RxPG News : CTVS

Clopidogrel does not increase postoperative bleeding risk in patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 08:39:45 PST

Aspirin combined with clopidogrel is the treatment of choice for acute coronary syndromes. Although the maintenance of aspirin until surgery does not affect postoperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, the latter may be dramatically increased when clopidogrel is continued over a period of 5 days preoperatively.

AAAs are best operated at large centres - study suggests

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 08:48:55 PST

People with abdominal aortic aneurysms stand a better chance of surviving if they are operated on at hospitals that see large numbers of these patients than if they are treated at smaller regional hospitals with fewer such patients.

'Off-pump' CABG appears to have no benefit on cognitive or cardiac outcomes at 5 years

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 08:19:58 PST

Even though coronary artery bypass graft surgery with use of cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump CABG) is associated with cognitive decline, avoiding cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump CABG) had no effect on cognitive or cardiac outcomes at five years in low-risk patients, according to a study in the February 21 issue of JAMA.

Minimally invasive approach and a revolutionary device to treat thoracic aortic aneurysm

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 07:08:59 PST

Surgeons at Genesis Medical Center, Davenport, will use a minimally invasive approach and a revolutionary device to treat a thoracic aortic aneurysm during a surgical procedure that will be webcast Tuesday, Feb. 13, at 7 p.m. CST on www.OR-Live.com. It will be the medical center's third webcast. Richard Sadler, M.D., FACS, Chest & Vascular Surgery, P.C., Davenport, will perform the procedure, one of fewer than 10 that have been done in the state of Iowa. He'll be assisted by Erik Abdullah, M.D., Vascular & Thoracic Associates, Ltd., Bettendorf, Iowa.

Cox-maze IV: New simpler technique for persistent Atrial Fibrillation

Tue, 13 Feb 2007 02:42:54 PST

Physicians have an effective new option for treating atrial fibrillation, a common irregular heart rhythm that can cause stroke. Heart surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed and tested a device that radically shortens and simplifies a complex surgical procedure that has had the best long-term cure rate for persistent atrial fibrillation.

Nesiritide may be beneficial in the prevention of renal dysfunction after CABG

Sat, 10 Feb 2007 09:47:01 PST

Natrecor(R) (nesiritide) may be beneficial in the prevention of renal dysfunction after coronary artery bypass grafting requiring cardiopulmonary bypass, suggests "Effects of Perioperative Nesiritide in Patients with Left Ventricular Dysfunction Undergoing Cardiac Surgery: The NAPA Trial." The study will be published in the February 13 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Aprotinin use during CABG associated with increased mortality rates

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 03:10:34 PST

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 a new study in the February 7 issue of JAMA.

Mayo Clinic surgeons propose a system of quality indicators for lung surgery

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 12:33:25 PST

In an era when lung cancer remains the most lethal cancer, accounting for more deaths than colon, breast and prostate cancer combined -- and surgery, when possible, is the most effective treatment -- Mayo Clinic surgeons have proposed a system of lung surgery quality indicators for surgeons and the public as a method to demonstrate best practices for obtaining positive patient outcomes.

Off-pump CABG is a safer option

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:45:37 PST

According to a review of the latest clinical trials, coronary artery bypass surgery performed on a beating heart, without the aid of a heart-lung machine, is a safe option that leads to fewer negative side effects for bypass patients. This review is featured in Journal of Cardiac Surgery.

Off-pump CABG is a safer option

Mon, 05 Feb 2007 05:27:41 PST

Older blood associated with worse outcomes after repeat heart surgery

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 23:34:00 PST

Older stored blood transfused into patients undergoing repeat heart surgery is associated with a significant increased risk of death, both during a patient's hospital stay and over the longer term following discharge, according to a new analysis by researchers from Duke University Medical Center and Columbia University.

Preventing spinal cord injury during aortic surgery

Thu, 22 Jun 2006 17:13:00 PST

Surgery to repair aortic aneurysms often comes with a high price: neurological deficits, but new research points to a possible defense against spinal cord injury during aortic surgery. The paper by Roseborough et al., "The mitochondrial K-ATP channel opener, diazoxide, prevents ischemia-reperfusion injury in the rabbit spinal cord," appears in the May issue of The American Journal of Pathology.

Drug-eluding stents seems to be a viable alternative to CABG for patients with severe coronary artery disease

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:50:00 PST

Severe stenosis (blockage) to the left main coronary artery - a condition commonly called a "widow-maker"- can result in sudden death. For nearly 30 years, the gold standard for treatment has been coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG).

Women's increased risk of mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery is due to infections

Tue, 28 Feb 2006 17:27:00 PST

For years, experts have puzzled over the fact that women who have heart bypass surgery are far more likely than their male counterparts to die within days or weeks of their operation. This gender gap means many "extra" female deaths among the 270,000 Americans who have bypass surgery each year.

Different Drug-Releasing Coronary Stents Show Similar Effectiveness

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 15:01:00 PST

Use of coronary stents that release the drugs sirolimus or paclitaxel produced similar results in patients with new coronary artery lesions, according to a study in the February 22 issue of JAMA.

A novel collapsible heart valve can revolutionize the present invasive open heart surgery in children

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 17:35:00 PST

Children with congenital heart defects may soon have an alternative to invasive open heart surgery that will mean less time in the hospital, a quicker recovery and no need to break open the breastbone, thanks to a new collaboration between researchers at the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and pediatric cardiologists at Mattel Childrens Hospital at UCLA.

Lung-volume reduction surgery strongly recommended for end-stage emphysema patients

Mon, 30 Jan 2006 20:23:00 PST

Tens of thousands of Americans living with emphysema would benefit from a surgical procedure that removes part of the lung, according to national research presented yesterday by a Saint Louis University cardiothoracic surgeon.

Causes of cognitive loss following coronary artery bypass surgery identified

Sun, 22 Jan 2006 14:54:00 PST

Minimizing trauma to the body's largest artery the aorta during heart bypass surgery can significantly reduce cognitive loss that often follows the operation, a team from Wake Forest University School of Medicine reported today (Jan. 21) in the Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery.

Minimizing aortic manipulations can significantly reduce the incidence of cognitive deficits in CABG patients

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 18:08:00 PST

Drug-eluting stents may cause allergic reactions

Tue, 20 Dec 2005 00:10:00 PST

Drug-eluting stents have greatly reduced the risk of repeat blockage of heart arteries, but researchers from Northwestern Memorial Hospital have found that in some patients, the stents can cause allergic reactions that can have serious consequences. They stress that physicians and their patients should be aware of this potential and know the symptoms.

Minimally invasive surgery more patient friendly for the elderly with lung cancer

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 03:50:00 PST

Like their younger counterparts, some elderly patients who have early stage non-small cell lung cancer can benefit from a minimally invasive surgical procedure to remove part or all of a lung, according to a study conducted by thoracic surgeons at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and described in The American Surgeon, the journal of the Southeastern Surgical Congress and the Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons.

Intact fat tissue around internal mammary artery during CABG surgery provides better blood flow

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 05:49:00 PST

A team of McMaster researchers has discovered that fat tissue surrounding thoracic arteries may be beneficial in patients undergoing coronary bypass surgery.

MC-1 Demonstrates Statistically Significant Reduction in Post-operative Mortality after Bypass Surgery

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 03:29:00 PST

Medicure Inc. (TSX:MPH)(AMEX:MCU), a cardiovascular drug discovery and development company is pleased to report positive results with its FDA Fast Tracked cardioprotective product, MC-1, in the Phase II MEND-CABG study. The MEND-CABG study is a double blind, parallel group, randomized, placebo-controlled study in 901 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Based on the positive results, the Company plans to move forward with a pivotal Phase III clinical development program for MC-1.

Heparin antibodies increase mortality in heart surgery patients

Mon, 05 Dec 2005 06:12:00 PST

New research suggests that patients who develop antibodies to the anti-clotting drug heparin nearly double their risk of death or serious complication after heart surgery.

Adult Stem Cells via Endoscopic Injections Can be Used to Treat Heart Failure

Mon, 21 Nov 2005 00:05:00 PST

Two leading cardiac surgeons in adult stem cell therapy for heart disease presented the use of adult stem cells via endoscopic injection to treat heart failure patients during their talks at the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation Fall Education Meeting: Synergy: Mechanical and Biological Cardiac Support - Recovery, Replacement, and Repair with Cellular Therapy.

Robotic CABG with Stenting Speeds up Recovery

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:52:00 PST

Combining robotically assisted coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with stented angioplasty shows promise for treating extensive coronary artery disease, researchers reported at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2005.

Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease are Under Treated

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 23:33:00 PST

Despite the fact that clogged arteries in the legs usually mean clogged arteries near the heart, doctors often fail to give heart-protecting drugs to people with severe leg blood vessel blockages, a new University of Michigan-led study finds.

Pexelizumab being investigated to reduce perioperative mortality in patients undergoing CABG-CPB surgery

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 01:05:00 PST

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals (P&GP), a division of The Procter & Gamble Company, announced today the completion of enrollment for the pivotal Phase III PRIMO-CABG2 efficacy trial of pexelizumab. This agent is being investigated for reducing mortality and myocardial infarction (heart attack) following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

OLYMPIA Registry to Become Largest Drug- eluting Stent Registry

Tue, 21 Jun 2005 10:40:00 PST

Scientific Corporation ("BSC") today announced that it has completed enrollment in the transitional phase of the world's largest drug-eluting stent registry. The OLYMPIA registry plans to enroll more than 30,000 patients at more than 600 centers in the United States, Europe and other international locations.

Bypass surgery free of long-term Brain effects

Mon, 25 Apr 2005 19:38:00 PST

A broad retrospective review of the effects of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on memory and other brain functions concludes that, while there may be transient short-term effects, the procedure itself probably does not cause late or permanent neurological effects.

Results From Edifoligide (E2F Decoy) Phase 3 Trial for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Failure

Thu, 31 Mar 2005 21:26:00 PST

Corgentech Inc. (Nasdaq: CGTK), and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) today announced top-line results from PREVENT IV, a Phase 3 clinical trial evaluating the use of edifoligide (E2F Decoy), an investigational product, to prevent vein graft failure following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.