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| The Monthly Pulse |
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| FDA approves Thoraflex Hybrid device for complex aortic arch disease
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| The Story |
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| This April, the FDA announced approval of the Thoraflex Hybrid Frozen Elephant Trunk device for treatment of complex aortic arch disease. The first-of-its kind device combines a Gelweave polyester graft with a self-expanding Nitinol stent graft and is designed for the repair or replacement of aortic arch vessels following an aneurysm or dissection. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| The new device offers noteworthy benefits for patients needing total arch replacement or with diseased descending thoracic aorta. For one, it allows for treatments to be addressed through a single stage, instead of two separate procedures. This in turn reduces the risk of adverse events by 22.6% within the first year compared to traditional methods.
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| First Patient Enrolled in U.S. STAR-D Pivotal Trial Evaluating the DrugSorb™-ATR Antithrombotic Removal System to Remove Apixaban and Rivaroxaban During Cardiothoracic Surgery |
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| The Story |
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| Recently, the Safe and Timely Antithrombotic Removal-Direct Oral Anticoagulants (STAR-D) clinical trial kicked off with its first enrolled patient. The trial aims to assess a solution for removing anticoagulants such as apixaban and rivaroxaban in patients who need urgent cardiothoracic procedures. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| Currently, cardiothoracic surgeons lack a solution for reducing the risk of serious bleeding complications in patients who need immediate surgery but are on oral anticoagulants. If the results of the STAR-D trial are successful, DrugSorb™-ATR could fill this critical gap. The clinical trial is expected to expand to 30 sites and could help to provide life-saving solutions for a portion of the 5 million U.S. patients who are on blood thinners indefinitely.
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| Incisional Negative Pressure Wound Therapy is Protective of Postoperative Cardiothoracic Wound Infection |
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| The Story |
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| Negative pressure wound therapy has been increasingly used to reduce the risk of sternal wound infections following cardiothoracic surgery. A retrospective cohort study which included 1,199 patients showed that patients who received the therapy had a lower risk of infections. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| While closed incision negative pressure therapy (ciNPT) has been on the rise for some time, this research represents the largest population studied to date. Findings show that the use of ciNPT significantly reduced rates of wound infections, as well as readmission for wound infections. Expanded use of ciNPT could help to decrease life-threatening complications following cardiothoracic procedures.
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| Leadership Reflections |
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Distractions
My family and I recently visited Chihuly Garden and Glass Museum. A man, draped with several cameras around his neck, was walking from the inside space through a glass alcove to the outdoor space. He was distracted by his camera and the outdoor art displays in front of him so he didn’t notice a second set of doors and ran face first into a solid glass panel. Luckily he was fine, the only damage being that period of embarrassment when he recognized that several of us witnessed his mistake. |
It reminded me how easy it is to become distracted. We can be distracted drivers, distracted parents, and distracted employees. In any one of these situations, the impact can scale from a level of embarrassment to outright disaster, especially in the clinical space where distractions can mean life or death outcomes. It is important for us to be present and engaged in the task we are performing, to focus on the big picture while not losing sight of the obstacles right in front of us. Within our teams, we can also be responsible for identifying and pointing out obstacles for one another. How might you consider minimizing distractions, both for yourself and your team?
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| Texas Heart Institute 2022 Perfusion Conference |
| Thurs., June 2 - Sat., June 4 |
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| Carolina Perfusion Symposium |
| Fri., July 15 to Sun., July 17 |
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| 2022 STS Structural Heart Symposium |
| Fri., Aug 19 to Sat., Aug 20 |
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| Virginia Perfusion Symposium |
| Sat., Sept 10 - Sun., Sept. 11 |
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| APPex Advanced Practice Provider (APRN & PA) Leadership Summit |
| Fri., Sept. 16 - Sat., Sept. 17 |
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