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Ann Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Nov;7(6):716-723

CORE Research Group, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia.

Background: Valvular heart disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world; in industrialized nations, mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most common valvular lesion. Untreated, severe MR has a poor prognosis, with a 5-year mortality rate of up to 50%. Surgical repair of symptomatic, severe primary MR has been demonstrated to improve survival. Read More

J Intensive Care 2018 16;6:73. Epub 2018 Nov 16.

1Centre for Heart Lung Innovation, St. Paul's Hospital, University of British Columbia, 1081 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC V6Z 1Y6 Canada.

Purpose: It is not clear whether vasopressin versus norepinephrine changed mortality in clinical practice in the Vasopressin and Septic Shock Trial (VASST) coordinating center hospital after VASST was published. We tested the hypothesis that vasopressin changed mortality compared to norepinephrine using propensity matching of vasopressin to norepinephrine-treated patients in the VASST coordinating center hospital before (SPH1) and after (SPH2) VASST was published.

Methods: Vasopressin-treated patients were propensity score matched to norepinephrine-treated patients based on age, APACHE II, respiratory, renal, and hematologic dysfunction, mechanical ventilation status, medical/surgical status, infection site, and norepinephrine dose. Read More

Respir Med Case Rep 2018 23;25:327-329. Epub 2018 Oct 23.

University of Florida College of Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care, USA.

Asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (ATD also known as Jeune syndrome) is a very rare disorder with an incidence in the United States of 1 case per 100,000-130,000 live births. Chronic alveolar hypoventilation leading to concurrent hypoxia is the main cause of morbidity and mortality in these patients due to its complications. A 22-year-old male with past medical history of ATD and severe kyphoscoliosis presented with progressively worsening shortness of breath for several days. Read More

Semin Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2018 Nov 8:1089253218812425. Epub 2018 Nov 8.

1 Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

The advent of percutaneous therapies has significantly altered therapeutic options for patients with valvular heart disease. Building on the success of transcatheter aortic valve replacement, both expanded indications and purpose-built devices are now being used to address percutaneous approaches for mitral valve pathology. While surgical mitral valve repair remains the gold standard for addressing significant mitral valve pathology, there has been a progressive increase in the utilization of bioprosthetic valves despite their limited lifespan. Read More

Cardiol Clin 2018 Nov;36(4):519-529

Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant, Pauley Heart Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1200 East Broad Street, PO Box: 980204, Richmond, VA 23298-0036, USA. Electronic address:

Continuous-flow (CF) left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are a safe and durable therapeutic option for patients with advanced heart failure as a bridge to transplant or as destination therapy. Despite the remarkable technological advances in device design and increasing familiarity with the physiologic effects of CF, major complications such as gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) continue to cause significant morbidity. The causes underlying CF-LVAD-related GIB are multifactorial. Read More

Cardiol Clin 2018 Nov;36(4):487-494

Department of Cardiology, Henry Ford Hospital, 2799 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.

Severe systolic dysfunction combined with symptoms of heart failure has a high rate of morbidity and mortality. Medical management remains the mainstay of therapy but mechanical circulatory support (MCS) is one of the treatment options for end-stage heart failure. The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is the most common type of device used for durable MCS. Read More

Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med 2018 Sep 21;20(11):87. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Department of Cardiovascular Disease, 200 1st street SW, Rochester, MN, 55901, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in women. The goal of this review is to address known disparities in cardiovascular care with regard to diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in women.

Recent Findings: Gender-specific differences in regard to the incidence, treatment, and outcomes of common cardiovascular pathology are increasingly recognized. Read More

Curr Atheroscler Rep 2018 Sep 17;20(11):54. Epub 2018 Sep 17.

Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Latina, Italy.

Purpose Of Review: Resting heart rate is an independent risk factor for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients with heart failure. The main objectives are to discuss the prognosis of heart rate, its association with coronary atherosclerosis, and the modalities of control of the heart rate in sinus rhythm and in the rhythm of atrial fibrillation in patients with chronic heart failure.

Recent Findings: As a therapeutic option for control heart rate, medications such as beta-blockers, digoxin, and finally ivabradine have been studied. Read More

Cardiol Young 2018 Nov 12;28(11):1295-1298. Epub 2018 Sep 12.

7Department of Paediatric Cardiology and Transplant Cardiology,Great Ormond Street Hospital,London,UK.

Advanced medical and surgical treatment of heart failure and management of patients following heart transplantation is an emerging area. Treatment options at various levels are becoming available in an increasing number of countries. This rapidly evolving field involves a complex multi-disciplinary approach with a number of complementary medical and surgical strategies, including pharmacotherapy, structural cardiac interventions, electrophysiological optimisation, mechanical circulatory support, and heart transplantation. Read More

Indian Heart J 2018 Jul - Aug;70(4):506-510. Epub 2017 Nov 14.

Associate Professor of Cardiology, Institute of Cardiology, Madras Medical College - Rajiv Gandhi Govt General Hospital, Poonamalliee High road, Chennai - 3, India.

Objective: Prosthetic valve thrombosis (PVT) is a dreadful complication of mechanical prosthetic valves. Thrombolytic therapy (TT) for PVT is an alternative to surgery and currently making a leading role. This study compares TT with tenecteplase (TNK) and streptokinase (SK) head to head in patients with mitral PVT. Read More

Eur Heart J 2018 Aug 21. Epub 2018 Aug 21.

Adult Congenital Heart Centre, Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton Hospital, Sydney St, Chelsea London, UK.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common inborn defect. Due to advances in paediatric care, surgical, and catheter procedures the number of adults with CHD has grown remarkably in recent years. Most of these patients, however, have residua from their original operation/s and require life-long care, many of them are subjected to further haemodynamic and electrophysiological interventions during adulthood. Read More

Int Heart J 2018 Sep 11;59(5):1041-1046. Epub 2018 Aug 11.

Division of Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Tokyo Hospital.

The prevalence of arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) and critical limb ischemia (CLI) is currently increasing, and arterial reconstruction is often attempted to salvage the limb. Some patients cannot undergo attempted revascularization because of contraindications, and they only receive conservative treatment. In this study, we investigate the comorbidities and survival rates of patients with CLI who receive conservative treatment. Read More

Kyobu Geka 2018 Jul;71(7):484-487

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.

Surgical strategy for non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy (NIDCM) is currently controversial. Subjects were 20 patients who underwent left ventriculoplasty(LVP) from 2006 to 2013 and 6 patients who underwent papillary muscle tugging approximation (PMTA) after 2015. PMTA is a new trans-mitral approach combined with valve replacement without left ventriculotomy. Read More

J Thorac Dis 2018 Jun;10(Suppl 15):S1785-S1789

Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Growing worldwide incidences of end-stage heart failure and declining rates of cardiac transplants have given rise to the need for alternative treatment options, based on mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices such as left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Technologically advanced LVADs such as the HVAD (HeartWare, Medtronic) facilitate safe and efficient treatment of heart failure patients with reduced post-operative complications, which is attributed to their considerably miniaturized size. This also facilitates the development and implementation of novel, minimally-invasive surgical techniques. Read More

Cardiovasc Res 2018 Dec;114(14):1871-1882

Department of Cardiology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, AV Groningen, The Netherlands.

Aims: The prevalence of heart failure with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is increasing, but therapeutic options are limited. Oxidative stress is suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of HFpEF. However, whether oxidative stress is a bystander due to comorbidities or causative in itself remains unknown. Read More

Int J Artif Organs 2018 Nov 18;41(11):764-771. Epub 2018 Jul 18.

1 Department of Cardiothoracic, Transplantation and Vascular Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.

Introduction:: Pump thrombosis of left ventricular assist devices remains a devastating complication with high morbidity and mortality. Despite the improvements made, the matter affects many patients and the treatment options are limited to thrombolysis and surgical replacement. An alternative approach using the aspiration Indigo catheter was tested. Read More

BMC Cardiovasc Disord 2018 Jul 16;18(1):148. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kajii-cho 465, Kawaramachi-Hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.

Background: In patients with Noonan syndrome (NS), cardiac disorders such as pulmonary valve stenosis (PS) or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are common. While some patients can develop heart failure associated with HCM, the long-term outcome of adult patients with NS is reported to be good. Fatal outcomes of heart failure in patients with NS but without HCM are rare. Read More

Case Rep Cardiol 2018 1;2018:6485831. Epub 2018 Apr 1.

Department of Cardiology, Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, PA, USA.

Anomalous origin of the left main coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ALCAPA) is a rare congenital coronary anomaly with high mortality. It is associated with cardiovascular complications and is usually diagnosed soon after birth. Those who survive into adulthood can present with signs of myocardial infarction, heart failure, mitral regurgitation, severe pulmonary hypertension, or sudden cardiac death. Read More

J Card Surg 2018 Sep 10;33(9):508-519. Epub 2018 Jul 10.

Department of Thoracic-Cardiovascular Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.

Background: Transcatheter mitral valve-in-valve (TMVIV) and valve-in-ring (TMVIR) implantation for degenerated mitral bioprostheses and failed annuloplasty rings have recently emerged as treatment options for patients deemed unsuitable for repeat surgery.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted to summarize the data regarding the baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing TMVIV and TMVIR procedures.

Results: A total of 245 patients (172 patients who underwent TMVIV surgery and 73 patients who underwent TMVIR surgery) were included in the study; 93. Read More

J Vasc Interv Neurol 2018 Jun;10(1):52-56

Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.

Background: Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and carotid artery stenting (CAS) are both viable treatment options for carotid artery stenosis. We sought to compare perioperative outcomes after CEA and CAS for the management of carotid stenosis using a "real-world" sample.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database to compare 30-day (periprocedural) outcomes in patients with carotid stenosis undergoing CEA versus CAS from 2005 to 2012. Read More

Transpl Int 2018 11 16;31(11):1223-1232. Epub 2018 Jul 16.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital Vienna, Vienna, Austria.

Internationally 3% of the donor hearts are distributed to re-transplant patients. In Eurotransplant, only patients with a primary graft dysfunction (PGD) within 1 week after heart transplantation (HTX) are indicated for high urgency listing. The aim of this study is to provide evidence for the discussion on whether these patients should still be allocated with priority. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Dec;54(6):977-985

Department of Cardiovascular Diseases and Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

The optimal management of aortic surgical bioprosthesis presenting with severe symptomatic structural valve deterioration is currently a matter of debate. Over the past 20 years, the number of implanted bioprostheses worldwide has been rapidly increasing at the expense of mechanical prostheses. A large proportion of patients, however, will require intervention for bioprosthesis structural valve deterioration. Read More

Korean J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Jun 5;51(3):195-201. Epub 2018 Jun 5.

Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine.

Background: We investigated the surgical outcomes of patients who underwent therapeutic surgery for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) at a single center.

Methods: A retrospective review of 21 patients who underwent therapeutic surgery for MPM from January 2001 to June 2015 was conducted to assess their outcomes. The patients' characteristics and postoperative course, including complications, mortality, overall survival, and recurrence-free survival, were analyzed. Read More

Perfusion 2018 05;33(1_suppl):7-17

1 Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit, The Edmond J Safra International Congenital Heart Center; The Edmond and Lily Safra Children's Hospital; The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is a prothrombotic, immune-mediated complication of unfractionated heparin (UFH) and low molecular weight heparin therapy. HIT is characterized by moderate thrombocytopenia 5-10 days after initial heparin exposure, detection of platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4/heparin antibodies and an increased risk of venous and arterial thrombosis. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a form of mechanical circulatory support used in critically ill patients with respiratory or cardiac failure. Read More

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2018 Nov;27(5):657-663

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, Netherlands.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of left ventricular reverse remodelling (LVRR) and recurrent mitral regurgitation (MR) at mid-term follow-up (1-2 years after surgery) in patients after personalized surgical treatment of heart failure and functional MR due to non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and to assess their prognostic impact on long-term clinical outcomes.

Methods: Consecutive patients with refractory heart failure and non-ischaemic MR, who underwent mitral valve surgery with or without additional procedures, were identified. Patients with complete preoperative and mid-term echocardiographic data were included. Read More

Multimed Man Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Apr 25;2018. Epub 2018 Apr 25.

University Hospital Lausanne - Switzerland University Hospital Geneva - Switzerland.

Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) are currently the best alternative to cardiac transplantation for patients with end-stage heart failure (HF) as a bridge to transplant or to decision, or as destination therapy. Full median sternotomy or minimally invasive techniques are the more standard approaches used at present.  LVADs are usually implanted between the left ventricle apex and the ascending aorta. Read More

Cardiol Rev 2018 Sep/Oct;26(5):239-244

Division of Cardiology, New York Medical College at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, NY.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited disease characterized by unexplained left ventricular hypertrophy. Although it is estimated to affect 1 out of 500 people, the HCM gene carrier prevalence is much more common, probably as high as 1 in 200 people. Most affected individuals have a normal life expectancy, whereas some patients may develop sudden cardiac death or end-stage heart failure. Read More

Methodist Debakey Cardiovasc J 2017 Jul-Sep;13(3):126-131

HOUSTON METHODIST DEBAKEY HEART & VASCULAR CENTER, HOUSTON METHODIST HOSPITAL, HOUSTON, TEXAS.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has exploded into medical care for aortic stenosis, thus changing the treatment options for patients. TAVR is currently approved for extreme-risk, high-risk, and intermediate-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, and randomized trials for low-risk patients are underway. This article traces the trajectory of TAVR as a viable option for higher-risk patients and examines current outcomes. Read More

Anaesthesist 2018 May 7. Epub 2018 May 7.

Herzchirurgische Klinik und Poliklinik, Transplantationszentrum, Klinikum Großhadern, LMU München, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377, München, Deutschland.

Expert Rev Med Devices 2018 May 8;15(5):357-365. Epub 2018 May 8.

a Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine , University of Leeds , Leeds , UK.

Introduction: Mitral regurgitation is a common finding in patients with chronic heart failure and is associated with a progressive worsening of symptoms, reduced survival and increased cost of care. However, the use of mitral valve surgery for these patients remains controversial and has not been shown to improve survival. Consequently, research has been increasingly directed towards the nonsurgical management of this important co-morbidity of heart failure. Read More

Ther Clin Risk Manag 2018 19;14:741-751. Epub 2018 Apr 19.

Department of Anesthesiology, Reanimatology, and Intensive Medicine, Karlovac General Hospital, Karlovac, Croatia.

Purpose: There are no evidence-based guidelines for volume replacement during surgical procedures such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the administration of a restrictive volume of crystalloids could be more cost-effective and safe. This trial aimed to determine the effectiveness and safety of a restrictive regimen of crystalloids in patients during laparoscopic cholecystectomy by analyzing its cost-effectiveness and 1-year morbidity rate. Read More

JACC Heart Fail 2018 May 11;6(5):353-363. Epub 2018 Apr 11.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Institute, Division of Cardiology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts. Electronic address:

Heart failure (HF), characterized by excessive exertional dyspnea, is a common complication within the broad clinical spectrum of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HF has become an increasingly prominent management issue with the reduction in sudden deaths due to use of implantable defibrillators in this disease. Exertional dyspnea ranges in severity from mild to severe (New York Heart Association functional classes II to IV) and not uncommonly becomes refractory to medical management, leading to progressive disability, but largely in the absence of pulmonary congestion and volume overload requiring hospitalization. Read More

Anaesthesist 2018 May;67(5):326-335

Klinik für Operative Intensivmedizin und Intermediate Care, Medizinische Fakultät RWTH Aachen, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstraße 30, 52074, Aachen, Deutschland.

Background: After exhaustion of all conservative measures in the treatment of acute and chronic heart insufficiency, there is the possibility to temporarily or permanently support or replace the pump performance of the heart by mechanical circulatory support (MCS) systems.

Objective: Presentation of the most important cardiac support systems for intensive care medicine, their indications and important risk factors.

Material And Methods: Critical review of device manufacturer's specifications, current research and expert opinions. Read More

J Geriatr Cardiol 2017 Dec;14(12):750-762

Heart Center, Department of Cardiology, Zentralklinik, Bad Berka, Germany.

Congenital left ventricular aneurysm or diverticulum are rare cardiac malformations described in 809 cases since the first description in 1816, being associated with other cardiac, vascular or thoraco-abdominal abnormalities in about 70%. It appears to be a developmental anomaly, starting in the 4 embryonic week. In an experimental study, targeted knockdown of cardiac troponin T in the chick was performed at day 3, after the heart tube has formed. Read More

J Vasc Surg 2018 06 1;67(6):1684-1689. Epub 2018 Mar 1.

German Aortic Center Hamburg, University Heart Center, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the immediate postoperative and midterm outcome of complex aortic aneurysm treatment necessitating four-vessel revascularization with either a total endovascular approach (fenestrated-branched stent graft [FBSG]) or a hybrid technique of visceral debranching plus stenting.

Methods: The clinical data of consecutively treated patients presenting with a complex aortic aneurysm that necessitated four-vessel revascularization between 2010 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.

Results: There were 98 patients (65 men [68%]) with a mean age of 70. Read More

Ann Cardiothorac Surg 2018 Jan;7(1):152-159

Adult Congenital and Paediatric Heart Unit, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK.

The single ventricle patient population comprises the most complex cohort presenting to the cardiac transplant team, in terms of demographics, anatomic substrate, and unique physiology. It is also the most rapidly growing diagnostic group presenting for heart transplantation. In this manuscript, we aim to describe the changing landscape of transplantation in single ventricle conditions through reflection on our own institution's practice and experience, alongside contemporary literature review. Read More

Hosp Pract (1995) 2018 Apr 6;46(2):58-63. Epub 2018 Mar 6.

a Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine , Westchester Medical Center , Valhalla , NY , USA.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease formerly thought rare in clinical practice, is now believed to affect as many as 1 in 300 individuals, regardless of race or gender. Rising awareness, coupled with advanced imaging and the development of dedicated HCM centers of excellence, has led to more patients coming to clinical presentation. While some are diagnosed at a young age, others are diagnosed in middle age or well into advanced age. Read More

Nephrol Ther 2017 Jun;13(6S):6S25-6S29

Service de néphrologie, hémodialyse, aphérèses et transplantation rénale, CHU Grenoble, France. Electronic address:

Renal transplantation is the best option for patients with end stage renal failure, since it significantly improves their duration and quality of life. The number of patients waiting for a kidney transplant continues to increase while the overall rate of organ procurement in France is stable. The graft shortage is worsening, as is the waiting time on list. Read More

Acta Biomater 2018 Apr 13;70:48-56. Epub 2018 Feb 13.

Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157, USA.

Bioengineering of a functional cardiac tissue composed of primary cardiomyocytes has great potential for myocardial regeneration and in vitro tissue modeling. However, its applications remain limited because the cardiac tissue is a highly organized structure with unique physiologic, biomechanical, and electrical properties. In this study, we undertook a proof-of-concept study to develop a contractile cardiac tissue with cellular organization, uniformity, and scalability by using three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting strategy. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Jun 6;91(7):1331-1338. Epub 2018 Feb 6.

Section of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut.

Objective: Treatment for lifestyle limiting claudication (LLC) that is due to infra-inguinal peripheral artery disease relies on either bypass, angioplasty, and/or stenting. Given the enthusiasm and shift toward more endovascular therapy for treatment of LLC, we sought to analyze whether octogenarians benefit from infra-inguinal interventions in the same manner as their younger counterparts.

Methods: We identified all patients admitted for elective treatment of LLC from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2012, who received open surgical or endovascular intervention for infra-inguinal peripheral arterial disease. Read More

J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth 2018 04 13;32(2):838-845. Epub 2017 Oct 13.

Emory University Hospital, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA.

Carcinoid heart disease is a rare form of heart disease due to secretion of vasoactive compounds, including serotonin, from gastrointestinal tumors. This E-challenge examines the case of a patient with advanced carcinoid heart disease who presented to the operating room (OR) for a tricuspid valve replacement. Once the patient was in the OR, intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography was used to discover a patent foramen ovale and involvement of all 4 valves with regurgitant lesions. Read More

Eur J Heart Fail 2018 04 25;20(4):642-650. Epub 2018 Jan 25.

Department of Cardiology, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Bradford, UK.

Interventional cardiology has been revolutionised by transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), which has become established as the benchmark treatment for severe aortic stenosis in patients at high risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR). Increased procedural familiarity and progression in device technology has enabled improvements to be made in complication rates, which have led to a commensurate expansion in the use of TAVI; it is now a viable alternative to AVR in patients at intermediate surgical risk, and has been used in cohorts such as those with bicuspid aortic valves or pure, severe aortic regurgitation. Given the rapid expansion in the use of TAVI, including cohorts of younger patients with fewer co-morbidities, attention must be paid to further reducing remaining complications, such as cardiac tamponade or stroke. Read More

Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med 2018 Jan 19;20(1). Epub 2018 Jan 19.

Pediatric Cardiology, Stollery Children's Hospital, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.

Purpose Of Review: The purpose of this review is to detail three-dimensional echocardiographic (3DE) innovations in pre-surgical planning of congenital heart disease, guidance of catheter interventions such as fusion imaging, and functional assessment of patients with congenital heart disease.

Recent Findings: Innovations in 3DE have helped us delineate the details of atrioventricular valve function and understand the mechanism of atrioventricular valve failure in patients with atrioventricular septal defect and single ventricle post repair. Advancement in holographic display of 3D datasets allows for better manipulation of 3D images in three dimensions and better understanding of anatomic relationships. Read More

Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 2018 Apr;31(2):190-194

Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Minimally invasive interventional procedures are increasingly popular options for patients who are high-risk candidates for open surgical procedures. It is unclear how to proceed in the rare circumstance of a complication during an interventional procedure, where addressing the complication would require exposing the patient to the full risk that was being avoided with the minimally invasive technique. This review provides recommendations on how to approach this paradoxical scenario. Read More

Expert Rev Cardiovasc Ther 2018 Feb 12;16(2):91-97. Epub 2018 Jan 12.

a Division of Cardiology, Section of Cardiac Electrophysiology, Department of Medicine , University of California , San Francisco , CA , USA.

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The incidence of AF increases with age and is associated with increased stroke, heart failure and mortality. Persistent and long standing persistent AF is difficult to treat and often refractory to medical therapy and catheter ablation. Read More

NPJ Regen Med 2017 13;2:17. Epub 2017 Jun 13.

Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8044 Switzerland.

Acute myocardial infarction and chronic heart failure rank among the major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Except for heart transplantation, current therapy options only treat the symptoms but do not cure the disease. Stem cell-based therapies represent a possible paradigm shift for cardiac repair. Read More

Ann Acad Med Singapore 2017 Nov;46(11):433-438

Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore, Singapore.

Atrial fibrillation is an epidemic in Asia that is increasingly prevalent. Apart from stroke risk stratification and management of anticoagulation, physicians managing this group of patients also need to determine an optimal strategy in terms of rate or rhythm control. With new techniques of catheter ablation to maintain patients in sinus rhythm, patients with atrial fibrillation now have more options for treatment, on top of pharmacological methods. Read More

Adv Exp Med Biol 2018 ;1067:271-285

Department of Cardiology, St. Luke's University Health Network, Bethlehem, PA, USA.

Mitral regurgitation (MR) is the most frequent Valvular Heart Disease (VHD) and is an important cause of heart failure. MR can be caused by primary valve abnormality (Degenerative MR/Primary MR) or it can be secondary to cardiomyopathy (Functional MR/Secondary MR). Medical management alleviates symptoms but does not alter the progression of the disease. Read More

Radiol Res Pract 2017 15;2017:2874902. Epub 2017 Nov 15.

Department of Cardiology, Chatzikosta General Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.

Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) is the least common among cardiomyopathies. It can be idiopathic, familial, or secondary to systematic disorders. Marked increase in left and/or right ventricular filling pressures causes symptoms and signs of congestive heart failure. Read More