Valve-sparing root replacement(VSRR) with the David technique is an established therapy for aortic root pathology in young patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate short and long-term outcomes between VSRR and aortic root replacement(ARR) with a biological-valved conduit in sexagenarians.

The effect of anticoagulation on early postoperative outcomes following pulmonary valve replacement (PVR) with bioprosthetic valves and homografts is not yet defined. We hypothesized that short-term anticoagulation would be associated with improved valve durability.

This study describes in detail the clinical burden of malperfusion associated with acute Type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) in a large, national cohort and the effect of treatment strategy on outcomes.

Management guidelines for stable three-vessel coronary artery disease have become a subject of debate. We aim to provide a benchmark for the survival of patients with normal ejection fraction, stable three-vessel disease, and elective coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD) remains the largest and most comprehensive audited thoracic surgical database in the world. As the STS GTSD grows to nearly 1 million cases, the pulmonary resection for cancer and esophagectomy short-term risk models have been refined to provide participants with benchmarked performance reports to facilitate quality improvement efforts. New for 2025 will be the development of long-term risk models and the online release of both short- and long-term risk calculators. A voluntary module to collect neoadjuvant targeted and immunotherapy data has been created has been accepted by participants and is rapidly accruing data. STS GTSD participant public reporting has increased 50% over the last 2 years following the application of the US News and World Report 3% transparency credit. All GTSD data analyses are now performed internally by the STS Research and Analytic Center, resulting in multiple publications through the Access & Publication, Task Force on Funded Research, and Participant User File mechanisms. Future initiatives include the incorporation of patient-reported outcomes into the STS GTSD, revision of the data collection form to incorporate variables associated with long-term outcomes, and focused efforts to increase the value of STS GTSD participation. This report delineates volume trends, recent initiatives, and the prolific research output emanating from the STS GTSD, reflecting a year of substantial progress and academic productivity.

Prospective randomized trials have demonstrated noninferior survival between sublobar resection and lobectomy in healthy non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with tumors ≤2cm. However, some patient attributes are not well represented in randomized trials and uncertainty remains in the widespread applicability of randomized trial nodal dissection protocols.

The etiology of increased risk for reoperation after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) versus prior surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) is poorly understood. This study evaluated the impact of concomitant mitral and tricuspid valve disease on associated risk of TAVR explant.

Socioeconomic disadvantage and Medicaid insurance have been linked with inferior survival following heart transplantation, yet the contributing mechanisms remain to be elucidated. We evaluated the association of Medicaid with the development of cardiac allograft vasculopathy(CAV).

Valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (ViV-TAVR) is associated with improved perioperative safety compared to redo surgical aortic valve replacement (redo-SAVR), but long-term outcomes remain uncertain. We therefore compare long-term outcomes of ViV-TAVR and redo-SAVR.

Prior investigations of the center-specific case volume on outcomes in hypoplastic left heart syndrome have conflicting results. This study utilized the National Pediatric Cardiology Quality Improvement Collaborative (NPC-QIC) registry to investigate the center volume-outcome relationship in patients following the Norwood procedure with consideration of pre-operative high-risk features.

To evaluate the proportion of lung cancer patients who would have qualified for lung cancer screening under different eligibility criteria in the Boston Lung Cancer Study (BLCS).

The Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs), supported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, provides detailed information on pediatric patients supported with ventricular assist devices (VADs).

Anastomotic leak after esophagectomy is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. We sought to identify the prevalence of anastomotic leak, stratified by operative approach and disease etiology, as well as risk factors for leak.

Statistical risk models for durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation inform candidate selection, quality improvement, and evaluation of provider performance. We developed a 90-day mortality risk model utilizing The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Intermacs Database (STS Intermacs).

As percutaneous therapeutic options expand, the optimal management of severe aortic stenosis (AS) and concomitant coronary artery disease (CAD) is being questioned between coronary artery bypass grafting and surgical aortic valve replacement (CABG+SAVR) versus percutaneous coronary intervention and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (PCI+TAVR). We sought to compare perioperative and longitudinal risk-adjusted outcomes between patients undergoing CABG+SAVR versus PCI+TAVR.

Transcatheter aortic valve-in-valve replacement presents a viable, minimally invasive approach to replacing degraded bioprosthetic surgical valves. The major drawback of this technique is poor hemodynamics in the form of patient-prosthesis mismatch and high transvalvular gradients. This is commonly attributable to the reduced valvular diameter from the transcatheter heart valve fixed inside the degraded bioprosthesis. Maximizing this diameter via bioprosthetic valve fracture occurs through a noncompliant, high-pressure balloon to splay the degraded valve outward. Despite its novelty, this has demonstrated improved hemodynamic outcomes and optimal valvular expansion with slightly increased operative risk. In this review, we highlight the technique of bioprosthetic valve fracture, types of suitable balloons and valves, timing in relation to valve-in-valve implantation, safety and efficacy, implications, and future directions.