Heart Surgery News and Research

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Heart surgery is done to correct problems with the heart. More than half a million heart surgeries are done each year in the United States for a variety of heart problems. Heart surgery is used to correct heart problems in children and adults. This article discusses heart surgeries for adults. For more information about heart surgeries for children, see the Diseases and Conditions Index articles on congenital heart defects, holes in the heart, and tetralogy of Fallot.

The most common type of heart surgery for adults is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). During CABG, surgeons use healthy arteries or veins taken from another part of the body to bypass (that is, go around) blocked arteries. CABG relieves chest pain and reduces the risk of heart attack.

Study: Modified fat diet might reduce risk of heart disease

The debate between good fat versus bad fat continues, as a new evidence review finds that a modified fat diet — and not a low fat diet — might be the real key to reducing one's risk of heart disease.

13 Jul 2011

First transcatheter aortic valve implantation performed at Loyola University Hospital

Toni Meyer's heart-valve disease was so severe that she suffered shortness of breath even while sitting in a chair. But after Loyola University Hospital physicians replaced her diseased aortic valve in a catheter procedure as part of a clinical trial, Meyer said she is feeling "100 percent better."

From Medtronic 7 Jul 2011

Study links physician leaders with hospital performance

Top-performing hospitals are typically ones headed by a medical doctor rather than a manager. That is the finding from a new study of what makes a good hospital.

7 Jul 2011

Checklist to stay healthy and active in summer

The summer is a great season for getting in shape. Whether by playing a sport, doing an aerobic exercise routine, or just returning to that familiar running path -- this is the time for activity.

2 Jul 2011

Transcatheter valve replacement safe and effective alternative to open-heart surgery

An innovative approach for implanting a new aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery is being offered at Rush University Medical Center to patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high-risk or not suitable candidates for open heart valve replacement surgery.

27 Jun 2011

Hypertension variability during cardiac surgery may increase risk of death

For patients with hypertension undergoing heart surgery, large variations in blood pressure before, during, and after the operation are associated with an increased risk of death, reports the July issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

24 Jun 2011

Tips to protect children from falling

Placing a crib, changing table or even a chair next to a window might offer your child a nice view outside or access to fresh air, but be careful - window falls can happen quickly and in some cases, be deadly.

23 Jun 2011

Angioplasty may be an option for liver transplant candidates with heart disease

A small, retrospective study determined that percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was safe in patients with significant coronary artery disease (CAD) who were referred for liver transplantation. Larger studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of angioplasty in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Details of the study are available in the July issue of Liver Transplantation, published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

22 Jun 2011

Endotis commences EP217609 Phase IIa study in patients undergoing open-heart surgery

Endotis Pharma, a world leader in the development of neutralizable anticoagulants, today announced enrolment of the first patients into a Phase IIa study using EP217609 and its specific antidote avidin to manage coagulation during open-heart surgery.

22 Jun 2011

Black patients with heart attack wait longer at hospitals to get life-saving procedures

Black patients having a heart attack wait longer at hospitals than white patients to get advanced procedures that will restore blood flow to their hearts, according to a University of Michigan Health System study.

21 Jun 2011

Hardin Memorial Hospital selects ProVation Order Sets

Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today that Hardin Memorial Hospital has selected ProVation® Order Sets, powered by UpToDate® Decision Support, as the organization's electronic order set solution.

20 Jun 2011

Boosting immune response may cause cold-induced asthma flare-ups

People often talk about "boosting" their immunity to prevent and fight colds. Nutritional supplements, cold remedies and fortified foods claim to stave off colds by augmenting the immune system.

18 Jun 2011

Boosting immune response could increase inflammation

People often talk about "boosting" their immunity to prevent and fight colds. Nutritional supplements, cold remedies and fortified foods claim to stave off colds by augmenting the immune system.

16 Jun 2011

First human implant of St. Jude Medical's Portico transcatheter aortic heart valve

St. Jude Medical, Inc., a global medical device company, today announced the first human implant of its Portico transcatheter aortic heart valve. The procedure was performed by Dr. John Webb, director of cardiac catheterization and interventional cardiology at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia.

7 Jun 2011

Mount Sinai to participate in Medtronic CoreValve U.S. Clinical Trial

Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida announced its participation in the Medtronic CoreValve U.S. Clinical Trial, which will evaluate a new, non-surgical alternative to open-heart surgery for patients with severe aortic stenosis. Mount Sinai is now among a select number of leading hospitals across the U.S. to participate in this trial.

From Medtronic 4 Jun 2011

U-M study shows decline in surgery mortality for eight different high-risk operations

Surgery death rates have dropped nationwide over the past decade, according to a University of Michigan Health System study that reveals cancer surgeries have seen the most dramatic improvement in safety.

3 Jun 2011

Study affirms effectiveness of palliative care discussions before LVAD heart surgery

For patients with severe heart failure, an implanted mechanical pump known as a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) can be a life-sustaining treatment. Even though the technology involves risks, few patients and their families tend to talk explicitly about the "what ifs" before surgery takes place.

2 Jun 2011

New hybrid OR at Loyola equipped with advanced fluoroscopy equipment

Loyola University Medical Center has opened a hybrid operating room that combines the imaging capabilities of a cardiac catheterization lab with the sterile environment of a conventional operating room (OR).

23 May 2011

Meta-analysis confirms positive outcomes in patients implanted with Medtronic CoreValve System

A late-breaking presentation about transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) at EuroPCR 2011 today confirmed positive outcomes in patients receiving the CoreValve System from Medtronic, Inc. across seven international clinical registries.

From Medtronic 20 May 2011

Medtronic issues statement on results of CoreValve System clinical data presented at EuroPCR 2011

Medtronic, Inc. today issued a statement on results of clinical data presented at EuroPCR 2011 that show the Medtronic CoreValve System, delivered through a new approach beneath the collarbone, achieved excellent procedural success rates and low in-hospital complication rates.

From Medtronic 19 May 2011