ARTICLES ON MISCELLANEOUS
Valvular surgery in infective endocarditis according to frailty risk scales: are data at the service of science or is science at the service of data?
A retrospective study using data from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to analyze patients diagnosed with infective endocarditis, evaluating the impact of valvular surgery according to frailty risk scores.
Conventional extracorporeal circulation versus minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation in cardiac surgery patients: a randomized controlled trial (COMICS)
This international, multicenter randomized controlled trial involved 1,039 adult patients. It compared outcomes in scheduled or urgent cardiac procedures—coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic valve replacement (AVR), or a combination of both—using either conventional extracorporeal circulation (CECC) or minimally invasive extracorporeal circulation (MiECC).
Infective endocarditis as a primary focus… are we globally addressing the problem?
This multicenter study evaluates the impact of spondylodiscitis associated with infective endocarditis on recurrence and survival based on the treatment sequence employed.
New Guidelines for Transthoracic Echocardiography by the American Society of Echocardiography: Key Points Not to Miss
Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an essential tool in pediatric cardiology due to its wide availability and safety. The last guidelines on this topic were published
Generating More Evidence for DOACs in Cardiac Surgery
A bicentric, retrospective study based on registry data comparing the use of warfarin versus direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the immediate postoperative period following cardiac surgery in patients with atrial fibrillation and a bioprosthetic valve implant.
Thoracoscopic Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage: AtriClip® or Stapler?
This study compares outcomes of thoracoscopic left atrial appendage (LAA) closure using the AtriClip® or an automatic stapler.
The Ebstein anomaly and the difficulty in drawing conclusions for decision-making
Results from the experience of six centers in Australia and New Zealand in the management of Ebstein anomaly over 34 years.
On-X® Aortic Prosthesis Carriers in Aortic Position: Is This the End of Anticoagulation Demonization?
This study confirms the findings of the PROACT trial on the safety profile of reducing oral anticoagulation in patients with an On-X® prosthetic valve in the aortic position.
New procedures for a minimally invasive era: transapical beating-heart septal myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.
This study, conducted as a prospective, single-center (Tongji Hospital in Wuhan, China), single-arm trial by a single surgeon, is the first in humans to assess the transapical beating-heart septal myectomy (TA-BSM) procedure.
Aortic Graft Infection: transposition of the greater omentum
This single-center retrospective study examines outcomes with omental transposition in the mediastinum for treating infected aortic grafts.