The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2019
Return to intended oncologic treatment after surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma.
Trimodality therapy may prolong survival for patients with resectable malignant pleural mesothelioma. However, many patients are unable to complete therapy. We sought to identify risk factors for failing to complete adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy after cytoreduction for malignant pleural mesothelioma. ⋯ Many patients are unable to complete adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy after cytoreduction. Failure to complete adjuvant intensity-modulated radiation therapy was associated with worse preoperative comorbidity, but not the type of surgery or margin status.
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2019
Measuring chordae tension during transapical neochordae implantation: Toward understanding objective consequences of mitral valve repair.
Complex structure of mitral valve and its central position in the heart limit assessment of mitral function to standardized calculated parameters assessed using medical imaging (echocardiography). Novel techniques, which allow mitral valve repair (MVr) in a beating heart, offer the opportunity for innovative objective assessment in physiologic and pathologic conditions. We report, to our knowledge, the first data of real-time chordal tension measurement during a transapical neochordae implantation. ⋯ The tension applied on chordae during transapical implantation of neochordae for degenerative mitral regurgitation can be measured, providing original data about the objective consequences of MVr on the mitral apparatus.
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2019
Rosuvastatin attenuates bioprosthetic heart valve calcification.
There are pathophysiologic similarities between calcification and atherosclerosis because both are the product of an active inflammatory process. The aim of the study was to examine the effects of statin treatment on calcification in commercially available bioprosthetic heart valves. ⋯ Statin treatment significantly attenuated bioprosthetic heart valve calcification associated with decreasing the levels of interleukin-6 and bone morphogenetic protein 2. Thus, statin treatment might be helpful for the longevity of bioprosthetic heart valves.