Cardiac Surgery Research Group

During the last two decades, technological advancements led to the development and introduction in the clinical field of catheter-based procedures for heart diseases. These minimally invasive methods allow the treatment of patients with prohibitive operative risk and are frequently used also in patients with lower risk profile despite the lack of evidence of their safety and durability. The aim of this research group is to evaluate the benefits and durability of these new catheter-based treatment methods compared with conventional cardiac surgery procedures in low- and intermediate risk patients.

The introduction of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) made saving life of patients with postoperative cardiopulmonary failure feasible. However, this mechanical circulatory support method is extremely expensive and requires significant organizational efforts. Furthermore, the indications for and the optimal strategies of mechanical circulatory support after cardiac surgery are unclear because of the scarcity of data on the early and late outcome of patients requiring, the lack of valid prognostic indicators and the heterogeneity of treatment protocols. The aim of this research group is to evaluate the outcome of patients requiring ECMO after cardiac surgery, to identify the risk factors contraindicating its use and to assess the benefits and harms of strategies/adjuvant methods such as the use of intra-aortic balloon pump, peripheral cannulation and ventricular venting during ECMO therapy.