Editor’s Note At the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) annual meeting, experts urged cardiac surgeons to become more engaged in tricuspid valve treatment before transcatheter options gain too much traction according to a January 26 report in MedPage Today. With new transcatheter devices gaining FDA approval and the Centers for…

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Editor's Note The wildfire smoke blanketing the Los Angeles region poses significant longer-term health and economic consequences, according to a January 10 article in Bloomberg. Already, the fires have displaced nearly 180,000 people and cost up to $20 million in insured losses, the outlet reports. What remains to be seen…

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Editor's Note Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a technique historically used in engineering, is transforming pediatric cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Healthcare IT News reported January 2. This approach aims to enhance surgical precision and reduce the need for repeat operations in children with congenital heart defects. Traditionally, pediatric heart…

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Editor's Note Cardiothoracic surgeons at Emory University Hospital have conducted the first US implantation of the BrioVAD System, a new ventricular assist device (VAD) from BrioHealth Solutions, Cardiovascular Business News reported November 25. According to the article, the BrioVAD System features a magnetically suspended, hemocompatible pump designed to minimize adverse…

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Editor's Note In a series of interviews with STAT, 11 cardiologists and other clinicians, including the FDA commissioner, said a crisis in primary care is dragging back progress in the nation’s cardiovascular health. Published October 15, the article begins with commentary on a stark warning from the American Heart Association…

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Editor's Note Research shows atrial fibrillation (Afib), a heart rhythm disorder, affects 10.5 million US adults—three times more than previously believed, HealthDay News reported September 12. The article focuses on a study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.…

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Editor's Note Although data suggest transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) using the MitraClip device may offer similar outcomes to mitral valve surgery in patients with heart failure and functional mitral regurgitation (FMR), experts have criticized the research, TCT MD reported September 1. Presented at the recent European Society of Cardiology (ESC)…

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Editor's Note The CardioVascular Health Clinic in Oklahoma made history by performing the first outpatient trans carotid artery revascularization (TCAR) procedure in the US, Fox 25 September 9 reports. The procedure, which aims to treat carotid artery disease that can lead to strokes, helped the patient in question address a…

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Editor's Note The common practice of administering potassium after bypass surgery can be safely abandoned in patients with normal blood levels, according to results of the randomized TIGHT-K trial. According to a September 3 report in Medscape, potassium supplementation is a widely accepted means of reducing the risk of postoperative…

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Editor's Note Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) reduces cardiovascular risk factors independent of calorie restriction and weight loss, according to a recent study published in JAMA Surgery. News-Medical.Net reported on the study July 4. Bariatric surgery, particularly RYGB, is more effective than non-surgical treatments for significant weight reduction and lowering cardiovascular…

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