Repeat Repair After Translocation of an Anomalous Left Coronary Artery.

We repaired a left anomalous aortic origin of coronary artery using coronary ostium translocation/reimplantation. Repeat repair was required due to suboptimal flow pattern in postoperative transesophageal echocardiography, which was confirmed with coronary angiography. We emphasize the importance of early recognition, diagnosis, and intervention to deal with a problem with the coronary repair.

Association of tetralogy of Fallot and complete atrioventricular canal: a single-centre 40-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: Outcome data in tetralogy of Fallot (ToF) and complete atrioventricular canal (CAVC) are limited. We report our experience for over 40 years in this patient population. METHODS: Single-centre, retrospective analysis of patients who underwent surgical repair with the diagnosis of ToF-CAVC from 1979 to 2022, divided into 2 different periods and compared. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients were included: 1979-2007 (n = 61) and 2008-2021 (n = 55). Balanced CAVC (80%) and Rastelli type C CAVC (81%) were most common. Patients in the later era were younger (4 vs 14 months, P < 0.001), fewer had trisomy 21 (60% vs 80%, P = 0.019) and fewer had prior palliative prior procedures (31% vs 43%, P < 0.001). In the earlier era, single-patch technique was more common (62% vs 16%, P < 0.001), and in recent era, double-patch technique was more common (84% vs 33%, P < 0.001). In the earlier era, right ventricular outflow tract was most commonly reconstructed with transannular patch (51%), while in more recent era, valve-sparing repairs were more common (69%) (P < 0.001). In-hospital mortality was 4.3%. The median follow-up was 217 and 74 months for the first and second eras. Survival for earlier and later eras at 2-, 5- and 10-year follow-up was (85.1%, 81.5%, 79.6% vs 94.2%, 94.2%, 94.2% respectively, log-rank test P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The surgical approach to ToF-CAVC has evolved over time. More recently, patients tended to receive primary repair at younger ages and had fewer palliative procedures. Improved surgical techniques allowing for earlier and complete repair have shown a decrease in mortality, more valve-sparing procedures without an increase in total reoperations. Presented at the 37th EACTS Annual Meeting, Vienna, Austria.

Does Quality of Life in Survivors of Surgery for Acute Left-Sided Infective Endocarditis Differ from Non-Endocarditis Patients?

Surgery for left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) has been demonstrated to improve patients' survival rates but information about quality of life (QoL) after surgery is scarce. The aim of this study was to assess the postoperative outcomes and QoL after surgery for IE patients compared to patients undergoing cardiac surgery for non-IE indications. Adult patients with definite acute left-sided IE were matched 1:1 to patients who underwent cardiac surgery for non-endocarditic purposes from 2014 to 2019. QoL was assessed using the SF-36 survey at the last follow-up. A total of 105 patients were matched. The IE group had higher rates of preoperative stroke (21% vs. 7.6%, p = 0.005) and higher stages of NYHA class (p < 0.001), EuroSCORE II (12.3 vs. 3.0, p < 0.001) and blood cell count abnormalities (p < 0.001). The IE group had higher incidence of low cardiac output syndrome (13.3% vs. 4.8%, p = 0.029), dialysis (10.5% vs 1.0%, p = 0.007) and prolonged mechanical ventilation (16.2% vs. 2.9%, p = 0.002) after surgery. At the last follow-up, subcomponents of the SF-36 QoL survey were not different between the groups. Patients who underwent cardiac surgery for IE demonstrated a higher risk profile with a higher rate of postoperative complications. Once recovered from the acute phase of the disease, the reported QoL at follow-up was comparable to that of matched cardiac patients operated for non-IE purposes.

Venovenous extracorporeal life support circuit exchange: Tips and pitfalls.

Extracorporeal life support is a well-known therapy for acute respiratory failure. Its use has increased exponentially in recent years, even more since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Patients with COVID-19 may need long-term extracorporeal life support runs. They also suffer coagulation derangements that cause a prothrombotic state. Both situations may increase the need for exchanges of extracorporeal life support circuits. Extracorporeal life support circuit exchange should be performed as quickly and as safely as possible because patients may be completely dependent on it.

An Image Quality-informed Framework for CT Characterization.

Background Lack of standardization in CT protocol choice contributes to radiation dose variation. Purpose To create a framework to assess radiation doses within broad CT categories defined according to body region and clinical imaging indication and to cluster indications according to the dose required for sufficient image quality. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective study using Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine metadata. CT examinations in adults from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2019 from the University of California San Francisco International CT Dose Registry were grouped into 19 categories according to body region and required radiation dose levels. Five body regions had a single dose range (ie, extremities, neck, thoracolumbar spine, combined chest and abdomen, and combined thoracolumbar spine). Five additional regions were subdivided according to dose. Head, chest, cardiac, and abdomen each had low, routine, and high dose categories; combined head and neck had routine and high dose categories. For each category, the median and 75th percentile (ie, diagnostic reference level [DRL]) were determined for dose-length product, and the variation in dose within categories versus across categories was calculated and compared using an analysis of variance. Relative median and DRL (95% CI) doses comparing high dose versus low dose categories were calculated. Results Among 4.5 million examinations, the median and DRL doses varied approximately 10 times between categories compared with between indications within categories. For head, chest, abdomen, and cardiac (3 266 546 examinations [72%]), the relative median doses were higher in examinations assigned to the high dose categories than in examinations assigned to the low dose categories, suggesting the assignment of indications to the broad categories is valid (head, 3.4-fold higher [95% CI: 3.4, 3.5]; chest, 9.6 [95% CI: 9.3, 10.0]; abdomen, 2.4 [95% CI: 2.4, 2.5]; and cardiac, 18.1 [95% CI: 17.7, 18.6]). Results were similar for DRL doses (all P < .001). Conclusion Broad categories based on image quality requirements are a suitable framework for simplifying radiation dose assessment, according to expected variation between and within categories. © RSNA, 2021 See also the editorial by Mahesh in this issue.

Robotic resection of an aortic valve fibroelastoma using a right lateral approach.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Robotic technology provides excellent visualization and surgical precision and it is reaching maturity in cardiac surgery, although mostly confined to mitral surgery and coronary revascularization. Robotic aortic valve surgery (rAVS) has not been sufficiently developed, and experience is extremely scarce. METHODS: We present a robotic resection of a papillary fibroelastoma on the aortic valve using a totally thoracoscopic right lateral approach. RESULTS: This technique provides excellent exposure, facilitates patient recovery and improves cosmesis. CONCLUSIONS: rAVS has tremendous potential and many patients may benefit in the future. The lateral approach used in our case may offers advantages over others previously attempted and may also facilitate adoption of rAVS by teams currently performing robotic mitral surgery.

Association between Periodontal Disease and Systemic Inflammatory Conditions Using Electronic Health Records: A Pilot Study.

AIMS: To investigate the association between periodontal disease and systemic inflammatory conditions and examine the link between medical conditions and the extent of missing teeth in a large population. METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 4890 randomly selected patients who had attended the University of Minnesota dental clinics were analyzed. Severity of periodontal disease was determined based on the percentage of bone loss, evaluated through the examination of a full-mouth intraoral series of radiographs. The number of missing teeth was calculated from the examined radiographs, while ten systemic inflammatory conditions were extracted from patients' self-reported medical histories. RESULTS: Moderate bone loss was observed in 730 (14.9%) and severe in 323 (6.6%) patients of the total population, while the mean number of missing teeth was 3.54 ± 3.93. The prevalence of systemic conditions and tobacco use were gender-dependent (p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that hypertension, arthritis, asthma, diabetes and HIV were associated significantly with the severity of bone loss, while diabetes and lupus with the extent of missing teeth. CONCLUSIONS: The findings reported in our study add to this body of knowledge, strengthening the association between periodontal disease with systemic inflammatory conditions.

A combined approach to treat heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia before heart transplant.

Heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia (HIT) complicates the management of patients in need for mechanical circulatory support awaiting heart transplantation. The limited available treatment options are fraught with complications and limitations in their applicability. We report on the combined use of therapeutic plasma exchange therapy and intravenous immunoglobulin, used in 3 consecutive heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia-positive patients on temporary mechanical circulatory support awaiting urgent heart transplant. This combined approach allowed us to use heparin safely.

Minimally invasive single-incision temporary biventricular assist device.

New short-term devices have been developed to allow percutaneous insertion. However, in some cases, open insertion becomes necessary. Less invasive insertion of short-term devices has been described previously, using two incisions. We present the case of a patient who underwent minimally invasive insertion of a biventricular device, using a single incision.

Root-commando operation for multivalvular endocarditis and pericardiectomy.

This video tutorial  presents the reconstruction of the intervalvular fibrosa and a triple valve replacement, due to prosthetic valve endocarditis, in a patient with previous chest irradiation and bicuspid aortic valve replacement. Constrictive pericarditis was also present since the original operation. A detailed step-by-step demonstration of the reconstruction of the intervalvular fibrosa and debridement of extensive prosthetic valve endocarditis with paravalvular root abscess are provided.  A secondary sternotomy was performed and, in the process, the ascending aorta was injured, with associated life-threatening bleeding. Manual compression was applied while peripheral cannulation and cardiopulmonary bypass were started. The bleeding was controlled with cooling and circulatory arrest and the ascending aorta was replaced with a Dacron graft. The intervalvular fibrosa was reconstructed using a folded pericardial patch.  Aortic root replacement with a cryopreserved homograft was performed and the mitral and tricuspid valves were replaced with tissue valve prostheses. A complete pericardiectomy was performed. The chest was left packed with cotton due to diffuse bleeding. At the time of the delayed chest closure, a permanent epicardial pacemaker was implanted.

The fate of active left-side infective endocarditis with operative indication in absence of valve surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Although the benefits of surgery in infective endocarditis (IE) are clear, an unneglectable proportion of patients do not undergo surgery despite clear operative indication. Outcomes of these patients are poorly reported. With this study, we aim to analyze patient profiles, indication for surgery, decision-making, and outcomes of patients not undergoing surgery despite contemporary surgical indications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective review of single institution database of patients with IE was done to identify patients that, although a clear surgical indication did not receive surgery. We aimed to review the most contemporary practice from June 2014 to December 2018. Only patients who were physically evaluated at our facility were included. Follow up was 100% complete. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate survival and freedom from a composite outcome of death, stroke, and heart failure. RESULTS: Of the 174 patients with surgical indication during the review period, 46 (27%) did not undergo surgery. The reasons for not pursuing surgery were varied and usually multiple, with severe brain injury and end stage liver disease between the most common. The 30-day mortality was 63%, and the estimated survival at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years was respectively 22%, 15%, and 10%. CONCLUSION: The mortality of this cohort of patients is extremely high. A multidisciplinary evaluation is of paramount importance in the decision-making process with shared responsibility for denial of operative options. In a perspective of correct healthcare resources allocation an early palliative care consult may need to be considered in some of those patients.

Cone repair for Ebstein's anomaly and atrial fibrillation ablation in an adult patient.

We present a 52-year-old woman with Ebstein's anomaly not previously treated. In this subset of patients, there are no clear guidelines regarding the best surgical strategy for treating the tricuspid valve: replace it or repair it.  In this case, extensive repair of the tricuspid valve and the right ventricle is achieved using the cone repair technique popularized by Dr. José Pedro Da Silva. Because the patient also presented with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, a right atrial maze procedure combined with isolation of the pulmonary veins was performed using both radiofrequency and cryotherapy. At the last follow-up, 2 years after the repair, the patient is asymptomatic and maintains sinus rhythm. The last echocardiogram showed mild tricuspid regurgitation with normal right ventricular function.

Surgical correction of a pulmonary artery aneurysm with severe pulmonary regurgitation with a valve-sparing technique.

Pulmonary artery aneurysms are rare but are associated with a significant risk of rupture and dissection. Moreover, pulmonary valve regurgitation and/or stenosis often coexist. In this study, we present a case of a pulmonary artery aneurysm with severe pulmonary regurgitation in a patient with pulmonary hypertension treated with aneurysm resection and pulmonary valve repair.

Surgery for retrograde dissection and endoleak repair following endovascular repair of type B aortic dissection.

This video tutorial presents a case of repair of a delayed-onset retrograde type A dissection after TEVAR with a left carotid-subclavian bypass for acute type B dissection. One of our key challenges was problematic brain and spinal cord protection in a frail patient with distal dissection, and dissection involving an ectasic brachiocephalic trunk extending into the right carotid artery with a significantly increased risk of stroke and paraplegia.  We demonstrate the repair of the dissection using the frozen elephant trunk technique and we also present sequential brain and visceral perfusion diagrams.

Prevalence of temporomandibular symptoms and parafunctional habits in a university dental clinic and association with gender, age, and missing teeth.

Objective To assess the prevalence of symptoms of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and parafunctional habits as well as to investigate their association with age, gender, and number of missing teeth. Methods This retrospective study is based on 4204 randomly selected patients who were examined to determine their symptoms of TMD, such as clicking, difficulty chewing, difficulty opening/closing, as well self-reported joint pain and parafunctional habits. Results Clenching/grinding was reported by 26.5% of the examined population, clicking by 14.8%, and difficulty chewing and closing by 3.6%. Significant associations between the number of missing teeth with clenching/grinding (p = 0.05) and difficulty chewing (p < 0.001) were detected. Age and gender showed significant effects on the examined parameters (p < 0.05). Discussion Understanding the TMD subjective symptoms in relation to age, gender, and tooth loss would be of great value for treatment planning and could provide other perspectives to establish preventive measures.

Systemic medical conditions and periodontal status in older individuals.

AIMS: The purposes of this study are to: (1) assess the prevalence of systemic and periodontal disease in older individuals, (2) compare periodontal conditions between four age cohorts, and (3) investigate the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic medical conditions. METHODS: Electronic records from a total of 5,000 adults were randomly selected from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry database. Individuals ≥60 years of age, with at least six remaining teeth in their dentition with a complete medical history and full-mouth series of radiographs were included in the study to determine the severity of periodontal disease based on the percentage of radiographic bone loss. RESULTS: A total of 2,163 patients were included in the final analysis. The multivariable regression analysis showed that patients self-reported tobacco use and diabetes were significantly associated with moderate and severe bone loss than none to mild, whereas the opposite was found for those with joint replacement, past use of steroids and acid reflux/GERD. CONCLUSION: A number of systemic medical conditions and tobacco use are associated with periodontitis. This reflects the importance of an interdisciplinary interaction between dental and medical professionals.

Validity of self-reported periodontal measures, demographic characteristics, and systemic medical conditions.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study was to assess self-reported periodontal screening questions, demographic characteristics, systemic medical conditions, and tobacco use for predicting periodontal disease among individuals seeking dental therapy in a university dental clinic. METHODS: In this retrospective study, a total of 4,890 randomly selected dental charts were evaluated from among patients who had attended the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry clinics for treatment. Radiographic bone loss measurements were used to assess the severity of periodontal disease. Demographic characteristics as well as medical history of the patients were also recorded. Five self-reported periodontal screening questions were included, with answers limited to Yes/No. Generalized logit models were used to assess the association between bone loss and the predictors. RESULTS: The sample's mean age was 54.1 years and included 52.6% males and 14.9% smokers, with a mean of 3.5 missing teeth. Self-reported tooth mobility, history of "gum treatment," and the importance of retaining teeth as well as age, tobacco use, and cancer were statistically significant predictors (P < 0.05) of a radiographic diagnosis of moderate and severe periodontal disease. With respect to severe periodontal disease, significant associations (P < 0.05) were also found with "bleeding while brushing," gender, diabetes, anxiety, and arthritis. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported periodontal screening questions as well as demographic characteristics, smoking, and systemic medical conditions were significant predictors of periodontal disease, and they could be used as valid, economic, and practical measures.