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J Am Coll Cardiol 2019 Mar;73(10):1107-1119

British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Electronic address:

Background: Bioprosthetic aortic valve degeneration is increasingly common, often unheralded, and can have catastrophic consequences.

Objectives: The authors sought to assess whether F-fluoride positron emission tomography (PET)-computed tomography (CT) can detect bioprosthetic aortic valve degeneration and predict valve dysfunction.

Methods: Explanted degenerate bioprosthetic valves were examined ex vivo. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Mar 12;14(1):56. Epub 2019 Mar 12.

Cardiology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen Province, 40002, Thailand.

Background: Substantial development of cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) technology in the last decade has commanded to increase usage of this modality for assessing infective endocarditis (IE). The objective of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of preoperative cardiac CTA imaging as opposed to transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the assessment of complications associated to IE, with comparison to surgical findings.

Methods: Among 52 patients with surgically proven IE in our database, 24 underwent contrast-enhanced ECG cardiac CTA and were included in the study and all of them also underwent TTE. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2019 Mar 11. Epub 2019 Mar 11.

Division of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Bioprosthetic valve dysfunction was treated in the past with redo open heart surgery. The need to identify occult leaflet infection was not an important requirement as all valve tissue was removed during surgery. With the dramatic growth in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) valve-in-valve (ViV) therapy, identification of occult infection is of major significance. Read More

Heart 2019 Mar;105(Suppl 2):s34-s37

The first aortic valve prosthesis, implanted more than 50 years ago, was a mechanical prosthesis (ball-and-cage design). Over the ensuing decades, tissue prostheses and new mechanical designs were introduced to mitigate the need for anticoagulation with its associated side effects. Tissue and mechanical heart valve prostheses were compared in two head-to-head randomised control trials. Read More

Heart 2019 Mar;105(Suppl 2):s16-s20

Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, St George's Hospital, London, UK.

Conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the 'gold standard' for treatment of severe or symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. The increasing age of patients and increasing comorbidities has led to the development of procedures to minimise operative time and reduce risks of surgery. One method of reducing operative times is the use of sutureless aortic valves (SU-AVR). Read More

World J Pediatr Congenit Heart Surg 2019 Mar;10(2):145-150

1 Center for Congenital Heart Diseases, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.

Objective:: Hinge washing is a crucial factor in the prevention of mechanical prosthetic valvar thrombosis, especially in the pulmonary valve position. The aim of this laboratory study was to determine the relationship between pressure difference and the amount of hinge washing in the closed position, using the pressures that are normal for the right ventricle and pulmonary artery.

Methods:: In an in vitro setting, four different bileaflet mechanical valves were tested for hinge washing in closed position. Read More

J Cardiovasc Transl Res 2019 Mar 6. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Institute of Molecular and Translational Therapeutic Strategies (IMTTS), Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Str. 1, 30625, Hannover, Germany.

Calcification of aortic valves leads to aortic stenosis mainly in elderly individuals, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not understood. Here, we studied microRNA (miR, miRNA) expression and function in healthy and stenotic human aortic valves. We identified miR-21, miR-24, and miR-143 to be highly upregulated in stenotic aortic valves. Read More

Eur J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Feb 27. Epub 2019 Feb 27.

Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College, Paddington, London, UK.

Objectives: Small aortic prosthetic valves have been associated with suboptimal performance due to patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM). This meta-analysis compared the outcomes of patients with a small root who received tissue versus mechanical aortic valves.

Methods: A systematic literature review identified 7 candidate studies; of these, 5 met the meta-analysis criteria. Read More

J Vis Exp 2019 Feb 5(144). Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology.

Neonatal patient simulators (NPS) are artificial patient surrogates used in the context of medical simulation training. Neonatologists and nursing staff practice clinical interventions such as chest compressions to ensure patient survival in the case of bradycardia or cardiac arrest. The simulators used currently are of low physical fidelity and therefore cannot provide qualitative insight into the procedure of chest compressions. Read More

Kardiol Pol 2019 Feb 25. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

Department of Cardiology and Structural Heart Diseases, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Katowice, Poland.

Oral anticoagulants (OAC) are widely used for prevention of systemic thromboembolism, including the reduction of the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) and prosthetic heart valves. There is also an increasing population of patients who require not only OACs, but also double antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). A typical example is a patient with AF and stable coronary artery disease or acute coronary syndrome (ACS), treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Read More

Pharmacoecon Open 2019 Feb 19. Epub 2019 Feb 19.

School of Public Health, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Background: Lack of data on the cost of cardiac care is an impediment to evidence-based planning, especially for determining provider payment rates under publically financed health insurance schemes.

Objective: This study estimates the unit costs of outpatient consultation, hospitalization, intensive care, selected surgical procedures and diagnostics for providing cardiac care for valvular heart disease at a tertiary hospital in India.

Methods: We undertook an economic costing of cardiac care using both patient and health system perspectives. Read More

ESC Heart Fail 2019 Feb 18. Epub 2019 Feb 18.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Chiba-Nishi General Hospital, Matsudo, Japan.

Although aortic valve (AV) replacement is a curative procedure for severe aortic stenosis, prosthetic heart valves have many disadvantages and cause serious complications. A new promising surgical procedure-aortic valve neocuspidization (AVNeo)-has recently been developed; it is an original method of AV reconstruction with autologous pericardium. It has been reported to yield excellent medium-term results with respect to durability and complications. Read More

J Biol Eng 2019 6;13:12. Epub 2019 Feb 6.

5Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001 India.

Digitalization of health care practices is substantially manifesting itself as an effective tool to diagnose and rectify complex cardiovascular abnormalities. For cardiovascular abnormalities, precise non-invasive imaging interventions are being used to develop patient specific diagnosis and surgical planning. Concurrently, pre surgical 3D simulation and computational modeling are aiding in the effective surgery and understanding of valve biomechanics, respectively. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2019 Feb 1. Epub 2019 Feb 1.

Heart Area, Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias, Oviedo, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain; University of Oviedo, Spain.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of valve in valve (VIV) TAVI with the autoexpandable valve, specifically in patients with failed Mitroflow (MF) bioprosthetic aortic valves.

Methods: Pilot, single center, observational and prospective study that included 45 consecutive patients with symptomatic failed MF bioprosthetic aortic valve, referred for VIV TAVI. The safety primary endpoint was a composite of early events at 30 days, defined by VARC-2 criteria. Read More

Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2019 Feb 5;214:95-102. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Institute of Multiphase Processes, Leibniz Universität Hannover, Germany. Electronic address:

Decellularized heart valves hold promise for their use as bioscaffolds in cardiovascular surgery. Quality assessment of heart valves after decellularization processing and/or storage is time consuming and destructive. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) allows rapid non-invasive assessment of biomolecular structures in tissues. Read More

Heart 2019 Feb 5. Epub 2019 Feb 5.

Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Question: Which of the following diagnoses best explains this presentation?Iatrogenic left main stem ostial stenosisSaddle pulmonary embolismMondor's syndrome (thrombophlebitis of superficial veins of chest wall)Coronary thromboembolismEpicardial fat necrosis. Read More

PLoS One 2019 30;14(1):e0210780. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.

The expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) heart valve can serve as a viable option for prosthetic aortic valve. In this study, an ePTFE bi-leaflet valve design for aortic valve replacement (AVR) is presented, and the performance of the proposed valve was assessed numerically and experimentally. The valve was designed using CAE software. Read More

J Biomed Mater Res A 2019 Jan 28. Epub 2019 Jan 28.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center (NCVC) Research Institute, 5-7-1 Fujishirodai, Suita, Osaka 565-8565, Japan.

Improved thromboresistance of mechanical valves is desired to decrease the risk of thromboembolism and thrombosis and reduce the dosage of anticoagulation with a vitamin K antagonist (e.g., warfarin). Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Dec 13. Epub 2018 Dec 13.

Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Mo. Electronic address:

Objective: Valve selection in dialysis-dependent patients can be difficult because long-term survival is diminished and bleeding risks during anticoagulation treatment are greater in patients with renal failure. In this study we analyzed long-term outcomes of dialysis-dependent patients who underwent valve replacement to help guide optimal prosthetic valve type selection.

Methods: Dialysis-dependent patients who underwent aortic and/or mitral valve replacement at 3 institutions over 20 years were examined. Read More

Ann Cardiol Angeiol (Paris) 2019 Jan 22. Epub 2019 Jan 22.

Service de cardiologie B, centre hosipitalier universitaire Ibn Sina, Rabat, Maroc.

Infective endocarditis is a grave disease because of a high level of morbidity and mortality. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 100 patients hospitalized for infective endocarditis from January 2009 until December 2015. The mean age was 41 years with a male predominance. Read More

Clin Microbiol Infect 2018 Oct 26. Epub 2018 Oct 26.

Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Center for Musculoskeletal Surgery (CMSC), Berlin, Germany. Electronic address:

Objectives: Recognition of infectious origin of haematogenous periprosthetic joint infections (PJI) is crucial. We investigated the primary focus and characteristics of haematogenous PJI.

Methods: Consecutive patients who presented with haematogenous PJI between 01/2010 and 01/2018 were retrospectively analysed. Read More

J Vis Exp 2019 Jan 7(143). Epub 2019 Jan 7.

Cardiovascular Developmental Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven.

Various valved conduits and stent-mounted valves are used for right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) valve replacement in patients with congenital heart disease. When using prosthetic materials however, these grafts are susceptible to bacterial infections and various host responses. Identification of bacterial and host factors that play a vital role in endovascular adherence of microorganisms is of importance to better understand the pathophysiology of the onset of infections such as infective endocarditis (IE) and to develop preventive strategies. Read More

Ann Card Anaesth 2019 Jan-Mar;22(1):79-82

Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD, USA.

Tricuspid regurgitation in carcinoid syndrome leads to significant morbidity and mortality that may warrant a tricuspid valve replacement. However, for patients with high serotonin levels and known hypercoagulable risks, the optimum timing for surgery and postoperative anticoagulation approaches remain unclear. High serotonin-triggered hypercoagulability makes prosthetic valves susceptible to thrombosis. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2018 Nov 23. Epub 2018 Nov 23.

Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh; Heart and Vascular Institute, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pa. Electronic address:

Objective: Stentless bioprosthetic valves such as the Freestyle conduit have been widely used as an option for aortic root replacement in the setting of aortic root aneurysms with acceptable long-term outcomes. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the use of the Freestyle prosthesis in patients with aortic stenosis.

Methods: All patients with a primary diagnosis of severe aortic stenosis who underwent complete aortic root replacement with Freestyle conduits were included. Read More

J Cardiothorac Surg 2019 Jan 9;14(1). Epub 2019 Jan 9.

Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Aarhus University Hospital, Palle Juul-Jensen Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus, Denmark.

Background: Management of congenital malformations of the pulmonary artery and valve can be challenging. The severity often demands early intervention, which is rarely definitive due to the natural growth and multiple surgeries may be required. An artificial valve made entirely from biodegradable materials that will serve as a bioscaffold for host recellularization would be an attractive solution for these patients. Read More

Perfusion 2019 Jan 9:267659118817712. Epub 2019 Jan 9.

1 Department of Cardiac Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Background:: This study evaluated pregnancy outcome in women with a prosthetic heart valve, especially with the oral anticoagulation therapy that must be weighed against the risk of intracardiac thrombosis.

Methods:: This multicenter, retrospective, cohort study was undertaken between January 2012 and June 2017. The principal maternal outcome variables included bleeding and thromboembolic complications, infective endocarditis, prosthetic valve thrombosis and heart failure. Read More

Open Heart 2018 16;5(2):e000901. Epub 2018 Dec 16.

KG Jebsen Centre for Cardiac Research and Center for Heart Failure Research, Oslo University Hospital Ullevål, Oslo, Norway.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic implication of iron deficiency (ID) and anaemia in patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods: In an observational study of consecutive patients referred for aortic valve replacement (AVR), we assessed a wide range of biomarkers of iron status, including the definition of ID commonly applied in patients with chronic heart failure (ferritin <100 µg/L or ferritin 100-299 µg/L with a transferrin saturation <20%). The endpoints were short-term (one-year) and long-term (median 4. Read More

J Artif Organs 2019 Jan 2. Epub 2019 Jan 2.

Department of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Hokkaido University, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, 060-8638, Japan.

Transvalvular leakage (TVL) of a prosthetic heart valve is not negligible regurgitant flow in patients with critically low contractile function. Although the opening function of prosthetic valves has been reported, its closing function is not well understood. A man in his 70 s had a history of mitral valve replacement (MVR) with a Magna Mitral® valve for ischemic mitral valve regurgitation. Read More

Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Nov;115(46):776-783

Department of Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine (Department of Internal Medicine I), University Hospital Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.

Background: Much new evidence on oral anticoagulation has come to light in recent years. Non-vitamin-K-dependent oral anti- coagulants (NOAC) have been developed and have been introduced into clinical practice. In this review, we present the current state of the evidence on anticoagulation for various indications with vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and with NOAC. Read More

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2019 Jan 21;157(1):329-340. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Electronic address:

Objectives: There are little recent data on the outcomes of mechanical aortic valve replacement (AVR) in children and young adults with congenital aortic valve disease. We sought to review the survival and associated thromboembolic or bleeding complications after mechanical AVR at a single center.

Methods: Data were retrospectively collected for 121 patients undergoing prosthetic AVR from 2000 to 2014. Read More

J Surg Res 2019 Feb 12;234:249-261. Epub 2018 Oct 12.

Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore; National University Hospital, National University Health System, Singapore.

Background: Experimental surgical procedures for atrioventricular valves present promising translational capabilities, and preclinical studies are necessary to assess their applicability and to train young enthusiastic heart teams. Here, we present a synopsis of experimental surgical procedures on porcine models for mitral valvular (MV) and tricuspid valvular (TV) interventions; mitral valve-in-valve implantation (MViV), transapical cardioscopic (TAC) MV replacement (MVR), TAC-MV annuloplasty, and tricuspid valve-in-a-ring (TViR) procedures.

Methods: Twenty-five (n = 25) female Yorkshire pigs of 55-65 kg is the total number used in the four approaches; seven animals underwent MViV, six TAC-MVR, six TAC-MV annuloplasty, and six TViR, respectively. Read More

Int J Cardiol 2018 Dec 4. Epub 2018 Dec 4.

Kosuyolu Kartal Heart Training and Research Hopital, Istanbul, Turkey; School of Health Sciences, Ardahan University, Ardahan, Turkey.

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Dec 28;11(24):2519-2522. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec/Québec Heart & Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada. Electronic address:

JACC Cardiovasc Interv 2018 Dec 28;11(24):2507-2518. Epub 2018 Nov 28.

The Heart Center, Segeberger Kliniken (Academic Teaching Hospital of the Universities of Kiel, Lübeck, and Hamburg), Bad Segeberg, Germany; Cardiology Department, Heart Center Leipzig - University Hospital, Leipzig, Germany. Electronic address:

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare self-expanding and balloon-expandable transcatheter heart valves (THVs) in large versus small aortic valve annuli.

Background: The degree of THV oversizing varies according to annular size, and this can modify the hemodynamic performance of self-expanding and balloon-expandable THVs.

Methods: Patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement in the randomized CHOICE (Comparison of Transcatheter Heart Valves in High Risk Patients With Severe Aortic Stenosis: Medtronic CoreValve vs Edwards SAPIEN XT) trial (CoreValve [CV], n = 120; SAPIEN XT [SXT], n = 121) and the nonrandomized CHOICE-Extend registry (Evolut R [ER], n = 100; SAPIEN 3 [S3], n = 334) were compared for THV performance by echocardiography (in all patients) and by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) regurgitant fraction (RF) (in a subgroup of patients). Read More

Int J Med Microbiol 2019 Jan 27;309(1):1-12. Epub 2018 Nov 27.

Center for Nanosciences and Molecular Medicine, Amrita School of Medical Sciences and Research Center (AIMS), Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi 682041, Kerala, India. Electronic address:

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) readily forms biofilms on prosthetic devices such as the pacemakers, heart valves, orthopaedic implants, and indwelling catheters. Its biofilms are recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy and pose a serious burden in the healthcare setting as they drastically increase the treatment cost and morbidity of the patient. Read More

Med Clin (Barc) 2018 Jun;150 Suppl 1:8-24

Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario de La Princesa, Madrid, España. Electronic address:

The present article provides an update on anticoagulant treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation in distinct clinical scenarios requiring particular considerations, such as ischaemic heart disease, electrical cardioversion, pulmonary vein ablation, the presence of valvular disease with or without prosthetic valves, and renal insufficiency, as well as old age and frailty. In patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation, the presence of renal insufficiency increases both thrombotic and haemorrhagic risk. In mild and moderate stages, direct-acting anticoagulants confer a greater benefit than warfarin, although they usually require dose adjustment. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 Dec;72(22):2717-2728

German Heart Center Munich, Munich, Germany.

Background: Endocarditis has emerged as one of the most concerning adverse outcomes in patients with congenital anomalies involving the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) and prosthetic valves.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate rates and potential risk factors for endocarditis after transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement in the prospective Melody valve trials.

Methods: All patients in whom a transcatheter pulmonary valve (TPV) was implanted in the RVOT as part of 3 prospective multicenter studies comprised the analytic cohort. Read More

J Am Coll Cardiol 2018 Dec;72(22):2712-2716

Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et de Pneumologie de Québec/Québec Heart & Lung Institute, Department of Medicine, Laval University, Québec, Canada.

Am J Cardiol 2018 Nov 3;122(10):1738-1744. Epub 2018 Aug 3.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York City, New York; Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, The State University of New York, Stony Brook Hospital, New York City, New York.

The optimal choice of prosthetic heart valve for women of child-bearing age is not well established. We conducted this retrospective cohort study to compare pregnancy outcomes and maternal mortality and morbidity, including long-term valve reoperation, between women with biologic and mechanical valve replacements. Women ≤50 years of age with prosthetic heart valve implantation and subsequent pregnancy in California, New Jersey, and New York State between 1990 to 2015 were identified using mandatory state inpatient databases. Read More

Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2019 Feb 15;93(3):E143-E152. Epub 2018 Nov 15.

Division of Cardiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Background: Pulmonary insufficiency is a consequence of transannular patch repair in Tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) leading to late morbidity and mortality. Transcatheter native outflow tract pulmonary valve replacement has become a reality. However, predicting a secure, atraumatic implantation of a catheter-based device remains a significant challenge due to the complex and dynamic nature of the right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT). Read More

Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc 2018 Jul;2018:4548-4551

Percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation is a technique to treat narrowed pulmonary valves or leaky pulmonary valves in congenital heart disease. This technique provides a promising strategy to reduce surgical risk. In clinical cases, due to stent size restrictions, commercial valve stents are sometimes unsuitable for children or certain patients. Read More

Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2019 Feb 14;38(2):265-275. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

UGC de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Microbiología y Medicina Preventiva, Servicio de E. Infecciosas, Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBiS), Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Seville, Spain.

A comparative study of the behaviour of left-sided infective endocarditis (left-sided IE) due to Streptococcus agalactiae (GBS) with left-sided IE caused by Staphylococcus aureus (SA). A prospective, multicentre cohort study in eight public hospitals in Spain, from January 1984 to December 2015; comparative analysis and factors associated with mortality. In total, there were 1754 episodes of left-sided IE; 41 (2. Read More

Sci Rep 2018 Nov 9;8(1):16654. Epub 2018 Nov 9.

Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, P. R. China.

Bioprosthetic valves for tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) have become increasingly popular in recent years, but mechanical valves remain valuable, particularly for the patients who want to avoid reoperation for bioprostheses malfunction. The aim of this study was to review our 10-year experience in adult patients who underwent TVR with the St. Jude Medical (SJM) valve. Read More

New Microbes New Infect 2018 Nov 30;26:S43-S51. Epub 2018 May 30.

UMR VITROME, Aix-Marseille Université, IRD, Service de Santé des Armées, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Marseille, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée-Infection, France.

Infective endocarditis is a severe disease with high mortality. Despite a global trend towards an increase in staphylococcal aetiologies, in older patients and a decrease in viridans streptococci, we have observed in recent studies great epidemiologic disparities between countries. In order to evaluate these differences among Mediterranean countries, we performed a PubMed search of infective endocarditis case series for each country. Read More

Artif Organs 2018 Dec 4;42(12):E420-E427. Epub 2018 Nov 4.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

The Virtual Mock Loop, a versatile virtual mock circulation loop, was developed using a lumped-parameter model of the mechanically assisted human circulatory system. Inputs allow specification of a variety of continuous-flow pumps (left, right, or biventricular assist devices) and a total artificial heart that can self-regulate between left and right pump outputs. Hemodynamic inputs were simplified using a disease-based input panel, allowing selection of a combination of cardiovascular disease states, including systolic and diastolic heart failure, stenosis, and/or regurgitation in each of the four valves, and high to low systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance values. Read More

J Obstet Gynaecol Can 2018 Oct;40(10):1348-1357

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB. Electronic address:

Objective: The optimal anticoagulant therapy during pregnancy in women with mechanical heart valves remains controversial. This study highlights a case of high-dose warfarin ingestion throughout pregnancy and performed a systematic review to assess rates of teratogenicity with high versus low warfarin dosing (≤5 mg daily).

Methods: A literature search for all case reports and available literature was conducted in PubMed, Medline, and EMBASE up to December 2016 using medical subject heading terms "mechanical prosthetic valves," "pregnancy," "oral anticoagulants," "warfarin," "coumarins," "heparin, low-molecular-weight," and "thromboembolism. Read More

PeerJ 2018 25;6:e5805. Epub 2018 Oct 25.

Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects a considerable number of children and adults worldwide. This implicates not only developmental disorders, high mortality, and reduced quality of life but also, high costs for the healthcare systems. CHD refers to a variety of heart and vascular malformations which could be very challenging to reconstruct the malformed region surgically, especially when the patient is an infant or a child. Read More