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Journal and News Scan
February 12, 2026
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
In this randomized trial of 300 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, endoscopic radial artery harvest was compared with open harvest. At three months, mean Hand Function Questionnaire scores were 7.20 with endoscopic harvest vs 7.74 with open harvest, reflecting a mean difference of 0.52 points (95 percent confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.98; P=0.03). Neurologic deficits occurred in 21.2 percent of patients after endoscopic harvest compared with 55.0 percent after open harvest (relative risk with open harvest, 2.61; 95 percent CI, 1.90 to 3.63). Serious adverse events occurred in 6.0 percent vs 2.7 percent of patients, respectively (relative risk with open harvest, 0.45; 95 percent CI, 0.13 to 1.34). Endoscopic harvest was associated with modestly better hand function and fewer neurologic complications.
February 12, 2026
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
A Netherlands Heart Registry study conducted from 2013 to 2021 involving 3,026 patients undergoing primary elective mitral valve surgery evaluated the textbook outcome (TO), defined as the absence of major complications (respiratory insufficiency, prolonged intubation, intensive care unit [ICU] readmission, stroke, renal failure, vascular complications, mediastinitis, reintervention for bleeding) plus survival and no reintervention at one year. The TO was achieved in 87.1 percent of patients. Independent predictors of non-TO included age, reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of less than 50 percent, pulmonary hypertension, recent myocardial infarction (MI), valve replacement vs repair, sternotomy approach, and rhythm surgery. The authors concluded that the TO represents a clinically relevant benchmark for surgical performance evaluation.
February 5, 2026
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
In this Dutch prospective multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT), 437 patients over the age of 64 with elevated stroke risk (CHA2DS2-VASc ≥2 men, ≥3 women) were randomized to either standard care or smartwatch monitoring for 180 days. The primary outcome of new onset atrial fibrillation occurred in 9.6 percent of the patients in the intervention group compared to 2.3 percent in the control group. The results suggest that smartwatch-based screening for atrial fibrillation enhances the detection rate of new-onset atrial fibrillation in this specific patient population.
February 5, 2026
Submitted by: Mujtaba Mubashir
This cadaver study evaluated a novel aortic anastomotic device for end-to-end anastomosis during ascending aortic replacement, aiming to reduce circulatory arrest times. The device consists of reusable handles with exchangeable single-use heads that deploy straight titanium pins (0.6 mm diameter and 8.5 mm length) perpendicularly through the vascular graft, aortic wall, and external felt strip, secured by silicone caps in a rivet-like fixation mechanism. Ten fresh human cadavers underwent procedures using either the device (n=5) or conventional running suture (n=5). Results demonstrated significantly shorter anastomotic time with the device vs suture (median 5:39 minutes vs 9:17 minutes, p=0.016), comparable fluid loss, and notably reduced tissue trauma—no intimal tears occurred in device specimens vs 100 percent in sutured specimens (p=0.008). The device shows promise for shortening circulatory arrest duration while improving anastomotic quality, warranting further in vivo investigation.
February 5, 2026
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, the authors evaluated outcomes of minimally invasive lobectomy (MIL) vs stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) in 2,183 patients with stage I non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treated between 2014 and 2016. After propensity score weighting, overall survival differed by clinical subgroups. MIL was associated with superior overall survival in patients with prior myocardial infarction or heart failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0.51, 95 percent confidence interval [CI] 0.32–0.82), whereas no overall survival advantage was seen in patients without cardiac comorbidity. Patients with preserved lung function (forced expiratory volume in one second [FEV1] and diffusing capacity of the lungs for carbon monoxide [DLCO] ≥80 percent) benefited more from MIL (HR 0.61), while SABR favored those with impaired lung function (FEV1 and/or DLCO <80 percent; HR 1.50). No further significant interactions were observed for tumor stage or location.
February 5, 2026
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
A systematic review and meta-analysis of six randomized controlled trials examined five-year outcomes comparing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) vs surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in 3,094 women with aortic stenosis (1,587 TAVR, 1,507 SAVR). The primary outcome, a composite of all-cause mortality or disabling stroke, showed no significant difference between groups. Meta-regression found no association between clinical covariates and outcomes. Trial sequential analysis confirmed adequate sample size but not a definitive treatment effect. While TAVR shows one-year advantages in women, five-year outcomes are equivalent. The authors conclude that future studies require sex-specific reporting to inform personalized treatment strategies.
January 29, 2026
Submitted by: Joel Dunning
This first-in-human case report describes ventriculo-coronary transcatheter outward navigation and reentry (VECTOR), a novel percutaneous aorto-coronary bypass technique to prevent coronary obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve replacement. A 67-year-old man with severe bioprosthetic aortic valve stenosis, left ventricular ejection fraction of 20 percent, and prohibitive surgical risk (Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality 13 percent) had anatomic risk for left main obstruction, with a valve-to-coronary distance of 1.7 mm. Leaflet modification and snorkel stenting were not feasible. VECTOR created an extra-anatomic left main bypass using covered stents before valve implantation. Postprocedural imaging confirmed graft patency and intentional native left main occlusion, with the patient clinically stable at six-month follow-up.
January 29, 2026
Submitted by: Vincent Sier
In this article, the authors evaluate a novel lung preservation strategy for uncontrolled donation after circulatory death by combining lung inflation with topical cooling. Using a porcine model with 1.5 hours of warm ischemia, lungs preserved with combined inflation and cooling demonstrated superior post-transplant oxygenation, higher dynamic compliance, lower pulmonary edema, and reduced histological injury compared with cooling or inflation alone. Apoptosis and vascular injury were also attenuated. These findings indicate that simultaneous inflation and cooling synergistically may mitigate warm ischemic damage. Together, this offers an approach that may substantially increase utilization and early functional outcomes of lungs from uncontrolled donation after circulatory death donors.
January 29, 2026
Submitted by: Ali Mashadi
This manuscript examines the clinical, ethical, and psychological implications inherent in caring for very important person (VIP) patients within cardiothoracic surgery.
When a VIP patient presents for care, there is a natural inclination to deviate from established institutional protocols or routine surgical workflows. Such deviations may include preferential assignment of the most senior surgeon, restricting trainee participation, limiting staff access in the name of privacy, or allocating additional institutional resources to accommodate patient expectations. While these adjustments are often motivated by respect or a desire to provide exceptional care, the authors argue that they can paradoxically compromise patient safety by disrupting team dynamics, eroding standardized processes, and introducing heightened psychological pressure that may drive inconsistency in care delivery.
Overall, caring for VIP patients requires a careful balance between respecting patient preferences and maintaining equitable, evidence-based clinical care.
January 29, 2026
Submitted by: EACTS Staff
This retrospective study reviewed 148,628 lung operations from 2001 to 2023 to examine how national gross domestic product (GDP) per capita influences minimally invasive techniques. Thoracotomy rates declined significantly, while robotic-assisted thoracic surgery (RATS) and video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) adoption increased. VATS adoption was negatively associated with GDP, whereas RATS showed no correlation. Significant country-level variability was found, with faster adoption in France and Italy compared to Turkey. Results suggest economic factors drive initial VATS adoption, but systemic factors (reimbursement, procurement) govern advanced technology uptake, highlighting the need for coordinated infrastructure and policy improvements in which the authors believe scientific societies could play a significant role.