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Points/Counterpoint: Should surgeons operate on functional tricuspid regurgitation?
Yes, functional TR is worth repairing (David H. Adams, MD) Functional tricuspid regurgitation is a common finding in patients undergoing degenerative mitral valve repair. Severe tricuspid regurgitation is unusual, and clearly there is little debate on the merits of concomitant…
Should clopidogrel be discontinued prior to open vascular procedures?
The continued use of perioperative clopidogrel is appropriate Surgeons have always worried about bleeding risks for procedures we do. Complex vascular procedures are further complicated by the myriad of available antiplatelet agents designed to reduce ischemic events from cardiovascular disease…
The pros and cons of novel anticoagulants
Novel anticoagulants will likely replace need for vitamin K antagonists BY MADHUKAR S. PATEL, M.D., AND ELLIOT L. CHAIKOF, M.D. The discovery of oral anticoagulants began in 1924, when Schofield linked the death of grazing cattle from internal hemorrhage to…
Point/Counterpoint: Is TEVAR required for all Type B aortic dissections?
Yes, TEVAR is clearly indicated. Aortic dissection is a devastating condition afflicting an estimated two to eight per 100,000 people annually and comprises a large portion of the clinical entity known as the acute aortic syndromes. Patients presenting with an…