General

Malignant invasion of the inferior vena cava (IVC) often necessitates complete tumor thrombectomy and IVC reconstruction. Bovine pericardial xenografts and prosthetic grafts are frequently used for partial or entire IVC reconstruction with adequate subsequent patency and freedom from thrombosis. Cryopreserved aortic homografts represent an alternative conduit for vena cava replacement with resistance to infection in contaminated fields or following extensive retroperitoneal dissection. Specific...

Percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) has emerged as a feasible alternative strategy to surgical repair in many cardiac centers worldwide. Occluder recanalization due to device failure is a rare and severe complication that often occurs within weeks to years after ASD closure. We reported a rare ultra-long-term complication of occluder recanalization due to delayed spontaneous perforation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) membrane of ASD occluder after 18 years of ASD closure. Surgical...

CONCLUSIONS: The TTM-AMLE is a safe and effective surgical approach for selected patients with HOCM. In our series, it provides excellent relief of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction, while significantly eliminating mitral regurgitation. The early outcomes of TTM-AMLE are satisfactory, but further studies and longer follow-ups are awaited.

CONCLUSIONS: Although no children had high levels of antibodies to TKO RBCs, 13/14 demonstrated antibodies to TKO PBMCs, in 6 of these showed mild cytotoxicity. As no adults had cytotoxic antibodies to TKO PBMCs, the higher incidence in children may possibly be associated with their exposure to previous cardiac surgery and biological products. However, the numbers were too small to determine the influence of such past exposures. Before considering pig heart xenotransplantation for children with...

CONCLUSION: Decellularized bovine pericardial patches loaded with adipose-derived and cultured mesenchymal stromal cells enhanced healing in terms of both histology and mechanical strength at 8 weeks following rotator cuff repair in a rat model.

CONCLUSION: None of the analyzed tissues resembled the exact structure of the autologous pericardial explant. Degeneration of pericardium starts during industrial processing, suggesting a potential harm on graft longevity in children. A careful surgical approach prior to the implantation of xenografts is therefore needed.

CONCLUSION: We are of the opinion that the PAC method is effective and safe for carotid artery closure in patients undergoing CEA.

Over the last two decades there has been an increase in the number of cardiac implantable electronic devices and consequently, there has also been an increased need for lead extractions. Fibrotic attachments d...

Major vessels of the mediastinum such as the superior vena cava (SVC) and bilateral innominate veins can occasionally become involved with aggressive tumors or the mediastinum, including non-small cell lung cancer and thymoma. This may result in partial or complete obstruction. With presentation of these tumors symptoms can often be debilitating and would otherwise be treated with palliative therapy. A select population of patients are candidates for tumor resection. The ability to perform an...

Here, we report the design and development of highly stretchable, compliant, and enzymatic-resistant transiently cross-linked decellularized extracellular matrixes (dECMs) (e.g., porcine small intestine submucosa/dSIS, urinary bladder matrix/dUBM, bovine pericardium/dBP, bovine dermis/dBD, and human dermis/dHD). Specifically, these dECMs were modified with long aliphatic chains (C9, C14, and C18). Upon modification, dECMs became significantly resistant to enzymatic degradation for extended...