European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2014
Early chest tube removal after video-assisted thoracic surgery lobectomy with serous fluid production up to 500 ml/day.
In fast-track pulmonary resections, we removed chest tubes after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy with serous fluid production up to 500 ml/day. Subsequently, we evaluated the frequency of recurrent pleural effusions requiring reintervention. ⋯ Our findings suggest that chest tube removal after VATS lobectomy is safe despite volumes of serous fluid production up to 500 ml/day. The proportion of patients who developed pleural effusion necessitating reintervention was low (2.8%), and a complication of the reintervention was seen in only 1 patient.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2014
Predictors and consequences of postoperative atrial fibrillation following robotic totally endoscopic coronary bypass surgery.
Postoperative atrial fibrillation (AFib) is common in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. Little information is available concerning AFib following minimally invasive cardiac surgery. The aim of our study was to assess the incidence of AFib after totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) grafting and to investigate the factors influencing its occurrence. ⋯ We conclude that the incidence of postoperative AFib in TECAB is relatively low. Age and body weight are the most important predictors of postoperative AFib following TECAB. Short-term clinical outcome and intermediate-term survival are similar in patients with and without postoperative AFib.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2014
Early and mid-term outcomes of combined aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting in elderly patients.
Although the number of elderly patients undergoing combined aortic valve replacement (AVR) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is increasing, the early and mid-term outcomes of this combined procedure remain to be determined. We sought to elucidate the early and mid-term outcomes of elderly (≥75 years) vs non-elderly (<75 years) patients who underwent combined AVR and CABG. ⋯ Early and mid-term outcomes of combined AVR and CABG were similar between elderly and non-elderly patients. Older age was not a risk factor for mortality in patients undergoing combined AVR plus CABG, and this procedure should be recommended in properly selected elderly patients.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2014
Case ReportsTransplantation of lungs after ex vivo reconditioning in a patient on semi-elective long-term veno-arterial extracorporeal life support.
We present the case of a 41-year old patient suffering from end-stage pulmonary hypertension secondary to veno-occlusive disease who underwent implantation of a veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator as a bridge to lung transplantation (LTx) due to significant deterioration of myocardial pump and liver function. After 33 days on support, lungs with extended donor criteria were offered. Owing to the deteriorating clinical condition of the patient, the lungs were assessed using our ex vivo lung perfusion system. After reconditioning of the graft, a bilateral LTx was performed.
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Eur J Cardiothorac Surg · Feb 2014
Assessment of aortic valve pressure overload and leaflet functions in an ex vivo beating heart loaded with a continuous flow cardiac assist device.
Aortic valve regurgitation, fusion and thrombosis are commonly reported clinical complications after continuous flow ventricular assist device implantations; however, the complex interaction between reduced pulsatile flow physiology and aortic valve functions has not been studied experimentally. To address this, a continuous flow left ventricular assist device was implanted in four swine ex vivo beating hearts and then operated at baseline (device off, no flow) and at device speeds ranging between 8500 and 11,500 rpm under healthy and experimentally created failing heart conditions. ⋯ Increasing assist device flows resulted in pressure overload above the aortic leaflets, impaired leaflet functions, caused aortic root dilatation and altered leaflet coaptation at the central portion of the aortic valve in both modes. We conclude that the deleterious effect of the reduced pulsatile flow on the aortic valve functions and haemodynamics is immediate and such an insult may explain the structural changes of the aortic valve causing leaflet fusion and/or regurgitation in the chronic phase.