The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Comparative Study
Pediatric cardiothoracic surgery in patients with unilateral pulmonary agenesis or aplasia.
Unilateral pulmonary agenesis or aplasia (UPA), a rare developmental defect of the lung, is sometimes associated with congenital heart and tracheal diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess our experience of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery in UPA patients. ⋯ Most of the pediatric cardiothoracic operations in UPA patients were successfully performed through an optimal surgical approach and procedure, but they still presented surgical risks of high mortality and morbidity. Perioperative management of UPA patients should be provided with a precise understanding of anatomic configuration and a careful consideration of underlying risk factors.
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Comparative Study
Survival benefits of postoperative chemoradiation for lymph node-positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Little is known about the efficacy of chemoradiation therapy after surgery for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. This retrospective study aimed to determine whether postoperative chemoradiation improves survival compared with surgery alone. ⋯ Postoperative chemoradiation therapy provided a survival benefit for patients with lymph node-positive esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
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Comparative Study
Real-time magnetic resonance imaging technique for determining left ventricle pressure-volume loops.
Rapid determination of the left ventricular (LV) pressure-volume (PV) relationship as loading conditions are varied is the gold standard for assessment of LV function. Cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) does not have sufficient spatiotemporal resolution to assess beat-to-beat changes of the LV PV relationship required to measure the LV end-systolic elastance (EES) or preload-recruitable stroke work (PRSW). Our aim was to investigate real-time MRI and semiautomated LV measurement of LV volume to measure PV relations in large animals under normal and inotropically stressed physiologic conditions. ⋯ Real-time MRI can assess LV volumes, EES, and PRSW at baseline and elevated inotropic states.
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Comparative Study
The perimount valve in the aortic position: twenty-year experience with patients under 60 years old.
With improved durability of contemporary bioprostheses, surgeons are now recommending biologic valves in younger patients. However, long-term outcomes of patients younger than 60 years old undergoing biologic aortic valve implantation are not well known. ⋯ In patients younger than 60 years undergoing AVR, the Carpentier-Edwards Perimount bioprosthesis provided satisfactory clinical outcomes. However, late survival was inferior to an age- and gender-matched population. Structural valve deterioration and the need for reintervention were common late after implantation, but reoperation for prosthetic valve dysfunction was associated with a very low risk of mortality.
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Comparative Study
Short-term outcomes of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy for esophageal cancer.
Esophagectomy represents the gold standard in the treatment of resectable esophageal carcinoma. This retrospective study evaluated the significance of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (MIILE) for the treatment of esophageal carcinoma. ⋯ Our MIILE technique can be safely and effectively performed for intrathoracic anastomosis during esophageal operations with favorable early outcomes.