[HSF] Cardiac Surgery Edition of the NEJM??

[Ben Bidstrup]

If I hadn't cancelled the library's subscription to this Journal, I 
could read the full articles,'
Can I be a little cynical, and ask what proportion of heart failure 
patients might benefit from LVAD as bridge to recovery. Then ask what 
would the cost be. Then ask which economy could afford such a 
programme.
I suspect if it was really proven then all the cardiac surgery 
programmes would be back into full swing, doing this. After all, look 
at the prevalence and incidence of heart failure just in the USA.


>>From this week's NEJM:
>Maybe after enough complaining about the OPCAB and the Aprotinin articles,
>something interesting/useful:
>comments????
>
>[image: graphic] Left Ventricular Assist Device and Drug Therapy to Reverse
>Heart Failure <http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/355/18/1873>
>Fifteen patients with severe heart failure underwent implantation of left
>ventricular assist devices followed by a specific pharmacologic regimen.
>Eleven patients had sufficient myocardial recovery to permit explantation of
>the device, and eight of these patients were alive and free of heart failure
>or transplantation more than 4 years later.
>
>    with:   When the Failing, End-Stage Heart Is Not End-Stage
><http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/355/18/1922>
>
>
>[image: Perspective]
>[image: graphic] Public Report Cards - Cardiac Surgery and Beyond
><http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/355/18/1847>
>Cardiac surgery - most notably, coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) - is
>the longest-standing and most common focus of public report cards. Cardiac
>surgeons might feel that they are being subjected to a unique level of
>scrutiny, but Dr. Robert Steinbrook writes that the attention goes with the
>territory.
>
>and looking deep into the letters:
>Tracheal Replacement with Aortic Allografts
><http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/355/18/1938>
>
>
>-michael
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-- 
Ben Bidstrup FRACS FRCSEd FEBCTS
Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon