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Background: Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is a definitive palliative procedure for functionally univentricular congenital heart disease. The study aims to compare the impact of on-pump cardioplegic arrest and on-pump beating heart cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the prognosis of pediatric patients undergoing extracardiac TCPC. Methods: The medical data of patients (< 18 years) who underwent extracardiac TCPC with CPB between January 2008 and December 2020 in the cardiac surgery center were retrospectively analyzed. Depending on CPB strategies, the patients were assigned to the beating-heart (BH) and cardioplegic arrest (CA) groups. Data including baseline characteristics, intra/postoperative variables, and clinical outcomes were collected for analysis with 1:1 propensity score matching and multivariable stepwise logistic regressions. Results: Fifty-seven matched patient pairs were obtained. No significant difference existed between the two groups in the in-hospital mortality (3.5% vs. 1.8%, P = 1) and one-year survival rate (100% vs. 96.4%, P = 0.484). The BH group had significantly less intraoperative platelet transfusion (10 mL vs. 150 mL, P = 0.019) and blood loss (100 mL vs. 150 mL, P = 0.033) than the CA group. The CA group had significantly higher vasoactive-inotropic scores (P < 0.05) and longer postoperative ICU stays (2.0 d vs. 3.7 d, P = 0.017). No significant difference existed between the two groups in the incidence of postoperative adverse events. Conclusion: Although both CPB strategies are safe and feasible for extracardiac TCPC, the BH technique would cause less intraoperative platelet transfusion and blood loss, and achieve faster early-term postoperative recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Nowadays, video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy represents the treatment of choice for early-stage lung cancer. Over the years, different methods for VATS training have evolved. The aim of this study is to present an innovative beating-heart filled-vessel cadaveric model to simulate VATS lobectomies. Methods: Via selective cannulation of the cadaver heart, the pulmonary vessels were filled with a gel to improve their haptic feedback. An endotracheal tube with a balloon on its tip then allowed movement of the heart chambers, transmitting a minimum of flow to the pulmonary vessels. A simulated OR was created, using all instrumentation normally available during surgery on living patients, with trainees constantly mentored by experienced surgeons. At the end of each simulation, the participants were asked 5 questions on a scale of 1 to 10 to evaluate the effectiveness of the training method ("1" being ineffective and "10" being highly effective). Results: Eight models were set up, each with a median time of 108 min and a cost of €1500. Overall, 50 surgeons were involved, of which 39 (78%) were consultants and 11 (22%) were residents (PGY 3–5). The median scores for the 5 questions were 8.5 (Q1; IQR1–3 8-9), 8 (Q2; IQR1–3 7–9), 9 (Q3; IQR1–3 8–10), 9 (Q4; IQR1–3 8–10), and 9 (Q5; IQR1–3 8–10). Overall, the model was most appreciated by young trainees even though positive responses were also provided by senior surgeons. Conclusions: We introduce a new beating-heart filled-vessel cadaveric model to simulate VATS lobectomies. From this initial experience, the model is cost effective, smooth to develop, and realistic for VATS simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Antegrade cardioplegia may cause maldistribution in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease. Surgically bypassing large epicardial vessels before the cross-clamp and then administering cardioplegia from both the aortic root and the anastomosed grafts significantly prevent maldistribution and provide better cardiac protection. Methods: This study included 80 patients, all older than 70 years with an ejection fraction between 25 and 35%. Patients were equally divided into two groups. Distal anastomoses to some of large epicardial coronary arteries were performed before the cross-clamp was placed. Grafted veins were attached to multi-perfusion set ports. Then, cross-clamping was performed, and the multi-perfusion set was disconnected from the aortic cannula and attached to the cardioplegia route. Antegrade cardioplegia was administered to both the aortic root and saphenous vein grafts. After all distal anastomoses were completed, the cross-clamp was removed, and the multi-perfusion set was connected to the aortic cannula again. Conventional coronary bypass techniques were used in group 2 patients. Results: Inotropic agents were administered in 12 patients in group 1 and 29 patients in group 2 (p < 0.001). The average troponin I value in coronary sinus blood was 1.05 ± 0.8 ng/mL in group 1 and 3.12 ± 0.7 ng/mL in group 2 (p < 0.001). The average lactate value in coronary sinus blood was 1.15 ± 0.55 mmol/L in group 1 and 3.7 ± 2.4 mmol/L in group 2 (p < 0.001). Six patients died in the early postoperative period in group 2 (p = 0.028). Conclusion: The current technique considerably reduces cross-clamping time and allows better distribution of the cardioplegic solution, preserving myocardium. Reduced coronary sinus lactate and troponin I levels also indicate better myocardial protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) is a definitive palliative procedure for functionally univentricular congenital heart disease. The study aims to compare the impact of on-pump cardioplegic arrest and on-pump beating heart cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on the prognosis of pediatric patients undergoing extracardiac TCPC. Methods The medical data of patients (

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Norwood operation for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome or its variants may be associated with prolonged period of myocardial ischemia, particularly in those, who may require associated neo-aortic valve repair. Using the myocardial perfusion technique described herein, the heart could remain beating in normal sinus rhythm during the entire procedure, including neo-aortic valve repair and root reconstruction, and the need for cardioplegic heart arrest can be eliminated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot can require palliative surgery in the neonatal period due to severe hypoxia; however, limitations of established techniques include high failure rate and need for cardiopulmonary bypass. Herein, right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter is described. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter at our institution between September 2018 and March 2022 was completed. During the procedure, a Foley balloon catheter was used to occlude the blood from the right ventricular inflow tract. Results Eight patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum underwent an off-pump right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. One patient with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect, and two patients with tetralogy of Fallot underwent an on-pump right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart. The procedures were successful in all patients. Patent ductus arteriosus ligation without modified Blalock-Taussig shunt placement was performed in three patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and two patients with tetralogy of Fallot, ductus arteriosus was left open in four patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. All patients remained clinically well without serious complications. Conclusions Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter for pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot is a feasible alternative to catheter-based interventions or traditional surgical treatment, especially in patients with muscular infundibular stenosis or hypoplastic pulmonary annulus. Further studies with more cases are needed to verify feasibility and superiority of this approach.

Redo cardiac surgery after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is burdened by high morbidity and mortality, either intraoperatively and postoperatively, with the repeated sternotomy playing a crucial role as risk factor. The right minithoracotomy approach guarantees a safer control on conduits integrity and the right ventricular wall and a low impact on the respiratory mechanics. Herein, we report a patient who previously underwent two CABG (coronary artery bypass grafting) procedures and who was admitted to the hospital with a picture of heart failure caused by a severe mitral regurgitation. He was successfully submitted to a mitral valve repair on a beating heart via the right minithoracotomy approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot can require palliative surgery in the neonatal period due to severe hypoxia; however, limitations of established techniques include high failure rate and need for cardiopulmonary bypass. Herein, right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter is described. Methods: A retrospective review of patients who underwent right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter at our institution between September 2018 and March 2022 was completed. During the procedure, a Foley balloon catheter was used to occlude the blood from the right ventricular inflow tract. Results: Eight patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum underwent an off-pump right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. One patient with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect, and two patients with tetralogy of Fallot underwent an on-pump right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart. The procedures were successful in all patients. Patent ductus arteriosus ligation without modified Blalock-Taussig shunt placement was performed in three patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum and two patients with tetralogy of Fallot, ductus arteriosus was left open in four patients with pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum. All patients remained clinically well without serious complications. Conclusions: Right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction on a beating heart using a Foley balloon catheter for pulmonary atresia and tetralogy of Fallot is a feasible alternative to catheter-based interventions or traditional surgical treatment, especially in patients with muscular infundibular stenosis or hypoplastic pulmonary annulus. Further studies with more cases are needed to verify feasibility and superiority of this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTİVE: We present here a novel surgical technique for repairing post-operative supravalvular pulmonary stenosis that occurred after arterial switch operation for TGA. We have operated three cases so far with this technique. Methods: The last case was ten and half months old male baby with moderate malnutrition who had arterial switch operation at the second day of his life. Echocardiography revealed severe supravalvular pulmonary stenosis with 75 mmHg gradient. Also severe tricuspid regurgitation was found. We planned performed peripheral cannulation and put the patient on CPB before starting resternotomy as a novel technique. Also whole operation was planned as beating hearth without aortic cross clamping avoiding further dissection around the aorta. The inferior and superior vena cava are tightened for total CPB. After clear exposure, small incision was performed. Through this pulmonary incision first venting cannula inserted into right ventricle and further incision towards pulmonary artery. A second venting cannula was placed distal to the pulmonary artery at this stage for excellent exposure. Hegar dilator was applied and suturing of the bovine pericardial patch started at the annulus of the native previously dilated pulmonary artery. We kept the both venting cannulas in situ until the very end of the anastomosis in order to have this bloodless clear exposure until the last suture. Then modified De-vega annuloplasty was performed for tricuspid regurgitation. Results: Patient was in a good hemodynamic condition after coming off bypass. The previous two cases that we apply the same technique and also perfect post-operative outcome. Conclusions: TGA is the most common cyanotic congenital heart disease and arterial switch operation is preferred for surgical correction1. Stenosis is due to undergrowth of the supravalvular neopulmonary anastomosis scar. Most common indication for cardiac re-operation in the first year of life.2 Dyspnea, cyanosis, fatigue occurs, the diagnosis is usually made echocardiagraphically.3 There are difficulties due to re-operation and pediatric cases. Risk of cardiac injury during re-sternotomy and adhesions around the great vessels due to previous operation are examples of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical treatment delivery often involves multiple medical professionals, where collaborative teamwork is crucial to ensure the quality of diagnosis and therapeutic decision making. With the development of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and its applications in mobile health (mHealth), healthcare services can be delivered to remote users. However, a challenging situation arises when the data are volumetric and dynamic, it will be difficult to achieve real-time performance in information streaming and data dynamic rendering and synchronization over Internet, as is the case with cardiac procedures, where both the anatomy and dynamic function characteristics of the organ must be considered. To address this issue, we have developed new algorithms and a web-based collaborative software architecture to display dynamic volumetric data in a web browser to enable dynamic data sharing with remote healthcare professionals. We illustrate our system using the diagnosis and treatment planning of an atrial septal defect (ASD) repair as an example to evaluate the capabilities of our platform. In this example, a series of three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound images are registered and fused with the high-quality magnetic resonance (MR) cardiac data to provide complementary information; virtual septal occluder patches are modeled and integrated into the beating heart views to facilitate the planning of the procedure to occlude the ASD, and feedback is streamed amongst all participating professionals. Our algorithm runs on a Node.js server with WebSocket protocol to synchronize dynamic heart rendering, so all the connected users can observe the same four-dimensional (4D) display of the dual-modality heart data during the process of examining cardiac anatomy, performing functional analysis, and sharing treatment strategies across distributed geographic locations. The presented computational models and software architecture create a new vehicle for collaborative exploration and manipulation of dynamic volumetric medical datasets.

Aortic root translocation is a surgical choice offering potential advantages for combinations of transposition of the great arteries (TGA), pulmonary stenosis (PS), and ventricular septal defect (VSD). Six patients were included in this analysis. All of them were diagnosed with TGA, PS, and VSD and all of them underwent the Nikaidoh procedure. In 2 of these 6 cases (33.3%), aortic translocation was performed on a beating heart. Performing aortic root translocation on a beating heart is probably useful in reducing the cross-clamp time and the mortality rate, as well as preventing coronary malposition.

Background Compared with off-pump surgeries, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a high systemic inflammatory response and with substantial myocardial injury, especially in high-risk subgroups. Every effort should be exerted to minimize the role of CPB without affecting the safety and outcome. Classically, aortic arch surgeries were done using CPB and deep circulatory arrest together with cerebral brain protection strategies. With the development of endovascular techniques, the role of CPB decreased. Management of aortic arch pathologies carries special needs, specifically rerouting of the great vessels and preparing a landing zone. Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of off-pump aortic arch debranching during type I hybrid aortic arch repair. Patients and methods We report our single-center experience of rerouting aortic arch branches (debranching) without using CPB, consisting of bypass grafting of the aortic arch branches off pump, preparing a landing zone for endovascular aortic repair. The preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Starting from 2015, 20 low-risk patients were subjected to type I aortic arch hybrid repair, whereas the Dacron tube graft was anastomosed to a normal ascending aorta, preparing a landing zone to the subsequent stenting of arch and descending aorta. CPB was used in 10 patients, and off-pump technique was used in the remaining group. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed to compare the results. Results All surgeries went uneventful, with mean operative time of 141.5 ± 24.3 min for group I (on-pump group) and 137.5 ± 14.6 for group II (off-pump group). There were no conversions to CPB in off-pump group. There was no sternotomy for bleeding in off-pump group, compared with only one patient explored for postoperative bleeding in CPB group. All patients in both groups went without any neurological deficit of significance, with no mortality in the 30 days of follow-up. Conclusion Off-pump debranching of aortic arch followed by endovascular repair is a safe and reproducible technique, compared with the gold standard technique using CPB. However, further efforts using intraoperative cerebral perfusion monitoring techniques should be considered in the future.

Aortic root translocation is a surgical choice offering potential advantages for combinations of transposition of the great arteries (TGA), pulmonary stenosis (PS), and ventricular septal defect (VSD). Six patients were included in this analysis. All of them were diagnosed with TGA, PS, and VSD and all of them underwent the Nikaidoh procedure. In 2 of these 6 cases (33.3%), aortic translocation was performed on a beating heart. Performing aortic root translocation on a beating heart is probably useful in reducing the cross-clamp time and the mortality rate, as well as preventing coronary malposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beating heart (BH) and thigh muscle (TM) are two pre-clinical models aimed at studying the lesion sizes created by radiofrequency (RF) catheters in cardiac ablation. Previous experimental results have shown that thermal lesions created in the TM are slightly bigger than in the BH. Our objective was to use in-silico modeling to elucidate some of the causes of this difference. In-silico RF ablation models were created using the Arrhenius function to estimate lesion size under different energy settings (25 W/20 s, 50 W/6 s and 90 W/4 s) and parallel, 45° and perpendicular catheter positions. The models consisted of homogeneous tissue: myocardium in the BH model and striated muscle in the TM model. The computer results showed that the lesion sizes were generally bigger in the TM model and the differences depended on the energy setting, with hardly any differences at 90 W/4 s but with differences of 1 mm in depth and 1.5 m in width at 25 W/20 s. The higher electrical conductivity of striated muscle (0.446 S/m) than that of the myocardium (0.281 S/m) is possibly one of the causes of the higher percentage of RF energy delivered to the tissue in the TM model, with differences between models of 2–5% at 90 W/4 s, ~9% at 50 W/6 s and ~10% at 25 W/20 s. Proximity to the air–blood interface (just 2 cm from the tissue surface) artificially created in the TM model to emulate the cardiac cavity had little effect on lesion size. In conclusion, the TM-based experimental model creates fairly similar-sized lesions to the BH model, especially in high-power short-duration ablations (50 W/6 s and 90 W/4 s). Our computer results suggest that the higher electrical conductivity of striated muscle could be one of the causes of the slightly larger lesions in the TM model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Compared with off-pump surgeries, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a high systemic inflammatory response and with substantial myocardial injury, especially in high-risk subgroups. Every effort should be exerted to minimize the role of CPB without affecting the safety and outcome. Classically, aortic arch surgeries were done using CPB and deep circulatory arrest together with cerebral brain protection strategies. With the development of endovascular techniques, the role of CPB decreased. Management of aortic arch pathologies carries special needs, specifically rerouting of the great vessels and preparing a landing zone. Objectives To assess the effectiveness and safety of off-pump aortic arch debranching during type I hybrid aortic arch repair. Patients and methods We report our single-center experience of rerouting aortic arch branches (debranching) without using CPB, consisting of bypass grafting of the aortic arch branches off pump, preparing a landing zone for endovascular aortic repair. The preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed retrospectively. Starting from 2015, 20 low-risk patients were subjected to type I aortic arch hybrid repair, whereas the Dacron tube graft was anastomosed to a normal ascending aorta, preparing a landing zone to the subsequent stenting of arch and descending aorta. CPB was used in 10 patients, and off-pump technique was used in the remaining group. Preoperative, operative, and postoperative data were collected and analyzed to compare the results. Results All surgeries went uneventful, with mean operative time of 141.5 ± 24.3 min for group I (on-pump group) and 137.5 ± 14.6 for group II (off-pump group). There were no conversions to CPB in off-pump group. There was no sternotomy for bleeding in off-pump group, compared with only one patient explored for postoperative bleeding in CPB group. All patients in both groups went without any neurological deficit of significance, with no mortality in the 30 days of follow-up. Conclusion Off-pump debranching of aortic arch followed by endovascular repair is a safe and reproducible technique, compared with the gold standard technique using CPB. However, further efforts using intraoperative cerebral perfusion monitoring techniques should be considered in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: The isolated tricuspid valve surgery is performed using beating or arrested heart surgery. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of patients who underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery using the beating and arrested heart techniques. Methods: In this retrospective observational study, all patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve surgery between 2011 and 2018 were included. The patient's demographic information, echocardiographic, surgery, and hospitalization results were collected, and the EuroSCORE was calculated from the patient's medical records. Results: Fifty‐three patients were included in the study of which 21 (39.63%) and 32 (60.37%) underwent a beating heart and arrested heart surgeries, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two studied groups in the echocardiographic results before and after the surgery, total hospitalization days (p = 0.56), and the mortality in the first 30 days after the surgery (p = 0.152). However, the duration of surgery (p < 0.001), EuroSCORE (p = 0.005), and patients who underwent lateral thoracotomy (p = 0.007) were notably lower in the arrested heart than in the beating heart group. In contrast, the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass and hospitalization in an intensive care unit after the surgery was remarkably lower in the beating heart than in the arrested heart group (p < 0.001 for both cases). Conclusion: Although there were some significant differences between the two kinds of surgery techniques, it seems superficial that made a particular decision to consider each method's superiority. Therefore, further studies with larger populations and meta‐analyses are required to recommend the preferred method for the surgeons certainly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background and Aims The isolated tricuspid valve surgery is performed using beating or arrested heart surgery. The present study aimed to evaluate and compare the results of patients who underwent isolated tricuspid valve surgery using the beating and arrested heart techniques. Methods In this retrospective observational study, all patients undergoing isolated tricuspid valve surgery between 2011 and 2018 were included. The patient's demographic information, echocardiographic, surgery, and hospitalization results were collected, and the EuroSCORE was calculated from the patient's medical records. Results Fifty‐three patients were included in the study of which 21 (39.63%) and 32 (60.37%) underwent a beating heart and arrested heart surgeries, respectively. There were no significant differences between the two studied groups in the echocardiographic results before and after the surgery, total hospitalization days (p = 0.56), and the mortality in the first 30 days after the surgery (p = 0.152). However, the duration of surgery (p

In robot-assisted cardiac surgery, predicting heart motion can help improve the operation accuracy and safety of surgical robots. Different from the conventional prediction schemes which model the point of interest (POI) with only temporal correlation of past observations, this paper proposes an LSTM-based method by exploiting the spatio-temporal correlation of the 3D movements of POI and auxiliary points (APs) on the same surface of the heart. Three different LSTM models are investigated. The first two models define the POI prediction as a pure time-series forecasting problem based on past POI trajectory, and the third model combines the past observations of POI and new observations of APs to take into consideration the extra spatial correlations for prediction. Experimental comparison studies based on 3D coordinates obtained from real stereo-endoscopic videos demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed spatio-temporal LSTM model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the early outcomes of mitral valve surgery performed with a beating heart and cardiopulmonary bypass. Study Design: Prospective descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Cardiac Surgery department, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi, from Aug 2017 to Aug 2019. Methodology: Consecutive patients requiring mitral valve surgery were included in the study. Those requiring multiple procedures, redo procedures and emergency procedures were excluded from the study. Data was collected on preformed proformas and perioperative variables were recorded. Patients were followed till discharge or 30 days after the surgery. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 27 patients were included in the study, 21 (77.78%) female and 6 (22.2%) male patients. The mean age of the patients was 30.89 ± 10.8 years. Of the cohort, 4 (14.8%) had mitral stenosis, 16 (59.3%) had mitral regurgitation and mixed disease (both mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation) was present in 7 (25.9%). The median pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was 34 mmHg. All the patients received mechanical mitral valve prosthesis, 27 (100%). A modified Devaga’s procedure for tricuspid valve repair was done in 4 (14.8%) patients. Most of the patients required only mild inotropic support, 22 (81.4%). Median intensive care unit stay was 24 hours with a mean of 33 ± 16 hours. All the patients were alive at the end of the early follow up. Conclusion: Beating heart mitral valve surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass is a feasible technique. It has acceptable early outcome in terms of mortality and major morbidity indicators.

Surgical aortic valve replacement in children who have undergone prior balloon or surgical valvuloplasty or both is a formidable challenge. The aortic annulus is small, there is no ideal prosthesis and lifelong anticoagulation is highly undesirable. A "Y" incision and rectangular patch enlargement of the aortic annulus introduced by Dr. Bo Yang in 2020 combined with aortic valve reconstruction introduced by Dr. Shigeyuki Ozaki in 2011, is feasible, as described in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organ and end-organ protection in aortic arch surgery represents a substantial challenge, especially in infants. Selective antegrade cerebral perfusion has been reported to improve organ function during this procedure. Visceral perfusion can be optimized by cannulation of the descending aorta during infant aortic arch surgery, leading to a decrease in end organ damage. However, it is associated with extensive surgical manipulation and subsequent risk of major vessel and potential organ damage. In this report, we describe a technique for distal body perfusion in an infant with hypoplastic aortic arch and isthmus stenosis by ultrasound-guided cannulation of the femoral artery using an intra-arterial vascular sheath establishing whole-body perfusion by triple cannulation.

Implantation techniques for orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx) have evolved over the centuries. Recently new approaches of modified bicaval techniques to minimize warm ischemia are gaining popularity in the literature. Between 2010 and 2022 n = 238 patients underwent HTx in our department. The recipients were retrospectively reviewed and divided regarding their anastomoses’ technique. Anastomoses were sutured either in biatrial (n = 37), bicaval (n = 191) or in a modified bicaval (n = 10) manner with suturing of the superior cava vein and A. pulmonalis anastomosis after removing the aortic cross-clamp during the reperfusion. Warm ischemia was 62 ± 11 min for biatrial, 66 ± 15 min for bicaval, but only 48 ± 10 min for modified bicaval technique (p < 0.001). The incidence of severe primary graft dysfunction (PGD) was comparable between biatrial (27.0%) and bicaval (28.8%) anastomoses. In contrast, in patients with modified bicaval technique PGD occurred only in a single patient (10.0%). The incidence of postoperative pacemaker implantation was 18.2% for biatrial compared to 3.0% for bicaval and 0.0% for modified bicaval technique (p = 0.01). The modified bicaval technique enables to decrease the crucial warm ischemia during HTx compared to both biatrial and regular bicaval techniques. Therefore, we strongly recommend bicaval anastomoses, ideally in a modified manner.

Posthypoxic encephalopathy is a frequent complication after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), which includes stroke, early postoperative delirium, and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (PCD). The more pronounced prevalence and severity of the latter during surgery using extracorporeal circulation are currently being discussed.Objective: to analyze various types of cerebral dysfunction in patients undergoing CABG and to determine the role of perioperative factors in its development.Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 53 patients who had undergone elective CABG for coronary heart disease. Group 1 included 20 patients who had undergone beating-heart surgery; Group 2 comprised 33 patients, in whom CABG had been performed using extracorporeal circulation (ECC). Neuropsychological testing and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (structural and functional techniques) were carried out.Results and discussion. Posthypoxic encephalopathy was diagnosed in 10 and 67% of patients in Group 1 and 2, respectively (p=0.05); these were precisely all the three types of brain dysfunction which were observed in Group 2 patients. Factors, such as over 70 years of age; median level of education; smoking; body mass index >30 kg/m2 ; ejection fraction 210-min surgery duration; >55-min aortic ligation; and >115-min ECC, showed a statistically significant association with the onset of PCD (p

Beating heart (BH) and thigh muscle (TM) are two pre-clinical models aimed at studying the lesion sizes created by radiofrequency (RF) catheters in cardiac ablation. Previous experimental results have shown that thermal lesions created in the TM are slightly bigger than in the BH. Our objective was to use in-silico modeling to elucidate some of the causes of this difference. In-silico RF ablation models were created using the Arrhenius function to estimate lesion size under different energy settings (25 W/20 s, 50 W/6 s and 90 W/4 s) and parallel, 45° and perpendicular catheter positions. The models consisted of homogeneous tissue: myocardium in the BH model and striated muscle in the TM model. The computer results showed that the lesion sizes were generally bigger in the TM model and the differences depended on the energy setting, with hardly any differences at 90 W/4 s but with differences of 1 mm in depth and 1.5 m in width at 25 W/20 s. The higher electrical conductivity of striated muscle (0.446 S/m) than that of the myocardium (0.281 S/m) is possibly one of the causes of the higher percentage of RF energy delivered to the tissue in the TM model, with differences between models of 2–5% at 90 W/4 s, ~9% at 50 W/6 s and ~10% at 25 W/20 s. Proximity to the air–blood interface (just 2 cm from the tissue surface) artificially created in the TM model to emulate the cardiac cavity had little effect on lesion size. In conclusion, the TM-based experimental model creates fairly similar-sized lesions to the BH model, especially in high-power short-duration ablations (50 W/6 s and 90 W/4 s). Our computer results suggest that the higher electrical conductivity of striated muscle could be one of the causes of the slightly larger lesions in the TM model.

The intra-operative real-time assessment of tissue viability can potentially improve therapy delivery and clinical outcome in cardiovascular therapies. Cardiac ablation therapy for the treatment of supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia continues to be done without being able to assess if the intended lesion and lesion size have been achieved. Here, we report a method for continuous measurements of cardiac muscle microcirculation to provide an instrument for real-time ablation monitoring. We performed two acute open chest animal studies to assess the ability to perform real-time monitoring of creation and size of ablation lesion using a standard RF irrigated catheter. Radiofrequency ablation and laser Doppler were applied to different endocardial areas of alive open-chest pig. We performed two experiments at three different RF ablation energy setting and different ablation times. Perfusion signals before and after ablation were found extensively and distinctively different. By increasing the ablation energy and time, the perfusion signal was decreasing. In vivo assessing the local microcirculation during RF ablation by laser Doppler can potentially be useful to differentiate between viable and nonviable ablated beating heart in real time.

The intra-operative real-time assessment of tissue viability can potentially improve therapy delivery and clinical outcome in cardiovascular therapies. Cardiac ablation therapy for the treatment of supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmia continues to be done without being able to assess if the intended lesion and lesion size have been achieved. Here, we report a method for continuous measurements of cardiac muscle microcirculation to provide an instrument for real-time ablation monitoring. We performed two acute open chest animal studies to assess the ability to perform real-time monitoring of creation and size of ablation lesion using a standard RF irrigated catheter. Radiofrequency ablation and laser Doppler were applied to different endocardial areas of alive open-chest pig. We performed two experiments at three different RF ablation energy setting and different ablation times. Perfusion signals before and after ablation were found extensively and distinctively different. By increasing the ablation energy and time, the perfusion signal was decreasing. In vivo assessing the local microcirculation during RF ablation by laser Doppler can potentially be useful to differentiate between viable and nonviable ablated beating heart in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Over the last decade, the practice of surgical revascularization for the coronary artery disease has been popularized in Bangladesh. Our aim was to compare the outcome of non-cardioplegic versus cardioplegic coronary artery bypass surgery in terms of early postoperative outcomes. Methods: A literature search was conducted in March 2020 on Medline (via PubMed), Scopus and Bangladesh Journal Online electronic databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. All randomized controlled trials and observational studies reporting findings of coronary revascularization surgery comparing the outcomes were included. Results: Fifteen studies were used quantitatively that included a total cohort of 4750 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients in Bangladesh. After the meta-analysis, we observed a longer duration of operating time [mean difference (MD): − 52.30, confidence interval (CI): − 67.73 to − 36.86, I2 18 = 89%, p < 0.00001] and a higher incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation [risk ratio (RR): 0.43, CI: 0.14 to 0.80, I2 = 44%, p = 0.01] in the cardioplegic CABG group as compared with the non-cardioplegic group. Additionally, statistically significant longer duration of ventilation time (MD: − 8.64, CI: − 9.47 to − 7.82, I2 = 82%, p < 0.00001) and ICU stay (MD: − 17.25, CI: − 33.36 to − 1.14, I2 = 99%, p = 0.04) was observed in the cardioplegic group. No significant differences in number of grafts and in-hospital mortality were found between the two groups. Conclusion: Non-cardioplegic CABG may be a viable alternative to cardioplegic CABG in Bangladeshi population, providing similar postoperative outcomes but offering additional advantage of shorter operation and ventilation times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We aimed to compare the short‐ and midterm results of perfusion strategies used for arch reconstruction surgery. Material and Methods: One hundred and seventy‐three consecutive patients who underwent aortic arch reconstruction surgery for transverse arcus hypoplasia between January 2011 and February 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups, as beating heart (BH) group and cardiac arrest (CA) group. Results: The CA group comprised 60 (35%) patients and the remaining 113 (65%) patients were in the BH group. The median age of the patients was 30 (interquartile range: 18–95) days. The incidences of acute renal failure (ARF) and delayed sternal closure were higher in the CA group (p =.05, <.001, respectively). Balloon angioplasty was performed in 5 (2%) patients and reoperation was performed in 11 (6%) patients due to restenosis. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of reoperation or reintervention rates (p =.44 and.34, respectively). Conclusions: Both strategies were associated with satisfactory midterm prevention of reintervention and reoperation. Given the lower incidence of ARF and delayed sternal closure in the postoperative period and similar midterm outcomes, we believe that the BH strategy is preferable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In previous studies we developed two mechanical prototypes of steerable catheters: the Sigma, which uses joysticks to actuate two steerable tip segments, and the Epsilon, which has a handle that is an enlarged version of the tip. In this study, we present a first performance evaluation of the prototypes in the cardiac environment. The evaluation was carried out by an expert user, an electrophysiologist with over 20 years of experience, to obtain insight in clinically relevant factors. Methods: Two experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, the Sigma was used in a passive beating heart setup connected to pumps with a saline solution and camera visualization, and compared with the expert's past experience with conventional steerable catheters. In the second experiment, the Sigma was used in an active beating heart setup with blood perfusion through the coronary arteries and echo visualization, and compared with the Epsilon prototype. The prototype was evaluated through questionnaires on task performance, catheter usability, and workload. After each of the experiments, the catheter characteristics were evaluated via a survey and followed by an in-depth interview. Results & Conclusions: The expert user found the passive beating heart setup to more successful than the active beating heart setup for the purpose of this experiment, with insightful visualization while the heart was in beating condition. The steerability of the prototypes was experienced as useful and clinically relevant. Based on the questionnaires and interview we were able to identify future design improvements and developments for the steerable catheter prototypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relentlessly beating heart has the greatest oxygen consumption of any organ in the body at rest reflecting its huge metabolic turnover and energetic demands. The vast majority of its energy is produced and cycled in form of ATP which stems mainly from oxidative phosphorylation occurring at the respiratory chain in the mitochondria. A part from energy production, the respiratory chain is also the main source of reactive oxygen species and plays a pivotal role in the regulation of oxidative stress. Dysfunction of the respiratory chain is therefore found in most common heart conditions. The pathophysiology of mitochondrial respiratory chain dysfunction in hereditary cardiac mitochondrial disease, the aging heart, in LV hypertrophy and heart failure, and in ischaemia-reperfusion injury is reviewed. We introduce the practicing clinician to the complex physiology of the respiratory chain, highlight its impact on common cardiac disorders and review translational pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment strategies.

Background In patients with secondary mitral regurgitation (MR) associated with low ejection fraction or previous heart surgery, minimally invasive mitral valve surgery without aortic cross-clamp (MIMVS-WAC) has shown promising results. We report our experience for this strategy in our centers. Methods Between August 2011 and April 2017, 46 patients (mean age 69 ± 11 years, 76% males) received MIMVS-WAC. Indications for this technique were prior coronary bypass surgery (26%), severe or recent left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (30%), or both (39%). The mean EuroSCORE II was 12 ± 10. Results For each procedure, we conducted right minithoracotomy and hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) after peripheral cannulation. Mean CPB time was 159 ± 39 minutes. A mitral valve replacement (MVR) was performed in 23 cases (50%), an annuloplasty in 22 cases (48%), and a prosthesis pannus removal in 1 case (2%). Mean hospital length of stay was 12 ± 5.4 days. We report no sternotomy conversions, six reoperations for bleeding, and three deaths at 30 days. Transfusion was requested in 62% (mean infusion 2 ± 2.4 packed red blood cells). The postoperative echocardiography showed an LV function preservation in 69% of cases and a reduction of pulmonary arterial pressure in 73% of cases. Four additional deaths occurred in the long-term follow-up (mean 637 ± 381 days, median 593 days). No mitral reoperation was required, with a MR ≤ 2 in 90% of patients. Conclusion In high-risk patients, the MIMVS-WAC is a safe technique. It avoids hard dissections while ensuring excellent preservation of cardiac function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The treatment plan combined open surgical approach for the AAP with PCI for the CAD. • Both procedures were performed in a hybrid operating room, in the same session. • The combined procedure was perfomed with a 31.25% calculated risk of mortality. • Using this approach, we avoided hypothermic circulatory arrest and cardiac arrest. We present a case of open surgical repair of an aortic arch pseudoaneurysm (AAP) without the use of hypothermic circulatory arrest in a patient with low ejection fraction and associated coronary artery disease (CAD) and discuss some issues regarding the management of this case. A 69-year-old male with multiple pathologies and history of angina pectoris was transferred to our center from a local hospital with an initial diagnosis of non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography revealed stenotic lesions affecting all three coronary arteries. Multislice 3D contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT-scan) revealed a 36 × 27 mm AAP. Endovascular stent-grafting was deemed to be unsuitable due to hostile landing zone. Therefore, the heart team decided for simultaneou treatment of the AAP and percutaneous therapy of CAD. The AAP was excised, and repair was performed with a Dacron patch on beating heart. After the surgical procedure, PCI with drug-eluting stents (DES) was performed on the right coronary artery (RCA) and the left circumflex artery (LCx) in the operating room. The patient's postprocedural course was uneventful and after thirteen days, he was discharged in good shape. 3D CT-scan performed after three month showed no residual AAP. We established this approach as being the most suitable for our case based on favorable circumstances such as: stable CAD, beating heart procedure with low impact on myocardial ischemia, the impossibility of successful placement of an endovascular stent-graft, the presence of a pseudoaneurysm neck with minimum calcification. We consider the best approach for individual cases is tailoring the treatment plan and the procedure to the patient's specific anatomy and pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We evaluated beating heart thoracic aortic surgery (BHTAS) using selective myocardial perfusion (SMP) in patients with aortic anomalies with complex surgical needs. Methods: Between 2012 and 2018, 27 infants with aortic anomalies underwent BHTAS using SMP. Results: Median body weight was 3.5 kg (range 2.6–5.2). In total, 15 cases of aortic coarctation, 7 cases of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and 5 cases of interrupted aortic arch were included. An extended aortic arch anastomosis maneuver was used in 7 cases and aortic arch reconstruction compensated with an autologous pericardium patch was used in 6 cases. A Norwood-type procedure was used in 11 cases. The median Aristotle comprehensive score was 13.9 (7.0–20.0). BHTAS cases were not inferior in postoperative CK-MB/CK ratio (12.4 ± 2.8 in BHTAS vs 13.9 ± 3.6 in CTAS, p = 0.09), and there were no instances of myocardial ischemia. Two late deaths occurred due to shunt obstruction (n = 1) and valve malfunction (n = 1). Freedom from aortic reintervention was not inferior to conventional thoracic aortic surgery. BHTAS cases exhibited shorter cardiac arrest time than that of conventional thoracic aortic surgery in similar surgical procedures [CoA/VSD cases: 48.0 ± 8.0 min in the BHTAS cases and 65.7 ± 10.8 min in the CTAS cases (p = 0.0122), simple CoA/re-CoA cases: 0 min in the BHTAS cases and 20.1 ± 3.6 min in the CTAS cases]. Conclusions: BHTAS reduced cardioplegic arrest time while maintaining postoperative CK-MB/CK ratio, mid-term death, and aortic reintervention rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To study the early outcomes of mitral valve surgery performed with a beating heart and cardiopulmonary bypass. Study Design: Prospective descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: Cardiac Surgery department, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Rawalpindi, from Aug 2017 to Aug 2019. Methodology: Consecutive patients requiring mitral valve surgery were included in the study. Those requiring multiple procedures, redo procedures and emergency procedures were excluded from the study. Data was collected on preformed proformas and perioperative variables were recorded. Patients were followed till discharge or 30 days after the surgery. Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 23.0 was used to analyse the data. Results: A total of 27 patients were included in the study, 21 (77.78%) female and 6 (22.2%) male patients. The mean age of the patients was 30.89 ± 10.8 years. Of the cohort, 4 (14.8%) had mitral stenosis, 16 (59.3%) had mitral regurgitation and mixed disease (both mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation) was present in 7 (25.9%). The median pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) was 34 mmHg. All the patients received mechanical mitral valve prosthesis, 27 (100%). A modified Devaga's procedure for tricuspid valve repair was done in 4 (14.8%) patients. Most of the patients required only mild inotropic support, 22 (81.4%). Median intensive care unit stay was 24 hours with a mean of 33 ± 16 hours. All the patients were alive at the end of the early follow up. Conclusion: Beating heart mitral valve surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass is a feasible technique. It has acceptable early outcome in terms of mortality and major morbidity indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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• Beating heart tool to analyze boundary conditions mimicking in vivo cardiac loading. • Strain assessed by studying stent response under physiological cardiac loading. • Specific modes and regions of potential stent failure in current commercial devices. • Novel stent design is more fatigue resistant than commercial devices. • Unparalleled design optimization approach for transcatheter devices. The rapid expansion of TAVR to younger, low-risk patients raises concerns regarding device durability. Necessarily, extended stent lifetime will become more critical for new generation devices. In vitro methods commonly used for TAVR stent fatigue testing exclude the effects of the beating heart. We present a more realistic in silico stent fatigue analysis utilizing a beating heart model in which TAVR stents experience complex, nonuniform dynamic loading. Virtual TAVR deployments were simulated in the SIMULIA Living Heart Human Model of a beating heart using stent models of the self-expandable nitinol 26-mm CoreValve and Evolut R devices, and a 27-mm PolyV-2. Stent deformation was monitored over three cardiac cycles, and fatigue resistance was evaluated for the nitinol stents using finite element analysis via ABAQUS/Explicit. The average strain and strain amplitude of each stent element were tracked, and established thresholds were applied to determine potential fatigue failure. Fatigue performance of control stents was compared to parametrically modified models with a 20% increase or decrease in strut width. Stents with reduced strut width applied lower radial force against the contracting myocardium of the beating heart, resulting in larger displacements and higher strain values. Formulas relating in vivo strain to stent design do not account for this. In all models, there were elements in which strains exceeded fatigue failure. The PolyV-2 stent had far fewer failing elements since its struts were optimized to reduce the strain in stent joints, achieving better fatigue resistance in the stent crown and waist elements. Different stent sections showed markedly different fatigue resistance due to the varying loading conditions. Our analysis indicates that previous studies underestimate strain amplitudes that may cause stent failure. This study demonstrates the utility of advanced in silico analysis of devices deployed within a beating heart that mimics in vivo loading, offering a cost-effective alternative to human or animal trials and establishing a platform to assess the impact of device design on device durability. The limited fatigue life of TAVR stents indicated here highlights a clinical complication that may eventually develop as younger, lower-risk TAVR patients, age. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tricuspid valve replacement (TVR) is traditionally performed after giving cardioplegia and arresting the heart, but sometimes dense adhesions in redo cases can render looping superior and inferior vena cavae almost impossible. We had a case where the right atrium was hugely dilated and stuck and adhesions were dense, and the condition of the patient was too sick to tolerate myocardial ischemia. We did TVR on a beating heart with femoral and innominate vein cannulation without snugging vena cavae and carefully maintaining a blood level in the right atrium just below tricuspid valve and above the vena caval opening so as to avoid an air lock. It is an innovative technique in a difficult scenario.