Cardiac Surgery News and Research

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What we know and don’t know about memory loss after surgery

Two years ago, Dr. Daniel Cole's 85-year-old father had heart bypass surgery. He hasn't been quite the same since.

12 Apr 2018

Minimally invasive surgical device may one day provide lasting heart repair

A minimally invasive surgical device to be commercialized by a newly launched startup could fundamentally transform the way doctors correct organ defects.

15 Mar 2018

Blood-thinning drug mitigates risk of complications, death after non-cardiac surgery

Researchers in Hamilton have discovered that a blood-thinning drug, dabigatran, significantly reduces the risk of death, heart attack, stroke, and other heart or blood-vessel complications in patients who have a heart injury following major, non-cardiac surgery.

12 Mar 2018

Study unravels novel cellular and molecular pathway that regulates innate, adaptive immunity

Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital have discovered a new cellular and molecular pathway that regulates CD4+ T cell response--a finding that may lead to new ways to treat diseases that result from alterations in these cells.

24 Feb 2018

Children from low-income areas have poor outcomes after heart surgery, study finds

Children from low-income neighborhoods had a higher mortality rate and higher hospital costs after heart surgery compared with those from higher-income neighborhoods, found a national study of more than 86,000 kids with congenital heart disease.

24 Feb 2018

VUMC reaches new record in performing heart transplants

Vanderbilt University Medical Center performed a record number of heart transplants in 2017, surpassing the 2016 milestone and securing its place as the second-busiest heart transplant program in the country.

5 Feb 2018

New clinical practice guideline provides recommendations for use of anticoagulants during heart surgery

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiologists, and the American Society of ExtraCorporeal Technology released a new clinical practice guideline that includes major recommendations for the use of blood thinning medication (anticoagulants) during heart surgery.

22 Jan 2018

LivaNova enrolls first patient in RESTORE-LIFE study for treatment-resistant depression

LivaNova PLC, a market-leading medical technology company, today announced the launch and enrollment of the first patient in the Global Prospective, Multi-center, Observational Post-market Study to Assess Short-, Mid- and Long-term Effectiveness and Efficiency of Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy® as Adjunctive Therapy in Real-world Patients with Difficult to Treat Depression.

4 Jan 2018

New long-term analysis at heart attack care in America shows more survival and spending

A new long-term look at heart attack care and spending in America since the turn of the century shows more survival, more spending, and more variation between hospitals on both scores.

22 Dec 2017

Innovative nanoparticle-based approach to fight myocardial infarction

How can damaged cardiac tissue following a heart attack best be treated with replacement muscle cells? A research team under the supervision of the University of Bonn is now presenting an innovative method on mice: Muscle replacement cells, which are to take over the function of the damaged tissue, are loaded with magnetic nanoparticles.

1 Dec 2017

Study highlights need for more clinical trials to improve treatment of children with heart disease

Less than one per cent of UK children born with congenital heart disease are enrolled in clinical trials looking to improve treatments, research funded by the British Heart Foundation and led by the University of Birmingham and Birmingham Children's Hospital has found.

23 Nov 2017

Experts endorse recommendations for restrictive blood transfusions

By analyzing data from randomized clinical trials comparing blood transfusion approaches, Johns Hopkins experts, along with colleagues at Cleveland Clinic and NYU Langone Medical Center, endorse recommendations for blood transfusions that reduce blood use to improve patient safety and outcomes.

20 Nov 2017

New tool can offer accurate estimates of cardiac risks for older surgery patients

A tool designed to more accurately predict the risk of heart attack in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery works significantly better than traditional risk assessment tools.

16 Nov 2017

Lower thresholds for blood transfusions proven safe and provide good patient outcomes

Lower thresholds for blood transfusions during cardiac surgery have proven to be safe and provide good patient outcomes compared to traditional thresholds, according to the largest research study ever performed in this area. The lower or "restrictive" threshold also can help reduce the amount of blood transfused and money spent for each procedure.

14 Nov 2017

Obese older adults who survive heart surgery may live with greater degrees of functional decline

More than one-third of Americans are considered obese based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). BMI measures the ratio between your height and weight.

9 Nov 2017

Pioneering heart device found to be safe and effective

A new study has found that a pioneering device to repair heart valves is safe and effective, and can reduce the invasiveness and side effects of conventional mitral valve surgery.

1 Nov 2017

Older surgical patients with diabetes may be at higher risk of developing POCD

Older patients with diabetes may be at an 84 percent higher risk of developing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) than those who are not diabetic, suggests new research being presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2017 annual meeting.

23 Oct 2017

Blood transfusions should be gender matched between donor and recipient

An emergency blood transfusion mandates matching of the blood types so that the donor and the recipient are compatible in their blood types. There is no other matching between the blood bag and the recipient – race, ethnicity, religion, gender etc.

18 Oct 2017

New urine test accurately detects patients at risk for kidney damage after heart surgery

A new, inexpensive urine test accurately identifies patients at risk for kidney damage after open heart surgery, allowing for corrective action before permanent injury occurs, according to research presented today at the 14th Annual Multidisciplinary Cardiovascular and Thoracic Critical Care Conference from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

5 Oct 2017

Study finds overall favorable outcomes among cardiac patients treated in childhood with ECMO

One of the few large studies to report long-term outcomes in cardiac patients treated in childhood with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation has found overall favorable outcomes among survivors, as reported by families. ECMO provides short-term breathing and heart support for critically ill children while doctors treat the underlying illness.

22 Sep 2017