Disruption of blood sugar levels after heart surgery is common Jul 8, 2008
The study, led by Dr Raimondo Ascione, Reader and Consultant in Cardiac Surgery at the Bristol Heart Institute, urges surgeons and intensive care specialists to use strict protocols of active blood sugar control in all patients admitted for major surgery ... " This confusion has resulted in: a lack of consistency worldwide in defining glucose metabolism-related conditions other than diabetes such as undiagnosed diabetes, stress hyperglycaemia, and inadequate blood glucose control; a marked... (EurekAlert!)
Blue babies turn pink in Operation Open Heart Jul 7, 2008
His team of Australian surgeons, anaesthetists, perfusionists and nurses, in PNG to pass on their skills and perform life-saving cardiac surgery as part of Operation Open Heart, were able to take the training wheels off, standing back as local surgeons performed 25 procedures on their own for the first time. "We've been working towards this for three years, so it's a good feeling," Dr Nicholson said. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Australia)
Heart surgeon leaves Jefferson Regional Medical Center for UPMC Jun 28, 2008
heart surgeon Dr. Venkat Machiraju is leaving private practice to direct the cardiac surgery program at Hospital. UPMC spokeswoman Maureen McGaffin said Machiraju would fill a newly created position and his partner, Dr. Claudio Lima, will become an assistant professor of surgery at the who will also have surgical privileges at Shadyside. (Pittsburgh Business Times, PA)
Red-Cell Storage and Cardiac Surgery Jun 26, 2008
NEJM -- Red-Cell Storage and Complications of Cardiac Surgery ... Red-Cell Storage and Complications of Cardiac Surgery ... To the Editor: Koch et al. (March 20 issue)1 report increased risks of postoperative complications and death among patients undergoing cardiac surgery who were given blood that had been stored for more than 2 weeks, as compared with those given newer blood. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Summer Dresses Reveal More Than Woman May Care To Show - 6/25/2008 Jun 25, 2008
FOX23 News This Morning. So You Think You Can Dance. (FOX23.com, OK)
Saint Agnes failed community Jun 21, 2008
The California Department of Public Health has revealed performance so poor that patient safety was at risk in the cardiac surgery department. This meltdown reveals systematic weaknesses throughout the organization that should be deeply disturbing to the community. (Fresno Bee)
Saint Agnes gets a lashing Jun 20, 2008
Investigators said the hospital also failed to provide a safe surgical environment and had an inadequate system for tracking infections among open-heart patients that led to a six-day shutdown of the cardiac surgery program last month ... "And our visits will not be limited to cardiac surgery," she said ... The state closed the cardiac surgery program from May 23 to 29 after declaring an "immediate jeopardy," which is issued when patient lives are threatened. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
President, CEO of Saint Agnes Medical Center resigns Jun 18, 2008
The president and chief executive of Saint Agnes Medical Center resigned Tuesday, a month after the state closed the hospital's cardiac surgery unit for six days because of patient infections. Mathew Abraham's resignation is effective immediately, said Michael Slubowski, Trinity Health's president of hospital and health networks. (Fresno Bee)
Live Webcast Spotlights Kiser Heart Procedure Jun 15, 2008
Joining him for the webcast was Dr. Gerhard Wimmer-Greinecker, professor of cardiac surgery at JW-Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany. He also performed the first Ex-Maze surgery in Europe with Kiser. (The Pilot Newspaper)
Peking duck a lifesaver, say scientists Jun 11, 2008
Taking the supplements also nearly halves the risk of a second heart attack and reduces the odds of cardiac surgery, they found. The rice is fermented with the red yeast Monascus purpureus. (NEWS.com.au)
Big-hearted Papi Jun 10, 2008
Among the evening's guests was 14-year-old Diana Reyes, who underwent cardiac surgery in December 2006, becoming the first patient to benefit directly from Ortiz's generosity. Also present were Ortiz's wife, Tiffany, father, Enrique, and Red Sox owners John Henry and Tom Werner. (Boston Globe)
'Care flawed' in many bypass ops Jun 4, 2008
The NHS said the UK was a world-leader in cardiac surgery, and pledged to work closely with the report's authors ... The report contained a list of recommendations, urging cardiac surgery teams to follow national guidelines, and write clear "management plans" in cases where patients had other conditions which could increase the risk of surgery complications ... "England already has the best results for cardiac surgery in the world and it is encouraging that NCEPOD recognises this.... (BBC News -- Health)
Richard Lower, 78, surgeon, pioneer in heart transplants Jun 3, 2008
He was working with Dr. Norman E. Shumway, who became a towering figure in cardiac surgery and eventually oversaw the transplanting of 800 human hearts. One innovation was to leave in place sections of the recipient heart's upper chambers, which shortened the duration of the operation. (Boston Globe)
Study Shows Benefit of Statins Before Heart Surgery May 30, 2008
"This is the first big summary of all the existing studies about people undergoing cardiac surgery," said Oliver Liakopoulos, a researcher at the University of Cologne, who led the study. "What our study underscores is the need to increase statin therapy.". (MEDLINEplus)
Aprotinin versus Lysine Analogues in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery May 29, 2008
NEJM -- A Comparison of Aprotinin and Lysine Analogues in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery ... A Comparison of Aprotinin and Lysine Analogues in High-Risk Cardiac Surgery ... Background Antifibrinolytic agents are commonly used during cardiac surgery to minimize bleeding and to reduce exposure to blood products. (New England Journal of Medicine)
The Aprotinin Story — Is BART the Final Chapter? May 29, 2008
1 In 1993, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of aprotinin to reduce blood loss during coronary-artery bypass grafting, and the drug became widely used in cardiac surgery. In 2006, the use of aprotinin became controversial when the drug was associated with an increased risk of renal failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, and death in a large observational study. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Take Heart, The Robot Will See You Now May 28, 2008
"There's a lot of invasion that goes along with traditional heart surgery," said Dr. Robert Poston, who helped pioneer robotic bypass surgery at Maryland and has recently become chief of cardiac surgery at Boston Medical Center. "If you can avoid all that, and go in between the ribs, not crack any bones, then that is one less thing you have to heal up.". (ABC News)
Carbon Monoxide May Help Bypass Surgery Patients May 23, 2008
"Cardiac surgery is one of the most extreme situations a patient can face," Loop noted ... Only about 2 percent of cardiac surgery patients suffer life-threatening lung injuries, but death rates for these patients can exceed 60 percent. (Health-Finder)
Intensive care units' prevention of pneumonia in critically-ill patients generally strong May 21, 2008
9 for cardiac surgery. Of the 19 bacteria isolated from the patients, the Mayo study found that the most common pathogen causing VAP was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (EurekAlert!)
Melissa Biggs, Fashion Designer and Former Baywatch Actress, Teams with CSL Behring to Raise Awareness of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency, a Commonly Misdiagnosed Respiratory Disease May 18, 2008
Other products are used for the prevention of hemolytic diseases in the newborn, in cardiac surgery, organ transplantation and in the treatment of burns. The company also operates one of the world's largest plasma collection networks, ZLB Plasma. (PR Newswire)
Risk Of Death Persists In Heart Patients With Acute Kidney Injury, Study Shows May 17, 2008
ScienceDaily (May 16, 2008) Acute kidney injury (AKI), a common complication of cardiac surgery during hospitalization, is linked to increased and prolonged risk of death in heart attack patients who have been discharged from the hospital, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers. See also. (Science Daily)
Aprotinin Used In Heart Surgery Associated With Increased Risk Of Death, Study Shows May 16, 2008
BART (Blood Conservation using Antifibrinolytics in a Randomized Trial) is one of the largest heart surgery trials ever conducted, involving more than 2,000 high-risk cardiac surgery patients and more than 100 cardiac surgeons, anesthesiologists, pharmacists and coordinators from 19 Canadian centres ... 8, 2007) Aprotinin, a drug used for limiting blood loss in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, is associated with an increased risk of death during five years following the surgery, according to... (Science Daily)
Bayer pulls anti-bleeding drug May 15, 2008
"I think the results are quite definitive, certainly for high-risk cardiac surgery, and it's going to be very tough to justify its use in lower-risk surgery.". An analysis of the data showed Trasylol increased chances of death by 54 percent, compared to two much-cheaper drugs. (MSNBC -- Health)
Two New Appointments at Meditor Pharmaceuticals Ltd. May 13, 2008
Schachner was the founder and Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department at Wolfson Medical Center and Tel Aviv University Sackler Medical School. He is an opinion leader in the Cardiac Surgery area, he is a distinguished member of several professional societies and has many publications in this field ... v. formulation) for the treatment of hypotension associated with cardiac surgery. (PR Newswire)
Excessive Jury Verdicts Lead to Excessive Health Care Costs May 3, 2008
Will the Top 50 award for the Center's Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology Services be compromised as quality programs necessary to sustain them are underfunded ... Will the Top 50 award for the Center's Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology Services be compromised as quality programs necessary to sustain them are underfunded. (Townhall.com)
Breakthrough in Treating Aortic Valve Stenosis Apr 23, 2008
This new medical option could possibly provide us with an alternative to the cardiac surgery of aortic valve replacement. . (Newsmax)
The Bypass Effect On Diabetes, Cancer Apr 21, 2008
"It's less than gall bladder surgery. It's about one-tenth of cardiac surgery," he explains. It's safer because of new surgical techniques which have also made it more effective. (CBS News)
Recovery After Heart Surgery Apr 19, 2008
Healing after Cardiac Surgery and Beyond ... Cardiac surgery has an enormous impact on body, mind and emotions, and the journey to full recovery is different for everyone ... The specifics of an admission for cardiac surgery vary with hospitals, the type of surgery, and the general health of the patient before surgery. (Suite101.com)
Major discovery in the treatment of aortic valve stenosis Apr 19, 2008
This new medical option could possibly provide us with an alternative to the cardiac surgery of aortic valve replacement ... Its major complications are, in addition to the need for cardiac surgery, heart failure and sudden death. (EurekAlert!)
The Montreal Heart Institute Research Centre makes a major discovery in the treatment of aortic valve stenosis Apr 18, 2008
"This important discovery warrants further clinical studies on patients suffering from this frequent disease. This new medical option could possibly provide us with an alternative to the cardiac surgery of aortic valve replacement." What is Aortic Valve Stenosis ... Its major complications are, in addition to the need for cardiac surgery, heart failure and sudden death. (Canada Newswire)
Another high death rate at University Apr 17, 2008
The state said the report is designed for doctors, patients and families considering cardiac surgery. The report advised doctors to discuss the information with their patients and colleagues when they develop treatment plans. (Syracuse.com)
State Reports Low Death Rate for Heart Surgery Apr 16, 2008
A new report includes information on cardiac surgery during 2003 through 2005 at the 39 hospitals in the state where the procedures are done. Health Commissioner Richard Daines said the report highlights the high quality of care available to cardiac surgery patients in New York state. (WOKR13 Rochester)
Vic nurses shortage causes infant surgery delays Apr 15, 2008
Heartkids Victoria supports families whose children need cardiac surgery. President Scott Reinke says cancellations have increased dramatically over the past 12 months. (ABC Online)
Paediatric cardiology consultation at KMC Apr 12, 2008
Mangalore, April 12: KMC Hospital at Ambedkar Circle in the city will conduct a paediatric cardiology and paediatric cardiac surgery consultation by eminent doctors from Bangalore in its premises from 11 am to 3 pm on April 11 ... Dr Prasad Krishnan enjoys 20 years of surgical experience in all aspects of adult and pediatric cardiac surgery at premier high volume institutions in India and abroad. (Udayavani)
Guidant exec takes top spot at Concentric Apr 12, 2008
Most recently she was president of the Cardiac Surgery division of Corp. and led the division's integration into following the merger of the two companies. Sainz succeeds Gary Curtis, who has been CEO of the company since July 2002 and who recently decided to step down after 40 years in the medical device industry. (San Jose Business Journal, CA)
Warnings and instructions for heaprin sodium injection Apr 9, 2008
It is used in patients undergoing kidney dialysis, certain types of cardiac surgery, and treatment or prevention of other serious medical conditions, including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary emboli ... Baxter and FDA have learned of cases occurring in hospitals where heparin was used during cardiac surgery and in patients undergoing photopheresis. (USA Today -- Money)
Virginia's largest Cardiac Surgery program adopts SPY as standard of care Apr 8, 2008
"Based on our experience to date, we believe that SPY has great potential to positively impact both the immediate and long term outcomes of bypass surgery and therefore be accepted as a care standard, not just at our hospital, but by all hospitals performing bypass surgery," said Dr. Lenox Baker, Sentara's Chief of Cardiac Surgery ... "As leaders in the field of cardiac surgery, they will set another standard through the use of SPY which we fully expect other surgeons and hospitals will follow."... (Canada Newswire)
Robot-assisted minimally-invasive CABG surgery Apr 8, 2008
Dr. Robert Poston is a pioneer in the use of robotics for minimally invasive cardiac surgery. He recently joined Boston Medical Center (BMC) as chief of cardiac surgery. (EurekAlert!)
Surgeons announce advance in atrial fibrillation surgery Apr 8, 2008
Led by Damiano, also chief of cardiac surgery at the School of Medicine and a cardiac surgeon at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the Washington University surgeons revolutionized AF treatment in 2002 by helping develop a radiofrequency clamp that creates the ablation lines needed to reroute electrical impulses in the heart. The clamp directs radiofrequency energy into the heart muscle and creates a full-thickness scar. (EurekAlert!)
Cuts will decrease services for kids Apr 8, 2008
- Access to cardiac surgery for children will be significantly impeded. - Community sickle cell education programs and confirmatory tests for sickle cell disease in newborns will be cut in half. (Florida Times-Union)
For children with heart disease, a risk of attention and behavior problems Apr 7, 2008
The researchers, who reported their findings in the April issue of Pediatrics, studied a group of 109 children, aged five to 10, who had undergone cardiac surgery for complex congenital heart disease at Childrens Hospital when they were newborns. Of that group, 53 children--nearly half of them--were receiving remedial services at school, and 15 percent were in special education classrooms. (EurekAlert!)
Mangalore: Heart Care Camp held at Father Muller - Images Apr 3, 2008
Mangalore April 3: The Departments of Cardiology and Cardiac Surgery of Father Muller Medical College Hospital together with the Rotary Club of Mangalore North is conducting a one-month Heart Care Camp this April for the welfare of the general public in and around the Mangalore city ... Dr. Jayakrishna, Head of the Cardiac Surgery Department welcomed the gathering ... Patrick Rodrigues, Director, Father Muller Charitable Institutions; Shri Sateesh Kumar, IPS, Superintendent of Police, DK... (Mangalorean.com)
The great state of Texas Apr 2, 2008
The state is also known for its medical pioneers such as Michael DeBakey M.D. of the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, most noted for his innovative cardiac surgery procedures and who is also credited with developing the M.A.S.H. concept for the military. So if you can't hop on the El Camino Real that runs from Georgia to Texas right through Bainbridge (see the marker on the Broad Street side of the square) and take a trip there yourself, then join Riverside Artsfest as we highlight the... (Bainbridge Post Searchlight, GA)
Viagra can also help heart Mar 31, 2008
"In a normal heart (the enzyme) is not there, but all of a sudden it appears once it becomes diseased," said Jayan Nagendran, a cardiac surgery resident at the University of Alberta. Viagra relaxes the arteries in the lung, which brings down the blood pressure while the right chamber of the heart has a chance to strengthen. (Canada.com)
Study Finds PCI Safe, Effective Despite Off-Site Cardiac Surgery Mar 30, 2008
These are the findings of the largest clinical study ever to compare PCI programs that have on-site cardiac surgery to PCI programs that transfer patients to a surgical hospital in case of emergency ... For the new study, Dr. Kutcher and co-investigators analyzed data from the NCDR CathPCI Registry (an ACC initiative conducted in partnership with SCAI) on 9,029 patients treated at 61 medical centers with off-site cardiac surgical back-up and 299,132 patients treated at 404 medical centers with... (PR Newswire)
Small Hospitals Could Perform Heart Stent Procedures, A Study Says Mar 30, 2008
Researchers compared the results of thousands of patients who had angioplasty at centers without on-site cardiac surgery to patients at centers with heart surgeons. The study's leader says complications and success rates were similar. (KWTX.com, TX)
Study lowers risk of heart stent procedures at small hospitals Mar 29, 2008
Researchers compared results from January 2004 through March 2006 on 9,029 patients who had angioplasty at 61 centers without on-site cardiac surgery to 299,132 patients at 404 centers with heart surgeons. Only about half of the hospitals without surgical backup did more than three dozen angioplasties a year. (USA Today -- News)
Report clears Saint Agnes in infection outbreak Mar 28, 2008
State health investigators said Thursday they found no health violations in an inspection of Saint Agnes Medical Center following an infection outbreak last year in the hospital's cardiac surgery unit ... No restrictions were placed on Saint Agnes' cardiac surgery program, the hospital or its surgeons. (Fresno Bee -- Local)
Heparin Find May Point to Chinese Counterfeiting Mar 21, 2008
Heparin is commonly used in and cardiac surgery. We feel doctors and patients can be confident that the product on the market for the large volume uses of heparin, for dialysis and so forth, has been tested and is safe, Dr. Woodcock said. (New York Times)
Transfusions of 'Older' Blood Don't Work As Well Mar 21, 2008
"The biggest impact of a paper like this is that it is really a call to arms, coming from a well-established institute with some of the best cardiac surgery in the world," Rao said. The Duke studies have shown that "blood undergoes changes profoundly, even in the first 24 hours," Rao said. (MEDLINEplus)
Older donated blood tied to heart surgery risk Mar 20, 2008
Scientists from the Cleveland Clinic discovered that cardiac surgery patients who received blood that was more than two weeks old were 30 percent less likely to be alive a year later than those transfused with fresher blood ... "Increasingly, there's awareness that blood transfusion is not a free lunch, that there are quite significant hazards associated with its use," said Dr. James Rawn, director of the cardiac surgery intensive care unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital. (Boston Globe)
Study: Fresh blood improves heart-surgery survival rate Mar 20, 2008
In response to the growing concern, some hospitals have modified their procedures for cardiac surgery, one of the largest consumers of donor blood, to minimize the need for transfusions. New practices include increased use of blood scavenging during surgery, sending patients home with a lower-than-normal percentage of red cells in their blood, new drugs to prevent intra- and post-operative bleeding and, perhaps most important, reducing anemia before surgery. (AZCentral -- News)
Study cites risks of older stored blood Mar 20, 2008
In response to the growing concern, some hospitals have modified their procedures for cardiac surgery -- one of the largest consumers of donor blood -- to minimize the need for transfusions ... Because of worries about blood, Dr. Colleen Gorman Koch and her colleagues at the Cleveland Clinic looked at the records of 6,002 cardiac surgery patients who received transfusions from June 1998 to January 2006. (Los Angeles Times)
'Old blood' may be risky after surgery Mar 20, 2008
The study also applied to older patients (the median age was 70) having cardiac surgery, in which blood is put through the rigors of a cardiopulmonary-bypass pump. "In this situation, old blood is not the best for these patients," says Celso Bianco, executive vice president of America's Blood Centers. (USA Today)
Duration of Red-Cell Storage and Complications after Cardiac Surgery Mar 20, 2008
We tested the hypothesis that serious complications and mortality after cardiac surgery are increased when transfused red cells are stored for more than 2 weeks ... Conclusions In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, transfusion of red cells that had been stored for more than 2 weeks was associated with a significantly increased risk of postoperative complications as well as reduced short-term and long-term survival. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Botox for newborns Mar 18, 2008
The Montreal Childrens Hospital provides a high level and broad scope of health care services, and provides ultra specialized care in many fields including: cardiology and cardiac surgery; neurology and neurosurgery, traumatology; genetic research; psychiatry and child development and musculoskeletal conditions, including orthopedics and rheumatology. Fully bilingual and multicultural, the institution respectfully serves an increasingly diverse community in more than 50 languages. (EurekAlert!)
Heparin investigation focuses on raw ingredients Mar 15, 2008
The drug is widely used to prevent blood clots from forming during kidney dialysis and cardiac surgery. The case has reinforced concerns about the quality of Chinese products. (Los Angeles Times)
Medical tourism and its impact on our GDP Mar 10, 2008
Existing offers available for medical tourists: Currently, the offers available today for similar patients are specialised services ranging from cardiology and cardiac surgery (angioplasty, bypass, valve replacement), to oncology and onco-surgery, organ transplants (liver and kidney), bone marrow transplants, joint replacements, eye surgery and in-vitro fertilisation. The cost differential is significant, as it was for Marshall, for the patients. (Merinews)
Car smoking ban would follow Arkansas' lead Mar 8, 2008
"However, it can be waived if you enrol in a smoking cessation program. It's tremendous," said Dresler, who studied thoracic and cardiac surgery at the University of Toronto. "We're educating the law enforcement officers and everyone that we're more interested in the education issue and then referring to our quit (smoking) line," she said. (Toronto Star)
Old metal heart valve did its job for 42 years Mar 5, 2008
Dr. Magovern, who will turn 85 this year and whose sons took over the cardiac surgery department at Allegheny General after he left, said he wasn't particularly surprised to learn that his valve was still working in the Israeli man after 42 years. A 25-year review of the ball-and-cage valve done in 1989 showed many of them were still functioning, he said, and recently, a patient he had operated on when the man was about 20 called him to let him know his valve was still working away after about... (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, PA)
Intensive Insulin Therapy May Be Harmful To The Critically Ill, Study Suggests Mar 4, 2008
This therapy is used widely in hospitals around the world, yet only one randomised, controlled trial showing unequivocal benefit has been published -- and this trial focused mainly on patients who had undergone cardiac surgery. So, a team from Harborview Medical Center and the University of Washington, Seattle, set out to explore the relationship between intensive insulin therapy and hospital mortality in a mixed population of critically ill patients. (Science Daily)
Ellis CEO sees 'primary care mall' at St. Clare's site Feb 28, 2008
Part of the reasoning is that Ellis has no intention of moving its cardiac surgery unit from that site. And a cardiac surgery unit needs a critical care unit. (Albany Business Review, NY)
Oldest Patients Fare Well After Heart Valve Surgery Feb 27, 2008
"Over the last decade the results of cardiac surgery have improved," Filsoufi said. "This improvement not only has been seen in the younger patients, it also has been seen in elderly patients.". (MEDLINEplus)
Intrigue and illness in Myanmar's junta Feb 26, 2008
military hierarchy, as the 75-year-old Than Shwe was apparently hobbled by cardiac surgery and transfixed with efforts to keep in check his deputy and rival, Maung Aye ... It's unclear how well the junta leader has convalesced from the procedure and there are unconfirmed reports that he may require follow-up cardiac surgery in Singapore in the coming weeks. (Asia Times Online)
Cardiac Surgery Drug Increases Death Rate, Study Confirms Feb 24, 2008
23, 2008) The largest study to date of a controversial cardiac surgery drug shows it increases death rates and damages kidney function, according Duke University Medical Center researchers ... After gaining FDA approval in 1993, aprotinin was used routinely during cardiac surgery, particularly on high-risk patients, to reduce bleeding and the need for blood transfusion ... According to previously published research, patients undergoing cardiac surgery receive approximately one fifth of all the... (Science Daily)
