potential benefit in mortality and mainly adverse cardiac events.
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Comparative Study
Postoperative anemia and exercise tolerance after cardiac operations in patients without transfusion: what hemoglobin level is acceptable?
Restrictive transfusion strategies have been suggested for cardiac surgical patients, leading to various degrees of postoperative anemia. This study investigates the exercise tolerance during rehabilitation of cardiac surgical patients who did not receive transfusions, with respect to their level of postoperative anemia. ⋯ Postoperative anemia with hemoglobin levels of 8 to 10 g/dL is well tolerated in patients who have not received a transfusion and induces only a transient impairment of exercise tolerance.
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Endoscopic management of idiopathic tracheal stenosis.
Idiopathic tracheal stenosis (ITS) is a rare condition representing a difficult therapeutic challenge. Endoscopic management is a therapeutic option but long-term results are not established. The aim of this retrospective multicenter study was to analyze long-term outcome after endoscopic management of ITS. ⋯ Endoscopic management of ITS provides a safe and efficient therapeutic option but late recurrences are frequent and require long-term follow-up.