#8: CTSNet Beat Podcast: COVID-19 Vaccines: Part I

This Beat episode, hosted by Joel Dunning, MD, includes part I of a two-part discussion on vaccines. Dr Dunning reviews three papers on the three COVID-19 vaccines currently available.

For more information on this episode's topics, links are provided:

1. Baden LR, El Sahly HM, Essink B, Kotloff K, Frey S, Novak R, et al. Efficacy and safety of the mRNA-1273 SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. N Engl J Med. Dec 30, 2021.
2. Voysey M, Clemens SAC, Madhi SA, Weckx LY, Folegatti PM, Aley PK, et al. Safety and efficacy of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine (AZD1222) against SARS-CoV-2: an interim analysis of four randomised controlled trials in Brazil, South Africa, and the UK. Lancet. Dec 8, 2020.
3. Polack FP, Thomas SJ, Kitchin N, Absalon J, Gurtman A, Lockhart S, et al. Safety and efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA Covid-19 vaccine. N Engl J Med. 2020;383:2603-2615.

Giants of Cardiothoracic Surgery: An Interview With Patrick McCarthy

In this Giants of Cardiothoracic Surgery interview, Joel Dunning speaks with Patrick M. McCarthy, executive director of the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute at Northwestern in Chicago, Illinois. They discuss Dr McCarthy's training and mentorship, his techniques with mitral valve surgery, and how the field has changed over the course of his career.

Resident Corner: How to Make the Most of One’s Training and Successfully Transition to Practice

Leanne Harling, MD, of the Imperial College, London, UK, and Jessica Luc, MD, of the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, moderate a discussion on the global experience of how to make the most of one's training and successfully transition to practice. They are joined by an international panel of guests, and this discussion spans cardiac surgery and general thoracic surgery. This Resident Corner also covers specific tips and lessons learned in the realm of resident education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Advocacy

In this CTSNet roundtable, Dawn Hui of UT Health San Antonio, Texas, moderates a discussion on advocacy within the cardiothoracic surgery specialty. She is joined by Keith Naunheim of Saint Louis University in Missouri, John H. Calhoon of the UT Health San Antonio, Texas, Ourania Preventza of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, Seth Wolf of the University of Vermont, and Courtney Yohe, director of government relations for the Society of Thoracic Surgeons in Washington, D.C. They discuss what advocacy means to them, the impact of advocacy on the specialty, and ways cardiothoracic surgeons can have a direct impact on federal policy.

Disclaimer

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#7: CTSNet Beat Podcast: Focus on New RCTs

In this Beat episode, hosted by Joel Dunning of the James Cook University Hospital, UK, current topics include the mitraclip MR repair study by Pat McCarthy, Easy-AS study, MARS-2 trial, study on segmentectomy vs. lobectomy, lawsuits against surgical stapler manufactures, MAVRIC trial, and the UK mini mitral trial. For more information on this episode's topics, links are provided:

Mitraclip MR repair study by Pat McCarthy
https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04198870

Easy AS Study
https://www.leicesterbrc.nihr.ac.uk/themes/cardiovascular/novel-cardiovascular-therapeutic-interventions/easy-as/

MARS-2 trial
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/find-a-clinical-trial/a-trial-looking-at-surgery-for-mesothelioma-mars-2

CALGB study 140503 on segmentectomy versus lobectomy
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30442588/

Lawsuits against surgical stapler manufacturers
https://www.druganddevicewatch.com/2020/05/15/lawsuits-surge-surgical-stapler-manufacturers/

MAVRIC trial by Mr Enoch Akowuah
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31097171/

UK Mini Mitral trial by Mr Enoch Akowuah
https://www.southtees.nhs.uk/services/cardiothoracic-services/cardiothoracic-research/uk-mini-mitral-trial/

VATS Pulmonary Artery Sealing: A Multi-Center Study

Joel Dunning, Moishe Liberman, and Eric Goudie discuss Dr Liberman's method of dividing pulmonary vessels using an energy device and the multi-center study Dr Liberman and Mr Goudie are running to evaluate energy sealing on pulmonary arteries.

#6: CTSNet Beat Podcast: A Day in the Life, a Simple Way to Manage Sternal Dehiscence, and Dr Mark Orringer’s Esophageal Simulator

This Beat episode, featuring Dr Brian Mitzman, General Thoracic Surgeon with the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, as the host, discusses recent highlights submitted to CTSNet, along with a look at a new esophagogastric anastomosis simulator in this month's JTCVS. 

#5: CTSNet Beat Podcast: A Focus Review of COVID-19 and Cardiothoracic Surgery

This Beat episode, featuring Dr Jessica Luc, cardiovascular surgery resident from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, as the host, discusses highlights from the CTSNet COVID-19 portal, including the subspecialty guidance statements on cardiac, thoracic, and congenital patient triage, followed by education and ethical considerations during the pandemic.

Giants of Cardiothoracic Surgery: An Interview With William Brawn

Priyadharshanan Ariyaratnam talks with William Brawn about his approach to hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Sutureless Aortic Valves in Patients With a Bicuspid Aortic Valve

Mohamad Bashir, Eric Roselli, Vinod Thourani, and Malakh Shrestha discuss the use of sutureless aortic valves in patients with bicuspid valve anatomy.