#17 CTSNet Beat Podcast : LAAOS III Trial, Randomized Trial of Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion, and Meta-Analysis Comparing Revascularization and Medical Treatment

The Beat episode, hosted by Patrick Myers, cardiac surgeon at the University of Lausanne and Geneva, Switzerland, focuses on three recent publications, presented at the ACC21 and EuroPCR meetings. First, Dr Myers discusses the LAAOS III trial, a practice-changing multicenter prospective randomized trial of left atrial appendage occlusion during cardiac surgery. He then dives into a meta-analysis comparing revascularization and medical treatment, covering 20’000 patients from 25 RCTs. Dr Myers then reviews a UK study on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SAVR and TAVI volumes. He finally notes to not miss the guest editor series lead by Mark Gerdish, on surgery for atrial fibrillation. For more information on this episode’s topics, links to the articles are provided below:

1. Whitlock RP, Belley-Cote EP, Paparella D, Healey JS, Brady K, Sharma M, Reents W, Budera P, Baddour AJ, Fila P, Devereaux PJ, Bogachev-Prokophiev A, Boening A, Teoh KHT, Tagarakis GI, Slaughter MS, Royse AG, McGuinness S, Alings M, Punjabi PP, Mazer CD, Folkeringa RJ, Colli A, Avezum Á, Nakamya J, Balasubramanian K, Vincent J, Voisine P, Lamy A, Yusuf S, Connolly SJ; LAAOS III Investigators. Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion during Cardiac Surgery to Prevent Stroke. N Engl J Med. 2021 May 15. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2101897.
2. Navarese EP, Lansky AJ, Kereiakes DJ, Kubica J, Gurbel PA, Gorog DA, Valgimigli M, Curzen N, Kandzari DE, Bonaca MP, Brouwer M, Umińska J, Jaguszewski MJ, Raggi P, Waksman R, Leon MB, Wijns W, Andreotti F. Cardiac mortality in patients randomised to elective coronary revascularisation plus medical therapy or medical therapy alone: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2021 May 18:ehab246. doi: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab246.
3. Martin GP, Curzen N, Goodwin AT, Nolan J, Balacumaraswami L, Ludman PF, Kontopantelis E, Wu J, Gale CP, de Belder MA, Mamas MA. Indirect Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Activity and Outcomes of Transcatheter and Surgical Treatment of Aortic Stenosis in England. Circ Cardiovasc Interv. 2021 May;14(5):e010413. doi: 10.1161/CIRCINTERVENTIONS.120.010413.
4. Gerdish M, La Meir M, McCarthy P, Ad N. Guest Editor Series Webinar: surgical atrial fibrillation – what we must do and what we can do. https://www.ctsnet.org/article/guest-editor-series-webinar-surgical-atrial-fibrillation-what-we-must-do-and-what-we-can-do

#16: CTSNet Podcast: Interview With Sean Grondin, President of the STS

In this latest Beat episode, hosted by Joel Dunning, MD, an interview with Sean Grondin, president of the STS, is featured. Dr. Grodin discusses the previous virtual STS meeting and shares plans for a hybrid meeting in Miami. He also covers the new STS Database transfer and the advantages this will have for members, as well as advocacy and interaction with government and the issues of training. It was a pleasure to talk to Sean who is doing an outstanding job of leading the STS in extraordinary times.

Leadership Book Club: Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy by Amy Edmondson

The Leadership Book Club, hosted by Ara Vaporciyan, program manager of the Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at the University of Texas MD Anderson, discusses the book Teaming: How Organizations Learn, Innovate, and Compete in the Knowledge Economy by Amy Edmondson. Dr. Vaporicyan is joined by panelists Vinod Thourani, MD, of the Piedmont Heart Institute; Jennifer Romano, MD, of the University of Michigan; and Kimberly Holst, MD, of the Mayo Clinic. The Leadership Book Club discusses key concepts of the book as much of Dr Edmondson’s research is focused on health care, including cardiac surgery.

#15: CTSNet Beat Podcast: Training the Next Generation - an Interview with Dr. Elliot Servais

On this Beat episode, Dr. Brian Mitzman, Thoracic Surgeon with University of Utah Health in Salt Lake City, invites on Dr. Elliot Servais to discuss training the next generation of thoracic surgeons. Dr. Servais is a general thoracic surgeon with the Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Boston, MA. He serves as the Director of Robotic Thoracic Surgery and Vice Chair for Quality and Safety in the Department of Surgery. He not only mentors fellows from the Beth Israel Deaconess training program, but also serves as a national proctor for Intuitive Surgical.

#14: CTSNet Beat Podcast: CT Training Models, Postop Day 1 Discharge After Lobectomy, and Overview of Anatomy for Robotic Lobectomy

This Beat episode, hosted by Brian Mitzman MD, general thoracic surgeon with the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, focuses two recent publications and also a featured video on CTSNet. First, Dr Mitzman discusses a recent JTCVS expert opinion from Dr Craig Baker of USC discussing traditional and integrated models for cardiothoracic surgery training. He then dives into a recent Annals publication from the team at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center which analyzes the STS General Thoracic Database and evaluates postoperative day 1 discharge after lobectomy. Lastly, Dr Mitzman reviews a CTSNet featured video from Drs Watkins and Servais in Boston, where they run through tips and tricks for all five robotic lobectomies. For more information on this episode's topics, links are provided:

1. Baker CJ. What is the optimal cardiothoracic surgery residency model? JTCVS Open. 2021; In Press. doi:10.1016/j.xjon.2021.01.012
2. Towe CW, Thibault DP, Worrell SG, et al. Factors associated with successful postoperative day one discharge following anatomic lung resection. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021; In Press. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.07.059
3. Zhao K, Zhang J, Li S. Discharge on POD1 after anatomic lung resection to be treated with caution. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021; In Press. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2020.12.094
4. Towe CW, Worrell SG, Finley DJ, et al. One day is here to stay. Ann Thorac Surg. 2021;In Press. doi:10.1016/j.athoracsur.2021.03.020
5. Linden PA, Perry Y, Worrell SG et al. Postoperative day 1 discharge after anatomic lung resection: A Society of Thoracic Surgeons database analysis. J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2020;159:667-678. doi:10.1016/jtcvs.2019.08.038
6. Watkins A, Servais E. Robotic Lobectomy: Review of Anatomy and Technique for RUL, RML, RLL, LUL, and LLL.

Giants of Cardiothoracic Surgery: An Interview With Marc Ruel

Jessica Luc of the University of British Columbia in Canada interviews Marc Ruel of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute about his pioneering work in minimally invasive cardiac surgical operations. They discuss his career, the importance of mentorship, and the development of current minimally invasive cardiac techniques.

Straight Talk With APPs: Current Hot Topics and Trends in Practice and CT Surgery

Lisa R. DeGarmo of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth in Houston, Texas, moderates a discussion for advanced practice providers. She is joined by Jill Engel of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, Laura Marie Wueste of Memorial Hermann Health System in Houston, Texas, and Julie Dawn Shoffstall of Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, Georgia. They discuss the growth of APPs in the medical field, as well as how to build quality programs in cardiothoracic surgery. 

Importance of Physical Well-Being to Prevent Burnout

Mara Antonoff of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, USA, moderates a discussion on maintaining physical health to prevent burnout in cardiothoracic surgery. She is joined by Robert J. Cerfolio of NYU Langone Health in New York, Lisa M. Brown of University of California Davis Health, and Jennifer Sue Lawton of Johns Hopkins Medicine. They discuss the various ways to incorporate physical health and fitness as part of effective work-life balance.

#13: CTSnet Beat Podcast: Interview With Umberto Benedetto, Study on NHS and Private Hospitals, and ISMICS Guidelines

This Beat episode, hosted by Joel Dunning, focuses on the new ISMICS guidelines on TAVI versus SAVR, STS podcasts, the Mitral Foundation website, a new study on atezolizumab, and a UK National database comparison of outcomes between NHS hospitals and private hospitals with the author Umberto Benedetto. For more information on this episode's topics, links are provided:

1. Thourani VH, Edelman JJ, Holmes SD, Nguyen TC, Carroll J, Mack MJ, et al. The International Society for Minimally Invasive Cardiothoracic Surgery Expert Consensus Statement on Transcatheter and Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Low- and Intermediate-Risk Patients: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized and Propensity-Matched Studies. Innovations. First Published January 25, 2021.
2. STS Podcasts
3. The Mitral Foundation
4. Atezolizumab in addition to surgery in patients with lung cancer
5. Disparity in clinical outcomes after cardiac surgery between private and public (NHS) payers in England

#12: CTSNet Beat Podcast: Diaphragm Plication, Robotic Alternatives, Reducing Unnecessary X-rays, Job Highlights