Cardiac Surgery

Cardiothoracic surgery includes coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), heart valve repair or replacement, left ventricular assist device (LVAD) placement, heart transplant, assisting in minimally invasive transcatheter valve structural heart procedures such as TAVR, left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion, septal myectomy, surgical ablation for arrhythmias, and reconstruction of the heart in congenial heart disease cases.

Women less likely to receive DCD heart transplants
Donation after circulatory death heart transplants are gaining popularity in the United States, but men are much more likely to be selected for one.
At a crossroads: Surgical heart valve innovation slows as transcatheter treatments keep evolving
Has the success of TAVR and other interventional techniques had a negative impact on surgical valve innovation? Two surgeons shared their concerns in a new commentary.
Polymer heart valve, the first of its kind to gain commercial approval, linked to positive 1-year data
The new-look mitral valve is built using LifePolymer, a proprietary material that does not include any animal tissue. Both the frame and its leaflets are robotically generated to match each patient’s anatomy.
Female heart surgeons take home much lower salaries
Both base salaries and total compensation are consistently lower for women than men, according to new survey data. The disparities in cardiac surgery are often worse than those found in other healthcare specialties.
Society of Thoracic Surgeons provides on-the-go risk evaluations with new mobile app
The STS Risk Calculator App, available on both iOS and Android devices, gives users improved access to real-time risk assessments.

The PleuraFlow Active Clearance Technology (ACT) System from ClearFlow

Chest tube-clearing device improves recovery, limits readmissions after heart surgery

“Conventional chest tubes are prone to clogging, which can hinder recovery,” one researcher explained.

When valves fail: Surgeons share advice for treating high-risk patients with TAVR explant and SAVR

When a patient’s TAVR valve fails, redo TAVR is not always a feasible option. TAVR explantation and SAVR are typically the answer in these cases, but that approach is associated with certain risks.

TAVR and SAVR deliver similar outcomes for patients with low-flow, low-gradient aortic stenosis

Paravalvular leak was more common after TAVR, as one may expect, but that was the only notable difference between the two aortic valve replacement strategies. The study's authors did highlight the importance of additional research, including larger studies with longer follow-up periods.

Cardiologists are first in world to use new cooling device to terminate AFib during surgery

Patients often develop AFib during cardiac surgery, leading to longer hospital stays, additional healthcare costs and a higher risk of mortality. Cooling the oblique sinus of the patient's heart as soon as AFib starts to develop may represent a new way to stop the problem in its tracks.

A majority of medical devices involved in Class I recalls were never required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to undergo premarket or postmarket clinical testing, according to new research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.[1]

Answering key follow-up questions after the FDA approved TAVR in asymptomatic patients

The approval of certain TAVR valves to be used in asymptomatic patients is expected to make a significant impact on patient care going forward.

Smaller LV dimensions may increase risk of death for HeartMate 3 LVAD patients

Researchers tracked short- and long-term data from nearly 2,000 patients, presenting their findings in JACC: Heart Failure.

Paragonix SherpaPak Cardiac Transport System

Sterile, temperature-controlled preservation reduces long-term mortality after heart transplant by 54%

An advanced preservation system from Paragonix, a Getinge company, was linked to dramatic reductions in both mortality and procedural complications.

Society of Thoracic Surgeons shares new risk calculator for aortic surgeries

Society of Thoracic Surgeons shares new risk calculator for complex aortic procedures

The new resource was built to help care teams plan for ascending aorta and aortic root surgeries.

Cardiac Surgery

Women less likely to receive DCD heart transplants

At a crossroads: Surgical heart valve innovation slows as transcatheter treatments keep evolving

Polymer heart valve, the first of its kind to gain commercial approval, linked to positive 1-year data

Female heart surgeons take home much lower salaries

Society of Thoracic Surgeons provides on-the-go risk evaluations with new mobile app