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The article "Survival Trends of Patients After Mitral Valve Repair for Structural Mitral Regurgitation Compared to the General Population" in the journal Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgeon examines the impact of mitral valve repair (MVr) on survival rates for patients with structural mitral regurgitation (MR). The study found that while MVr initially restores life expectancy to levels comparable to the general population within the first 6 years post-surgery, the risk of death increases thereafter due to the return of severe regurgitation and the need for reoperation. This research underscores the importance of long-term monitoring and management for patients undergoing MVr for structural MR. [Extracted from the article]

The meta-analysis published in the journal "Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgeon" examines the survival trends of patients after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and sex-specific differences. The study found that both men and women who undergo CABG for treatment of coronary artery disease (CAD) have similar life expectancy in the first decade compared to the general population. However, beyond 10 years, life expectancy becomes worse than the general population, with men experiencing the worst outcomes. The study suggests that this difference may be due to graft occlusions. [Extracted from the article]

To evaluate outcomes in the follow up of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) vs. medical therapy in patients with acute type B aortic intramural haematoma (IMH). The following sources were searched for articles meeting the inclusion criteria and published by July 2023: PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL/CCTR (Cochrane Controlled Trials Register). This systematic review with pooled meta-analysis of time to event data followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) reporting guidelines, and its protocol was registered on the public platform PROSPERO (CRD42023456222). The following were analysed: overall survival (all cause mortality), aortic related mortality, and restricted mean survival time. Certainty of evidence was evaluated through the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) tool. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria, including 1 015 patients (440 in the TEVAR group and 575 in the medical therapy group). All studies were observational, and the pooled cohort had a median follow up of 5.1 years. Compared with patients who received medical therapy alone, those who underwent TEVAR had a statistically significantly lower risk of all cause death (HR 0.44, 95% CI 0.30 – 0.65; p <.001; GRADE certainty: low), lower risk of aortic related death (HR 0.04, 95% CI 0.01 – 0.31; p =.002; GRADE certainty: low) and lifetime gain (restricted mean survival time was overall 201 days longer with TEVAR; p <.001). Thoracic endovascular aortic repair may be associated with lower risk of all cause and aortic related death compared with medical therapy in patients with acute type B IMH; however, the underlying data are not strong enough to draw robust clinical conclusions. Randomised controlled trials with large sample sizes and longer follow up are warranted to elucidate this question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the long-term follow-up of a surgical procedure called the UFO-procedure, which is used to treat severe concomitant aortic and mitral valve endocarditis. The procedure involves the resection of the affected valves and the intervalvular fibrous body, followed by reconstruction using a double patch technique. The study analyzed data from 41 patients who underwent the UFO-procedure and found that the procedure was technically successful in all patients, although half of them died in the hospital due to sepsis and multi-organ failure. However, surviving patients reported a good quality of life. The article concludes that the UFO procedure can provide a meaningful perspective for patients with severe endocarditis, but classic risk scores do not accurately predict outcomes for this specific patient population. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "Mini-sternotomy versus Right Anterior Mini-thoracotomy for Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement¿A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis," compares the clinical outcomes of two minimally invasive techniques for aortic valve replacement (AVR): mini-sternotomy (MS) and right anterior mini-thoracotomy (RAM-T). The study reviewed ten studies with a total of 30,524 patients and found that there was no significant difference in perioperative mortality between the two approaches. However, RAM-T was associated with higher rates of reoperation for bleeding, lower rates of stroke, and longer operation duration compared to MS. Other secondary endpoints did not show statistically significant differences. [Extracted from the article]

This article, published in the journal Thoracic & Cardiovascular Surgeon, examines the long-term survival rates of elderly patients who undergo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) compared to the general population. The study found that elderly patients who undergo CABG have a significantly lower risk of death compared to their age-matched counterparts in the general population. This survival advantage becomes apparent after the first year following surgery and highlights the life-prolonging effect of bypass surgery in elderly patients. The findings suggest that CABG may help eliminate the expected reduction in life expectancy due to coronary artery disease. [Extracted from the article]

A meta-analysis was conducted to compare the outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO). The analysis included seven studies with a total of 14,196 patients. The results showed that CABG was associated with a lower risk of long-term mortality, as well as lower rates of long-term myocardial infarction (MI) and repeat revascularization compared to PCI. However, there were no significant differences in other secondary endpoints. The findings suggest that CABG may be a superior treatment option for patients with CTO. [Extracted from the article]

Background-Aim: Several studies have been published showing conflicting results on the outcome after endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS). The aim of the present study is to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of published evidence to assess the efficacy of EVAS in the management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Methods: An electronic search of the English medical literature, from 2010 to March 2021, was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases to find studies relevant to outcome after EVAS. Results: The final analysis included 12 articles published between 2011 and 2021, including 1440 patients. In total, 79.3% of the included patients underwent aneurysm treatment according to the instructions for use. Technical success was 98.8%. Overall, 30-day mortality was 1.3%. Procedure-related complications were reported in 4% of the cohort. During median follow-up of 28.1 months (range 9–72 months), the pooled estimate of endoleak type I, migration and reinterventions was 16% (95% confidence interval [CI]=7–25), 16% (95% CI=9–23), and 19% (95% CI=11–28), respectively. In a sub-analysis, 7 studies (703 patients) reported outcome with a mean follow-up of more than 2 years (range 24–72 months). In these studies, the pooled estimate of endoleak type I, migration, and reinterventions was 25% (95% CI=13–38), 22% (95% CI=19–26), and 27% (95% CI=21–33), respectively. Conclusion: Patients who have been treated with EVAS are in high risk for reintervention especially beyond 2 years following implantation. Close surveillance for patients treated with EVAS is mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumors of mixed neuroendocrine and nonneuroendocrine histology are classified as collision, combined, or amphicrine and can occur in most organs, including the hepato-pancreato-biliary tract. Given the rarity of mixed adenoneuroendocrine carcinoma (MANEC) of the ampulla of Vater, the patient characteristics, management, and outcomes remain unclear. We sought to systematically review the worldwide literature on ampullary MANECs. Eligible studies were identified through a systematic search of the MEDLINE (via PubMed), Scopus, and Cochrane Library databases (end-of-search-date: January 5th, 2022), according to the PRISMA 2020 statement. A total of 39 studies reporting on 56 patients with ampullary MANEC were included. The median age was 63.0 (interquartile range [IQR]: 51.0–69.0) years and 55.6% were male (n = 25/45). Most had combined tumors (64.4%; n = 29/45), followed by collision (24.4%; n = 11/45), and amphicrine tumors (11.1%; n = 5/45). More than half had lymph node metastasis (56.8%; n = 25/44), yet only 7.9% had distant metastasis (n = 3/38). Tumor resection (i.e., mostly pancreaticoduodenectomy) was performed in 96.3% (n = 52/54), followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in 61.8% (n = 21/34). Nearly half experienced disease recurrence (47.2%; n = 17/36) over a median follow-up of 12.0 (IQR: 3.0–16.0) months, and 42.1% (n = 16/38) died over a median follow-up of 12.0 (IQR: 4.0–18.0) months. The most common cause of death was disease progression/recurrence in 81.3% (n = 13/16). Early diagnosis and management of ampullary MANEC is challenging yet crucial to improve outcomes since many patients are diagnosed at an advanced disease stage and have unfavorable outcomes. Multicenter granular data are warranted to further understand and improve outcomes in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It remains controversial whether prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) (in general considered moderate if indexed effective orifice area is 0.65-0.85 cm2/m2 and severe when <0.65 cm2/m2) affects the outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the time-varying effects and association of PPM with the risk of overall mortality. Study-level meta-analysis of reconstructed time-to-event data from Kaplan-Meier curves of studies published by December 30, 2021. In total, 23 studies met our eligibility criteria and included a total of 81,969 patients included in the Kaplan-Meier curves (19,612 with PPM and 62,357 without PPM). Patients with moderate/severe PPM had a significantly higher risk of mortality compared with those without PPM (HR: 1.09 [95% CI: 1.04-1.14]; P < 0.001). In the first 30 months after the procedure, mortality rates were significantly higher in the moderate/severe PPM group (HR: 1.1 [95% CI: 1.05-1.16]; P < 0.001). In contrast, the landmark analysis beyond 30 months yielded a reversal of the HR (0.83 [95% CI: 0.68-1.01]; P = 0.064), but without statistical significance. In the sensitivity analysis, although the authors observed that severe PPM showed higher risk of mortality in comparison with no PPM (HR: 1.25 [95% CI: 1.16-1.36]; P < 0.001), they did not observe a statistically significant difference for mortality between moderate PPM and no PPM (HR: 1.03 [95% CI: 0.96-1.10]; P = 0.398). Severe PPM, but not moderate PPM, was associated with higher risk of mortality following TAVR. These results provide support to implementation of preventive strategies to avoid severe PPM following TAVR. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aortic valve neocuspidization using the Ozaki technique has shown promising results both in adults and children.Methods: A systematic search of the PubMed and Cochrane databases was performed up to November 13, 2021. Individual patient data were reconstructed and analyzed from the Kaplan-Meier curves of all eligible studies for time-to-event outcomes.Results: We included a total of 22 studies reporting on 1,891 patients that underwent Ozaki reconstruction. Mean age at the time of surgery was 43.2 ± 24.5 years (65 ± 12.3 years for adult patients and 12.3 ± 3.8 years for pediatric patients). The most common indication was aortic stenosis (46.4%, 95% CI 34.1-58.6). Mean cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass duration were 106.8 ± 24.8 minutes and 135.2 ± 35.1 minutes, respectively. Permanent pacemaker was implanted in 0.7% (95% CI 0.4-1.2) of the patients. At discharge, mean effective orifice area was 2.1 ± 0.5 cm2/m2. At latest follow-up, peak gradient was 15.7 ± 7.4 mm Hg and only 0.25% (95% CI 0-2.3) had moderate aortic insufficiency. In-hospital mortality was 0.7% (95% CI 0.1-1.7). Late mortality was 1.9% during a mean follow-up of 38.1 ± 23.8 months. One-year, 3-year, and 5-year freedom from reoperation rates were 98.0 %, 97.0 % and 96.5%, respectively. More than half of the reoperations were due to infective endocarditis (51.5%, 95% CI 18.3-84.0). In our cohort, the risk of endocarditis per patient per year was 0.5%.Conclusions: The midterm outcomes of the Ozaki procedure are excellent in terms of hemodynamics, survival, and freedom from reoperation. Acquiring long-term follow-up will help solidify this technique in the cardiac surgery armamentarium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present authors aimed to assess the late outcomes of patients undergoing aortic root enlargement (ARE) at the time of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Study-level meta-analysis with reconstructed time-to-event data. Follow-up of patients after surgical procedure. Adult patients with aortic valve disease requiring surgery. SAVR with ARE versus SAVR without ARE. This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses reporting guideline. The following databases were searched for studies meeting the authors' inclusion criteria and published by November 30, 2021: PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, SciELO, LILACS, CCTR/CENTRAL, and Google Scholar. Nine nonrandomized studies met the authors' eligibility criteria. All studies were nonrandomized. A total of 213,134 patients (SAVR with ARE: 7,556 patients; SAVR without ARE: 205,578 patients) were included from studies published from 1997 to 2021. The total rate of AAE was 3.7%, varying in the studies from 2.9% to 28.1%. The studies consisted of patients whose mean age varied from 63 to 79 years. Patients in the SAVR with ARE group had a significantly better overall survival (hazard ratio [HR] 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90-0.99, p = 0.016) in the unmatched populations, but the matched analysis revealed no difference between SAVR with/without ARE in terms of overall survival (HR, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.90-1.25; p = 0.474). In the context of patients undergoing SAVR with or without ARE, patients who undergo ARE do not experience worse late outcomes. Further randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm or refute the authors' current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Patients with metastatic melanoma to the lung typically have poor outcomes. Although a pulmonary metastasectomy for selected patients has been shown to improve survival, the role of surgical resection following the introduction of immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine predictors of survival for patients with melanoma metastatic to the lung in the era of immunotherapy., Methods: In this retrospective study, data from the National Cancer Database were abstracted for patients with melanoma lung metastases. The overall survival was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analysis, adjusting for previously described risk factors for mortality. Patients with concomitant metastases to organs other than the lung were excluded from the study., Results: A total of 625 patients with lung metastases at the time of a skin melanoma diagnosis were identified. A total of 280 patients underwent a pulmonary metastasectomy, 267 received immunotherapy, and 78 were treated with both a metastasectomy and immunotherapy. During a median follow-up time of 34.6 months [IQR: 14.2, 75.9], a metastasectomy was found to offer significantly improved survival compared to immunotherapy alone. No difference was noted between a metastasectomy and a combination of a metastasectomy and immunotherapy in the adjusted Cox proportional hazard model., Conclusions: When statistical models were adjusted for risk factors, a metastasectomy maintained a significant survival advantage compared to immunotherapy. The addition of immunotherapy to the treatment of patients treated with a pulmonary metastasectomy did not improve survival. Our findings support the role of surgery for patients with pulmonary metastatic melanoma.

Background:  Rapid and accurate diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) allows timely management of this life-threatening disease and improves outcome. The Duke criteria have traditionally been the clinical method for diagnosing IE. These criteria were reformulated at different timepoints. We aimed to evaluate the real accuracy of the modified Duke criteria based on several studies that concluded the diagnosis of IE., Methods:  Three databases were assessed. Studies were considered for inclusion if they reported the use of modified Duke criteria as the initial approach and the confirmation of the diagnosis with the gold standard methods. The meta-analysis of diagnostic test accuracy was performed after fitting the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic model (HSROC) with bivariate model and displaying the summarized measures of sensitivity and specificity, and positive and negative likelihood ratios., Results:  A total of 11 studies were included. Accuracy in the included studies ranged from 62.3 to 92.2%, sensitivity ranged from 58.3 to 84.0%, and specificity ranged from 50.0 to 100%. The combined overall sensitivity and specificity were 85% (95% CI: 0.77-0.90) and 98% (95% CI: 0.89-0.99), respectively. The positive likelihood ratio was 40.2 (95% CI: 7.26-220.74) and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.15 (95% CI: 0.01-0.23)., Conclusion:  The analysis reveals that the modified Duke criteria have a high positive likelihood ratio, suggesting a robust correlation between a positive test result and the existence of IE, and a very good overall specificity at 98%. The latter aspect holds significant importance in order to prevent unnecessary overtreatment, given the intricacies involved in managing IE., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: Emerging evidence indicates a frequent occurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) detection among patients with established causes of ischemic stroke unrelated to AF. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate AF detection rates in stroke patients with large or small vessel disease, considering the AF detection modality and duration of cardiac rhythm monitoring., Aims: We conducted a comprehensive search of PubMed and Scopus databases up to 2 March 2024, to identify randomized controlled trials, non-randomized prospective studies, and retrospective studies assessing the frequency of AF detection in stroke patients with large or small vessel disease. The primary outcome of interest was the rate of AF detection. We utilized inverse-variance weights to produce the pooled prevalence (effect size (ES)) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of patients diagnosed with post-stroke AF., Summary of Review: In the analysis of 14 eligible studies encompassing 4334 patients, AF was identified in 154 out of 2082 patients with strokes attributed to small or large vessel disease, yielding a pooled prevalence of 6.27% (ES; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.18-10.17, I 2  = 87.83%). Among patients with large vessel disease strokes, AF was diagnosed in 79 out of 1042 patients, accounting for a pooled prevalence of 5.07% (ES; 95% CI: 1.30-10.33, I 2  = 77.05%). Similarly, among those with small vessel disease strokes, AF was detected in 75 out of 1040 patients, with a pooled prevalence of 5.03% (ES; 95% CI: 1.96-9.06, I 2  = 78.05%)., Conclusions: AF is often found in ischemic stroke patients with large or small vessel disease. Detection rates increase with longer cardiac rhythm monitoring. The safety and benefits of oral anticoagulation for these AF episodes are uncertain., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of mortality globally and is predominantly attributed to coronary artery disease (CAD). MI is categorized as ST-elevation MI (STEMI) or non-ST-elevation MI (NSTEMI), each with distinct etiologies and treatment pathways. The goal in treatment for both is restoring blood flow back to the myocardium. STEMI, characterized by complete occlusion of a coronary artery, is managed urgently with reperfusion therapy, typically percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). In contrast, NSTEMI involves a partial occlusion of a coronary artery and is treated with medical management, PCI, or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) depending on risk scores and clinical judgment. The Heart Team approach can assist in deciding which reperfusion technique would provide the greatest benefit to the patient and is especially useful in complicated cases. Despite advances in treatment, complications such as cardiogenic shock (CS) and ischemic heart failure (HF) remain significant. While percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is considered the primary treatment for MI, it is important to recognize the significance of cardiac surgery in treatment, especially when there is complex disease or MI-related complications. This comprehensive review analyzes the role of cardiac surgery in MI management, recognizing when it is useful, or not.

Background: Complete removal of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) is recommended in patients with CIED infections, including both systemic and localized pocket infection. The aim of the study was to provide an up-to-date and comprehensive assessment of evidence relating to the effect of complete CIED extraction in patients with a CIED infection., Methods: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting short- and mid-term outcomes in patients who had a device infection or infective endocarditis (IE) and underwent complete removal of the cardiac device (generator and leads) compared to those who received conservative therapy (no removal, partial removal, local antibiotic infiltration or isolated antibiotic therapy). The primary outcome was reinfection/relapse. Secondary outcomes were short-term (30-day/in-hospital) and mid-term (mean follow-up: 43.0 months) mortality. Random effects model was performed., Results: Thirty-two studies met the criteria for inclusion in the final analysis. Patients with complete CIED extraction (n = 905) exhibited a lower rate of relapse/re-infection compared to patients (n = 195) with a conservative treatment approach (n = 195, OR 0.02, 95%CI 0.01-0.06, p < 0.0001, mean-follow-up: 16.1 months). Additionally, these patients displayed a lower short- (OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.23-0.69, p = 0.01) and mid-term (OR 0.52, 95%CI 0.34-0.78, p = 0.002) mortality., Conclusions: The analysis indicates that patients with a CIED infection who undergo complete CIED extraction exhibit a lower rate of relapse/re-infection. Additionally, a lower short- and mid-term mortality is observed, although it is acknowledged that this outcome may be influenced by treatment allocation bias., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The degree of both mitral (MR) and tricuspid valve regurgitation (TR) correlates with mortality. A vicious cycle has been proposed consisting of increasing regurgitation and decreasing ventricular function. Restoration of valve competence should break this vicious cycle and improve life expectancy. However, a "pop-off" mechanism keeps being entertained, presumably allowing poorly pumping ventricles to relieve volume into the low-pressure atrium through an incomplete repair, avoiding pump failure. We reasoned that if such a mechanism exists, it should offset the relationship between mortality and valve regurgitation after an invasive procedure. In this context, we meta-analytically compared valve regurgitation degree and survival before or after atrio-ventricular valve treatment. The results show significant relationships between valve regurgitation and mortality under all conditions (i.e., before and after surgery or intervention) and irrespective of the underlying pathology (i.e., functional or structural). In summary, the ubiquitously present relationship between valve regurgitation and mortality suggests that generating a tight and durable repair of the affected valve is key to long-term exploitation of a symptom-reducing and life-prologing mechanism, independent of the underlying valve pathology. This recognition may explain current controversies in the treatment effects of MR and TR., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Background: Recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated similar outcomes in terms of ischemic stroke incidence after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) or carotid artery stenting (CAS) in asymptomatic carotid disease, while CEA seems to be the first option for symptomatic carotid disease. The aim of this meta-analysis is to assess the incidence of silent cerebral microembolization detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) following these procedures., Methods: A systematic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases, including comparative studies involving symptomatic or asymptomatic patients undergoing either CEA or CAS and reporting on new cerebral ischemic lesions in postoperative MRI. The primary outcome was the newly detected cerebral ischemic lesions. Pooled effect estimates for all outcomes were calculated using the random-effects model. Prespecified random effects metaregression and subgroup analysis were conducted to examine the impact of moderator variables on the presence of new cerebral ischemic lesions., Results: 25 studies reporting on a total of 1827 CEA and 1500 CAS interventions fulfilled the eligibility criteria. The incidence of new cerebral ischemic lesions was significantly lower after CEA compared to CAS, regardless of the time of MRI assessment (first 24 hours; OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.17-0.64, P < 0.001), (the first 72 hours, OR: 0.25, 95% CI 0.18-0.36, P < 0.001), (generally within a week after the operation; OR: 0.24, 95% CI: 0.17-0.34, P < 0.001). Also, the rate of stroke (OR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.23-0.63, P < 0.001) and the presence of contralateral new cerebral ischemic lesions (OR: 0.16, 95% CI 0.08-0.32, P < 0.001) were less frequent after CEA. Subgroup analysis based on the study design and the use of embolic protection device during CAS showed consistently lower rates of new lesions after CEA., Conclusions: CEA demonstrates significant lower rates of new silent cerebral microembolization, as detected by MRI in postoperative period compared with CAS., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Surgical resection remains the primary treatment for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), with lobectomy considered the standard approach. However, recent evidence suggests that sublobar resection may be an alternative option for select patients., Materials and Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and propensity-score matched (PSM) cohort studies comparing lobectomy and sublobar resection in NSCLC patients were included. The primary outcome was overall survival (OS), and secondary outcomes included disease-free survival (DFS), 30-day mortality, and cancer recurrence rates. Individual patient data (IPD) were reconstructed from Kaplan-Meier curves, and one-stage and two-stage meta-analyses were performed., Results: A total of 18 studies involving 6,075 NSCLC patients (3,119 undergoing lobectomy, 2,956 undergoing sublobar resection) were included. Lobectomy was associated with significantly better OS compared to sublobar resection (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.78, 95 % confidence interval [CI]: 0.68-0.89, p < 0.001). However, when sublobar resection was further divided into segmentectomy and wedge resection, no significant difference in OS was observed between lobectomy and segmentectomy (HR:0.92, 95 %CI: 0.75-1.14, p = 0.464) whereas lobar resection was associated with better OS compared to wedge resection (HR:0.52, 95 %CI: 0.41-0.67, p < 0.001). DFS outcomes were similar between lobectomy and sublobar resection (HR:0.98, 95 %CI: 0.84-1.14, p = 0.778)., Conclusion: Lobectomy is associated with better overall survival compared to sublobar resection in NSCLC patients. However, when sublobar resection is subdivided, segmentectomy shows comparable outcomes to lobectomy, while wedge resection is inferior. These findings support the consideration of segmentectomy as the surgical option of choice for Stage IA NSCLC patients., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Postoperative bleeding requiring re-exploration is a serious complication that occurs in 2.8-4.6% of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Re-exploration has previously been associated with a higher risk of short-term mortality. However, a comprehensive analysis of long-term outcomes after re-exploration for bleeding has not been published., Materials and Methods: The authors performed a systematic, three databases search to identify studies reporting long-term outcomes in patients who required re-exploration for bleeding after cardiac surgery compared to patients who did not, with at least 1-year of follow-up. Long-term survival was the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were operative mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal and respiratory complications, and hospital length of stay. Random-effects models was used. Individual patient survival data was extracted from available survival curves and reconstructed using restricted mean survival time., Results: Six studies totaling 135 456 patients were included. The average follow-up was 5.5 years. In the individual patient data, patients who required re-exploration had a significantly higher risk of death compared with patients who did not [hazard ratio (HR): 1.21; 95% CI: 1.14-1.27; P <0.001], which was confirmed by the study-level survival analysis (HR: 1.32; 95% CI: 1.12-1.56; P <0.01). Re-exploration was also associated with a higher risk of operative mortality [odds ratio (OR): 5.25, 95% CI: 4.74-5.82, P <0.0001], stroke (OR: 2.05, 95% CI: 1.72-2.43, P <0.0001), renal (OR: 4.13, 95% CI: 3.43-4.39 P <0.0001) respiratory complications (OR: 3.91, 95% CI: 2.96-5.17, P <0.0001), longer hospital length of stay (mean difference: 2.69, 95% CI: 1.68-3.69, P <0.0001), and myocardial infarction (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.30-2.65, P =0.0007)., Conclusion: Postoperative bleeding requiring re-exploration is associated with lower long-term survival and increased risk of short-term adverse events including operative mortality, stroke, renal and respiratory complications, and longer hospital length of stay. To improve both short-term and long-term outcomes, strategies to prevent the need for re-exploration are necessary., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Chemotherapy-induced cardiotoxicity with subsequent heart failure (HF) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in cancer survivors worldwide. Chemotherapy-induced HF is exceptionally challenging as it generally manifests in patients who are typically not eligible for left ventricular device implantation or heart transplantation. To explore alternative treatment strategies for cancer survivors suffering from chemotherapy-induced HF, we developed a minimally invasive infusible cardiac stromal cell secretomes adhesive (MISA) that could be delivered locally through an endoscope-guided intrapericardial injection. To mimic the typical clinical presentation of chemotherapy-induced HF in elder patients, we established an aged rat model in which restrictive cardiomyopathy with sequential HF was induced via consecutive doxorubicin injections. In vitro, we prove that MISA not only enhanced cardiomyocytes proliferation potency and viability, but also inhibited their apoptosis. In vivo, we prove that MISA improved the ventricular contractility indexes and led to beneficial effects on histological and structural features of restrictive cardiomyopathy via promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation, angiogenesis, and mitochondrial respiration. Additionally, we also evaluated the safety and feasibility of MISA intrapericardial delivery in a healthy porcine model with an intact immune system. In general, our data indicates that MISA has a strong potential for translation into large animal models and ultimately clinical applications for chemotherapy-induced HF prior to the final option of heart transplantation., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: The current National Comprehensive Cancer Network advises neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery for locally advanced cases of esophageal cancer. The role of immunotherapy in this context is under heavy investigation., Methods: Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma were identified in the National Cancer Database (NCDB) from 2004 to 2019. Three groups were generated as follows: (a) no immunotherapy, (b) neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and (c) adjuvant immunotherapy. Overall survival was evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard analysis, adjusting for previously described risk factors for mortality., Results: Of the total 14,244 patients diagnosed with esophageal adenocarcinoma who received neoadjuvant chemoradiation, 14,065 patients did not receive immunotherapy, 110 received neoadjuvant immunotherapy, and 69 received adjuvant immunotherapy. When adjusting for established risk factors, adjuvant immunotherapy was associated with significantly improved survival compared to no immunotherapy and neoadjuvant immunotherapy during a median follow-up period of 35.2 months. No difference was noted among patients who received no immunotherapy vs. neoadjuvant immunotherapy in the same model., Conclusions: In this retrospective analysis of the NCDB, receiving adjuvant immunotherapy offered a significant survival advantage compared to no immunotherapy and neoadjuvant immunotherapy in the treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The addition of neoadjuvant immunotherapy to patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation did not improve survival in this cohort. Further studies are warranted to investigate the long-term outcomes of immunotherapy in esophageal cancer.

Objectives:  Mechanisms of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) differ as CABG provides surgical collateralization and may prolong life by preventing future myocardial infarctions (MIs). However, evidence for CABG in patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO) has not been fully elucidated and the impact of PCI is discussed controversially., Methods:  We performed a meta-analysis of studies comparing outcomes in patients with/without multivessel disease undergoing CABG or PCI for CTO. The primary outcome was long-term all-cause mortality (≥5 years). Secondary outcomes were MIs, repeat revascularization, cardiac mortality, major adverse cardiovascular events, and stroke, as well as short-term mortality (30 days/in-hospital) and stroke. A pooled Kaplan-Meier survival curve after reconstruction analysis was generated. Random-effects models were used., Results:  Six studies totaling 12,504 patients were included. In the pooled Kaplan-Meier analysis, PCI showed a significantly higher risk of death in the follow-up compared with CABG (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.88-2.38, p  < 0.01). During the observation period, PCI was also associated with higher rates of MI (odds ratio [OR]: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.82-4.48, p  < 0.01) and more repeat revascularization (OR: 4.88, 95% CI: 1.99-11.91, p  = 0.0005). The other outcomes did not show significant differences., Conclusion:  CABG is associated with superior survival to PCI over time in patients with CTO who are eligible for both PCI and CABG. This survival advantage is associated with fewer events of MI and repeat revascularization., Competing Interests: None declared., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) is increasing worldwide. In most cases, the surgical technique includes cannulation of the groin for the establishment of cardiopulmonary bypass, requiring a second surgical incision (SC) for exposure and cannulation of the femoral vessels. With the introduction of arterial closure devices, percutaneous cannulation (PC) of the groin has become a possible alternative. We performed a meta-analysis and systematic review to compare clinical endpoints between the patients who underwent PC and SC for MICS., Methods: Three databases were assessed. The primary outcome was any access site complication. Secondary outcomes were perioperative mortality, any wound complication, any vascular complication, lymphatic complications, femoral/iliac stenosis, stroke, procedural duration, and hospital length of stay (LOS). A random effects model was performed., Results: A total of 5 studies with 2,038 patients were included. When compared with PC, patients who underwent SC showed a higher incidence of any access site complication (odds ratio [OR] = 3.09, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.87 to 5.10, P < 0.01), any wound complication (OR = 10.10, 95% CI: 3.31 to 30.85, P < 0.01), lymphatic complication (OR = 9.37, 95% CI: 2.15 to 40.81, P < 0.01), and longer procedural duration (standardized mean difference = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.12 to 0.51, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference between the 2 groups regarding perioperative mortality, any vascular complication, femoral/iliac stenosis, stroke, or hospital LOS., Conclusions: The analysis suggests that surgical groin cannulation in MICS is associated with a higher incidence of any access site complication (especially wound complication and lymphatic fistula) and with a longer procedural time compared with PC. There was no difference in perioperative mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Infective endocarditis represents a life-threatening disease with high mortality rates. A fraction of patients receives exclusively conservative antibiotic treatment due to their comorbidities and high operative risk, despite fulfilling criteria for surgical therapy. The aim of the present study is to compare outcomes in patients with infective endocarditis and indication for surgical therapy in those who underwent or did not undergo valve surgery., Methods and Results: Three databases were systematically assessed. A pooled analysis of Kaplan-Meier-derived reconstructed time-to-event data from studies with longer follow-up comparing conservative and surgical treatment was performed. A landmark analysis to further elucidate the effect of surgical intervention on mortality was carried out. Four studies with 3003 patients and median follow-up time of 7.6 months were included. Overall, patients with an indication for surgery who were surgically treated had a significantly lower risk of mortality compared with patients who received conservative treatment (hazard ratio [HR], 0.27 [95% CI, 0.24-0.31], P <0.001). The survival analysis in the first year showed superior survival for patients who underwent surgery when compared with those who did not at 1 month (87.6% versus 57.6%; HR, 0.31 [95% CI, 0.26-0.37], P <0.01), at 6 months (74.7% versus 34.6%) and at 12 months (73.3% versus 32.7%)., Conclusions: Based on the findings of this study-level meta-analysis, patients with infective endocarditis and formal indication for surgical intervention who underwent surgery are associated with a lower risk of short- and long-term mortality when compared with conservative treatment.

This systematic review and meta-analysis compared trans-carotid artery revascularization (TCAR) as an alternative approach to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) in patients with carotid artery disease. An electronic search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane databases including comparative studies with patients who underwent either TCAR or CEA. This meta-analysis is according to the recommendations of the PRISMA statement. Eight studies met our eligibility criteria, incorporating 7,606 and 7,048 patients in the TCAR and CEA groups, respectively. Thirty-day mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 0.94, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.56-1.56, P = .81) and stroke (OR: 0.92, 95%CI 0.70-1.22, P = .57) were similar between the two groups, with low heterogeneity. The odds of myocardial infarction (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.18-2.71, P = .01) and cranial nerve injury were significantly higher in patients undergoing CEA compared with TCAR (OR: 4.11, 95% CI: 2.59-6.51, P < .001). The subgroup analysis according to symptomatic pre-intervention status revealed no statistically significant difference regarding 30-day mortality (symptomatic OR: 0.91, 95% CI: 0.40-2.07, P = .82, asymptomatic OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.46-1.86, P = .83) and stroke (symptomatic OR: 0.88, 95% CI:0.47-1.64, P = .68, asymptomatic OR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.64-1.35, P = .70). TCAR offers an alternative treatment for patients with carotid artery stenosis with comparable to CEA mortality and stroke rates during a 30-day post-operative period., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Background: Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) associated with Marfan syndrome (MFS) are unique in that extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) levels do not behave the way they do in other cardiovascular pathologies. EMMPRIN is shed into the circulation through the secretion of extracellular vesicles. This has been demonstrated to be dependent upon the Membrane Type-1 MMP (MT1-MMP). We investigated this relationship in MFS TAA tissue and plasma to discern why unique profiles may exist. Methods : Protein targets were measured in aortic tissue and plasma from MFS patients with TAAs and were compared to healthy controls. The abundance and location of MT1-MMP was modified in aortic fibroblasts and secreted EMMPRIN was measured in conditioned culture media. Results : EMMPRIN levels were elevated in MFS TAA tissue but reduced in plasma, compared to the controls. Tissue EMMPRIN elevation did not induce MMP-3, MMP-8, or TIMP-1 expression, while MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 were elevated. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were reduced in TAA tissue but increased in plasma. In aortic fibroblasts, EMMPRIN secretion required the internalization of MT1-MMP. Conclusions : In MFS, impaired EMMPRIN secretion likely contributes to higher tissue levels, influenced by MT1-MMP cellular localization. Low EMMPRIN levels, in conjunction with other MMP analytes, distinguished MFS TAAs from controls, suggesting diagnostic potential.