The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2019
Making cardiac surgery feasible in African countries: Experience from Namibia, Uganda, and Zambia.
Few African countries have the resources to provide optimal cardiac surgery care. We explored needs at cardiac surgery centers in Namibia, Zambia, and Uganda. Our objectives were (1) to determine the key variables to be included in a cardiac surgery needs assessment tool and (2) to highlight the current initiatives, challenges and opportunities, and future goals for cardiac surgery in these 3 countries. ⋯ Our study demonstrates the great potential that exists to expand cardiac surgery in Africa and highlights some of the major resource bottlenecks that may hinder the scale-up of surgical programs. Our needs assessment questionnaire will assist ministries of health in building sustainable cardiac surgery programs using innovative Afro-centric solutions.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2019
Clinical TrialAssociation of postoperative blood pressure and bleeding after cardiac surgery.
We sought to characterize the relationship between postoperative blood pressure on the day of surgery and metrics of bleeding. ⋯ The lack of positive association between peak systolic blood pressure or peak mean arterial pressure with metrics of bleeding after cardiac surgery promotes equipoise for testing the influence of higher blood pressure targets during the early postoperative period.