Telemedicine in cardiovascular surgery during COVID‐19 pandemic: A systematic review and our experience

Objective The SAR‐COV‐2 pandemic has had an unprecedented effect on the UK's healthcare systems. To reduce spread of the virus, elective treatments and surgeries have been postponed or canceled. There has been a rise in the use of telemedicine (TM) as an alternative way to carry outpatient consultations. This systematic review aims to evaluate the extent to which TM may be able to support cardiac and vascular surgery patients in the COVID‐19 era. Methods We looked into how TM can support the management of patients via triaging, preoperative, and postoperative care. Evaluations targeted the clinical effectiveness of common TM methods and the feasibility of applying those methods in the UK during this pandemic. Results Several studies have published their evidence on the benefit of TM and its benefit during COVID‐19, the data related to cardiovascular surgery and how this will impact future practice of this speciality is emerging and yet larger studies with appropriate timing of outcomes to be published. Conclusion Overall, the use of virtual consultations and remote monitoring is feasible and best placed to support these patients via triaging and postoperative monitoring. However, TM can be limited by the need of sophisticated technological requirement and patients’ educational and know‐how computer literacy level

Tele-oncology in the COVID-19 Era: The Way Forward?

COVID-19 has had a devastating impact on the care of cancer patients. Thus, tele-oncology has become a necessity to improve cancer care. Several organisations have issued guidelines for its use during COVID-19. Despite certain shortcomings, tele-oncology has great potential to help cancer patients during COVID-19 and in the future

Bio-chemo-mechanics of the thoracic aorta.

The pathophysiology of thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection is poorly understood, despite high mortality. An evidence review was conducted to examine the biomechanical, chemical and genetic factors involved in thoracic aortic pathology. The composition of connective tissue and smooth muscle cells can mediate important mechanical properties that allow the thoracic aorta to withstand and transmit pressures. Genetic syndromes can affect connective tissue and signalling proteins that interrupt smooth muscle function, leading to tissue failure. There are complex interplaying factors that maintain thoracic aortic function in health and are disrupted in disease, signifying an area for extensive research

Outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah's Witness patients:A review

OBJECTIVE: To review current literature evidence on outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness patients. METHODS: A comprehensive electronic literature search was done from 2010 to 20th August 2020 identifying articles that discussed optimisation/outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness either as a solo cohort or as comparative to non-Jehovah’s Witnesses. No limit was placed on place of publication and the evidence has been summarised in a narrative manner within the manuscript. RESULTS: The outcomes of cardiac surgery in Jehovah’s Witness patients has been described, and also compared, to non-Witness patients within a number of case reports, case series and comparative cohort studies. Many of these studies note no significant differences between outcomes of the two groups for a number of variables, including mortality. Pre-, intra and post-operative optimisation of the patients by a multidisciplinary team is important to achieve good outcomes. CONCLUSION: The use of a bloodless protocol for Jehovah’s Witnesses does not appear to significantly impact upon clinical outcomes when compared to non-Witness patients, and it has even been suggested that a bloodless approach could provide advantages to all patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Larger cohorts and research across multiple centres into the long term outcomes of these patients is required

Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Surgery in Marfan Patients: a Perspective from the UK

Abstract Objective: Cardiovascular complications in Marfan patients include progressive aortic root dilation which can precipitate acute aortic dissection, ruptured aorta, severe aortic regurgitation, or all the aforementioned. Such complications can be fatal and the cause of death prior to any surgical intervention. We set out to identify the Marfan population in England and Wales and present their surgical outcomes. Methods: A total of 306 patients with Marfan syndrome who underwent aortic root surgery were identified between April 2007 and March 2013 from NICOR database. We examined the perioperative characteristics of such cohort along with in-hospital outcomes and survival. Results: Root and ascending segment procedures on Marfan patients performed in 3.3% of the total cohort by NICOR root surgery patients. The median reported age was 40 years (IQR = 29-49 years) and 100 (32.7%) were female. Of the patients analysed, 17.3% were treated non-electively and 68.6% of them received concomitant valve procedure. The in-hospital mortality was 2.0%. Reoperation for bleeding was required in 8.2% of patients and 1.3% of them suffered a cerebrovascular accident (CVA). Mortality at 1 year was reported as 5.5%. Conclusion: The outcomes of surgery on the root and ascending aorta in Marfan patients in the United Kingdom are satisfactory; however, the overall complexities of this patient population are not well understood and would benefit from further investigations