An anomalous right coronary artery arising from the left coronary sinus is a rare anatomic variant. Here we report a patient who presented with an acute type A dissection and underwent successful ...aortic root reconstruction with resuspension of the aortic valve and neomedia creation in the presence of an anomalous right coronary artery with a good clinical outcome.
Management of the cardiac transplant recipient includes careful titration of inotropes and vasopressors. Recipient pulmonary hypertension and ventilatory status must be optimized to prevent allograft ...right ventricular failure. Vasoplegia, coagulopathy, arrhythmias, and renal dysfunction also require careful management to achieve an optimal outcome. Primary graft dysfunction (PGD) can be an ominous problem after cardiac transplantation. Although mild degrees of PGD may be managed medically, mechanical circulatory support with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation or temporary ventricular assist devices may be required. Retransplantation may be necessary in some cases.
To quantitate the impact of heart donation after circulatory death (DCD) donor utilization on both waitlist and post-transplant outcomes in the United States.
The United Network for Organ Sharing ...database was queried to identify all adult waitlisted and transplanted candidates between October 18, 2018, and December 31, 2022. Waitlisted candidates were stratified according to whether they had been approved for donation after brain death (DBD) offers only or also approved for DCD offers. The cumulative incidence of transplantation was compared between the 2 cohorts. In a post-transplant analysis, 1-year post-transplant survival was compared between unmatched and propensity-score-matched cohorts of DBD and DCD recipients.
A total of 14,803 candidates were waitlisted, including 12,287 approved for DBD donors only and 2516 approved for DCD donors. Overall, DCD approval was associated with an increased sub-hazard ratio (HR) for transplantation and a lower sub-HR for delisting owing to death/deterioration after risk adjustment. In a subgroup analysis, candidates with blood type B and status 4 designation received the greatest benefit from DCD approval. A total of 12,238 recipients underwent transplantation, 11,636 with DBD hearts and 602 with DCD hearts. Median waitlist times were significantly shorter for status 3 and status 4 recipients receiving DCD hearts. One-year post-transplant survival was comparable between unmatched and propensity score–matched cohorts of DBD and DCD recipients.
The use of DCD hearts confers a higher probability of transplantation and a lower incidence of death/deterioration while on the waitlist, particularly among certain subpopulations such as status 4 candidates. Importantly, the use of DCD donors results in similar post-transplant survival as DBD donors.
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We report orthotopic (life‐supporting) survival of genetically engineered porcine cardiac xenografts (with six gene modifications) for almost 9 months in baboon recipients. This work builds on our ...previously reported heterotopic cardiac xenograft (three gene modifications) survival up to 945 days with an anti‐CD40 monoclonal antibody‐based immunosuppression. In this current study, life‐supporting xenografts containing multiple human complement regulatory, thromboregulatory, and anti‐inflammatory proteins, in addition to growth hormone receptor knockout (KO) and carbohydrate antigen KOs, were transplanted in the baboons. Selective “multi‐gene” xenografts demonstrate survival greater than 8 months without the requirement of adjunctive medications and without evidence of abnormal xenograft thickness or rejection. These data demonstrate that selective “multi‐gene” modifications improve cardiac xenograft survival significantly and may be foundational for paving the way to bridge transplantation in humans.
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DOBA, FZAB, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) driveline transection is an often fatal complication traditionally treated with salvage surgery. We present the case of a 70-year-old man who presented in ...cardiogenic shock after accidentally transecting his LVAD driveline. The driveline was emergently dissected at the bedside, all 6 internal wires were spliced, and his LVAD was restarted without morbidity. He subsequently underwent formal durable driveline splice by the device manufacturer 8 hours later and was discharged home uneventfully 28 hours after presentation. In this report we describe our novel, rapid, reproducible method for emergency HeartWare HVAD (Medtronic, Framingham, MA) driveline splicing, offering an alternative to surgical device exchange.
Up to 30% of patients presenting with ascending aortic disease are deemed inoperable. Ascending aortic endovascular repair provides an alternative option for these patients.
From 2018 to 2019, 13 ...patients who were considered to have prohibitive risk for open ascending aortic repair underwent endovascular repair. Aortic disease included type A dissection (n = 8), pseudoaneurysm (n = 3), penetrating ulcer (n = 3), and chronic aortic aneurysm (n = 1). Ascending aortic stent placement with thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed in 9 patients, endovascular cuff extension was inserted in 3, and in 1 patient endovascular coil embolization was undertaken. Preoperative and follow-up electrocardiogram-gated computed tomographic analysis was performed to compare the remodeling effect of the stent on the aorta. The median follow-up time was 13 months.
The stent graft was successfully implanted in all patients (100%). Operative mortality and stroke rate were 15% (2 of 13) and 8% (1 of 13), respectively. One patient required transcatheter aortic valve replacement for severe aortic insufficiency 5 months after ascending thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The location of the aortic pathologic process was in zone 0A in 2 patients, zone 0B in 7 patients, and zone 0C in 3 patients. No endoleak was observed after the ascending endovascular repair in 9 patients (70%). Follow-up computed tomographic scan analysis revealed a tendency of favorable aortic remodeling in the mid-ascending and descending aorta.
Ascending aortic stent placement for ascending aortic disease is feasible and is associated with favorable aortic remodeling. Despite persistent perfusion to the false lumen in a subset of patients, there is minimal aortic dilation at short-term follow-up with excellent survival.
Obtaining arterial access for cardiac catheterization can be both challenging and morbid in patients supported by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). While catheterization ...performed by obtaining endovascular access through the ECMO circuit itself has been described, all previous cases utilized a Y-connector and accessory tubing limb. We report a novel technique whereby arterial access was obtained directly via standard VA-ECMO arterial return tubing, through which coronary angiography was successfully performed in a 67-year-old woman. This technique may reduce the incidence of morbidity attendant with obtaining vascular accesses in patients on ECMO without requiring insertion of new circuit components.
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NUK, OILJ, SAZU, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK