Stem Cells May Improve Heart Bypass Results Nov 19, 2009
TUESDAY, Nov. 17 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who received bone marrow stem cell transplants during coronary bypass surgery (CABG) experienced "excellent long-term safety and survival," say German researchers, who also noted the first promising results for stem cell transplantation during mitral valve repair. The study included 35 patients who received CD 133+ bone marrow stem cell transplantation during CABG, 20 patients who received only CABG surgery and 10 patients who received stem cell... (MEDLINEplus)
Innovation and Comparative-Effectiveness Research in Cardiac Surgery Nov 5, 2009
Coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) was pioneered in the 1960s and subsequently shown in a series of randomized studies to extend life and relieve angina in subgroups of patients with severe coronary disease. 1 As a result of these studies, CABG has grown to become the most common surgical procedure in the world ... 2 During the subsequent years, however, CABG techniques have continued to be. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Endoscopic versus Open Vein-Graft Harvesting Nov 5, 2009
In another analysis from the same study,2 off-pump and on-pump coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) were compared. An interesting finding was that with endoscopically harvested grafts, the probability of graft failure was significantly higher in the off-pump group than in the on-pump group (odds ratio, 1. (New England Journal of Medicine)
On-Pump versus Off-Pump CABG Nov 5, 2009
Background Coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) has traditionally been performed with the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (on-pump CABG). CABG without cardiopulmonary bypass (off-pump CABG) might reduce the number of complications related to the heart lung machine ... Methods We randomly assigned 2203 patients scheduled for urgent or elective CABG to either on-pump or off-pump procedures. (New England Journal of Medicine)
AstraZenecas Brilinta expected to get expedited approval with no major label restrictions Sep 25, 2009
Brilinta also resulted in less bleeding in patients having coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery and significantly less fatal non-intracranial bleeding than Plavix, clinicians said. However, one issue they raised is that in non-CABG patients, there was significantly more major bleeding versus Plavix, including more intracranial bleeding and significantly more fatal intracranial bleeding ... Wallentin noted this non-CABG group finding was a surprise but said the real concern in terms... (FT.com -- Markets)
Cardiac biomarker levels strongly predict outcome of bypass surgery Sep 6, 2009
Levels of a biomarker used in the diagnosis of heart attacks are almost universally elevated in patients who have undergone coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) and, when markedly elevated, are powerfully prognostic, a team of researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Heart Center has found. Their report implies that, while measurement of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) can help determine patient prognosis, current consensus recommendations regarding the use of cTNT to diagnosis... (EurekAlert!)
Two-Year SYNTAX Data Show Comparable Safety Outcomes for Complex Patients Treated With TAXUS(R) EXPRESS(R) Stents and Bypass Surgery Sep 2, 2009
and BARCELONA, Spain, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: ) today announced two-year data from its SYNTAX clinical trial comparing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the TAXUS((R)) Express((R)) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The overall results demonstrated no statistically significant difference between PCI and CABG in the composite safety endpoint (all-cause death, stroke and myocardial... (PR Newswire)
Heart-Lung Machine May Not Be the Culprit in Post-Op "Pump Head" Syndrome Aug 7, 2009
Most that supported the pump head condition had focused only on patients who underwent pump support during surgery for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) but had not controlled for those with the disease who had different types of procedures, such as off-pump surgery or no surgery at all ... Of those who did had the disease: 152 had undergone the CABG procedure using the pump; 75 had off-pump surgery; and 99 had nonsurgical treatment. (Scientific American)
Is There Long-term Brain Damage After Bypass Surgery? More Evidence Puts The Blame On Heart Disease Aug 7, 2009
During heart bypass surgery, more formally known as coronary artery bypass grafting, or CABG, blood vessels from other parts of the body are removed and re-attached to the heart to restore open blood flow when the natural blood supply becomes constrained from coronary arteries that are diseased and blocked ... The study, on heart patients from the Baltimore-Washington, D.C., region, is believed to be the first controlled study of its kind directly looking at the underlying causes of brain... (Science Daily)
Blood Transfusions Associated With Infection Aug 1, 2009
ScienceDaily (July 31, 2009) A study of almost 25,000 coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients has shown that receiving blood from another person is associated with a two-fold increase in post-operative infection rates ... Overall, 30% of the variation in transfusion practices was found to be attributable to the hospital where the CABG was performed ... According to Rogers, "The safety of patients undergoing CABG will likely be improved if hospitals carefully review current guidelines on... (Science Daily)
Endoscopic versus Open Vein-Graft Harvesting in Coronary-Artery Bypass Surgery Jul 16, 2009
Background Vein-graft harvesting with the use of endoscopy (endoscopic harvesting) is a technique that is widely used to reduce postoperative wound complications after coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG), but the long-term effects on the rate of vein-graft failure and on clinical outcomes are unknown. Methods We studied the outcomes in patients who underwent endoscopic harvesting (1753 patients) as compared with those who underwent graft harvesting under direct vision, termed open harvesting... (New England Journal of Medicine)
Will Blue Dogs contain health care tab? Jul 15, 2009
Will Blue Dogs contain health care tab. Thinking Right with Jim Wooten. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Opinion)
Data: NY hospitals fare well in infections Jul 1, 2009
Statewide, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) chest infection rates also declined from 2007, to a risk-adjusted 2 ... And when it came to CABG donor-vessel surgical site infections, Albany area hospitals had the lowest rate in the state, at just 0. (Albany Business Review, NY)
Treatment for Type 2 Diabetes and Coronary Artery Disease Jun 16, 2009
Randomization was stratified according to the choice of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) as the more appropriate intervention ... In the CABG stratum, the rate of major cardiovascular events was significantly lower in the revascularization group (22. (New England Journal of Medicine)
CABG: Coronary Artery Bypass Graft May 23, 2009
Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is one of the most common major operations ... Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery is a 3- to 6-hour operation in which the patient's own veins or synthetic grafts are connected to the coronary arteries to allow blood to flow around the blockages (atherosclerotic plaques) ... Before the CABG, the patient will undergo many tests to ensure that the major operation can safely be performed. (Suite101.com)
Boston Scientific Welcomes Launch of Syntax Score Website May 19, 2009
The SYNTAX Score was developed in connection with the SYNTAX trial, the first randomized, controlled clinical trial to compare percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the TAXUS(R) Express2(R) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System to coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in patients with left main disease and/or significant narrowing of all three coronary arteries (three-vessel disease). These complex patients are traditionally treated with CABG and have been excluded from most... (PR Newswire)
The cardiovascular benefits of daily exercise in school children are evident even after 1 year May 9, 2009
In new studies presented at the congress exercise is shown to improve markers of heart disease in patients following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), to improve event-free survival rate in coronary patients better than stent angioplasty, and to improve markers of disease in heart failure patients, a group usually thought amenable to little more than palliative care. 3. (EurekAlert!)
Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction for Heart Failure Apr 28, 2009
Coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG), which was first used to ameliorate. . (New England Journal of Medicine)
Coronary Bypass Surgery with or without Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction Apr 28, 2009
We conducted a trial to address the question of whether surgical ventricular reconstruction added to coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) would decrease the rate of death or hospitalization for cardiac causes, as compared with CABG alone. Methods Between September 2002 and January 2006, a total of 1000 patients with an ejection fraction of 35% or less, coronary artery disease that was amenable to CABG, and dominant anterior left ventricular dysfunction that was amenable to surgical ventricular... (New England Journal of Medicine)
Psychotherapy Can Ease Post-Surgical Depression Apr 8, 2009
MONDAY, April 6 (HealthDay News) -- Two non-drug treatments -- cognitive behavior therapy and supportive stress management -- seem to be more effective than usual care for treating depression in patients who've had coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, a new study finds. About 20 percent of bypass patients suffer major depression and another 20 percent experience milder forms of depression, according to background information in the study by Kenneth E. Freedland, of the Washington... (MEDLINEplus)
Heart reshaping surgery ineffective Mar 30, 2009
"On the basis of this trial, the routine use of surgical ventricular reconstruction in addition to CABG (bypass surgery) cannot be justified," Dr. Howard Eisen of Drexel University College of Medicine in Philadelphia said in a commentary. Michler said further studies will show whether there are still some patients who might benefit from the operation, which reduces the size of an enlarged heart by 20 percent. (India Times, India)
SYNTAX Analysis Finds Treatment With TAXUS(R) Express2(TM) Stents More Cost Effective Than Bypass Surgery in Many Patients With Complex Coronary Artery Disease Mar 30, 2009
The results found that while the overall cost effectiveness of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) versus coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery varied according to patient characteristics, PCI was more cost effective than CABG in patients with low or moderate coronary lesion complexity. CABG was more cost effective than PCI in those with the most complex disease ... The results also found that both PCI and CABG improved several quality of life measures. (PR Newswire)
Heart Bypass Surgery Better Than Angioplasty For Certain Patients, Study Shows Mar 27, 2009
18, 2005) Combining robotically assisted coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) with stented angioplasty shows promise for treating extensive coronary artery disease, researchers reported at the American Heart. (June 24, 2008) The widespread adoption of the use of drug-releasing coronary artery stents into routine practice is associated with a decrease in the need for repeat procedures to unblock coronary arteries and also. (Science Daily)
Eliminating Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Cardiac Care Mar 19, 2009
It has been 25 years since significant unexplained racial variation in the use of coronary-artery bypass grafting (CABG) was noted in a single institution. 1 Although this finding raised an alert, the medical community was skeptical, assuming that the data were anomalous or confounded. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Newsweek: Should you have bypass surgery? Mar 17, 2009
So before having the coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) that his cardiologist recommended, he decided to get a second opinion ... When only one or two vessels are blocked (as is true in the vast majority of cases) most studies indicate, and the American Heart Association advises, that CABG and angioplasty are probably not necessary ... When all three coronary arteries are blocked or the left main artery (which supplies blood to the left side of the heart) is occluded, you will want to consider... (MSNBC -- Health)
New England Journal of Medicine Publishes Results from Boston Scientific's Landmark SYNTAX(TM) Trial Feb 19, 2009
In the study, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using the TAXUS(R) Express2(TM) Paclitaxel-Eluting Coronary Stent System was compared to contemporary coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in patients with the most complex coronary artery disease (CAD). Trial results at 12 months demonstrated no overall statistically significant differences between PCI and CABG in rates of death or myocardial infarction (heart attack), although PCI patients were more likely to require a repeat... (PR Newswire)
Outcomes After Heart Procedures Improving Feb 18, 2009
Coronary-artery bypass grafting, known as CABG, involves stitching in a vein or artery to go around a blocked artery. PCI involves inserting and inflating tiny balloons into vessels to widen narrowed arteries, often with placement of mesh tubes called stents to keep the artery open. (MEDLINEplus)
