BACKGROUND Continuous-flow devices have become the standard of care for mechanical circulatory support for end-stage heart failure patients because of improved survival and durability. The effects of these devices, such as the HeartMate II (HMII) left ventricular assist device (LVAD), on right ventricular (RV) function have not been evaluated in detail. This study evaluated the incidence of RV ...

BACKGROUND Randomised controlled trials generally suggest that cardiac resynchronisation improves outcomes in patients with heart failure due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction and cardiac dyssynchrony. Our objective was to provide a valid synthesis of the effects of CRT on mortality, major morbidity, quality of life and implantation success rates. METHODS Systematic overview and meta-a...

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, risk factors, and effect on outcomes of right ventricular failure in a large population of patients implanted with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices. METHODS Patients (n = 484) enrolled in the HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (Thoratec, Pleasanton, Calif) bridge-to-transplantation clinical trial were exami...

The optimal order of revascularization for pancreas and kidney grafts in simultaneous pancreas-kidney transplantation has not been established. In this study, we investigate the influence of graft implantation order on graft survival in SPK. 12 700 transplantations from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients were analyzed retrospectively. Graft implantation order was determined based ...

Pregnancy loss can be caused by several factors involved in human reproduction. Although up to 50% of cases remain unexplained, it has been postulated that the major cause of failed pregnancy is an error of embryo implantation. Transmembrane mucin-1 (MUC-1) is a glycoprotein expressed on the endometrial cell surface which acts as a barrier to implantation. The gene that codes for this molecule ...

Blastocyst implantation is a critical stage in the establishment of pregnancy. Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is essential for mouse blastocyst implantation and also plays a role in human pregnancy. We examined the effect of a potent LIF antagonist (LA) on mouse implantation. In mice, LIF expression peaks on day 3.5 of pregnancy (D3.5) (D0.5 = day of mating plug detection) in the uterine glan...

BACKGROUND Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) is the absence of implantation after three consecutive In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cycles with transferring at least four good quality embryos in a minimum of three fresh or frozen cycles in a woman under 40 years. The definition and management of RIF is under constant scrutiny. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of Granulocyte colony stimula...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and technical success rate of an ultrasound-guided fiducial marker implantation in preparation for CyberKnife radiation therapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 270 percutaneous ultrasound-guided fiducial marker implantations in 77 patients, which were performed from June 2008 through March 2011. Of 270 implantations, 104 were implanted in me...

Failure of a unipolar pacemaker system due to subcutaneous emphysema is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication after implantation. We report on a pacemaker dysfunction observed three days after implantation in a 91-year-old patient following development of marked subcutaneous emphysema. Function was immediately restored following application of pressure bandages and the condition ...

The Conundrum of Permanent Pacemaker Implantation After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation Anna Franzone, MD, PhD; Stephan Windecker, MD · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · e005514 When Device Failure Translates to Therapeutic Efficacy: Intentional Fracture of Bioprosthetic Valve Rings as an Adjunctive Technique in Transcatheter Valve-i...