What can the US learn from the Spanish heart transplantation model?
Results from the US heart transplant program between 2016 and 2022, analyzing demographic characteristics, mortality, and 30-day readmissions in heart transplant recipients.
Heart Surgery Today
The reinvention of ECMO: strategies that break the VA/VV mold
Editorial commentary on novel cannulation strategies in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) recently published in the Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia, proposing technical alternatives to standard VA or VV-ECMO support. These alternative approaches may be particularly valuable in cases of complex pathophysiology, high cardiac output, right ventricular failure, or when conventional devices are contraindicated.
Evolution of mitral regurgitation after TAVI: functional improvement or marker of poor prognosis?
This retrospective observational study evaluated 2250 patients who underwent TAVI, comparing outcomes based on the presence or absence of significant (moderate or greater) concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR).
Stale bread and reheated leftovers: 4-year update of the evolut low risk trial
Commentary on a reanalysis of the 4-year results from the Evolut Low Risk trial, excluding Abbott/St. Jude Trifecta prostheses from the surgical cohort.
Myocardial viability before revascularization: does it make a difference?
This retrospective single-center study assessed the impact of quantifying myocardial viability, using FDG-PET and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR), prior to surgical coronary revascularization in patients with left ventricular dysfunction.
Does it make sense to revascularize occluded vessels? Seeking for clarity
Subanalysis of the REGROUP trial assessing 5-year outcomes after surgical revascularization in patients with at least one totally occluded coronary vessel versus those without any occlusions.
When to intervene in aortic regurgitation: practical recommendations according to the 2021 esc/eacts guidelines
This summary updates the indications for intervention in aortic regurgitation (AR) according to the 2021 ESC/EACTS guidelines, with a practical and clinically oriented perspective.
Repair or replace? critical decisions after failed Mitraclip®
The international multicenter CUTTING-EDGE registry investigates surgical strategies and outcomes in patients undergoing conventional surgery after failed mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER).
Randomized clinical trials in cardiac surgery: from necessity to difficulty
A commentary on a review article exploring the current state of randomized evidence and its role in advancing cardiac surgery.
Surgeons under scrutiny: the 360° revolution in the U.S. versus inertia in the Spanish model
The American Board of Thoracic Surgery (ABTS) has formally adopted the 360° evaluation as an integral component of its certification process for thoracic surgeons, aiming to provide a more objective assessment of professional competence and nontechnical skills.