Ventricular Arrhythmias in Patients Undergoing Degenerative Mitral Repair: Prevalence and Impact on Survival.

Objective: Ventricular arrhythmias occur in a subset of patients with mitral valve prolapse. However, their impact on post-operative survival after degenerative mitral repair is unclear.

Methods: We compared long-term survival after degenerative mitral repair in patients presenting with and without arrhythmic mitral valve prolapse (defined by degenerative mitral regurgitation and ventricular arrhythmias) in a national insurance database.

National outcomes of surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation at the time of mitral surgery.

Objectives: Current guidelines recommend concomitant surgical ablation at the time of mitral surgery for patients with atrial fibrillation; however, there is a paucity of data on long-term outcomes in this population. We sought to assess long-term clinical outcomes in patients undergoing concomitant surgical ablation at the time of mitral surgery.

Methods: The United States Centers for Medicare and Medicaid data were used to identify patients undergoing mitral repair or replacement from 2015 to 2019.

Long-term outcomes of isolated tricuspid surgery in 3706 patients: Implications for the future.

Objectives: Early and late outcomes of isolated tricuspid surgery in contemporary practice are poorly defined. This statewide analysis evaluated the early and late outcomes of isolated tricuspid repair and replacement.

Methods: From the Department of Health Care Access and Information of California State admissions database, 3706 patients who underwent isolated tricuspid repair (2419, 65.

Mortality and Stroke after Routine Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion in Patients Undergoing Isolated Mitral Repair without Atrial Fibrillation in the United States.

Background: The role of prophylactic concomitant left atrial appendage closure during mitral repair in patients without atrial fibrillation (AF) is not defined.

Objectives: The objective was to compare long-term outcomes of patients who had left atrial appendage closure during mitral repair with those who did not in patients without AF.

Methods: A large national registry was used to identify 38,597 patients undergoing isolated mitral repair from 2010 to 2019.

National race and socioeconomic disparities in access to minimally invasive lung resection for early-stage lung cancer: Impact on mortality.

Background: Adoption of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is increasing in the United States. We examined the relationship between sociodemographic factors and receipt of MIS among these patients.

Methods: Patients undergoing surgical resection for stage I and II NSCLC between 2010 and 2018 were identified in the National Cancer Database and stratified by surgical approach.

Transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in patients younger than 65 years in the United States.

Objective: The study objective was to characterize the trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacement in patients aged less than 65 years with aortic stenosis between 2013 and 2021.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 9557 patients who underwent biological aortic valve replacement in California, New York, and New Jersey from 2013 to 2021. Patients were stratified by approach: transcatheter aortic valve replacement versus surgical aortic valve replacement.

Telemedicine in the era of coronavirus 19: Implications for postoperative care in cardiac surgery.

Background: The Coronavirus 19 (COVID-19) pandemic forced an unprecedented shift of postoperative care for cardiac surgery patients to telemedicine. How patients and surgeons perceive telemedicine is unknown. We examined patient and provider satisfaction with postoperative telehealth visits following cardiac surgery.

Widening volume and persistent outcome disparity in valve operations: New York statewide analysis, 2005-2016.

Objectives: Volume concentration of complex noncardiac operations to high-volume centers has been observed, but whether this is also occurring in cardiac surgery is unknown. We examined the relationship between volume concentration and mortality rates for valve surgery and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) between 2005 and 2016 in New York State.

Methods: We analyzed publicly available, hospital-level case volume and risk-adjusted mortality rates (RAMRs) from 2005 to 2016 for isolated CABG and isolated or concomitant valve operations performed in New York.

How We Do It: Creation of a Workforce Development-Focused Track at a Surgical Hackathon.

Objective: Healthcare hackathons are fast-paced, mentored events that bring together individuals with diverse skillsets to identify clinical needs and propose solutions. Traditionally geared toward device development and workflow optimization, platforms that address women and minorities in surgery are rare. We aimed to expand the traditional healthcare hackathon model to include a novel workforce development (WD) track to address concerns faced by surgeons and trainees.

Prevalence of Inherited Mutations in Breast Cancer Predisposition Genes among Women in Uganda and Cameroon.

Background: Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a high proportion of premenopausal hormone receptor negative breast cancer. Previous studies reported a strikingly high prevalence of germline mutations in and among Nigerian patients with breast cancer. It is unknown if this exists in other SSA countries.

The Ethics of Using Human Remains in Medical Exhibitions: A Case Study of the Cushing Center.

This paper presents an ethical framework for the creation and consideration of medical exhibits displaying human remains. Using the Cushing Center at the Yale School of Medicine as a case study, the aim is to delineate the rights that donors of human tissue maintain post mortem. Moreover, this article focuses a critical lens to the doctor-patient relationship, whether it should extend post mortem, and the implication of this for viewers.

Unmet needs and relationship challenges of head and neck cancer patients and their spouses.

In head and neck cancer (HNC), couple-based interventions may be useful for facilitating treatment completion, patient rehabilitation, and improving both partners' quality of life. With the goal of identifying targets for future interventions, we conducted a qualitative study to understand patient and spouse unmet needs and relationship challenges during curative radiotherapy for HNC. Semistructured interviews were conducted with six HNC patients (83% male) and six spouses (83% female) within 6 months of completing treatment.