Report from the 4th European Bone Sarcoma Networking meeting: focus on osteosarcoma

Abstract This report summarizes the proceedings of the 4th European Bone Sarcoma Networking Meeting, held in London, England, on 21 June 2017. The meeting brought together scientific and clinical researchers and representatives from sarcoma charities from 19 countries representing five networks across Europe, to present and discuss new developments on bone sarcoma. In view of the challenges is poses, the meeting focussed primarily on osteosarcoma with presentations on developments in our understanding of osteosarcoma genetics and immunology as well as results from preclinical investigations and discussion of recent and ongoing clinical trials. These include studies examining the efficacy of multi-targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors and checkpoint inhibitors, as well as those with molecular profiling to stratify patients for specific therapies. Discussion was centred on generation of new hypotheses for collaborative biological and clinical investigations, the ultimate goal being to improve therapy and outcome in patients with bone sarcomas

Surgical treatment of a rare association: Aberrant right coronary origination, coronary arteriovenous fistula, and aortic root aneurysm

SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Avecor trillium oxygenator versus noncoated monolyth oxygenator: A prospective randomized controlled study

Objectives: The surface coating of a synthetic surface is currently investigated to decrease the harmful effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). This study was designed to study the effects of the surface coating of a hollow fiber membrane oxygenator on coagulation, inflammation markers, and clinical outcomes. The biomaterials used to coat the membrane include heparin, polyethylene oxide chains (PEO), and sulfate/sulfonate groups. The coated membrane was compared to an uncoated oxygenator made of polypropylene. Methods: Two hundred patients who were scheduled to undergo valve repair and/or replacement surgery with or without coronary surgery were enrolled in the study. The patients were randomized to undergo CPB with either the Avecor oxygenator with Trillium™ (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA), a biopassive surface, or the Monolyth (Sorin, Irvine, CA, USA) oxygenator without coating. The primary and secondary endpoints were the differences between these oxygenators in regard to patients' biochemistry, coagulation profiles, inflammatory mediators, and clinical outcomes, including blood loss and neurological events. Results: There were no differences between the two groups in terms of biochemistry, coagulation profile, inflammatory mediator release, and blood loss. Five patients in the Avecor group showed clinical evidence of a stroke confirmed with computerized tomography (CT) scan imaging, and none in the noncoated oxygenator group. Conclusion: The oxygenator Avecor offers similar results in terms of inflammation and coagulation profiles and blood loss during valvular surgery compared to a standard uncoated control oxygenator. The rate of neurological events was unusually elevated in the former group of patients, with only speculative explanation at this point. Further studies are warranted to clarify this aspect. © 2008 by Blackwell Futura Publishing, Inc.SCOPUS: ar.jFLWINinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Patient-prosthesis mismatch in the mitral position affects midterm survival and functional status

BACKGROUND: The definition and incidence of patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) in the mitral position are unclear. OBJECTIVES: To determine the impact of PPM on late survival and functional status after mitral valve replacement with a mechanical valve. METHODS: Between 1992 and 2005, 714 patients (mean [± SD] age 60±10 years) underwent valve replacement with either St Jude (St Jude Medical Inc, USA) (n=295) or Carbomedics (Sulzer Carbomedics Inc, USA) (n=419) valves. There were 52 concomitant procedures (50 tricuspid annuloplasties, 25 foramen oval closures and 20 radiofrequency mazes). The mean clinical follow-up period was 4.4±3.3 years. The severity of PPM was established with cut-off values for an indexed effective orifice area (EOAi) of lower than 1.2 cm 2/m 2, lower than 1.3 cm 2/m 2 and lower than 1.4 cm 2/m 2. Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to determine predictors of outcome. RESULTS: The prevalence of PPM was 3.7%, 10.1% and 23.5% when considering values of lower than 1.2 cm 2/m 2, lower than 1.3 cm 2/m 2 and lower than 1.4 cm 2/m 2, respectively. When considering functional improvement, patients with an EOAi of 1.4 cm2/m2 or greater had a better outcome than those with an EOAi of lower than 1.4 cm 2/m 2 (OR 1.98; P=0.03). When building a Cox-proportional hazard model, PPM with an EOAi of less than 1.3 cm 2/m 2 was an independent predictive factor for midterm survival (HR 2.24, P=0.007). Other factors affecting survival were age (HR 1.039), preoperative New York Heart Association class (HR 1.96) and body surface area (HR 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: In a large cohort of patients undergoing mitral valve replacement with mechanical prostheses, PPM defined as an EOAi of lower than 1.3 cm 2/m 2 significantly decreased midterm survival. This level of PPM was observed in 10.2% of patients. Patients with an EOAi of 1.4 cm 2/m 2 or greater had greater improvement of their functional status. ©2010 Pulsus Group Inc. All rights reserved.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Effect of Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Stenosis on Severity of Mitral Regurgitation

Background: Surgically addressing moderate mitral regurgitation (MR) at the time of aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis remains uncertain. The purpose of this study was to examine the change in moderate (2+) or moderate-severe (3+) MR after isolated AVR for aortic stenosis to determine preoperative factors predictive of improvement in MR. Methods: Using an institutional databank of prospectively collected data, all patients undergoing isolated AVR for aortic stenosis with moderate (2+) to moderate-severe (3+) MR between 1994 and 1996 at the Montreal Heart Institute were evaluated. Results: Eighty patients with preoperative and postoperative transthoracic echocardiographic follow-up were identified. Preoperative MR was moderate (2+) in 78 patients (97.5%) and moderate-severe (3+) in 2 patients (2.5%). Mitral regurgitation was classified as rheumatic (32%), ischemic (32%), functional (21%), and myxomatous (15%). At 1-year follow-up transthoracic echocardiography, MR improved by 1 or 2 grades in 29 patients (35%), was unchanged in 44 (55%), and worsened in 7 (10%). On multivariate analysis, isolated ischemic and functional MR were the only preoperative factors predictive of MR improvement after AVR (p = 0.01): 54% of ischemic and 44% of functional MR patients showed improvement in MR after AVR compared with 23% of rheumatic and 17% of myxomatous MR patients. Conclusions: Etiology of MR was a significant prognostic factor for improvement in MR grade. Since there was little improvement in the rheumatoid and myxomatous group, replacement or repair should strongly be considered. For functional and ischemic mitral regurgitation, a surgical correction should be performed on an individual basis. © 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Chronic kidney disease as major determinant of the renal risk related to on-pump cardiac surgery: a single-center cohort study.

Cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury (CSA-AKI) is a common complication and is associated with the poorest outcomes. Therefore, early prediction of CSA-AKI remains a major issue. Severity scores such as the STS score could estimate the risk of AKI preoperatively. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the risk factors of on-pump CSA-AKI and to assess the performance of the STS score in order to predict CSA-AKI.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe