an-isolated-working-heart-system-for-large-animal-models

An Isolated Working Heart System for Large Animal Models

Since its introduction in the late 19th century, the Langendorff isolated heart perfusion apparatus, and the subsequent development of the working heart ...

Duke University Medical Center

The ideal anesthetic technique for carotid endarterectomy remains a matter of debate. This study used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to evaluate the influence of anesthesia modality on outcomes after carotid endarterectomy.

Regional versus general anesthesia for carotid endarterectomy: the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program perspective.

Aortic valve regurgitation reduces left ventricular assist device mechanical efficiency. Evidence has also suggested that left ventricular assist device implantation can induce or exacerbate aortic valve regurgitation. However, this has not been compared with aortic valve regurgitation progression in a nonsurgical end-stage heart failure population. Furthermore, its clinical effect is unclear. We sought to characterize the development and progression of aortic valve regurgitation in left ventricular assist device recipients and to identify its clinical effect.

Natural history and clinical effect of aortic valve regurgitation after left ventricular assist device implantation.

Although frailty has recently been examined in various populations as a predictor of morbidity and mortality, its effect on thoracic aortic surgery outcomes has not been studied. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the role of frailty in predicting postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing proximal aortic replacement surgery.

Frailty and risk in proximal aortic surgery.

As the duration of support increases for patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), device replacement may still be necessary for a variety of indications. Outcomes after replacement LVAD surgeries have not been extensively described, and whether these patients experience outcomes similar to primary LVAD implant patients remains unclear. From 2003 to 2012, 342 consecutive implantable LVAD procedures took place at a single institution, of which 201 were considered destination therapy. Within this larger group, 30 patients underwent 35 replacement procedures. The three major indications for replacement LVAD procedures were mechanical/electrical failure (57%), hemolysis/thrombosis (29%), and infection (14%). Propensity matching using preoperative characteristics was used to generate a primary implant control group to determine the impact of the replacement status on outcomes. Thirty-day and 1-year survival after LVAD replacement was 90% and 48%, respectively. Survival outcomes were worse for patients undergoing device replacement compared with the matched primary cohort (p = 0.03). The need for transfusion and the incidence of postoperative right ventricular and renal dysfunction were similar between the two groups, as was length of hospitalization. There was no difference between the rates of postoperative infection or stroke. Emergent replacement procedures had a higher mortality than those done nonemergently. Given these findings, earlier timing for replacement, temporary stabilization with an extracorporeal device, and use of a nonsternotomy surgical approach should be investigated as strategies to improve outcomes.

Outcomes after implantable left ventricular assist device replacement procedures.

Temporary extracorporeal left ventricular assist device support for implantable left ventricular assist device replacement cases.

The choice of cerebral perfusion strategy for aortic arch surgery has been debated, and the superiority of antegrade (ACP) or retrograde (RCP) cerebral perfusion has not been shown. We examined the early and late outcomes for ACP versus RCP in proximal (hemi-) arch replacement using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA).

Antegrade versus retrograde cerebral perfusion for hemiarch replacement with deep hypothermic circulatory arrest: Does it matter? A propensity-matched analysis.

Matthew A. Schechter

Department of Surgery

Duke University Medical Center

An Isolated Working Heart System for Large Animal Models

Matthew A. Schechter

.css-o250i3{font-size:18px;font-family:Open Sans,sans-serif;line-height:21.6px;}Department of Surgery

Duke University Medical Center

An Isolated Working Heart System for Large Animal Models

Department of Surgery