The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2020
Outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair in patients with chronic kidney disease in the Medicare population.
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair has been increasingly performed in higher-risk patients with renal failure. The objective was to compare Medicare patients with preoperative chronic kidney disease with patients with normal renal function to determine differences in postoperative survival and complications. ⋯ In this elderly Medicare population undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair, patients with chronic kidney disease stage III, chronic kidney disease stage IV, or end-stage renal disease/hemodialysis had poor survival and increased morbidity compared with those with normal kidney function. These data may suggest that patients with chronic kidney disease stage III, chronic kidney disease stage IV, or end-stage renal disease/hemodialysis should be more cautiously evaluated for thoracic endovascular aortic repair, weighing the benefits of the procedure against the high expected mortality.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2020
Longitudinal functional health status in young adults with repaired dextro-transposition of the great arteries: A Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society study.
Improved survival has led to interest in functional health status (FHS) as patients with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA) transition to adulthood. Our primary objectives were (1) evaluation of The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36) results; (2) comparison with results of patients who completed the Child Health Questionnaire-Child Form 87 (CHQ-CF87) previously, or the PedsQL Generic Core Scales (PedsQL) survey subsequently; and (3) determination of factors associated with SF-36 domains. ⋯ Patients with d-TGA surviving into adulthood, regardless of morphology or repair type, can primarily expect normal FHS. Addressing the challenges of patients with d-TGA entering adulthood requires consideration of psychosocial factors and clinical management.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2020
Flow disturbances and the development of endocardial fibroelastosis.
Endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EndMT) has been identified as the underlying mechanism of endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) formation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether hemodynamic alterations due to valvar defects promote EndMT and whether age-specific structural changes affect ventricular diastolic compliance despite extensive surgical resection of EFE tissue. ⋯ Patients with and without HLHS with flow disturbances due to stenotic or incompetent valves develop EndMT-derived fibrotic tissue covering the LV. When EFE recurs, it is directly associated with flow disturbances and switches to an infiltrative growth pattern with increasing age, leading to increased diastolic stiffness of the LV.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2020
Cardiac surgery residents training in Germany-Status quo and future prospects.
Residency training for specialization in cardiac surgery in Germany recently underwent a series of changes. A new 6-year integrated curriculum has been created that is based on acquisition of specific expertise rather than a rigid time frame. ⋯ There is no recertification during the course of the physicians' professional career. The educational curricula for specialized training are issued by the National Medical Chamber in cooperation with the respective surgical societies and passed by the German Medical Assembly.