European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Mar 2015
Review Meta AnalysisWhich cannulation (axillary cannulation or femoral cannulation) is better for acute type A aortic dissection repair? A meta-analysis of nine clinical studies.
There is a trend towards using the axillary artery cannulation (AXC) site for cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in patients requiring acute type A aortic dissection (AAD) repair. However, AXC has not been established as a routine procedure, because there is controversy about its clinical advantage when compared with femoral artery cannulation (FAC). This meta-analysis assesses major short-term outcomes in patients undergoing acute AAD repair with AXC or FAC using non-randomized retrospective studies dating from 1992 to 2011 comparing AXC and FAC for major outcomes. ⋯ The incidence of malperfusion did not differ [odds ratio, 0.84, 95% CI (0.37, 1.90), χ(2) = 2.25, P = 0.67]. Because no study was a randomized trial, our results are more uncertain than indicated by the 95% CI. Nevertheless, AXC seems to give better short-term mortality and neurological dysfunction rates than FAC.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2015
ReviewThe impact of anaemia and intravenous iron replacement therapy on outcomes in cardiac surgery.
Anaemia is common in patients with cardiac disease and also in those undergoing cardiac surgery. There is increasing evidence that preoperative anaemia is associated with increased patient morbidity and mortality following surgery. We performed a systematic literature review to assess the impact of anaemia and intravenous (IV) iron supplementation on outcomes in cardiac surgery. ⋯ Postoperative administration of IV iron therapy, either alone or in combination with erythropoietin, was not effective in raising Hb levels or reducing red cell concentrate transfusion. On the basis of currently available evidence, the effect of perioperative administration of IV iron to cardiac surgery patients, alone or in combination with erythropoietin, remains unproven. Well-designed and appropriately powered prospective randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate perioperative iron supplementation in the context of cardiac surgery.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Nov 2014
ReviewEx vivo lung perfusion in clinical lung transplantation--state of the art.
Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) has emerged as a new technique for assessing and potentially reconditioning human donor lungs previously unacceptable for clinical transplantation with the potential to dramatically push the limits of organ acceptability. With the recent introduction of portable EVLP, a new era in lung preservation may be upon us with the opportunity to also limit organ ischaemic times and potentially improve the outcome of donor lungs already deemed acceptable for transplantation. It took over half a century for the technique to evolve from basic theory to semi-automated circuits fit for clinical use that are now rapidly being adopted in transplant centres across the globe. With this field in constant evolution and many unanswered questions remaining, our review serves as an update on the state of the art of EVLP in clinical lung transplantation.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jun 2014
Review Meta AnalysisAortic valve preservation and repair in acute Type A aortic dissection.
Repair and preservation of the aortic valve in Type A aortic dissection (AAD) remains controversial. We performed a meta-analysis of outcomes for aortic valve (AV) repair and preservation in AAD focusing on long-term valve-related events. ⋯ Patients surviving an AAD have a limited long-term survival. Preservation and repair of the aortic valve is associated with a moderate risk of reoperation, but a low risk of thromboembolism, bleeding and endocarditis.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jun 2014
ReviewRegional analgesia for video-assisted thoracic surgery: a systematic review.
Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is emerging as the standard surgical procedure for both minor and major oncological lung surgery. Thoracic epidural analgesia (TEA) and paravertebral block (PVB) are established analgesic golden standards for open surgery such as thoracotomy; however, there is no gold standard for regional analgesia for VATS. This systematic review aimed to assess different regional techniques with regard to effect on acute postoperative pain following VATS, with emphasis on VATS lobectomy. ⋯ In comparative studies, TEA and especially PVB showed some effect on pain scores, but were often compared with an inferior analgesic treatment. Other techniques showed no unequivocal results. No clear gold standard for regional analgesia for VATS could be demonstrated, but a guide of factors to include in future studies on regional analgesia for VATS is presented.