Complex Cardiac Procedures Research Articles

Cardiovascular procedures in ambulatory cardiac procedures: really?

To evaluate the current trends, safety, and feasibility of same-day discharge (SDD) in ambulatory cardiac procedures, with a focus on percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). This review also discusses the impact of technological advancements and explores future directions for expanding the scope of SDD in more complex cardiac procedures. Recent studies have demonstrated that SDD after PCI is both well tolerated and effective for appropriately selected patients, with outcomes comparable with those of patients who remain hospitalized overnight. Advancements in PCI technology, including improved stent designs, smaller sheath sizes, and the adoption of the transradial approach, have significantly enhanced the feasibility of SDD. Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways, adapted for ambulatory settings, further improve patient safety, particularly as more complex procedures are attempted. However, challenges remain in determining SDD eligibility, particularly in settings with limited emergency care capabilities. SDD is a viable and cost-effective option for low-risk patients undergoing PCI and other ambulatory cardiac procedures. The successful implementation of SDD requires careful patient selection, adherence to standardized protocols, and vigilant postprocedural monitoring. Future research should focus on refining patient selection tools, expanding the scope of SDD to include more complex procedures, and enhancing postdischarge monitoring through advanced technologies. Multidisciplinary collaboration and ongoing education are essential to support the well tolerated and effective adoption of SDD in ambulatory cardiac care.

Application of Mixed/Augmented Reality in Interventional Cardiology.

This review explores the transformative applications of augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies in interventional cardiology. The integration of these cutting-edge systems offers unprecedented potential to enhance visualization, guidance, and outcomes during complex cardiac interventional procedures. This review examines four key domains: (1) medical AR/MR systems and technological foundations; (2) clinical applications across procedures like TAVI, PCI, and electrophysiology mapping; (3) ongoing technology development and validation efforts; and (4) educational and training applications for fostering essential skills. By providing an in-depth analysis of the benefits, challenges, and future directions, this work elucidates the paradigm shift catalyzed by AR and MR in advancing interventional cardiology practices. Through meticulous exploration of technological, clinical, and educational implications, this review underscores the pivotal role of these innovative technologies in optimizing procedural guidance, improving patient outcomes, and driving innovation in cardiovascular care.

Hemadsorption to Contain Postoperative Cell-Free Hemoglobin and Haptoglobin Preservation for Extended Cardiopulmonary Bypass Time in Cardiac Surgery for Acute Kidney Injuries Prevention.

Prevention of acute kidney injury during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is still a challenge and has been the object of numerous studies. The incidence of acute kidney injury in the context of CPB is related to a multifactorial etiology. The role of hemadsorption in relation to cell-free hemoglobin and haptoglobin preservation is not well defined in the literature on CPB during cardiac surgery procedures. This is a single-center pilot randomized report including 20 patients undergoing elective CPB procedures with an expected time > 120 minutes for each extracorporeal procedure. Patients were randomly allocated to either standard of care (n=10) or Jafron HA380 (n=10) during CPB. The primary outcome measured was the incidence of postoperative acute kidney injuries. The Jafron study group vs. control group reported postoperative values for cell-free hemoglobin at 10 minutes after CPB (mg/L) (11.6 ± 0.6 vs. 29.9 ± 0.3) (P-value 0.021), haptoglobin 10 minutes after CPB (mg/dl) (129.16 ± 1.22 vs. 59.17 ± 1.49) (P-value 0.017), creatinine peak after CPB (mg/dL) (0.92 ± 0.17 vs. 1.32 ± 0.9) (P-value 0.030), and acute kidney injury after 48 hours (number of patients) (one vs. four) (P-value 0.027). This pilot study suggested that the use of Hemoperfusion Cartridge HA380 Jafron for extended CPB time for complex cardiac surgery procedures was safe and effective and is associated with a better postoperative preservation of haptoglobin with a reduction of cell-free hemoglobin values and less incidence of acute kidney injury, though larger studies are warranted to confirm our result.

In Nordic countries 30-day mortality rate is half that estimated with EuroSCORE II in high-risk adult patients given aprotinin and undergoing mainly complex cardiac procedures

Objectives. To describe current on- (isolated coronary arterty bypass grafting, iCABG) and off-label (non-iCABG) use of aprotinin and associated safety endpoints in adult patients undergoing high-risk cardiac surgery in Nordic countries. Design. Data come from 10 cardiac surgery centres in Finland, Norway and Sweden participating in the European Nordic aprotinin patient registry (NAPaR). Results. 486 patients were given aprotinin between 2016 and 2020. 59 patients (12.1%) underwent iCABG and 427 (87.9%) non-iCABG, including surgery for aortic dissection (16.7%) and endocarditis (36.0%). 89.9% were administered a full aprotinin dosage and 37.0% were re-sternotomies. Dual antiplatelet treatment affected 72.9% of iCABG and 7.0% of non-iCABG patients. 0.6% of patients had anaphylactic reactions associated with aprotinin. 6.4% (95 CI% 4.2%–8.6%) of patients were reoperated for bleeding. Rate of postoperative thromboembolic events, day 1 rise in creatinine >44μmol/L and new dialysis for any reason was 4.7% (95%CI 2.8%–6.6%), 16.7% (95%CI 13.4%–20.0%) and 14.0% (95%CI 10.9%–17.1%), respectively. In-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality was 4.9% (95%CI 2.8%–6.9%) and 6.3% (95%CI 3.7%–7.8%) in all patients versus mean EuroSCORE II 11.4% (95%CI 8.4%–14.0%, p < .01). 30-day mortality in patients undergoing surgery for aortic dissection and endocarditis was 6.2% (95%CI 0.9%–11.4%) and 6.3% (95%CI 2.7%–9.9%) versus mean EuroSCORE II 13.2% (95%CI 6.1%–21.0%, p = .11) and 14.5% (95%CI 12.1%–16.8%, p = .01), respectively. Conclusions. NAPaR data from Nordic countries suggest a favourable safety profile of aprotinin in adult cardiac surgery.

Addition of Deep Parasternal Plane Block to Enhanced Recovery Protocol for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery.

This study aims to evaluate if the addition of deep parasternal plane blocks to a pre-existing enhanced recovery pathway for pediatric cardiac surgery improves outcomes. A retrospective review through an EMR query from June 2019 to June 2021 was performed for patients less than 18 years of age who underwent cardiac surgery via median sternotomy and were extubated immediately following surgery in a single academic tertiary care hospital. Patients receiving deep parasternal blocks as part of an enhanced recovery protocol were compared to similar patients from the year prior to block implementation. The primary outcome was intraoperative and postoperative opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes were pain scores, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay and time to first oral intake. There was a statistically significant reduction in intraoperative opioid administration and pain scores in the first 24 hours post-operatively. There was also a statistically significant reduction in ICU length of stay. There was no statistically significant difference in post-operative opioid consumption and time to first oral intake. Bilateral deep parasternal blocks may reduce opioid consumption, provide effective postoperative pain control, and result in decreased length of intensive care unit stay across both simple and complex pediatric cardiac procedures when added to a pre-existing enhanced recovery protocol.

Manual compression versus MANTA device for access management after impella removal on the ICU

To compare the safety and efficacy of manual compression versus use of the MANTA closure device for access management after Impella removal on the intensive care unit (ICU). The number of patients treated with percutaneous left ventricular assist devices (pLVAD), namely Impella and ECMO, for complex cardiac procedures or shock, is growing. However, removal of pLVAD and large bore arteriotomy closure among such patients on the ICU remains challenging, since it is associated with a high risk for bleeding and vascular complications. Patients included in a prospective registry between 2017 and 2020 were analyzed. Bleeding and vascular access site complications were assessed and adjudicated according to VARC-2 criteria. We analyzed a cohort of 87 consecutive patients, who underwent access closure after Impella removal on ICU by using either the MANTA device or manual compression. The cohort´s mean age was 66.1 ± 10.7 years and 76 patients (87%) were recovering from CS. Mean support time was 40 h (interquartile range 24–69 h). MANTA was used in 31 patients (35.6%) and manual compression was applied in 56 patients (64.4%). Overall access related bleedings were significantly lower in the MANTA group (6.5% versus 39.3% (odds ratio (OR) 0.10, 95% CI 0.01–0.50; p = 0.001), and there was no significant difference in vascular complications between the two groups (p = 0.55). Our data suggests that the application of the MANTA device directly on the ICU is safe. In addition, it seems to reduce access related bleeding without increasing the risk of vascular complications.

Custodiol-HTK Solution Vs. Conventional Cardioplegia for Myocardial Protection During Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Following Recent ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction

Abstract Background: Histidine-tryptophan-ketoglutarate (HTK), Bretschneider's, or Custodiol is an intracellular crystalloid cardioplegic solution which is claimed to offer single shot cardioplegia for myocardial protection during complex cardiac procedures for up to 3 h. We aimed to compare the clinical outcome of early coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using blood cardioplegia vs. Custodiol solution for myocardial protection in patients with recent ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Materials and Methods: This prospective comparative study included 100 patients with recent STEMI who underwent early CABG at our institution between January 2019 and December 2020. The patients were divided into two groups: group A (n = 50) received blood cardioplegia and group B (n = 50) received Custodiol-HTK crystalloid cardioplegia. Results: There were non-significant differences in postoperative mortality and complication rates between both the groups except for significantly higher proportion of post-operative arrythmias after Custodiol cardioplegia (26% vs. 8%, P = 0.01). Custodiol was associated with significantly lower levels of blood troponin and higher levels of blood lactate for 6 h after CABG. Custodiol results in significantly shorter durations of mechanical ventilation (11.98 ± 4.03 vs. 18.28 ± 8.84 h, P &lt; 0.001) and intensive care unit (ICU) stay (70.04 ± 14.80 vs. 80.20 ± 19.91 h, P = 0.01), with non-significantly shorter duration of post-operative hospital stay (7.98 ± 2.76 vs. 9.24 ± 3.41 days, P = 0.06). Conclusion: Custodiol as a single shot without interruption of the operative technique offers shorter durations of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay than blood cardioplegia, with more acceptable levels of post-operative troponin in high-risk patients who underwent early CABG for recent STEMI.

Catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation can be safely performed without invasive hemodynamic monitoring: A multi-center study.

Arterial invasive monitoring is the most common method in the USA for hemodynamic monitoring during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. Although studies have shown favorable comparison between non-invasive and invasive hemodynamic monitoring (IHM) in non-cardiac procedures under general anesthesia, limited data is available for complex cardiac procedures such as AF ablation in the USA. With progressive improvement in AF ablation procedural safety, particularly with routine use of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) to monitor for pericardial effusion, it is unclear if invasive hemodynamic monitoring provides any advantage over non-invasive methods. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine whethernoninvasive hemodynamic monitoring is non-inferior to invasive hemodynamic monitoring during AF ablation under general anesthesia in patients without major cardiac structural abnormality. A multi-center retrospective data of AF ablation from July 2019 to December 2020 was extracted. A total of three hundred and sixty-two patients (362) were included, which were divided into group A (non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring) and group B (invasive hemodynamic monitoring). The primary outcome was to compare procedural safety between the two groups. Out of 362 patients, 184 (51%) received non-invasive and 178 (49%) received invasive hemodynamic monitoring with similar baseline characteristics. There was no significant difference between the two groups in complication rates (groin hematoma, pericardial effusion, cardiac tamponade). Mean procedure time was longer in group B with 3.35% arterial site discomfort. Urgent arterial access was required in only 1 patient in group A. This retrospective multicenter study strongly suggests that catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation under general anesthesia can be safely performed with noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring without requiring arterial access, with potential benefit in procedural duration and cost.

Percutaneous Axillary Artery Access for Peripheral and Complex Endovascular Interventions: Clinical Outcomes and Cost Benefits

The aim of this study was to determine the safety, efficacy, and applicability of percutaneous axillary artery (pAxA) access in patients requiring upper extremity large sheath access during complex aortic, cardiac, and peripheral endovascular procedures. We also take this opportunity to address the potential cost-benefits offered by pAxA access compared to open upper extremity access. A total of 26 consecutive patients, between June 2018 and October 2020, underwent endovascular intervention, requiring upper extremity access (UEA). Ultrasound-guided, percutaneous access of the axillary artery was used in all 26 patients with off-label use of pre-close technique with Perclose ProGlide closure devices. Access sites accommodated sheath sizes that ranged from 6 to 14 French (F). End points were technical success and access site-related complications including isolated neuropathies, hematoma, distal embolization, access-site thrombosis, and post-operative bleeding requiring secondary interventions. Technical success was defined as successful arterial closure intraoperatively with no evidence of stenosis, occlusion, or persistent bleeding, requiring additional intervention. Of the 26 patients requiring pAxA access, 15 underwent complex endovascular aortic aneurysm repairs (EVAR) with branched, fenestrated, snorkel, or parallel endografts, 6 underwent peripheral vascular interventions, and 5 underwent cardiac interventions. Fifty-three percent accommodated sheath sizes of 12F or higher. Technical success was achieved in 100% of cases with no major perioperative access complications requiring additional open or endovascular procedures. In our series, we had one post-operative mortality secondary to myocardial infarction in a patient with significant coronary artery disease. Our data again demonstrated the proposed safety and efficacy attributable to pAxA access, while extending its application to wide spectrum of endovascular interventions which included peripheral or coronary vascular in addition to complex EVAR.

Effects of acute normovolemic hemodilution on post‐cardiopulmonary bypass coagulation tests and allogeneic blood transfusion in thoracic aortic repair surgery: An observational cohort study

Perioperative blood transfusion is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Acute normovolemic hemodilution (ANH) is a blood conservation strategy associated with variable success, and rarely studied in more complex cardiac procedures. The study aim was to evaluate whether ANH improves coagulopathy and reduces blood transfusions in thoracic aortic surgeries. Single-center observational cohort study comparing ANH and standard institutional practice in patients who underwent thoracic aortic repair with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) from 2019 to 2021. A total of 89 patients underwent ANH and 116 standard practice. There were no significant differences between the groups in terms of demographic or major perioperative characteristics. In the ANH group coagulation tests before and after transfusion of autologous blood showed decreased INR and increased platelets, fibrinogen, all with p < 0.0005. Coagulation results in the ANH and control groups were not statistically different. The average number of transfused allogeneic products per patient was lower in the ANH versus control group: FFP 1.1 ± 1.6 versus 1.9 ± 2.3 (p = 0.003), platelets 0.6 ± 0.8 versus 1.2 ± 1.3 (p = 0.0008), and cryoprecipitate 0.3 ± 0.7 versus 0.7 ± 1.1 (p = 0.008). Reduction in red blood cell transfusion was not statistically significant. The percentage of patients who received any transfusion was 53.9% in ANH and 59.5% in the control group (p = 0.42). There was no significant difference in major adverse outcomes. ANH is a safe blood conservation strategy for surgical repairs of the thoracic aorta. Laboratory data suggests ANH can improve some coagulation values after separation from CPB, and significantly reduce the number of transfused FFP, platelets and cryoprecipitate.

A Virtual Reality System for Improved Image-Based Planning of Complex Cardiac Procedures.

The intricate nature of congenital heart disease requires understanding of the complex, patient-specific three-dimensional dynamic anatomy of the heart, from imaging data such as three-dimensional echocardiography for successful outcomes from surgical and interventional procedures. Conventional clinical systems use flat screens, and therefore, display remains two-dimensional, which undermines the full understanding of the three-dimensional dynamic data. Additionally, the control of three-dimensional visualisation with two-dimensional tools is often difficult, so used only by imaging specialists. In this paper, we describe a virtual reality system for immersive surgery planning using dynamic three-dimensional echocardiography, which enables fast prototyping for visualisation such as volume rendering, multiplanar reformatting, flow visualisation and advanced interaction such as three-dimensional cropping, windowing, measurement, haptic feedback, automatic image orientation and multiuser interactions. The available features were evaluated by imaging and nonimaging clinicians, showing that the virtual reality system can help improve the understanding and communication of three-dimensional echocardiography imaging and potentially benefit congenital heart disease treatment.

Isn’t it IRONic? In the era of complex cardiac procedures, the deficiency of a simple tiny cation makes a difference in acute coronary syndromes

Isn’t it IRONic? In the era of complex cardiac procedures, the deficiency of a simple tiny cation makes a difference in acute coronary syndromes

The impact of surgeon and hospital procedural volume on outcomes after aortic root replacement in the United States.

Surgeon procedural volume for complex cardiac procedures have become important quality metrics. The objective is to determine the association of surgeon and hospital case volume on patient outcomes after an aortic root replacement for aortic root aneurysms. From 2009 to 2014, 4629 Medicare patients underwent an aortic root replacement for a root aneurysm. Procedures were performed by 1276 surgeons at 718 hospitals. Patients with endocarditis, aortic rupture, or Type-A dissection were excluded. Procedural volume was defined as mean number of cases performed each year during the study period. The impact of hospital and surgeon volume on adjusted 30-day mortality was analyzed as a continuous variable using adjusted logistic regression with cubic splines. After an aortic root replacement, we observed a nonlinear reduction in the adjusted odds ratio for 30-day mortality as surgeon and hospital volume increased. Surgeons that performed approximately five cases/year and hospitals that completed approximately five cases/year had the greatest reduction in the odds of perioperative death. Patients treated at high-volume hospitals (≥4.5 cases/year) had a lower risk for 30-day postoperative stroke (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.51, p = .008), myocardial infarction (HR = 0.49, p = .016), hemodialysis (HR = 0.44, p = .005), and reoperation (HR = 0.48, p = .003). Additionally, patients treated with high-volume surgeons (≥9 cases/year) had lower risk for stroke (HR = 0.65, p = .005), hemodialysis (HR = 0.65, p = .03), sepsis (HR = 0.62, p = .03), and reoperation (HR = 0.67, p = .004). Among Medicare patients undergoing an aortic root replacement, there is a strong inverse relationship between annualized surgeon and hospital case volume and postoperative outcomes. Procedural volume is an important quality metric for this high-risk procedure.

Use of carotid artery cannulation during redo sternotomy in congenital cardiac surgery: a single-centre experience.

Management of resternotomy is often a difficult challenge in patients with congenital diseases who have undergone multiple sternotomies. Our goal was to report our single-centre experience with carotid cannulation using a graft interposed during redo sternotomy in complex cardiac reintervention procedures. We performed a retrospective review of all patients who had undergone complex redo sternotomies between January 2019 and May 2020 utilizing a cervical cannulation technique with a Gore-Tex graft interposed on the carotid artery. We classified our population study on the basis of the primary diagnosis and the type of surgery. The primary outcomes of our analysis were the evaluation of the safety of the procedure in terms of survival and freedom from neurological events. We analysed 22 patients who had undergone previous complex operations. The median age and weight at the time of reintervention were 130.35 (range 0.46-435) months and 31.5 (range 2.2-85) kg, respectively. Composite graft carotid cannulation provided adequate arterial flow in all patients with a median arterial flow of 3.5 l/min/m2 (range 0.6-6). One major cardiac injury occurred during sternotomy when emergency cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was initiated. Moreover, during their hospital stays, all patients had an uneventful recovery without neurological or vascular complications and no cervical wound infections. Carotid cannulation using interposition of a side graft on the common carotid artery for arterial inflow is a reliable and safe method for initiation of CPB in complex redo surgeries in patients with congenital disease. Complications directly associated with this type of cannulation are uncommon and allow surgical re-entry with overall low risks.

Early Outcomes for In Situ Pericardial Roll Repair for Distant Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return

Repair of anomalous pulmonary venous return (APVR) when veins are remote from the left atrium (LA) is challenging and may eventuate in a higher prevalence of pulmonary vein stenosis, superior vena cava stenosis, or intracardiac baffle obstruction. We describe our experience in 6 patients with a technique, using both anterior and posterior in situ pericardial roll repairs, which reduces these complications. Six patients underwent in situ pericardial roll repair of APVR at Cleveland Clinic between 2018 and 2019. Median age was 40 years (range, 0.25-65 years). Three patients had partial APVR of right upper and middle veins into superior vena cava high above the right pulmonary artery without atrial septal defect; 2 had scimitar syndrome, and the infant had heterotaxy with unbalanced atrioventricular canal and mixed obstructed total APVR. The anomalous pulmonary vein drained into the respective cava far from the LA, which was not ideal for traditional repair techniques. In situ pericardial roll directed anomalous pulmonary vein to the LA. Most patients had concomitant complex cardiac procedures. There was no mortality. Median hospital stay was 23 days (range, 4-60 days) and median follow-up was 20 months (range, 1-36 months). The infant required percutaneous dilatation and stenting of LA anastomosis but since underwent ventricular switch. At last follow-up, pulmonary veins were unobstructed and adult patients were asymptomatic with excellent functional status. In situ autologous pericardial roll is a useful technique that abrogates the need for mobilization of distant anomalous pulmonary vein with direct anastomosis or complex intracardiac baffles. It is suitable for multiple anatomic configurations and can be used in infants and adults.

Ethical considerations for cardiac surgical interventions in children with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18.

Medical and surgical approaches to children with trisomy 13 and 18 are evolving, and an increasing number of patients are being considered for simple and complex cardiac procedures. This review describes how the shifts in medical and social considerations for children with trisomy 13 and 18 mirror the shifts that occurred 50 years ago for children with trisomy 21. Yet the variability in cardiac lesions, and variability in non-cardiac comorbidities, is much greater for patients with trisomy 13 and 18 than for those with trisomy 21. That variability, combined with the severe neurologic impairment in survivors, complicates the current risk: benefit balance of surgical intervention. Consistent approaches to care for these patients should be built on an evidence base, and should include contributions from specialists in medical ethics and palliative care.

Evaluating the role of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) or intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) in left atrial appendage occlusion: a meta-analysis.

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is increasingly common among periprocedural imaging modalities used during complex cardiac procedures. We sought to perform a meta-analysis comparing transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and ICE in endocardial left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). We searched PubMed and Google Scholar regarding abstracts and manuscripts using keywords: atrial fibrillation, left atrial appendage occlusion, Watchman, Amplatzer Cardiac Plug, Amulet, intracardiac echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography from their inception to July 12, 2019. Data extraction was performed using standard form for the following: title, year of publication, sample size, comorbid conditions, LAAO device, type of pre-procedural imaging, intraprocedural imaging, and clinical outcomes including the following: acute procedural success, fluoroscopy, and total procedure time and complications. A total of 42 relevant studies were screened resulting in inclusion of 8 observational studies comparing TEE and ICE in endocardial LAAO. Outcomes assessed including procedural success (RR 1.00, 95% CI (0.97-1.03, p = 0.98)), complications (RR 0.77, 95% CI (0.52 to 1.15, p = 0.20)), fluoroscopy time (mean difference - 0.40, 95% CI (-3.12-2.32, p = 0.77)), and procedural time (mean difference - 8.02, 95% CI (-22.81 to 6.76, p = 0.29)) were found to be similar between both groups. While TEE is the gold standard for perioperative imaging with LAAO, ICE is a feasible and safe alternative that reduces exposure to general anesthesia and associated potential risks.

Warming and cooling device using thermoelectric Peltier elements tested on male mice.

Hypothermia is a treatment strategy for different clinical conditions and an essential part of cardiopulmonary bypass in complex cardiac procedures. Clinically, cooling patients is achieved via a mattress and heat exchanger integrated into a membrane oxygenator connected to a waterbed using a refrigerator system based on volatile and toxic liquids. Peltier elements are known as environmentally friendly thermoelectric generators that enable rapid warming and cooling. In this paper, we describe the construction of a novel device for rapid and precise control of mouse warming and cooling using thermoelectric Peltier elements. Six male BALB/c mice were subjected to deep hypothermia and were rewarmed under full physiological monitoring. After rewarming, all animals were observed for two hours, and pathology was evaluated in several organs. All animals tolerated the rapid cooling process well and remained active after rewarming. Temperature-relevant changes were seen via electrocardiography, with heart-rate patterns showing a strong linear correlation to body temperature. No myocardial ischaemia was seen. However, two animals experienced bradycardic atrial fibrillation which spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm during rewarming. No histological damage was seen in the heart, liver, kidney or lungs. Our device can effectively be used for heat shock and hypothermia studies in mice, and we foresee no obstacles for its application to other small rodents such as hamsters and young rats. In comparison to known experimental and clinical methods of hypothermia, our device is environmentally friendly, cost-effective and easy to handle, allowing precise control and maintenance of body temperatures ranging from 18℃ to 42℃.

Impact of minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation on the need of red blood cell transfusion.

Minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation may decrease the need of packed red blood cell transfusions and reduce hemodilution during cardiopulmonary bypass. However, more data are needed on the effects of minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation in more complex cardiac procedures. We compared minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation and conventional extracorporeal circulation methods of cardiopulmonary bypass. A total of 424 patients in the minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation group and 844 patients in the conventional extracorporeal circulation group undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting and more complex cardiac surgery were evaluated. Age, sex, type of surgery, and duration of perfusion were used as matching criteria. Hemoglobin <80 g/L was used as red blood cell transfusion trigger. The primary endpoint was the use of red blood cells during the day of operation and the five postoperative days. Secondary endpoints were hemodilution (hemoglobin drop after the onset of perfusion) and postoperative bleeding from the chest tubes during the first 12 hours after the operation. Red blood cell transfusions were needed less often in the minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation group compared to the conventional extracorporeal circulation group (26.4% vs. 33.4%, p = 0.011, odds ratio 0.72, 95% confidence interval 0.55-0.93), especially in coronary artery bypass grafting subgroup (21.3% vs. 35.1%, p < 0.001, odds ratio 0.50, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.73). Hemoglobin drop after onset of perfusion was also lower in the minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation group than in the conventional extracorporeal circulation group (24.2 ± 8.5% vs. 32.6 ± 12.6%, p < 0.001). Postoperative bleeding from the chest tube did not differ between the groups (p = 0.808). Minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation reduced the need of red blood cell transfusions and hemoglobin drop when compared to the conventional extracorporeal circulation group. This may have implications when choosing the perfusion method in cardiac surgery.

The Arterial Switch Operation in 2019: How to Do It and How to Teach It.

This article presents technical aspects of the arterial switch procedure. The arterial switch procedure is a technically reproducible operation that involves less three-dimensional judgment and fewer difficult sequencing decisions than many other complex cardiac procedures. Hemostasis is the most important principal that must be adhered to mainly through meticulous surgical technique. Meticulous technique will also lead to successful transfer of the coronary arteries. Teaching a surgical trainee how to manage a child who requires an arterial switch procedure requires instruction in the technical aspects of the procedure. However, this is just one component of the overall management of babies requiring this procedure. Attention and training should be directed at all areas of competence that have been emphasized by bodies such as the American College of Surgeons. Simulation is playing an increasingly important role in the instruction of surgical trainees within the domain of congenital heart disease.