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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…
Analysis finds 28.8% prevalence of depression in residents
The estimated prevalence of depression or depressive symptoms was 28.8% among residents and interns worldwide in a meta-analysis of 54 studies of the issue, according to a report published online December 8 in JAMA. The depression rate ranged from 20.9%…
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…
Asymptomatic PAD treatment – New clinical guidelines add to LE debate
The Society for Vascular Surgery has just released its long-awaited, “SVS practice guidelines for atherosclerotic occlusive disease of the lower extremities: Management of asymptomatic disease and claudication,” and they are available online. View the guidelines at this link. The guidelines…
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…
Pioneer Heart Surgeon, Dr. Michael DeBakey
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, pioneer heart surgeon and medical device innovator, died July 11, 2008 in Houston, about 2 months shy of his 100th birthday on Sept. 7. In his lifetime, Dr. DeBakey was renowned for his immense contributions to…
Residents, postop complications linked
BOSTON – Resident participation in emergency general surgery cases was independently associated with a host of complications – pulmonary embolism, surgical site infections, and unplanned reoperation in a secondary analysis of the American College of Surgeons prospective National Surgical Quality…
Michael E. DeBakey
Dr. Michael Ellis DeBakey, pioneer heart surgeon and medical device innovator, died July 11, 2008, in Houston, about 2 months shy of his 100th birthday on Sept. 7. In his lifetime, Dr. DeBakey was renowned for his immense contributions to…