The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Aug 2012
Late reoperations after repaired acute type A aortic dissection.
Late complications can develop in patients after surgery for aortic type A dissection, mandating redo surgery on the ascending aorta and arch. ⋯ Complex reoperations for repaired acute type A dissection can be performed safely. The concern for the reoperative risk should not dictate the operative strategy during the initial procedure in acute type A dissection.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Aug 2012
Structural deterioration of the cryopreserved mitral homograft valve.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term fate of the cryopreserved mitral homograft focusing on structural valve deterioration. ⋯ Mitral homografting was accomplished with early echographic results similar to those of valve repair. Structural valve deterioration produced mixed stenosis with insufficiency, and its incidence was comparable to that of bioprostheses structural valve deterioration. An improvement in the preservation mode of valvular homografts is warranted.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Aug 2012
Decreasing prevalence but increasing importance of left ventricular dysfunction and reoperative surgery in prediction of mortality in coronary artery bypass surgery: trends over 18 years.
The number of patients referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has fallen, whereas their risk profile appears to be increasing. We evaluated changes in the predictors of hospital mortality among patients undergoing CABG during a span of 18 years. ⋯ Whereas the prevalence of most risk factors increased with time, left ventricular dysfunction and reoperative CABG became significantly less common. However, the odds of mortality associated with these 2 predictors increased, indicating that although they occur less commonly, these 2 risk factors paradoxically play an increasingly important role in determining patient outcomes.