Vanags LZ, Tan JTM, Galougahi KK, Schaefer A, Wise SG, Murphy A, Ali ZA, Bursill CA, Author at The Baird Institute

Apolipoprotein A-I Reduces In-Stent Restenosis and Platelet Activation and Alters Neointimal Cellular Phenotype

August 24, 2019February 28, 2019 by Vanags LZ, Tan JTM, Galougahi KK, Schaefer A, Wise SG, Murphy A, Ali ZA, Bursill CA

Vanags LZ, Tan JTM, Galougahi KK, Schaefer A, Wise SG, Murphy A, Ali ZA, Bursill CA

JACC Basic Transl Sci 2018 Apr;3(2):200-209

Abstract

Even the most advanced drug-eluting stents evoke unresolved issues, including chronic inflammation, late thrombosis, and neoatherosclerosis. This highlights the need for novel strategies that improve stent biocompatibility. Our studies show that apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) reduces in-stent restenosis and platelet activation, and enhances endothelialization. These findings have therapeutic implications for improving stent biocompatibility.

Long-Term Outcomes Following Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Fixed-Effects Versus Random-Effects Models

August 24, 2019February 28, 2019 by Zhao DF, Edelman JJ, Seco M, Bannon PG, Vallely MP

Zhao DF, Edelman JJ, Seco M, Bannon PG, Vallely MP

J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 2018 Jul;72(3):345-347

PMID: 30012329

Abstract

Impact of serious mental illness on surgical patient outcomes

August 24, 2019February 28, 2019 by McBride KE, Solomon MJ, Young JM, Steffens D, Lambert TJ, Glozier N, Bannon PG

McBride KE, Solomon MJ, Young JM, Steffens D, Lambert TJ, Glozier N, Bannon PG

ANZ J Surg 2018 May;

PMID: 29756676

Abstract

BACKGROUND: People with comorbid mental illness have poorer health status and disparate access to healthcare. Several studies internationally have reported mixed findings regarding the association between mental illness and surgical patient outcomes. This study examines the surgical outcomes in people with decompensated serious mental illness (SMI) within the setting of the Australian universal healthcare system.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study involving elective overnight surgical patients aged 18 years and above who attended a large public tertiary referral hospital in Sydney, Australia, between 2010 and 2014. Patients were identified using ICD-10-AM diagnosis codes. Outcomes measure including in-hospital mortality, post-operative complications, morbidity, admission and time in intensive care, length and cost of hospitalization, discharge destination and 28-day re-admission rates were examined.

RESULTS: Of 23 343 surgical patient admissions, 451 (2%) patients had decompensated comorbid SMI with a subset of 47 (0.2%) having a specific psychotic illness. Patients with SMI comorbidity had significantly higher in-hospital mortality (2% versus 0%), post-operative complications (22% versus 8%), total comorbidity (7.6 versus 3.4 secondary codes), admissions (29% versus 9%) and time in intensive care (34.6 h versus 5.0 h), stay in hospital (12.2 days versus 4.6 days), admission costs ($24 162 versus $12 336), re-admission within 28 days (14% versus 10%) and discharges to another facility (11% versus 3%).

CONCLUSION: Patients with comorbid SMI had significantly worse surgical outcomes and incur much higher costs compared with the general surgical population. These results strongly highlight that specific perioperative interventions are needed to proactively improve the identification, management and outcomes for these disadvantaged patients.

Concomitant thoracoscopic surgery for solitary pulmonary nodule and atrial fibrillation

August 24, 2019February 28, 2019 by Lu R, Mei J, Zhao D, Jiang Z, Xiao H, Wang M, Ma N

Lu R, Mei J, Zhao D, Jiang Z, Xiao H, Wang M, Ma N

Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2018 03;26(3):402-406

PMID: 29136152

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of both solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) and non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) has increased over the past decade. We performed concomitant video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with modified epicardial radiofrequency ablation procedure for NVAF and SPN resection.

METHODS: Sixteen patients (7 men, mean age 62.6 ± 11.2 years) with SPN and NVAF underwent this procedure. Of these patients, 10 had paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and 6 persistent atrial fibrillation. A modified epicardial radiofrequency ablation combined with pulmonary vein isolation, circumferential left atrial ablation, ganglionic plexus ablation and left atrial appendage resection was performed for all patients. Left pulmonary surgery was carried out subsequently.

RESULTS: The mean procedure duration was 203.1 ± 15.6 (range 177-224) min. All patients successfully underwent this procedure with no conversion to sternotomy or pacemaker implantation. Of the 16 included patients, 13 received lobectomy and 3 received wedge resection. No severe complications occurred postoperatively. The mean length of hospital stay was 9.1 ± 1.4 (range 7-11) days with a mean follow-up period of 18.7 ± 6.7 (range 8-32) months. One patient had AF recurrence 6 months postoperatively. No pulmonary vein stenosis was detected at the 3rd postoperative month. There were no deaths or thromboembolic events during follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: This concomitant therapy proved to be safe and yielded good clinical outcomes. Therefore, it deserves to be considered as a treatment for patients with SPN and NVAF.

Unsuspected path: a central venous catheter insertion

August 24, 2019February 28, 2019 by Agostinho N, Robinson BM, Yan TD

Agostinho N, Robinson BM, Yan TD

ANZ J Surg 2017 Sep;87(9):E100-E101

PMID: 25682800

Abstract

Thank-You Afternoon Tea

September 16, 2019December 14, 2018 by The Baird Institute

On Friday 14 December 2018, The Baird Institute celebrated the support of our donors with an afternoon tea and a tour of the Hybrid Theatre, the state-of-the-art research facility at the Charles Perkins Centre (CPC) in Sydney University.

Along with many of our valued supporters, we had two very special guests in attendance; the previous patron of The Baird Institute, Professor The Hon Dame Marie Bashir and our new patron, The Hon Michael Kirby AC CMG.

Professor Paul Bannon gave an update to all those present and thanked our donors for their continuing trust and support;

“At this point in 2018, we are at a really crucial point in planning for the future. The Hybrid Theatre in the CPC in the University of Sydney represents exactly what Doug Baird engineered in 1986 with his focus on the highest levels of care, education and research. The landscape today is different from the way it was 30 years ago, as are the challenges. The patients are 10 years older, coronary surgery has been replaced by high-risk multi-faceted issues, we now have a major aortic program fundamentally underpinned by research in genetics and advised by multidisciplinary teams, we have structural heart programs, which look at better ways to implant valves with less risk and less morbidity, we have minimally invasive robotic procedures and we are now starting to talk about artificial intelligence. Much of this work is made possible with funds provided by The Baird Institute and as such we are very thankful to our generous supporters for assisting us to fund this important work”

What makes a successful nurses education conference?

September 13, 2019September 15, 2018 by The Baird Institute

2nd Heart & Lung Nurses Education Conference - 2018

Connected Care

What makes a successful education conference? This question occupied us during months of planning leading up to The Baird Institute’s 2nd Nurses Education Conference, held on 15 September, 2018.

Obviously, you need speakers who will be dynamic, interesting, entertaining and informative and because The Baird Institute works with surgeons, physicians, academics, nurses and allied health professionals within the tertiary setting, we were able to invite speakers of the highest calibre to be our drawcards for this event. It is so nice to know that these speakers hold us in high regard and gave up their time to prepare and present to nurses on a rare day off. In fact, some of our speakers managed to deliver their presentations and return to a busy clinical workload.

We then organised practical afternoon workshops that would appeal to the development of skills and knowledge for nurses working in intensive care, perioperative and coronary care units and cardiac catheterisation labs. It was such a thrill to hear the buzz of conversation and energy during workshop changeovers, as people spoke about the facilitators and the concepts learnt for emergency cardiac life support, management of chest drainage systems, chest x-ray and pacing interpretation workshops and heart and valve anatomy classes using a wet lab and real hearts (bovine). Again, our facilitators travelled to us on the Saturday, giving up their time and most importantly, sharing their expertise and insights to those present. What made the day so great? Clinicians and facilitators sharing their knowledge and skills to ensure that patients needing heart and lung surgery, have the best care based on research and ensuring that patients are at the centre of our health care.

The Honourable Michael Kirby becomes the new patron of The Baird Institute

September 13, 2019September 10, 2018 by The Baird Institute

We are so pleased to announce that The Honourable Michael Kirby AC CMG has agreed to become The Baird Institute’s 2nd Patron and is succeeding to the mantle of our previous patron, Professor The Honourable Dame Marie Bashir. When he retired from the High Court of Australia on 2 February 2009, Michael Kirby was Australia’s longest serving judge, having worked there since 1996. He continues to undertake many international activities for the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat, the World Health Organisation and UNESCO. Michael Kirby was Chancellor of Macquarie University from 1984 to 1993 and has been appointed Honorary Visiting Professor by 12 universities.

He participates regularly in local and international conferences and meetings and has served on many international committees for the UN, the Commonwealth of Nations and on the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Access to Essential Medicines (2015-16). He is regularly engaged in international arbitrations, domestic mediations and teaching law.

Professor Kirby states –“I am proud to have been appointed Patron of The Baird Institute: an outstanding and practical research centre that works in close collaboration with the famous Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney. Mixing practical talent, intellectual research and human kindness is the magic combination of The Baird Institute and its members. In this respect it continues in the high tradition first established by Professor Doug Baird. It is why I am proud to be Patron.”

At the cutting-edge of surgical innovation

September 13, 2019May 1, 2018 by The Baird Institute

The Baird Institute is excited to announce the funding of and collaboration with Vantari VR in building a Virtual Reality (VR) tool for surgical planning.

The focus is on improving efficiency and outcomes for patients and is the first of its kind globally to be built for use in Aortic surgery. Professor Paul Bannon, Chair of The Baird Institute, has been instrumental in driving this collaboration, as the potential of this technology is game-changing to the surgical landscape. Founded by two young doctors, Dr Vijay Paul and Dr Nishanth Krishnananthan, Vantari VR is considered to be one of the leading Australian start-up medical technology companies, having recently completed the HCF Catalyst accelerator program and received funding from the NSW government. Virtual Reality has made headlines around the world over the last few years and is being used increasingly in healthcare.

Clinical trials are already showing that VR can reduce surgical planning time by up to 40% and increase surgical accuracy by 10%. With global powerhouses, such as the Mayo Clinic and Stanford Health Care in the US and The Royal London Hospital in the UK, implementing VR into their research and treatment delivery, this is an important step by The Baird Institute on the national and global stage to drive innovation so as to improve patient outcomes.trials.

A big thank you to Natalie for her tireless fundraising

September 13, 2019April 18, 2018 by The Baird Institute

An amazing $9000 was raised at the James Wadland Night of Hearts!

The latest James Wadland Night of Hearts (JWNOH) event, was held on April 2, 2018. This celebration, held annually on James’ birthday, was bigger than usual, due to the fact that this year, James would have celebrated his 40th birthday.

James’ wife Natalie, put on an amazing Arabian Nights’ themed event in her lovely home. While the event keeps James’ memory alive, it also raises money for The Baird Institute’s continuing important research. There was a beautiful spread of Lebanese food and throughout the night belly dancers and drummers entertained us all.

Dr Michael Seco updated those present on research at The Institute particularly in the area of Aortic Aneurysms, a condition that can take loved ones from us out of the blue. Michael explained how some researchers with The Baird Institute are looking into the gene responsible for building our blood vessels, because understanding how genes influence aortic aneurysm development, will help identify a cure for this devastating blood vessel anomaly.

A big thank you to Natalie for her tireless fundraising for The Baird Institute.

An extraordinary $9000 was raised at the JWNOH event this year. We are ever so grateful not only for Natalie’s efforts but also for the all the attendees on the night who have contributed so much to life-saving heart research. We thank you all for your generosity.