European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) may be used for severe graft failure after heart transplantation, but the degree to which it is lifesaving is uncertain. ⋯ Severe refractory heart failure after transplantation is a rare catastrophic event for which MCS offers the possibility of recovery or bridge to retransplantation, particularly for patients with biventricular failure in the absence of rejection. Early retransplantation should be considered in patients who show no evidence of graft recovery on MCS.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2012
Controlled Clinical TrialSafety and feasibility of intra-operative device closure of atrial septal defect with transthoracic minimal invasion.
The study aims to evaluate the safety and feasibility of intra-operative device closure of atrial septal defect with transthoracic minimal invasion. ⋯ Intra-operative device closure of atrial septal defect with transthoracic minimal invasion is a safe and feasible technique. It had the advantages of cost savings, yielding better cosmetic results, and leaving less trauma than surgical closure.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2012
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyComparison between intermittent intravenous analgesia and intermittent paravertebral subpleural analgesia for pain relief after thoracotomy.
In the present prospective double-blind randomized trial, the effects of intermittent paravertebral subpleural bupivacaine and morphine on pain management in patients undergoing thoracotomy were evaluated and compared with intermittent systemic analgesia. ⋯ The patients undergoing lung resection through a thoracotomy were observed with reduced postoperative pain and better surgical outcomes with respect to the length of hospital stay, postoperative forced expiratory volume in the first second, pulmonary complications, and need for bronchoscopic management, when paravertebral subpleural analgesia was induced by morphine.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2012
Comparative Study Clinical TrialSternotomy or bilateral thoracoscopy: pain and postoperative complications after lung-volume reduction surgery.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) and median sternotomy (MS) are two approaches in lung-volume reduction surgery (LVRS). This study focused on the two surgical approaches with regard to postoperative pain. ⋯ Bilateral VATS and MS offer similar outcomes with regard to postoperative pain and complications. These results suggest that the choice of LVRS operative approach should be dependent on disease presentation, surgeon expertise, and patient preference, not based upon differences in perceived postoperative pain between MS and bilateral VATS.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Jan 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudySignificance of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting compared with percutaneous coronary intervention: a propensity score analysis.
Although there have been several studies that compared the efficacy of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the impact of off-pump CABG (OPCAB) has not been well elucidated. The objective of the present study was to compare the outcomes after PCI, on-pump CABG (ONCAB), and OPCAB in patients with multivessel and/or left main disease. ⋯ In patients with multivessel and/or left main disease, CABG, particularly OPCAB, is associated with better survival outcomes than PCI using bare-metal stents. Survival outcomes are similar between ONCAB and OPCAB.