The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Oct 2024
Wide Variation in Mitral Valve Repair Rates Among U.S. Surgeons: Analysis of Medicare Claims Data.
Mitral valve repair is the preferred treatment for primary mitral regurgitation, offering significant short- and long-term advantages over valve replacement. This study was designed to evaluate the contemporary national mitral valve surgery practice patterns, focusing on the impact of surgeon-specific factors, such as operative volume and years of practice, on repair rates. ⋯ This study has identified significant variability in mitral valve repair rates among surgeons treating Medicare beneficiaries. Notably, even among the surgeons responsible for most of these procedures, the variability in repair rates is pronounced. These findings suggest substantial opportunities to improve outcomes for patients undergoing mitral valve operations in North America.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Oct 2024
Durability of Right Ventricular Conduits in the Ross Procedure.
Right ventricular (RV) conduit availability and degeneration are potential limitations of the Ross procedure. Pulmonary homografts are the gold standard, but their limited availability drives the need for alternatives. The aim of this study was to compare results of different RV conduits. ⋯ The incidence of reintervention after 15 years is similar in recipients of homografts, xenografts, and BJV grafts. Interestingly, homografts may fail in the first few years, possibly related to inflammatory phenomena. Thus, the use of xenografts may be an option if homografts are not available.