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| The Monthly Pulse |
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| Innovations in 3D Printing for Thoracic Surgery |
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| The Story |
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| 3D printing is proving to be a valuable tool in cardiothoracic surgery. Its applications include surgical planning, resident training, and customizable prostheses. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| Surgeons using 3D printed models of general thoracic pathology report that the technique is an improvement over traditional radiographic imaging and could lead to better outcomes such as shortened procedure times and enhanced patient understanding. 3D printed models are also helping to close the education gap between residents and experienced surgeons, and can even be sanitized for use as customizable prostheses. The tool is promising for the future of cardiothoracic surgery in terms of furthering education, clinical and research outcomes.
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| New Study Reveals Heart Patients “Orphaned” Following Aortic Dissection Repair Despite Ongoing Risk of Complications and Death |
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| The Story |
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| A new Toronto-based study shows the majority of patients who undergo aortic dissection repair do not receive guideline-recommended imaging surveillance following the procedure. Surveillance imaging rates dropped consistently over the participants’ post-surgery years, despite the ongoing risk for aortic complications, reintervention, and death. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| Routine imaging surveillance is recommended following aortic dissection repair, but uncertainties about who manages aortic care after their procedure prevents many patients from pursuing necessary follow-ups. Other barriers include distance between the patient’s home and referral centers and misconceptions about the durability of aortic dissection repairs. To ensure patients are receiving the imaging they need to address ongoing risks, practitioners must provide clear and accessible follow-up care.
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| Increased Trainee Diversity Is an Encouraging Step Across Demographic Landscape |
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| The Story |
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| Since 2019, there has been a significant uptick in diversity across cardiothoracic surgery training programs. The proportion of female trainees has increased, and participation of Asian and Hispanic trainees has increased in I-6 programs, while there are more Black trainees in traditional programs. |
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| What You Should Know |
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| Having a diverse workforce of cardiothoracic surgeons mirrors the diverse patient population they treat. While proportions of underrepresented populations have increased in recent years, industry leaders can encourage and support diversity through targeted efforts such as mitigating bias across recruitment, retention, and promotion activities. These efforts can also help to address the underrepresentation of minority groups in leadership roles.
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| Leadership Reflections |
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The Village
Last week I had the privilege of participating in an NCAA Division 1 National Letter of Intent signing event for my son, Evan. Surrounded by his high school teammates, coaches, administrators, family, and some local press, Evan committed to playing baseball at Virginia Commonwealth University next fall. As I observed the mix of signing event witnesses, it was clear that Evan’s success was the result of the contributions of all of those present. The words of constructive criticism, instruction, encouragement, mentorship, and motivation fostered his player development. More importantly, the ongoing support has provided a foundation for his growth toward adulthood and enhanced his leadership skills. It truly takes a village to shape the lives and characters of our children. |
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| As a leader in the workplace, it’s humbling to recognize that I can’t possibly be “the village” for my team on my own. The book Strengths Based Leadership: Great Leaders, Teams, and Why People Follow, notes, “The most effective leaders surround themselves with the right people and then maximize their team. While the best leaders are not well-rounded, the best teams are.” |
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| I invite you to consider your own strengths and identify colleagues who demonstrate executing, influencing, relationship building, and strategic thinking. Do you regularly bounce ideas off colleagues whose strengths are different than yours? Have you ensured that working groups have team members with a mix of strengths? I believe that identifying and tapping into the collective strengths will help us build our strongest and most cohesive village to support our teams as a whole. |
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| STS 58th Annual Meeting |
| Sat., Jan. 29 - Mon., Jan. 31 |
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| 43rd Annual Seminar of The American Academy of Cardiovascular Perfusion |
| Wed., Feb 9 to Sat., Feb 12 |
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| APACVS 41st Annual Meeting |
| Thurs., April 21 - Sun., April 24 |
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| Sanibel Symposium |
| Wed., Apr. 27 to Sat., Apr. 30 |
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