Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Eur J Cardiovasc Nurs 2019 Apr 17:1474515119844717. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

University of Newcastle, Port Macquarie, Australia.

Background: Despite extensive knowledge and research in cardiac health there is limited understanding in how a cardiac arrest influences the life of long-term survivors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how long-term survivors of a cardiac arrest adjusted to their new reality, expressed in their re-storied narratives.

Methods: Seven individuals surviving a cardiac arrest 5-26 years ago were interviewed through in-depth conversations over a six-month period. Read More

FP Essent 2019 Apr;479:30-34

Womack Army Medical Center Department of the Army, WAMC Stop A 2817 Reilly Rd, Ft Bragg, NC 28310-7301.

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an abrupt and unexpected death presumed to be due to cardiac causes. The primary etiologic mechanism is cardiac arrest due to an arrhythmia. Cardioverter-defibrillators detect abnormal arrhythmia and abort the rhythm with an electrical shock. Read More

Cardiol J 2019 Apr 17. Epub 2019 Apr 17.

Intensive Cardiac Therapy Clinic, Institute of Cardiology Warsaw, Poland.

Background: Prompt reperfusion and post-resuscitation care, including targeted temperature management (TTM), improve survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. To predict in-hospital mortality in OHCA patients treated with TTM, the Polish Hypothermia Registry Risk Score (PHR-RS) was developed. The use of dedicated risk stratification tools may support treatment decisions. Read More

Children (Basel) 2019 Apr 3;6(4). Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Department of Pediatrics, UC Davis Medical Center, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.

The current guidelines recommend the use of 100% O₂ during resuscitation of a neonate requiring chest compressions (CC). Studies comparing 21% and 100% O₂ during CC were conducted in postnatal models and have not shown a difference in incidence or timing of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). The objective of this study is to evaluate systemic oxygenation and oxygen delivery to the brain during CC in an ovine model of perinatal asphyxial arrest induced by umbilical cord occlusion. Read More

Pediatr Crit Care Med 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.

Objectives: To assess the variation in timing of left atrial decompression and its association with clinical outcomes in pediatric patients supported with venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation across a multicenter cohort.

Design: Multicenter retrospective study.

Setting: Eleven pediatric hospitals within the United States. Read More

Front Vet Sci 2019 28;6:89. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.

We evaluated three models of non-penetrating captive bolt devices, Zephyr-E, Zephyr- EXL, and Turkey euthanasia device (TED) for time to loss of sensibility and degree of brain damage during euthanasia in four age groups of male and female layer chickens (10-11, 20-21, 30-35, 60-70 weeks respectively). Latencies to onset of insensibility and cardiac arrest were assessed to detect whether killing birds via these devices was humane and effective. Both gross and microscopic pathology evaluations were conducted to score skull and brain trauma post mortem. Read More

Front Pediatr 2019 29;7:119. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Pediatric Intensive Care Department, Hôpital Universitaire des Enfants Reine Fabiola, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.

Severe accidental hypothermia has been demonstrated to affect ventricular systolic and diastolic functions, and rewarming might be responsible of cardiovascular collapse. Until now, there have been only a few reports on severe accidental hypothermia, none of which involved children. Herein, we describe here a rare case of heart failure in a 6-year-old boy admitted to the emergency unit owing to severe hypothermia and malnutrition. Read More

Prehosp Disaster Med 2019 Apr 14:1-6. Epub 2019 Apr 14.

Department of Emergency Medicine,Marmara University Pendik Education and Research Hospital,Istanbul,Turkey.

Introduction: High-quality chest compressions (CCs) are associated with high survival rates and good neurological outcomes in cardiac arrest patients. The 2015 American Heart Association (AHA; Dallas, Texas USA) Guidelines for Resuscitation defined and recommended high-quality CCs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, CPR providers struggle to achieve high-quality CCs. Read More

Anasthesiol Intensivmed Notfallmed Schmerzther 2019 Apr 12;54(4):295-300. Epub 2019 Apr 12.

A 46-year-old woman on oral contraceptives developed an intrahepatic hematoma due to a benign hepatic tumor. As an incidental finding, a computed tomography showed a pulmonary embolism. Unfractionated heparin was given in a prophylactic dosing in an attempt to balance the risk of further intrahepatic bleeding with that of thrombosis. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Wayne State University, 6G UHC, 4201St.., Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201.

Background: End Tidal CO (ETCO) is a reasonable predictor of Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC) in cardiac arrest (CA), though with many limitations. Cerebral Oximetry (CerOx) non-invasively measures brain O saturation and correlates with flow.

Objectives: This study compares ETCO and CerOx for ROSC prediction during both out of hospital (OHCA) and emergency department cardiac arrests (EDCA). Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2019 Mar 29. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States of America.

We describe an interesting case of a 71 years old fragile female, with progressive shortness of breath on exertion and ankle swelling, cardiac failure NYHA class III. She also had chest irradiation due to Hodgkin's disease many years before, previous surgical aortic valve replacement using bioprosthetic stent-less Freestyle #25 mm valve (Medtronic, Inc) in 2000 for severe aortic stenosis, history of cardiac arrest in 2012 and angioplasty to ostial RCA, PCI to ostial RCA in 2014, CABG (RA graft to RCA) in 2014 (RCA intra-stent restenosis with refractory ischemia), anemia requiring regular transfusions, bronchiectasis and chronic kidney disease. Because of the great comorbidities, STS 4. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2019 Mar 18. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Department of Cardiology, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Genetic testing in survivors of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) with a suspicious cardiac phenotype is considered clinically useful, whereas its value in the absence of phenotype is disputed. We aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of genetic testing in survivors of SCA with or without cardiac phenotype. Sixty unrelated SCA survivors (median age: 34 [interquartile range 20 to 43] years, 82% male) without coronary artery disease were included: 24 (40%) with detectable cardiac phenotype (Ph(+)SCA) after the SCA event and 36 (60%) with no clear cardiac phenotype (Ph(-)SCA). Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Apr;73(14):1756-1765

Department of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel; Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address:

Background: Information on young patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS) and arrhythmic events (AEs) is limited.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to describe their characteristics and management as well as risk factors for AE recurrence.

Methods: A total of 57 patients (age ≤20 years), all with BrS and AEs, were divided into pediatric (age ≤12 years; n = 26) and adolescents (age 13 to 20 years; n = 31). Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Canada.

Aims: To evaluate the accuracy of PoCUS in predicting return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital admission (SHA), and survival to hospital discharge (SHD) in adult non-traumatic, non-shockable out-of-hospital or emergency department cardiac arrest.

Methods: Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane, CINAHL, ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization Registry were searched for eligible studies. Read More

Heart 2019 Apr 10. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

Cardiovascular Pathology Unit, Department of Cardiac-Thoracic-Vascular Sciences and Public Health, University of Padua Medical School, Padova, Italy.

Prehosp Disaster Med 2019 Apr 10:1-4. Epub 2019 Apr 10.

1.Department of Emergency Medicine, Allegheny Health Network,Saint Vincent Hospital,Erie, PennsylvaniaUSA.

Introduction: Hyperventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) negatively affects cardiopulmonary physiology. Compression-adjusted ventilations (CAVs) may allow providers to deliver ventilation rates more consistently than conventional ventilations (CVs). This study sought to compare ventilation rates between these two methods during simulated cardiac arrest. Read More

Cureus 2019 Jan 29;11(1):e3983. Epub 2019 Jan 29.

Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic - Fairview Hospital, Cleveland, USA.

Complete heart block (CHB) is an unfortunate complication of an anterior and inferior myocardial infarction (MI). We present a case of an atherosclerotic occlusion of the first septal perforator leading to CHB requiring permanent pacemaker placement in a young patient. A 33-year-old healthy white male presented to the emergency department with an episode of syncope. Read More

Perfusion 2019 Apr;34(1_suppl):74-81

5 2nd Department of Internal Medicine - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.

Introduction: Data on management of severe accidental hypothermia published from an established high-volume extracorporeal membrane oxygenation centre are scarce.

Methods: A total of 28 patients with intravesical temperature lower than 28°C on admission were either treated with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or rewarmed conservatively.

Results: A total of 10 patients rewarmed on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (age: 37 ± 12. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2019 Apr 9:1-11. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

a Department of Emergency Medicine , University of California Davis Medical Center , Sacramento , CA , USA.

Introduction: Cannabis smoking can result in elevation of heart rate and blood pressure immediately after use, possibly from sympathetic nervous system stimulation and parasympathetic nervous system inhibition. Vascular inflammation, platelet activation, and carboxyhemoglobin generation have also been proposed as potential side effects of cannabis smoking. As such, an association between cannabis use and acute coronary syndrome has been postulated. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, German Aortic Center Hamburg, University Heart Center Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany.

Objectives: This study aims to analyse the impact of a simplified frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique on early outcome.

Methods: Between October 2010 and August 2018, 92 consecutive patients (mean age 64.4 ± 12. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.

Objectives: Controversy exists in ascertaining the ideal location for adults with congenital heart disease requiring surgical intervention. In this study, we sought to compare the perioperative management between our paediatric and adult hospitals and to determine how clinical factors and the location affect the length of stay after pulmonary valve replacement.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients, ≥18 years of age, undergoing pulmonary valve replacement was conducted at our paediatric and adult hospitals between 1 January 2000 and 30 October 2014. Read More

Food Funct 2019 Apr 8. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

School of Food Science and Technology, National Engineering Research Center of Seafood, Dalian Polytechnic University, Qinggongyuan1, Ganjingzi District, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China. and Engineering Research Center of Seafood of Ministry of Education of China, Dalian 116034, Liaoning, China.

Food-borne nanoparticles that are generated during the thermal processing of various consumed foods are of great concern due to their unique properties. In this study, the presence of fluorescent nanoparticles (FNPs) in pizza, their biodistribution and cytotoxicity were investigated. The spherical FNPs have a diameter of about 3. Read More

Radiol Case Rep 2019 Jun 23;14(6):652-655. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Lincoln Medical and Mental Health Center, Bronx, NY, USA.

Early recognition of cardiac arrest has been linked traditionally to clinical signs and telemetry findings. Few case reports have presented normal telemetry findings in patients with cardiac arrest where a contrast enhanced CT scan of the chest was able to identify the diagnosis. The early recognition of a cardiac arrest whether by telemetry monitoring or CT scan is important to improve the clinical outcomes. Read More

Int J Legal Med 2019 Apr 7. Epub 2019 Apr 7.

Department of Legal Medicine, Osaka City University Medical School, 1-4-3 Asahi-machi, Abeno, Osaka, 545-8585, Japan.

We reported the first comprehensive autopsy case of death due to intravenous injection of nicotine. We examined the distribution of nicotine in the body tissues and fluid and exposed the pathophysiology of nicotine poisoning. A 19-year-old woman was rushed to the hospital in cardiorespiratory arrest and was confirmed dead upon arrival. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States.

Purpose: To assess the performance of neuroprognostic guidelines proposed by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN), European Resuscitation Council/European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ERC/ESICM), and American Heart Association (AHA) in predicting outcomes of patients who remain unconscious after cardiac arrest.

Methods: We retrospectively identified a cohort of unconscious post-cardiac arrest patients at a single tertiary care centre from 2011 to 2017 and reviewed hospital records for clinical, radiographic, electrophysiologic, and biochemical findings. Outcomes at discharge and 6 months post-arrest were abstracted and dichotomized as good (Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scores of 1-2) versus poor (CPC 3-5). Read More

Eur Heart J Acute Cardiovasc Care 2019 Apr 5:2048872619842004. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

1 Department of Cardiology, Rigshospitalet - Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark.

Background:: Patients admitted to a cardiac intensive care unit are often unconscious with uncertain prognosis. Automated infrared pupillometry for neurological assessment in the intensive care unit may provide early prognostic information. This study aimed to determine the prognostic value of automated pupillometry in different subgroups of patients in a cardiac intensive care unit with 30-day mortality as the primary endpoint and neurological outcome as the secondary endpoint. Read More

Am Surg 2019 Mar;85(3):e157-e159

Am Surg 2019 Mar;85(3):e123-e125

PLoS One 2019 4;14(4):e0214506. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Centre for the Studies of Asphyxia and Resuscitation, Neonatal Research Unit, Royal Alexandra Hospital, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Aim: We recently demonstrated that asphyxiated piglets commonly had bradycardia displayed on electrocardiography (ECG) while no carotid blood flow (CBF) or audible heart sounds could be detected. Such pulseless electrical activity (PEA) in newborn infants has not previously been thoroughly described. The aim of this study was to further investigate the occurrence of non-perfusing cardiac rhythms in asphyxiated piglets and the potential implications for the success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and short-term survival. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Apr 1;138:243-249. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Emergency Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium.

Aim: To investigate whether a ventilation rate ≤10 breaths min in adult cardiac arrest patients treated with tracheal intubation and chest compressions in a prehospital setting is associated with improved Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC), survival to hospital discharge and one-year survival with favourable neurological outcome, compared to a ventilation rate >10 breaths min.

Methods: In this retrospective study, prospectively acquired data were analysed. Ventilation rates were measured with end-tidal CO and ventilation pressures. Read More

Cardiovasc Toxicol 2019 Apr 3. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

CEU San Pablo University, Madrid, Spain.

Unintentional administration of bupivacaine may be associated with electrocardiogram changes that promote the development cardiac arrhythmias. Ventricular repolarization markers (corrected QT, QT dispersion, Tpeak-Tend and Tpeak-Tend dispersion) are useful to predict cardiac arrhythmias. We aim to investigate the effects of bupivacaine on the transmural dispersion of repolarization and their reversion following intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) administration. Read More

Circ Arrhythm Electrophysiol 2019 Apr;12(4):e007045

Institute for Experimental Medical Research (A.H.O., C.R.C., O.S.E., M. Sadredini, X.S., P.K.L., M.L., I.S., A.G.E., I.G.L., M.K.S., G.C., W.E.L.), Oslo University Hospital, Norway.

Background: Circulating SN (secretoneurin) concentrations are increased in patients with myocardial dysfunction and predict poor outcome. Because SN inhibits CaMKIIδ (Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase IIδ) activity, we hypothesized that upregulation of SN in patients protects against cardiomyocyte mechanisms of arrhythmia.

Methods: Circulating levels of SN and other biomarkers were assessed in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT; n=8) and in resuscitated patients after ventricular arrhythmia-induced cardiac arrest (n=155). Read More

Clin Exp Emerg Med 2019 Apr 3. Epub 2019 Apr 3.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital, Gwangju, Korea.

Comatose cardiac arrest patients frequently experience cardiogenic shock or recurrent arrest. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) can be used to salvage patients with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest refractory to conventional therapies. However, in comatose cardiac arrest patients whose neurologic recovery is uncertain, the use of ECMO is restricted because it requires considerable financial and human resources. Read More

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2019 Mar 30;221:49-58. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China. Electronic address:

The freshwater red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is found not only in freshwater but also in coastal saline habitats. Hyperosmotic salinity can induce cell damage. p53, regarded as the guardian of the genome, is very important and versatile in response to the change of environment. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Mar 30. Epub 2019 Mar 30.

Emergency Department, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Aims: The HOPE score, based on covariates available at hospital admission, predicts the probability of in-hospital survival after extracorporeal life support (ECLS) rewarming of a given hypothermic cardiac arrest patient with accidental hypothermia. Our goal was to externally validate the HOPE score.

Methods: We included consecutive hypothermic arrested patients who underwent rewarming with ECLS. Read More

Emerg Med Clin North Am 2019 May 8;37(2):351-363. Epub 2019 Mar 8.

Department of Critical Care Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Georgetown University School of Medicine, 110 Irving Street Northwest, Suite 4B-42, Washington, DC 20010, USA. Electronic address:

Many health care providers lack familiarity with maternal physiologic changes and the distinctive underlying etiology of cardiac arrest in pregnancy. Knowledge of what changes are expected in pregnancy and an understanding of how to adapt clinical practice is essential for the care of the pregnant woman in the emergency department. Amniotic fluid embolism should be recognized as a rare cause of cardiac arrest in pregnancy, characterized by the triad of cardiovascular collapse, hypoxic respiratory failure, and coagulopathy. Read More

Harm Reduct J 2019 Apr 2;16(1):23. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, West Virginia University, PO Box 9163, Morgantown, WV, 26506, USA.

Background: Using a new needle for every injection can reduce the spread of infectious disease among people who inject drugs (PWID). No previous study has examined new needle use barriers among PWIDs residing in the rural Appalachian part of the United States, an area currently in the midst of a heroin epidemic.

Objective: Therefore, our primary aim was to explore self-reported barriers to using a new needle by PWID attending a needle exchange program (NEP). Read More

Ann N Y Acad Sci 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

College of Medicine, Member of QU Health, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.

Calmodulin (CaM) is a universal calcium (Ca )-binding messenger that regulates many vital cellular events. In cardiac muscle, CaM associates with ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) and regulates excitation-contraction coupling. Mutations in human genes CALM1, CALM2, and CALM3 have been associated with life-threatening heart disorders, such as long QT syndrome (LQTS) and catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia. Read More

A A Pract 2019 Apr;12(7):249-251

From the Department of Anesthesiology, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, Brooklyn, NY.

A previously healthy 26-year-old man presented for elective Le Fort I osteotomy, bilateral mandibular osteotomy, and genioplasty. During the intraoperative course, the patient developed sudden bradycardia and asystole on placement of a bite block. Asystole is an extremely rare consequence of the trigeminocardiac reflex, and awareness of this potentially life-threatening complication is pivotal in its management. Read More

J Arthroplasty 2019 Mar 7. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Department of Orthopaedics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC.

Background: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) as a predictor of postoperative complications, readmission, and mortality in patients undergoing revision hip and knee arthroplasty.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeon's National Surgical Quality Improvement Program's database for patients undergoing revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) and revision total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) between the years 2005 and 2016 was conducted. The 5-factor score, which includes presence of comorbid diabetes, hypertension, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and functional status, was calculated for each patient. Read More

J Psychosom Res 2019 May 5;120:39-45. Epub 2019 Mar 5.

University of Kentucky College of Nursing, RICH Heart Program, Lexington, KY, United States.

Background: The prevalence of multi-morbidity in implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipients is approximately 25%. Multi-morbidity is associated with poor health and psychological outcomes in this population and may affect ICD recipients' quality-of-life (QOL). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of psychological distress (anxiety, depressive symptoms, and Type-D personality) in ICD recipients with varying levels of comorbidities, and to examine the association between multi-morbidity burden and QOL in this population. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Mar 27;138:235-242. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, Heart Center, Department of Cardiology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: In out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) on scene occurs only in a minority of patients. The optimal duration of resuscitation on scene before transport with ongoing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is unknown.

Purpose: To determine the time of resuscitation on scene ('time on scene') and survival in patients transported with ongoing CPR in the Netherlands. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Mar 22. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Department of Cardiology, Hopital La Timone Adultes, Marseille, France; UMR MD2, Aix Marseille University, Institute of Biological research of the French Army (IRBA), Marseille, France.

Background: Patients affected by syncope without or with very short (≤5 s) prodrome with normal heart and normal ECG have been seen to present low plasma adenosine levels. We investigated whether chronic treatment of these patients with theophylline, a non-selective adenosine receptor antagonist, results in clinical benefit.

Methods: In a consecutive case-series of 16 patients (mean age 47 ± 25 years, 9 females) who had ECG documentation of asystolic syncope, we compared the incidence of syncopal recurrence during a period without and a period with tailored theophylline therapy. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Feb 13. Epub 2019 Feb 13.

Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Va. Electronic address:

Objectives: β-Blocker use is associated with fewer cardiac complications in patients undergoing noncardiac surgery and is a quality metric for coronary artery bypass grafting. We sought to determine the influence of preoperative β-blocker administration before aortic valve replacement (AVR).

Methods: All patients undergoing isolated AVR from 2002 to 2016 were extracted from a multi-institutional, statewide database composed of Society of Thoracic Surgeons data. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Mar 26. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Arrowhead Regional Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Colton, CA, United States; Air Methods Corporation, Greenwood Village, Colorado, United States; California University of Science and Medicine, San Bernardino, CA, United States.

Objective: Traditional vital sign thresholds reflect an increased risk of mortality, which may occur hours, days, or weeks following illness/injury, limiting immediate clinical significance to guide rescue therapy to avoid arrest. Our objective is to explore vital sign patterns prior to arrest due to shock.

Design: This retrospective observational analysis utilized physiological data from adult helicopter patients suffering provider-witnessed arrest. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2019 Mar;72(3):199-203

Department of Cardiac Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.

We report a new-born case of total conus defect type ventricular septal defect (VSD) and single coronary artery with situs inversus totalis, suspected Kartagener syndrome clinically. After the birth, as the patient had suffered from respiratory distress due to high pulmonary blood flow through the large defect, surgery was planned at age of 14-days after birth. Under median sternotomy and cardiac arrest, patch closure of VSD was performed as ordinary fashion. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2019 Mar;72(3):178-181

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Ogaki Municipal Hospital, Ogaki, Japan.

An 80-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of subacute myocardial infarction with moderate mitral regurgitation. Though he recovered well and went home within 2 weeks, the transthoracic echocardiography revealed rapid growing aneurysmal changes at the left ventricular posterior wall. We made diagnose of a pseudoaneurysm by the multi detector-row computed tomography, and planed a surgical treatment. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Apr;73(12):1447-1459

St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; Cardiac Transplant Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address:

Background: Transplantation of hearts retrieved from donation after circulatory death (DCD) donors is an evolving clinical practice.

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide an update on the authors' Australian clinical program and discuss lessons learned since performing the world's first series of distantly procured DCD heart transplants.

Methods: The authors report their experience of 23 DCD heart transplants from 45 DCD donor referrals since 2014. Read More