CytoSorb hemoadsorption of apixaban during cardio-pulmonary bypass for heart transplantation.

Background: Heart transplantation is an emergency surgery requiring cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) and its timing is unpredictable. Patients on the transplant waiting list often have multiple reasons for being anticoagulated. Intraoperative removal of apixaban using CytoSorb seems to be an interesting solution for patients on DOACs requiring an emergency CPB intervention.

Lower Ministernotomy: An Approach for Treating All Valvulopathies?

Background: Lower ministernotomy offers the advantage of providing excellent visualization of the 4 cardiac cavities, thus allowing surgical treatment of the aortic, mitral, and tricuspid valves as well as any intracavitary procedure. Information on technical issues, as well as safety and echocardiographic results of this approach, are sparse. The aim of this retrospective study was to describe outcomes of lower ministernotomy to treat valvulopathies and for other intracardiac surgical procedures.