The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · May 2024
Exposure to Agent Orange is Associated with Increased Recurrence after Surgical Treatment of Stage I Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.
Approximately 3 million Americans served in the armed forces during the Vietnam War. Veterans have a higher incidence rate of lung cancer compared with the general population, which may be related to exposures sustained during service. Agent Orange, one of the tactical herbicides used by the armed forces as a means of destroying crops and clearing vegetation, has been linked to the development of several cancers including non-small cell lung cancer. However, traditional risk models of lung cancer survival and recurrence often do not include such exposures. We aimed to examine the relationship between Agent Orange exposure and overall survival and disease recurrence for surgically treated stage I non-small cell lung cancer. ⋯ Veterans with known Agent Orange exposure who undergo surgical treatment for stage I non-small cell lung cancer have an approximately 20% increased risk of disease recurrence compared with their nonexposed counterparts. Agent Orange exposure should be taken into consideration when determining treatment and surveillance regimens for Veteran patients.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · May 2024
Paraconduit Hernia Following Esophagectomy: Is it Safe to Watch-and-Wait?
We hypothesized that emergency complications related to asymptomatic paraconduit hernias may occur less often than generally believed. Therefore, we assessed the occurrence and timing of paraconduit hernia diagnosis after esophagectomy, as well as outcomes of these asymptomatic patients managed with a watch-and-wait approach. ⋯ The risk of paraconduit hernia increases with time, suggesting that long-term symptom surveillance is reasonable. Emergency complications as a result of asymptomatic paraconduit hernias are rare. A small number of patients will experience hernia-related symptoms, sometimes years after hernia diagnosis. Our findings suggest that observation of asymptomatic paraconduit hernias (watch and wait) may be considered, with repair considered electively in patients with persistent symptoms.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · May 2024
Donation After Circulatory Death Improves Probability of Heart Transplantation in Waitlisted Candidates and Results in Post-Transplant Outcomes Similar to Those Achieved with Brain Dead Donors.
To quantitate the impact of heart donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor utilization on both waitlist and post-transplant outcomes in the United States. ⋯ The use of DCD hearts confers a higher probability of transplantation and a lower incidence of death/deterioration while on the waitlist, particularly among certain subpopulations such as status 4 candidates. Importantly, the use of DCD donors results in similar post-transplant survival as DBD donors.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · May 2024
Practice GuidelineThe American Association for Thoracic Surgery 2023 Expert Consensus Document: Recommendation for the care of children with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 and a congenital heart defect.
Recommendations for surgical repair of a congenital heart defect in children with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 remain controversial, are subject to biases, and are largely unsupported with limited empirical data. This has created significant distrust and uncertainty among parents and could potentially lead to suboptimal care for patients. A working group, representing several clinical specialties involved with the care of these children, developed recommendations to assist in the decision-making process for congenital heart defect care in this population. The goal of these recommendations is to provide families and their health care teams with a framework for clinical decision making based on the literature and expert opinions. ⋯ This is the first set of recommendations collated by an expert multidisciplinary group to address specific issues around indications for surgical intervention in children with trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 with congenital heart defect. Based on our analysis of recent data, we recommend that decisions should not be based solely on the presence of trisomy but, instead, should be made on a case-by-case basis, considering both the severity of the baby's heart disease as well as the presence of other anomalies. These recommendations offer a framework to assist parents and clinicians in surgical decision making for children who have trisomy 13 or trisomy 18 with congenital heart defect.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · May 2024
Outcomes of aortic valve repair in children stratified by complexity: Which outcome for which lesion?
Aortic valvuloplasty frequency has significantly increased over the past 15 years. Surgical repair varies in complexity depending on valvular lesions. Our aim is to report results on the whole spectrum of aortic valvuloplasty techniques. ⋯ Durability of aortic valvuloplasty techniques is satisfactory and offers the possibility to delay the Ross procedure, regardless of the lesion's complexity.