Scholars@Duke
Judson Blount Williams Jr.

Judson Blount Williams Jr.

Assistant Consulting Professor in the Department of Surgery
Surgery, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery
judson.williams@duke.edu
3000 New Bern Avenue, Suite 1100, Raleigh, NC 27610

Selected Publications

Intimal hyperplasia, saphenous vein graft disease, and clinical outcomes: Insights from the CTSN VEST randomized trial.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · May 2024 BACKGROUND: Diffuse intimal hyperplasia and graft irregularity adversely affect the long-term patency of saphenous vein grafts (SVGs) and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The VEST trial evaluated the efficacy ... Full text Link to item Cite

The impact of perioperative stroke and delirium on outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · February 2024 OBJECTIVE: The effects of stroke and delirium on postdischarge cognition and patient-centered health outcomes after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) are not well characterized. Here, we assess the impact of postoperative stroke and delirium on thes ... Full text Link to item Cite

Results of a postoperative telemedicine trial after cardiac surgery and incorporation into practice

Conference JTCVS Open · December 1, 2023 Objective: The study objective was to describe the implementation and results of a postoperative telemedicine program for adult cardiac surgery, including a clinical study and an organic postoperative telemedicine program aimed at reducing readmission rate ... Full text Cite

Eliminating sternal wound infections: Why every cardiac surgery program needs an I hate infections team

Journal Article JTCVS Techniques · June 1, 2023 Objectives: The majority of studies examining deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) prevention focus on ameliorating 1 variable at a time. There is a paucity of data regarding the synergistic effects of combining clinical and environmental interventions. Thi ... Full text Cite

The Impact of Vaping on Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax Outcomes.

Journal Article Am Surg · April 2023 INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking is associated with primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes) are touted as a healthier alternative to cigarettes; however, the impact E-cigarette use has on PSP management is not known. The ... Full text Link to item Cite

A Randomized Trial of Mesenchymal Stromal Cells for Moderate to Severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome from COVID-19.

Journal Article Am J Respir Crit Care Med · February 1, 2023 Rationale: There are limited therapeutic options for patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related acute respiratory distress syndrome with inflammation-mediated lung injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells offer promise as immunomodulatory agents. Object ... Full text Link to item Cite

External Support for Saphenous Vein Grafts in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Journal Article JAMA Cardiol · August 1, 2022 IMPORTANCE: Intimal hyperplasia and subsequent saphenous vein graft failure may have significant adverse clinical effects in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery. External support of saphenous vein grafts has the potential to prevent vein gra ... Full text Link to item Cite

Rationale and design of a randomized trial evaluating an external support device for saphenous vein coronary grafts.

Journal Article Am Heart J · April 2022 BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most common revascularization approach for the treatment of multi-vessel coronary artery disease. While the internal mammary artery is nearly universally used to bypass the left anterior descending ... Full text Link to item Cite

Risk for non-home discharge following surgery for ischemic mitral valve disease.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · December 2021 OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency and risk factors for non-home discharge (NHD) and its association with clinical outcomes and quality of life (QOL) at 1 year following cardiac surgery in patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). METHODS: Dis ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiac surgery in North America and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Regional variability in burden and impact.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · September 2021 OBJECTIVE: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in an increase in hospital resource utilization and the need to defer nonurgent cardiac surgery procedures. The present study aims to report the regional variations of North American ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Journal Article J Card Surg · September 2021 BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health care and cardiac surgery. We report cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A detailed survey was s ... Full text Link to item Cite

Prevalence and intensity of avian malaria in a quail hybrid zone.

Journal Article Ecol Evol · June 2021 Hybrid zones have been described as natural laboratories by researchers who study speciation and the various mechanisms that may affect gene flow. The evolutionary consequences of hybridization depend not only on reproductive compatibility between sympatri ... Full text Link to item Cite

Expert Consensus of Data Elements for Collection for Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery.

Journal Article World J Surg · April 2021 BACKGROUND: Despite the emergence of Enhanced Recovery Protocols (ERPs) in cardiac surgery, there is no consensus on the essential elements for data reporting for quality improvement efforts, as well as accountability and standardization of outcome reporti ... Full text Link to item Cite

Progression of Tricuspid Regurgitation After Surgery for Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation.

Journal Article J Am Coll Cardiol · February 16, 2021 BACKGROUND: Whether to repair nonsevere tricuspid regurgitation (TR) during surgery for ischemic mitral valve regurgitation (IMR) remains uncertain. OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study was to investigate the incidence, predictors, and clinical significance ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

How to Start an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Cardiac Program.

Journal Article Crit Care Clin · October 2020 In this review the authors introduce a practical approach to guide the initiation of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) cardiac surgery program. The first step in implementation is organizing a dedicated multidisciplinary ERAS cardiac team composed ... Full text Link to item Cite

Outcomes following revascularization with radial artery bypass grafts: Insights from the PREVENT-IV trial.

Journal Article Am Heart J · October 2020 BACKGROUND: The optimal role of radial artery grafts in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to examine angiographic and clinical outcomes following CABG among patients who received a radial artery graft. ... Full text Link to item Cite

Insulin Use and Clinical Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery.

Journal Article Braz J Cardiovasc Surg · October 1, 2020 OBJECTIVE: To describe insulin use and postoperative glucose control in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. METHODS: We examined 2,390 patients with and without diabetes enrolled in the Contemporary Analysis of Perioperative Ca ... Full text Link to item Cite

Practical Considerations and Opportunities for SGLT2 Inhibitor Prescription in Heart Failure

Journal Article Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine · September 1, 2020 Purpose of review: Appropriate selection of anti-hyperglycemic agents that are both safe and effective is critical to improve outcomes for individuals with heart failure. Although emerging evidence supports the use of sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2 ... Full text Cite

Cost-effectiveness of coronary artery bypass grafting plus mitral valve repair versus coronary artery bypass grafting alone for moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · June 2020 OBJECTIVE: The Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network reported that left ventricular reverse remodeling at 2 years did not differ between patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation randomized to coronary artery bypass grafting plus mitral valve r ... Full text Link to item Cite

Enhancing Family-Centered Care in Cardiothoracic Surgery.

Journal Article Crit Care Nurs Clin North Am · June 2020 The psychological impact of critical illness is far reaching, affecting patients and their loved ones. Family members face a multitude of stressors, ranging from concerns about death or permanent disability to stress over health care costs and lost wages. ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reply from the authors: O is for nOrmoxia.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · March 2020 Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of Microbiological Organism Type on Surgically Managed Endocarditis.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · November 2019 BACKGROUND: This study describes the impact of organism and valve type on surgically managed infective endocarditis (IE) from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database. We developed a risk model for surgically managed endocarditis that includes the m ... Full text Link to item Cite

Behind the Smoke: Impact of Vaping on Primary Spontaneous Pneumothorax Outcomes

Conference Journal of the American College of Surgeons · October 2019 Full text Cite

The Impact of Pharmacist-Based Services Across the Spectrum of Outpatient Heart Failure Therapy

Journal Article Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine · October 1, 2019 Purpose of review: A multidisciplinary approach is vital to reduce mortality and hospitalizations in patients with heart failure. As members of the multidisciplinary team, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to care for patients across the spectrum of hear ... Full text Cite

Guidelines for Perioperative Care in Cardiac Surgery: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Society Recommendations.

Journal Article JAMA Surg · August 1, 2019 Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) evidence-based protocols for perioperative care can lead to improvements in clinical outcomes and cost savings. This article aims to present consensus recommendations for the optimal perioperative management of patien ... Full text Link to item Cite

Triage to Observation: A Quality Improvement Initiative for Chest Pain Patients Presenting to the Emergency Department.

Journal Article Crit Pathw Cardiol · June 2019 OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of a rapid admission protocol for chest pain patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) on ED length-of-stay (LOS). In this study, ED LOS was defined as the time from triage check- ... Full text Link to item Cite

One-year results from the first US-based enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERAS Cardiac) program.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · May 2019 OBJECTIVE: Our enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery (ERAS Cardiac) program is an evidence-based interdisciplinary process, which has not previously been systematically applied to cardiac surgery in the United States. METHODS: The Knowledge-to-Action Fra ... Full text Link to item Cite

Comparison of Outcomes and Frequency of Graft Failure With Use of Free Versus In Situ Internal Mammary Artery Bypass Conduits (from the PREVENT IV Trial).

Journal Article Am J Cardiol · February 15, 2019 Although in situ internal mammary artery (is-IMA) grafting remains the most frequent conduit in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), circumstances may necessitate free grafting of the IMA (f-IMA), though differences in outcomes have not been fully chara ... Full text Link to item Cite

ACTIVE or not, high intensity is here to stay.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · January 2019 Full text Link to item Cite

Enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery program to improve patient outcomes.

Journal Article Nursing · November 2018 This article details the obstacles of implementing a cardiac-specific enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program in a 919-bed not-for-profit community-based health system and the benefits of ERAS programs for different patient populations. ... Full text Link to item Cite

Secondary surgical-site infection after coronary artery bypass grafting: A multi-institutional prospective cohort study.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · April 2018 OBJECTIVE: To analyze patient risk factors and processes of care associated with secondary surgical-site infection (SSI) after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Data were collected prospectively between February and October 2010 for consenti ... Full text Link to item Cite

Silver-Impregnated Dressing Does Not Decrease Incidence of Surgical Site Infection After Adult Cardiac Surgery.

Journal Article Innovations (Phila) · 2018 OBJECTIVE: Sternal wound infections complicate 1% to 8% of cardiac surgeries and carry significant morbidity. We investigated the utility of silver-impregnated dressing in decreasing sternal wound infections after sternotomy cases. METHODS: A single-instit ... Full text Link to item Cite

Glycemic control in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Clinical features, predictors, and outcomes.

Journal Article J Crit Care · December 2017 PURPOSE: Critically ill patients with hyperglycemia have worse prognosis. The degree to which glycemic control is achieved following CABG surgery and the association with clinical outcomes is not well understood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We studied patients ... Full text Link to item Cite

Use of Adjuncts Reduces Cardiopulmonary Bypass Time During Minimally Invasive Aortic Valve Replacement.

Journal Article J Heart Valve Dis · March 2017 BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MIAVR) through a mini-thoracotomy is comparable to AVR through a sternotomy, but may have increased surgical times. The development of adjuncts such as the automatic knot fastener and percutaneous co ... Link to item Cite

Meta-analysis of individual-patient data from EVAR-1, DREAM, OVER and ACE trials comparing outcomes of endovascular or open repair for abdominal aortic aneurysm over 5 years.

Journal Article Br J Surg · February 2017 BACKGROUND: The erosion of the early mortality advantage of elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) compared with open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm remains without a satisfactory explanation. METHODS: An individual-patient data meta-analysis of ... Full text Link to item Cite

Multidisciplinary approach to treatment of radiation-induced chest wall sarcoma.

Journal Article Gen Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · August 2016 Radiation-induced sarcoma (RIS) is a rare complication following therapeutic external irradiation for lung cancer patients. Patients with RIS may develop recurrence or metastasis of the previous disease and also at high risk for early chest wall complicati ... Full text Link to item Cite

Indications, algorithms, and outcomes for coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Journal Article Coron Artery Dis · June 2016 For patients with a non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS), guideline recommendations and treatment pathways focus on revascularization for definitive treatment if the patient is an appropriate candidate. Despite the widespread use of ... Full text Link to item Cite

Valve-in-Valve Transcatheter Valve Implantation in the Nonaortic Position.

Journal Article J Card Surg · May 2016 BACKGROUND: Transcatheter valve-in-valve (VIV) procedures are an alternative to standard surgical valve replacement in high risk patients. METHODS: Cases in which a commercially approved transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device was used for a n ... Full text Link to item Cite

Clopidogrel use After Myocardial Revascularization: Prevalence, Predictors, and One-Year Survival Rate.

Journal Article Braz J Cardiovasc Surg · April 2016 INTRODUCTION: Antiplatelet therapy after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) has been used. Little is known about the predictors and efficacy of clopidogrel in this scenario. OBJECTIVE: Identify predictors of clopidogrel following CABG. METHODS: We evaluat ... Full text Open Access Link to item Cite

Prolonged postoperative respiratory support after proximal thoracic aortic surgery: Is deep hypothermic circulatory arrest a risk factor?

Journal Article J Crit Care · February 2016 PURPOSE: In addition to the pulmonary risks associated with cardiopulmonary bypass, thoracic aortic surgery using deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) may subject the lungs to further injury. However, this topic has received little investigation to d ... Full text Link to item Cite

Migration of surgeons ('brain drain'): The University of Cape Town experience

Journal Article South African Journal of Surgery · December 1, 2015 Background: The large-scale migration of doctors, including surgeons, from South Africa, has had a major impact on healthcare resources in this country. Although previous studies have suggested that the University of Cape Town (UCT) is of the main institut ... Cite

Long-Term Clinical Outcomes of Silzone Era St. Jude Medical Mechanical Heart Valves.

Journal Article J Heart Valve Dis · January 2015 BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Since the voluntary recall of St. Jude Medical (SJM) Silzone impregnated heart valves, no large-scale study has examined their long-term outcomes. METHODS: Using Medicare-linked records from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons ... Link to item Cite

Central venous pressure after coronary artery bypass surgery: does it predict postoperative mortality or renal failure?

Conference J Crit Care · December 2014 OBJECTIVE: Although hemodynamic monitoring is often performed after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), the role of monitoring postoperative central venous pressure (CVP) measurement as a predictor of clinical outcomes is unknown. As such, this study t ... Full text Link to item Cite

Insurance status predicts acuity of thoracic aortic operations.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · November 2014 OBJECTIVE: Nonelective case status is the strongest predictor of mortality for thoracic aortic operations. We hypothesized that underinsured patients were more likely to require nonelective thoracic aortic surgery because of reduced access to preventative ... Full text Link to item Cite

Meta-analysis of minimally invasive coronary artery bypass versus drug-eluting stents for isolated left anterior descending coronary artery disease.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · November 2014 OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes between minimally invasive coronary artery bypass (MINI-CAB) and drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation for isolated left anterior descending artery disease. METHODS: Randomized and observational comparative publications w ... Full text Link to item Cite

Endoscopic harvesting device type and outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery.

Journal Article Ann Surg · August 2014 OBJECTIVE: To evaluate angiographic and clinical outcomes associated with open and closed dissection tunnel endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) devices. BACKGROUND: A previous PREVENT-IV (PRoject of Ex-vivo Vein graft ENgineering via Transfection IV) analysis ... Full text Link to item Cite

Vein graft preservation solutions, patency, and outcomes after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: follow-up from the PREVENT IV randomized clinical trial.

Journal Article JAMA Surg · August 2014 IMPORTANCE: In vitro and animal model data suggest that intraoperative preservation solutions may influence endothelial function and vein graft failure (VGF) after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. Clinical studies to validate these findings are ... Full text Link to item Cite

Surgical revascularization is associated with maximal survival in patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation: a 20-year experience.

Journal Article Circulation · June 17, 2014 BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for ischemic mitral regurgitation remains actively debated. Our objective was to evaluate the relationship between ischemic mitral regurgitation treatment strategy and survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: We retrospectively revi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Preoperative mild-to-moderate coronary artery disease does not affect long-term outcomes of lung transplantation.

Conference Transplantation · May 27, 2014 BACKGROUND: Coronary artery disease has a high prevalence among lung transplant recipients and has historically been a contraindication to transplant at many institutions. In patients with mild-to-moderate coronary artery disease (Mod-CAD) undergoing lung ... Full text Link to item Cite

Outcomes of acute type a dissection repair before and after implementation of a multidisciplinary thoracic aortic surgery program.

Journal Article J Am Coll Cardiol · May 6, 2014 OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to compare the results of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair before and after implementation of a multidisciplinary thoracic aortic surgery program (TASP) at our institution, with dedicated high-volume t ... Full text Link to item Cite

Insurance status is associated with acuity of presentation and outcomes for thoracic aortic operations.

Journal Article Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes · May 2014 BACKGROUND: Nonelective procedure status is the greatest risk factor for postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing thoracic aortic operations. We hypothesized that uninsured patients were more likely to require nonelective thoracic aorti ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of extracardiac vascular disease on vein graft failure and outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · March 2014 BACKGROUND: While extracardiac vascular disease (ECVD), defined as a history of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) or cerebrovascular disease (CBVD), is common in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, there are limited data availa ... Full text Link to item Cite

Predictors of electrocerebral inactivity with deep hypothermia.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · March 2014 OBJECTIVE: Cooling to electrocerebral inactivity (ECI) by electroencephalography (EEG) remains the gold standard to maximize cerebral and systemic organ protection during deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). We sought to determine predictors of ECI ... Full text Link to item Cite

Status quo of hybrid coronary revascularization for multi-vessel coronary artery disease.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · December 2013 Hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) combines bypass grafting of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of non-LAD vessels. HCR has been performed as an alternative to CABG or multi-vessel PCI in ... Full text Link to item Cite

Coronary revascularization in lung transplant recipients with concomitant coronary artery disease.

Conference Am J Transplant · November 2013 Coronary artery disease (CAD) is not uncommon among lung transplant candidates. Several small, single-center series have suggested that short-term outcomes are acceptable in selected patients who undergo coronary revascularization prior to, or concomitant ... Full text Link to item Cite

Relationship between postoperative clopidogrel use and subsequent angiographic and clinical outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting.

Journal Article J Thromb Thrombolysis · November 2013 Dual antiplatelet therapy with both aspirin and clopidogrel is increasingly used after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG); however, little is known about the safety or efficacy. We sought to determine the relationship between postoperative clopidogrel ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of donor cardiac arrest on heart transplantation.

Journal Article Surgery · August 2013 BACKGROUND: Cardiac transplantation is an effective therapy for patients with end-stage heart failure, but it is still hindered by the lack of donor organs. A history of donor cardiac arrest raises trepidation regarding the possibility of poor post-transpl ... Full text Link to item Cite

Risk factors for 1-year mortality after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · May 2013 OBJECTIVE: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair, although physiologically well tolerated, may fail to confer significant survival benefit in some high-risk patients. In an effort to identify patients most likely to benefit from intervention, the present stu ... Full text Link to item Cite

Saphenous vein graft failure and clinical outcomes: toward a surrogate end point in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery?

Journal Article Am Heart J · May 2013 Saphenous vein graft (SVG) failure is a common finding in patients following coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. In the literature SVG failure rates have been reported from 25 to over 50% within 10 years. Although common, it remains unclear to wha ... Full text Link to item Cite

Would tirofiban have been shown non-inferior to abciximab had the TENACITY trial not been terminated for financial reasons?

Journal Article J Interv Cardiol · April 2013 OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether tirofiban would have been non-inferior to abciximab had the trial completed enrollment and place the termination of this trial in a broader research ethics context. BACKGROUND: TENACITY was terminated by the sponsor for f ... Full text Link to item Cite

Reply: To PMID 23245838.

Journal Article Am J Cardiol · April 1, 2013 Full text Link to item Cite

Results with an algorithmic approach to hybrid repair of the aortic arch.

Journal Article J Vasc Surg · March 2013 OBJECTIVE: Hybrid repair of the transverse aortic arch may allow for aortic arch repair with reduced morbidity in patients who are suboptimal candidates for conventional open surgery. We present our results with an algorithmic approach to hybrid arch repai ... Full text Link to item Cite

Preoperative anxiety as a predictor of mortality and major morbidity in patients aged >70 years undergoing cardiac surgery.

Journal Article Am J Cardiol · January 1, 2013 The present study examined the association between patient-reported anxiety and postcardiac surgery mortality and major morbidity. Frailty Assessment Before Cardiac Surgery was a prospective multicenter cohort study of elderly patients undergoing cardiac s ... Full text Link to item Cite

In reply

Other JAMA · November 7, 2012 Full text Cite

Current approaches to prevention and management of reperfusion injury

Chapter · November 1, 2012 As our understanding of the pathophysiological underpinnings of reperfusion injury has increased, many therapies directed at preventing the detrimental effects of this phenomenon have been tested. For primary PCI, this has ranged from mechanical protection ... Full text Cite

Results of thoracic endovascular aortic repair 6 years after United States Food and Drug Administration approval.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · November 2012 BACKGROUND: Since United States Food and Drug Administration approval in 2005, the short-term safety and efficacy of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) have been established. However, longer-term follow-up data remain lacking. The objective of thi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Contemporary results for proximal aortic replacement in North America.

Journal Article J Am Coll Cardiol · September 25, 2012 OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to characterize operative outcomes for ascending aorta and arch replacement on a national scale and to develop risk models for mortality and major morbidity. BACKGROUND: Contemporary outcomes for ascending aorta an ... Full text Link to item Cite

Edifoligide and long-term outcomes after coronary artery bypass grafting: PRoject of Ex-vivo Vein graft ENgineering via Transfection IV (PREVENT IV) 5-year results.

Journal Article Am Heart J · September 2012 BACKGROUND: Edifoligide, an E2F transcription factor decoy, does not prevent vein graft failure or adverse clinical outcomes at 1 year in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We compared the 5-year clinical outcomes of patients in PR ... Full text Link to item Cite

Staged total abdominal debranching and thoracic endovascular aortic repair for thoracoabdominal aneurysm.

Journal Article J Vasc Surg · September 2012 OBJECTIVE: Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) occur most commonly in elderly individuals, who are often suboptimal candidates for open repair because of significant comorbidities. The availability of a hybrid option, including open visceral debranch ... Full text Link to item Cite

Insurance status predicts non-elective case status but not outcomes of thoracic aortic operations

Conference Journal of the American College of Surgeons · September 2012 Full text Cite

Association between endoscopic vs open vein-graft harvesting and mortality, wound complications, and cardiovascular events in patients undergoing CABG surgery.

Journal Article JAMA · August 1, 2012 CONTEXT: The safety and durability of endoscopic vein graft harvest in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery has recently been called into question. OBJECTIVE: To compare the long-term outcomes of endoscopic vs open vein-graft harvesting for Medicare ... Full text Link to item Cite

Intraoperative use of low-dose recombinant activated factor VII during thoracic aortic operations.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · June 2012 BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have supported the effectiveness of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) for the control of bleeding after cardiac procedures; however safety concerns persist. Here we report the novel use of intraoperative low-dose rFVIIa ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiac catheterization within 1 to 3 days of proximal aortic surgery is not associated with increased postoperative acute kidney injury.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · June 2012 OBJECTIVE: Cardiac catheterization shortly before coronary artery bypass grafting or valve surgery has been associated with increased postoperative acute kidney injury. The relationship between catheterization timing and acute kidney injury after proximal ... Full text Link to item Cite

Retrograde ascending aortic dissection as an early complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Journal Article J Vasc Surg · May 2012 OBJECTIVE: Retrograde ascending aortic dissection (rAAD) is a potential complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), yet little data exist regarding its occurrence. This study examines the incidence, etiology, and outcome of this event. MET ... Full text Link to item Cite

Relationship between vein graft failure and subsequent clinical outcomes after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Journal Article Circulation · February 14, 2012 BACKGROUND: Vein graft failure (VGF) is common after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, but its relationship with long-term clinical outcomes is unknown. In this retrospective analysis, we examined the relationship between VGF, assessed by coronary angi ... Full text Link to item Cite

Long-term survival of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy treated by coronary artery bypass grafting versus medical therapy.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · February 2012 BACKGROUND: We prospectively applied the Surgical Treatment of Ischemic Cardiomyopathy trial entry criteria to an observational database to determine whether coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) decreases mortality compared with medical therapy (MED) for ... Full text Link to item Cite

Ascending-descending aortic bypass with valve-sparing root replacement for coarctation with aortic root aneurysm.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · February 2012 A 55-year-old man with critical aortic coarctation, aortic root aneurysm, and aortic insufficiency underwent median sternotomy for ascending–descending aortic bypass and aortic root replacement. The patient was found to have a salvageable trileaflet aortic ... Full text Link to item Cite

Design, rationale, and initiation of the Surgical Interventions for Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation Trial: a report from the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · January 2012 OBJECTIVE: Patients with coronary artery disease complicated by moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation have demonstrably poorer outcome than do patients with coronary artery disease but without mitral regurgitation. The optimal treatment of this condition ... Full text Link to item Cite

Postoperative inotrope and vasopressor use following CABG: outcome data from the CAPS-care study.

Journal Article J Card Surg · November 2011 BACKGROUND/AIM: Limited clinical data exist to guide practice patterns and evidence-based use of inotropes and vasopressors following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: Contemporary Analysis of Perioperative Cardiovascular Surgical Care (CAPS ... Full text Link to item Cite

Results of proximal arch replacement using deep hypothermia for circulatory arrest: is moderate hypothermia really justifiable?

Journal Article Am Surg · November 2011 The use of selective cerebral perfusion with warmer temperatures during circulatory arrest has been increasingly used for arch replacement over concerns regarding the safety of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA). However, little data actually exist ... Link to item Cite

Mycotic aneurysm of the thoracoabdominal aorta in a child with end-stage renal disease.

Journal Article J Vasc Surg · October 2011 A 5-year-old child with nephrotic syndrome developed a mycotic saccular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) involving the visceral segment within a 4-month period following pneumococcal bacteremia and presumed spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP). D ... Full text Link to item Cite

Relationship of the time interval between cardiac catheterization and elective coronary artery bypass surgery with postprocedural acute kidney injury.

Journal Article Circulation · September 13, 2011 BACKGROUND: Some prior studies have suggested that the time to cardiac surgery after cardiac catheterization is inversely related to postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI). However, these studies, because of the small number of patients, were unable to ad ... Full text Link to item Cite

Individualized thoracic aortic replacement for the aortopathy of biscuspid aortic valve disease.

Journal Article J Heart Valve Dis · July 2011 BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) disease is associated with an aortopathy resulting in aneurysmal dilatation spanning the root, ascending, and arch segments. To date, no large series of proximal aortic replacement in this popula ... Link to item Cite

Results with a selective revascularization strategy for left subclavian artery coverage during thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · July 2011 BACKGROUND: The need for routine left subclavian artery (LSCA) revascularization when this vessel is covered during thoracic endovascular aortic repair remains controversial. We report our results with a selective LSCA revascularization strategy during tho ... Full text Link to item Cite

Does protected research time during general surgery training contribute to graduates' career choice?

Journal Article Am Surg · July 2011 A number of general surgery training programs offer a dedicated research experience during the training period. There is much debate over the importance of these experiences with the added constraints placed on training surgeons including length of trainin ... Link to item Cite

Antithrombotic therapies in patients with prosthetic heart valves: guidelines translated for the clinician.

Journal Article J Thromb Thrombolysis · May 2011 Patients with prosthetic heart valves require chronic oral anticoagulation. In this clinical scenario, physicians must be mindful of the thromboembolic and bleeding risks related to chronic anticoagulant therapy. Currently, only vitamin K antagonists are a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Total aortic replacement in Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Journal Article J Card Surg · May 2011 Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is a recently identified genetic complex characterized in part by rapidly progressive aortic and branch vessel disease. We now describe total aortic replacement using an open Extent II thoracoabdominal repair followed by second-s ... Full text Link to item Cite

Predictors of massive transfusion with thoracic aortic procedures involving deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · May 2011 OBJECTIVE: Massive perioperative blood product transfusion may be required with thoracic aortic operations and is associated with poor outcomes. We analyzed independent predictors of massive transfusion in thoracic aortic surgical patients undergoing deep ... Full text Link to item Cite

Midterm results with thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection with associated aneurysm.

Journal Article J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg · February 2011 OBJECTIVE: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection with associated descending thoracic aneurysm remains controversial. Concerns include potential ischemic complications due to branch vessel origin from the chronic false lum ... Full text Link to item Cite

Secondary prevention after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: findings of a national randomized controlled trial and sustained society-led incorporation into practice.

Journal Article Circulation · January 4, 2011 BACKGROUND: Despite evidence supporting the use of aspirin, β-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and lipid-lowering therapies in eligible patients, adoption of these secondary prevention measures after coronary artery bypass grafting has b ... Full text Link to item Cite

"Reality surgery"--a research ethics perspective on the live broadcast of surgical procedures.

Journal Article J Surg Educ · 2011 In recent years, the live broadcasting of medical and surgical procedures has gained worldwide popularity. While the practice has appropriately been met with concerns for patient safety and privacy, many physicians tout the merits of real time viewing as a ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiac-resynchronization therapy for mild-to-moderate heart failure

Journal Article New England Journal of Medicine · December 16, 2010 BACKGROUND: Cardiac-resynchronization therapy (CRT) benefits patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction and a wide QRS complex. Most of these patients are candidates for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). We evaluated whether adding ... Full text Cite

Endovascular repair of descending thoracic aneurysms: results with "on-label" application in the post Food and Drug Administration approval era.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · July 2010 BACKGROUND: Most studies of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) published since the technology gained US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in March 2005 have included multiple applications including dissection, trauma, and "hybrid" approa ... Full text Link to item Cite

Vascular Trauma

Chapter · 2010 Cite

The effects of cholesterol lowering with simvastatin on cause-specific mortality and on cancer incidence in 20,536 high-risk people: a randomised placebo-controlled trial [ISRCTN48489393].

Journal Article BMC Med · March 16, 2005 BACKGROUND: There have been concerns that low blood cholesterol concentrations may cause non-vascular mortality and morbidity. Randomisation of large numbers of people to receive a large, and prolonged, reduction in cholesterol concentrations provides an o ... Full text Link to item Cite

Platypnea-orthodeoxia and progressive autonomic failure.

Journal Article Am Rev Respir Dis · December 1989 Platypnea-orthodeoxia has been described in patients with pulmonary shunts, intracardiac shunts, and severe lung disease. We report a case of platypnea-orthodeoxia in a patient with minimal obstructive lung disease and progressive autonomic failure. We hav ... Full text Link to item Cite

Arrhythmia prophylaxis using propranolol after coronary artery surgery.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · October 1982 Sixty patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting operations with cold potassium cardioplegia as the method of myocardial preservation either received low-dose oral propranolol (10 mg every 6 hours; 28 patients) or served as controls (32 patients). ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cardiac Enhanced Recovery After Surgery: A Guide to Team Building and Successful Implementation.

Journal Article Semin Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) is a bundled approach to perioperative care based upon the philosophy that patients do better when emotional and physiologic stresses are minimized during surgery. The goal of ERAS is to return patients to normal func ... Full text Link to item Cite