The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2024
Racial Differences in Cardiothoracic Surgery Letters of Recommendation.
Cardiothoracic surgery lacks racial diversity. Attracting the best candidates requires valuing diversity and advancing a recruitment process that minimizes racial bias. Implicit bias in recommendation letters has been identified as an influential mechanism for lack of diversity in cardiothoracic surgery. We aim to investigate how applicant race impacts language used in cardiothoracic surgery fellowship recommendation letters. ⋯ We demonstrate that authors' recommendation letters are influenced by applicant race. Letters written for White candidates are significantly longer and more descriptive of drive and outstanding characteristics than letters written for non-White candidates, particularly when written by cardiothoracic surgeons. Addressing this bias is crucial for recruiting the best candidates for cardiothoracic surgery.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Sep 2024
Ventricular Septation for Double Inlet Ventricle: Avoiding Conduction Injury.
Although conduction location can be reliably predicted in double inlet ventricle, ventricular septation continues to carry a significant risk of complete heart block. This study describes our experience using intraoperative conduction mapping during ventricular septation. ⋯ Ventricular septation represents an alternative to the Fontan that can be performed safely in a subset of patients with acceptable early outcomes. Conduction mapping is an adjunct strategy that may add precision to well-established rules for reliably predicting conduction location.