The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2018
Applicability of handmade expanded polytetrafluoroethylene trileaflet-valved conduits for pulmonary valve reconstruction: An ex vivo and in vivo study.
The handmade expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) trileaflet-valved conduit could potentially be used as a substitute pulmonary valve replacement material, especially in children. The current study investigated (1) the function of the ePTFE trileaflet-valved conduits in an ex vivo experimental system and (2) the short-term performance of the conduit in a porcine model to verify its clinical applicability. ⋯ The ePTFE trileaflet-valved conduits for pulmonary valve reconstruction showed acceptable performance and outcomes in the ex vivo and in vivo experiments. The ePTFE trileaflet-valved conduit may be clinically useful, although additional studies in animals should be conducted to determine its long-term outcomes.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2018
Machine-learning phenotypic classification of bicuspid aortopathy.
Bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) are associated with incompletely characterized aortopathy. Our objectives were to identify distinct patterns of aortopathy using machine-learning methods and characterize their association with valve morphology and patient characteristics. ⋯ Three distinct phenotypes of bicuspid valve-associated aortopathy were identified using machine-learning methodology. Patient characteristics and valvular dysfunction vary by phenotype, suggesting that the location of aortic pathology may be related to the underlying pathophysiology of this disease.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2018
Multicenter Study Comparative Study WebcastsBioprosthetic aortic valve replacement: Revisiting prosthesis choice in patients younger than 50 years old.
Aortic prosthesis choice is controversial in young adults because robust comparative outcome data are lacking. We therefore compared mortality and morbidity in young adults after bioprosthetic versus mechanical aortic valve replacement. ⋯ Although lifetime risks are represented incompletely, these findings suggest that in adults aged 18-50 years, bioprostheses are a reasonable alternative to mechanical valves for aortic valve replacement.