Incidence, Risk Factors and Outcomes of Postoperative Acute Kidney Injury Requiring Dialysis After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Study from the National Heart Institute of Malaysia

April 6, 2026 No Comments

This retrospective Malaysian cohort study examined 6,779 adult cardiac surgery patients and found that 4.5% developed postoperative acute kidney injury requiring dialysis. Risk was higher in patients with chronic kidney disease, urgent surgery, diabetes, reoperation, and longer ICU stay. Dialysis-requiring AKI was linked to sharply increased mortality, especially among patients without baseline CKD, highlighting the need for earlier renal risk stratification and kidney-protective perioperative care.

Quality Management of Comprehensive Blood Conservation Strategies During Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

April 2, 2026 No Comments

This retrospective single-center study evaluated 9,792 children aged 14 years or younger undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. After implementation of a quality-managed, multimodal blood conservation program, matched analysis showed lower PRBC and plasma transfusion rates, smaller CPB priming volumes, and fewer postoperative complications, especially liver injury and acute kidney injury, without increased mortality or longer recovery.

The Impact of Re-operation on Aortic Arch Reconstructive Surgery: Evidence from a Multicentre, National Registry

April 1, 2026 No Comments

This multicenter Canadian registry study examined 2,481 patients who underwent aortic arch reconstruction between 2002 and 2021, including 374 redo cases after prior open-heart surgery. Despite a higher comorbidity burden, redo surgery was not associated with significantly higher overall operative mortality or major morbidity than primary surgery. Risk increased with older age, acute dissection or rupture, and longer cardiopulmonary bypass time.

Artificial Intelligence in Adult Cardiovascular Medicine and Surgery: Real-World Deployments and Outcomes

April 1, 2026 No Comments

Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming adult cardiovascular medicine and surgery by enhancing diagnostics, surgical planning, intraoperative precision, and postoperative monitoring. Tools such as AI-ECG, automated imaging, and predictive analytics improve risk stratification and outcomes. While real-world deployments show promise, challenges including data quality, bias, and limited prospective validation remain barriers to widespread adoption.

Sevoflurane Delivery During Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Estimated End-Tidal Sevoflurane Concentration to Maintain Optimal Anesthetic Depth During Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Meta-Analysis

March 29, 2026 No Comments

This meta-analysis examined how much end-tidal sevoflurane is needed to maintain appropriate anesthetic depth during cardiopulmonary bypass. Across five prospective studies involving 129 adults, the pooled estimate was 0.88 vol% for a BIS target of 40–60. Older patients required less sevoflurane, while body temperature did not significantly change dosing needs. The findings offer a practical reference point, although evidence certainty remained limited by heterogeneity and small study sizes.

Ranolazine and Cardioprotection During Myocardial Ischemia

Cardioprotective Effects of Ranolazine in Myocardial Infarction Mediated by Stimulation of the Endogenous Mediators Involved in Ischemic Preconditioning

March 26, 2026 No Comments

This experimental rat-heart study tested whether ranolazine protects the myocardium through pathways similar to ischemic preconditioning. Using a Langendorff ischemia-reperfusion model, ranolazine reduced infarct size, LDH, CK-MB, troponin I, and improved ventricular function. These benefits were lost when nitric oxide, adenosine, bradykinin, or ATP-sensitive potassium channel pathways were blocked, supporting their role in ranolazine-mediated cardioprotection.

OCEAN Trial Crossroads: M-TEER in Advanced Heart Failure

Outcomes of Transcatheter Edge-to-Edge Repair in Potentially Favorable Candidates for Left Ventricular Assist Device: Evidence From the OCEAN-Mitral Registry

March 26, 2026 No Comments

This study evaluated mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) in advanced heart failure patients who might otherwise have been reasonable candidates for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. Among 129 such patients from the OCEAN-Mitral Registry, procedural success was high at 96%, but long-term outcomes were less reassuring, especially in those with marked left ventricular enlargement. Larger LV size predicted cardiovascular death after M-TEER.

Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement and Cardioplegia Strategy Comparison

Cardioplegia Strategies in Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement: An Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Analysis

March 25, 2026 No Comments

This retrospective single-center study compared four cardioplegia strategies in 543 patients undergoing minimally invasive aortic valve replacement from 2010 to 2025. After inverse probability weighting balanced baseline differences, Calafiore and Custodiol were associated with less postoperative atrial fibrillation, lower CK/CK-MB release, and fewer respiratory complications than Buckberg, while mortality, stroke, ICU stay, hospital stay, and postoperative LVEF were similar.

Custodiol Versus Del Nido Cardioplegia in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Repair–a Propensity Score-Matched Study

March 24, 2026 No Comments

This propensity score-matched, single-center study compared Custodiol and Del Nido cardioplegia in 778 patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve repair. Del Nido was linked to lower postoperative CK and CK-MB release, less need for cardioversion after declamping, fewer shocks, higher perioperative sodium, and lower early inotrope use. Major complications, length of stay, and 30-day mortality were similar, suggesting better myocardial protection with Del Nido.

Hemolysis and Kidney Injury Risk After Cardiac Surgery

Hemolysis and Acute Kidney Injury Following Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Patients With Preexisting Renal Dysfunction

March 23, 2026 No Comments

This study examines whether hemolysis, measured by cell-free hemoglobin (CFHb), predicts acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery in patients with preexisting renal dysfunction. Among 89 patients, 21% developed AKI. Although hemolysis and endothelial damage increased postoperatively, CFHb did not independently predict AKI or improve predictive models, suggesting limited clinical utility as a biomarker.