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Introduction and Objectives: Oral anticoagulation (OAC) with non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) after surgical mitral valve repair (MVR) or bioprosthetic valve replacement (BVR) in mitral position remains a controversial topic among the cardiovascular community, in particular in the early postoperative period. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of NOACs in the first three months after MVR or mitral BVR compared to vitamin K antagonists (VKAs)., Methods: This was a single-center retrospective study with prospectively collected peri-intervention outcomes between 2020 and 2021. Records were retrieved and all participants were contacted by telephone. Patients were divided into groups according to OAC strategy. The primary outcome was a composite of death, rehospitalization, myocardial infarction, stroke or transient ischemic attack, systemic embolism, mitral thrombosis, or bleeding during the first three months after surgery., Results: A total of 148 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 65.5±12.2 years, 56.8% male. On discharge, 98 (66.2%) patients were on VKAs and 50 (33.8%) were on DOACs for at least three months. The primary outcome occurred in 22 (22.4%) patients in the VKA group and in three (6%) in the NOAC group (p=0.012), mainly driven by more bleeding events in the former. Independent predictors of the primary outcome were smoking (p=0.028) and OAC with VKAs at discharge, the latter predicting three times more events (p=0.046, OR 3.72, 95% CI 1.02-13.5)., Conclusions: NOACs were associated with fewer events, supporting their efficacy and safety during the first three months after surgical MVR or mitral BVR., (Copyright © 2024 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Introduction and Objective: We performed a collective analysis of a dedicated national post-myocardial infarction ventricular septal defect (VSD) registry to further elucidate controversial areas of this clinical entity's surgical treatment., Methods: A descriptive statistical analysis was carried out and cumulative survival using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate logistic regression of risk factors for 30-day mortality are presented., Results: Median survival of the cohort (n=76) was 72 months (95% CI 4-144 months). Better cumulative survival was observed in patients who underwent VSD closure more than 10 days after myocardial infarction (log-rank p=0.036). Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), different closure techniques, location of the VSD, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation as bridge to closure, or intra-aortic balloon pump as bridge to closure showed no statistically significant differences at Kaplan-Meier analysis. Multivariate binary logistic regression for independent factors affecting status at 30 days showed a statistically significant effect of age (OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.01-1.15) and concomitant CABG (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.06-0.90)., Conclusions: Our results are comparable with previous reports regarding mortality, risk factors and concomitant procedures. Timing of surgery remains a controversial issue. Later closure seems to be advantageous, however, there is significant observational bias., (Copyright © 2023 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Asymmetric basal septal hypertrophy is present in 10% of patients with hemodynamic significant aortic valve stenosis. From the surgeon's standpoint, it represents a dilemma as it may be implicated in suboptimal short and long-term results after aortic valve replacement (AVR), but also heighten unwarranted complications at the time of surgical correction. To provide insight about the usefulness and safety of concomitant septal myectomy in this setting, we performed a literature review searching Medline from its inception to November 2020 using the Pubmed interface. Only five low evidence retrospective analyses, comprising a total of <200 patients undergoing AVR with concomitant septal myectomy, were found in the literature. In summary, routine myectomy, in the presence of suspected or directly visualized asymmetric septal hypertrophy on echocardiogram during AVR, seems to be a safe procedure, with all authors reporting a low rate or absence of complications. Overall, myectomy in this setting is associated with superior echocardiographic results concerning surrogates of LV remodelling (LVM; LVM index; LVM/height) and diastolic function (E/E'), suggesting some benefit for hemodynamic outcomes. However, to what extent hemodynamic improvement is exclusively attributable to myectomy is uncertain, as is, the clinical significance of such an improvement, with similar short and mid-term survival rates being reported., (Copyright © 2022 Sociedade Portuguesa de Cardiologia. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Appointed jointly by the Portuguese Society for Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery (SPCCTV) and by the Portuguese Society of Cardiology (SPC), the Working Group related to the Waiting Times for Cardiac Surgery was created with the aim of developing practical recommendations about clinically acceptable waiting times for the three critical phases of the care of adults with a cardiac disease that require surgery or an intervention: cardiology appointments; diagnostic process and invasive therapy. Cardiac surgery has its own characteristics, not comparable to other surgical specialties and, therefore, it is important to reduce its maximum waiting times and, also, increase the efficacy of the systems which are responsible to monitor and trace the patient. The information given in this document was based, mostly, in available clinical information. The methodology used to establish the criteria was based on studies regarding disease's natural history, clinical studies that compared medical treatment with intervention, retrospective and prospective analysis of patients included on a waiting list, and experts or working groups' opinions. After this first step, marked by this publication, the SPCCTV and the SPC PSC should be considered as natural interlocutors about this matter and they are committed to decisively contribute to the definition of operational strategies through the adaption of the clinical evidence with reality and with the available resources.

Stroke still remains one of the most frequent and dreadful complications of contemporary cardiac surgery, due to the consequences and disabilities that can cause, often definite and irreversible. An intensive investigation has been dedicated to the search of their causes and pathogenic mechanisms, which are multiple and diverse, aimed at identification of risk factors and their adequate prevention. In this paper, the author makes an evaluation and critical review of this matter, giving particular emphasis to the participation and involvement of the carotid artery obstructive disease, its means and methods of diagnosis as well as indications for treatment, either by open conventional or endovascular management, performed previously or concomitantly with cardiac surgery.