Cardiac Surgery News and Research

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Possible neurological complications of heart surgery detailed in new report

In the most comprehensive and up-to-date review of its kind, researchers list possible nervous system complications of bypass surgeries, aortic surgery, cardiac catheterizations, valve replacements, heart transplants and surgeries for congenital heart disease and heart tumors.

13 Aug 2009

Neurological complications of heart surgery detailed in research

Possible neurological complications of heart surgery, ranging from headaches to strokes, are detailed in a new report in the online journal MedLink Neurology.

13 Aug 2009

Additional trial to be conducted for KYNAPID under FDA special protocol agreement

Cardiome Pharma Corp. (NASDAQ: CRME/TSX: COM) and its co-development partner Astellas Pharma US, Inc. ("Astellas") announced today that Astellas will undertake a single confirmatory additional Phase 3 clinical trial of KYNAPID(TM) (vernakalant hydrochloride) Injection for rapid conversion of atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm. The trial, to be called ACT 5, is expected to begin enrolling patients by the end of 2009, with completion expected in the first half of 2011.

11 Aug 2009

Long-term brain damage after bypass surgery - more evidence puts blame on heart disease

Brain scientists and cardiac surgeons at Johns Hopkins have evidence from 227 heart bypass surgery patients that long-term memory losses and cognitive problems they experience are due to the underlying coronary artery disease itself and not ill after-effects from having used a heart-lung machine.

3 Aug 2009

Blood transfusions associated with infection

A study of almost 25,000 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients has shown that receiving blood from another person is associated with a two-fold increase in post-operative infection rates. The research, published in the open access journal BMC Medicine, also found considerable hospital variation in transfusion practices.

30 Jul 2009

Preoperative team briefings improves communication, reduce medical errors

A short, preoperative team briefing prior to cardiac surgery - where each person on the team speaks - improves communication and reduces errors and costs, according to a pilot study conducted at Mayo Clinic.

27 May 2009

Schering-Plough starts patient enrollment in phase 3 trial for Acadesine

Schering-Plough Corporation today announced the start of patient enrollment in RED-CABG, the Phase 3 Trial for acadesine, an investigational, potentially first-in-class adenosine regulating agent (ARA). Acadesine was licensed from PeriCor Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held specialty biopharmaceutical company.

12 May 2009

Different treatment options in chronic coronary artery disease

Sometimes cardiologists and cardiac surgeons can agree! There is often disagreement between the professions of cardiology and cardiac surgery about the proper therapy for coronary artery disease (CAD)-and this can harm the patient.

27 Apr 2009

Double-lung transplants work better than single for long-term survival

Having both lungs replaced instead of just one is the single most important feature determining who lives longest after having a lung transplant, more than doubling an organ recipient's chances of extending their life by over a decade, a study by a team of transplant surgeons at Johns Hopkins shows.

22 Apr 2009

Somanetics announces new FDA 510(K) clearance

Somanetics Corporation has announced a new 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to expand the labeling for its INVOS(R) Cerebral/Somatic Oximeter.

16 Apr 2009

Blood transfusions after cardiac surgery may be unnecessary

Blood transfusions carried out after cardiac surgery could be unnecessary and might cause health complications for patients.

15 Apr 2009

Omega-3 fatty acids may help cancer patients undergoing major operations

New research from Trinity College Dublin published in this month's Annals of Surgery points to a potentially significant advance in the treatment of patients undergoing major cancer surgery.

12 Apr 2009

Nile Therapeutics update on phase II CD-NP trial for acute heart failure

Nile Therapeutics, Inc. has announced that, in the course of reviewing the Investigational New Drug (IND) application materials that Nile submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support the initiation of the Company's Phase IIb clinical trial with CD-NP for the treatment of acute heart failure, the FDA has placed CD-NP on clinical hold.

30 Mar 2009

Drug combo shows potential for treating extensively drug resistant tuberculosis

A combination of two FDA-approved drugs, already approved for fighting other bacterial infections, shows potential for treating extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB), the most deadly form of the infection.

26 Feb 2009

Top hospitals have 27 percent lower mortality: Annual HealthGrades study

Medicare patients treated at top-rated hospitals nationwide across the most common Medicare diagnoses and procedures are 27 percent less likely to die, on average, than those admitted to all other hospitals, according to a study released today by HealthGrades, the leading independent healthcare ratings organization.

29 Jan 2009

Lung transplants: Doing more is better and safer

Transplant surgeons at Johns Hopkins have evidence that hospitals performing at least 20 lung transplant procedures a year, on average, have the best overall patient survival rates and lowest number of deaths from the complex surgery.

29 Jan 2009

Risk of death may be higher with aprotinin commonly used during cardiac surgery

The risks of death are probably higher with aprotinin, a drug commonly used to control blood loss and transfusions during cardiac surgery, compared with lysine analogues, according to a study to be published in the January 20th issue of CMAJ.

3 Dec 2008

Study looks at mitral valve prolapse

Disturbing evidence of higher mortality and lower surgery rates in women versus men with mitral valve prolapse and severe leakage may be related to the complexity of evaluating the condition's severity in women, according to findings of a Mayo Clinic study published this month in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

1 Dec 2008

Study looks at ventricular assist device outcomes

Ventricular assist devices, or VADs - surgically-placed mechanical pumps that can support failing hearts or buy time to transplant - are associated with high hospital costs and high rates of early death among Medicare recipients, say researchers at Duke University Medical Center.

25 Nov 2008

Angioplasty safer in community hospitals when team has more experience

Heart experts at Johns Hopkins have evidence that life-saving coronary angioplasty at community hospitals is safer when physicians and hospital staff have more experience with the procedure.

12 Nov 2008