INTRODUCTION The risk of developing conduction disturbances after coronary bypass grafting (CABG) or valvular surgery has been well established in previous studies, leading to permanent pacemaker implantation in about 2% to 3% of patients, and in 10% of patients undergoing repeat cardiac surgery. We sought to determine the incidence, features and predictors of conduction disorders in the immedi...

Valvular heart disease is the most important cardiac manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, severe mitral valve regurgitation necessitating valvular surgery due to SLE is rare. We report a 22-year-old male patient presenting with symptoms of congestive heart failure initially in whom lupus and severe mitral valve regurgitation were diagnosed. In our patient, four of the A...

Valvular diseases cause an increased hemodynamic load on the heart. Chronic valvular incompetence may lead to impaired myocardial function and eventual progression toward heart failure. Accordingly, current diagnostic modalities aim at the detection of progressing valvular lesions before irreversible changes of the myocardium have developed. Symptomatic patients with severe valvular lesions are...

Aortic valve disease is a fatal disease with but a single cure. Removal of the mechanical obstruction in aortic stenosis (surgery or TAVI) and replacement of an incompetent valve (so far only surgery) are the only treatment options. While aortic valve replacement in patients with isolated valve disease and normal pumpfunction of the heart has become a routine procedure and is performed with exc...

The history of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery at Stanford spans a century long period, beginning not long after the founding of Stanford University. Pioneering Stanford surgeons have made landmark discoveries and innovations in pulmonary, transplantation, thoracic aortic, mechanical circulatory support, minimally invasive, valvular, and congenital heart surgery. Fundamental research formed...