The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2023
Allocation changes in heart transplantation: What has really changed?
In 2018, the heart allocation system changed status classifications and broadened geographic distribution. We examined this change at a national level based on the immediate pre- and postchange periods. ⋯ Since the planned alteration to the allocation system, there have been changes in the use of temporary mechanical circulatory support as well as distance and ischemic time associated with transplant, but no significant volume changes were observed. Continued observation of outcomes and volume under the new allocation system will be necessary in the upcoming years.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2023
Shock lung is not "wet" but characterized as necroptotic inflammation in a mouse model of hypotension.
Hypotension episodes before or after donor brain death are assumed to trigger hypoxia-reoxygenation, causing diffuse alveolar-capillary damage via necrosis. However, alveolar-capillary membranes have direct access to oxygen in alveoli. We hypothesized hypotension-induced lung injury is not diffuse alveolar-capillary damage but interstitial inflammation resulting from nonhypoxic lung ischemia and systemic responses to hypoxic extrapulmonary ischemia. ⋯ Hypotensive lung injury is essentially a nonhypoxic ischemia-reperfusion injury enhanced by systemic responses. It is predominated by necroptosis-induced inflammation rather than necrosis-induced diffuse alveolar-capillary damage.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2023
The fate of aortic valve after rheumatic mitral valve surgery.
Deterioration of the native aortic valve function by a late progression of rheumatic disease is not infrequent in patients who underwent rheumatic mitral valve surgery; however, this phenomenon has not been clearly quantified. ⋯ Progression of severe aortic valve dysfunction and the need for aortic valve replacement are uncommon in patients undergoing rheumatic mitral valve surgery. However, such events were relatively common among those with mild or greater aortic valve dysfunction at the time of mitral valve surgery.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2023
A potential mechanism by which aspiration of duodenogastric fluid augments the risk for bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplantation.
Aspiration of duodenogastric refluxate may damage the respiratory epithelium of lung allografts in transplant recipients. We sought to define a mechanism by which aspiration of duodenogastric fluid augments the risk of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome after lung transplant in a murine model. ⋯ This study links aspiration of duodenogastric fluid after lung transplant to higher autoimmune responses to lung SAgs and the release of circulating exosomes with lung SAgs, which together promote sustained immune responses leading to extensive lung parenchymal damage and, ultimately, severe obliterative bronchiolitis-the histologic hallmark of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Feb 2023
Impact of stereotactic body radiation therapy volume on surgical patient selection, short-term survival, and long-term survival in early-stage non-small cell lung cancer.
Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is increasingly used to treat non-small cell lung cancer. The purpose of this study is to analyze relationships between facility SBRT utilization and surgical patient selection and survival after surgery. ⋯ Differences in short-term survival following resection at facilities with high-SBRT utilization may be attributable to low surgical volume facilities. Patients treated at high volume surgical facilities do not demonstrate differences in short-term or long-term survival based on facility SBRT utilization.