Associations Found Between Endothelial Activation and Unfavorable Outcomes in Pediatric ECMO Patients
Researchers from Children’s National Health System (Department of Pediatrics), Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (Department of Epidemiology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (Department of Radiology, Department of Neurology, Department of Pediatrics, and Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine), and Kennedy Krieger Institute investigated the associations between inflammatory markers and endothelial activity…
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Omics Markers of Red Blood Cell Transfusion in Trauma
Red blood cell (RBC) transfusions save countless lives each year, but the molecular effectiveness of such treatments, especially in trauma patients, isn’t well-studied. A groundbreaking study using plasma metabolomic and proteomic measurements from trauma patients provides a first-of-its-kind molecular-level evaluation of RBC transfusion efficiency. The complete manuscript by Ian S. LaCroix, Mitchell Cohen, and Monika Dzieciatkowska is…
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Anticoagulation Management Recommendations in Temporary Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices
In July 2023, Ellen B. Yin from Baylor St. Luke’s Medical Center (Department of Pharmacy) compiled current recommendations for anticoagulation management in temporary mechanical support devices. Detailed below are the complete recommendations, also available in the Texas Heart Institute Journal. Most mechanical circulatory support devices require anticoagulation to prevent device thrombosis and flow obstruction. This is…
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Mental Health and well-being Tools for Health Care Workers
Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall well-being, and healthcare workers, like anyone else, can face unique challenges in maintaining good mental health. The demanding nature of their jobs, long hours, exposure to trauma, and the pressure to provide high-quality care can contribute to stress and burnout. Working in a high-stress clinical setting is…
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Improve Propofol Recovery by Saturating Ex Vivo ECMO Circuit Through Direct and Continuous Dosing
In December 2023, researchers from the University of Utah (Department of Molecular Pharmaceutics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, and Department of Pediatrics) and Philipps Universität Marburg completed a study to determine if propofol adsorption can saturate ex vivo extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) circuits. The complete manuscript by Nitish Khurana, Till Sünner, Oliver Hubbard, Carina E. Imburgia,…
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Mesh Sutures May Resist Bone Cutting in Sternal Closures
In June 2023, researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine (Divisions of Cardiac Surgery and Plastic Surgery) investigated the capability of a mesh suture to limit bone cutting during sternal closure. The complete manuscript by Sandeep N. Bharadwaj, Connor H. Raikar, Gregory A. Dumanian, and S. Christopher Malaisrie is available in JTCVS Techniques. Detailed below…
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The Duration of Effect of Intravenous Hydroxocobalamin in Vasoplegia
In April 2023, researchers from Nebraska Medicine’s Department of Pharmacy sought to quantify the length of hemodynamic improvements after intravenous administration of B12. The complete manuscript by Madeline Blaha, Meghan Blais, and Logan Olson is available in Cureus. Detailed below is a summary of their findings. Vasoplegia, characterized by low systemic vascular resistance that leads to…
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ECMO and Impella Support Strategies as a Bridge to Surgical Repair of Post-Infarction Ventricular Septal Rupture
Post-infarct ventricular septal rupture, or PIVSR, is a severe cardiac complication that continues to have significant morbidity and mortality despite decreased prevalence due to early revascularization strategies. Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) strategies, such as venoarterial extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (VA-ECMO) and Impella, have been proposed to correct any hemodynamic instabilities and give patients more time to…
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The Development and Efficacy Testing of a Formula to Increase the Precision of Oxygen Therapy During Cardiopulmonary Bypass
In September 2023, researchers from University Hospital Heidelberg (Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery and Department of Anesthesiology) and Furtwangen University developed and clinically applied a formula for tailored oxygen therapy during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). The complete manuscript by Jan Turra, David Riesterer, Christoph Eisner, Folker Wenzel, Andreas Mobius, Matthias Karck, Rawa Arif, Christoph Lichtenstern, and Dania…
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Cost of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation in Pediatric Patients with Postoperative Heart Block
In November 2023, researchers from Boston Children’s Hospital (Department of Cardiac Surgery and Department of Cardiology), Harvard Medical School (Department of Surgery and Department of Pediatrics), and University of Utah (Division of Epidemiology and Department of Biomedical Engineering) estimated the economic burden to patients and their families following permanent pacemaker (PPM) implantation. The complete manuscript…
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Procedural Readmissions Following TAVR Incidence and Outcomes
In September 2023, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital at Harvard Medical School (Divisions of Cardiac Surgery and Cardiovascular Medicine) and the Washington University School of Medicine (Division of Cardiac Surgery) examined the incidence and outcomes in patients receiving procedural readmissions after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The complete manuscript by Paige Newell, Hoda Javadikasgari,…
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Applications of Electrosurgery in Interventional Cardiology
In January 2023, researchers from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (Cardiovascular Branch), MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and Emory University Hospital (Structural Heart and Valve Center) investigated typical applications of electrosurgery, including the evidence and key technical steps for each. The complete manuscript by Jaffar M. Khan, Toby Rogers, Adam B. Greenbaum, Vasilis C….
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