Innovations : technology and techniques in cardiothoracic and vascular surgery
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Innovations (Phila) · May 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe efficacy of electromagnetic navigation to assist with computed tomography-guided percutaneous thermal ablation of lung tumors.
Electromagnetic (EM) navigation is increasingly used to assist with bronchoscopic interventions such as biopsy or fiducial placement. Electromagnetic navigation can also be a useful adjunct to computed tomography (CT)-guided thermal ablation and biopsy of lung tumors. This study compares procedures carried out using an EM navigation system (Veran Medical Technologies Inc, St Louis, MO) with procedures using CT fluoroscopy only. ⋯ Electromagnetic navigation reduces the time to successfully place an ablation probe in a target tumor. Further study is required to determine whether EM navigation may also reduce the number of adjustments, skin punctures, and CT scans as well as decrease CT fluoroscopy time.
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Innovations (Phila) · May 2012
Comparative StudyThe Swan-Ganz catheter as a teaching tool for the anesthesiologist learning minimally invasive cardiac surgery.
To perform minimally invasive cardiac surgery through the smallest possible wound and with the least number of incisions in the heart or aorta, the necessary cannulations to undergo cardiopulmonary bypass must be done through peripheral vessels. A difficult skill to learn for the cardiac anesthesiologist is how to safely and efficiently position the coronary sinus catheter (Endoplege; Edwards Lifesciences LLC, Irvine, CA USA) required for retrograde cardioplegia administration. ⋯ The Swan-Ganz catheter can be used as a training tool to develop some of the necessary skills to place catheters into the coronary sinus with transesophageal echocardiography guidance.