The Journal of cardiovascular surgery最新文献

{"title":"Ten-year outcome after HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device implantation.","authors":"Jasmin S Hanke, Günes Dogan, Ali S Merzah, Max Biewer, Zurab Darbaidze, Bastian Schmack, Katharina Homann, Alexandra Schoede, Sara Knigge, Dominik Berliner, Alexander Weymann, Johann Bauersachs, Arjang Ruhparwar, Jan D Schmitto","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13486-7","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13486-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device (HM3, Abbott, U.S.A.) (LVAD) was first implanted in humans in 2014 at Hannover Medical School, Germany. This report presents the most extended single-center follow-up, ten years after HM3 implantation, focusing on survival rates and adverse events.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analyzed heart failure patients who received LVAD implantations with HM3 at our institution in 2014. The primary endpoint was 10-year survival. The secondary endpoint included evaluating adverse events. Follow-up for survival was censored in case of heart transplantation (HTx).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of eight HM3 patients were included in the study. We observed a total of 18,744 days-on-device (approx. 39 patient-years). The mean duration of device support was 2343 days (6.4 years). Ten years after LVAD implantation, the survival rate was 62.5% (5/8). Three patients underwent HTx (postoperative day (POD) 101, 646, 1917), three patients died, and two patients are on-going on device. The cause of death was sepsis in two patients (POD 2974 and 3018), while one patient died due to COVID-19-associated respiratory failure (POD 2642). No pump thrombosis, stroke, or technical malfunctions were observed. Outflow graft compression syndrome required surgical revision in 50% of patients. Six patients (75%) experienced driveline infections.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The HM3 has shown excellent long-term outcomes ten years after implantation, with no technical malfunctions and a low incidence of hemocompatibility-related adverse events. This study highlights the strong performance of assist devices and excellent outcomes for heart failure patients, especially when LVADs are timely and appropriately used in selected patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286731","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A case report of bycross rotational atherectomy followed by drug-coated balloon angioplasty for deep femoral artery atherosclerotic disease.","authors":"Enrique M San Norberto, Álvaro Revilla, José A Brizuela, Sergio Asensio, Joan Roedan, James H Taylor","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13539-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13539-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Endovascular techniques have been proposed as an alternative to open repair for lesions of the femoral bifurcation and origin of the deep femoral artery (DFA). Debulking prior to drug-coated balloon angioplasty might improve the technical success and patency. We report the case of a 51-year-old woman with resting foot pain, bilateral femoropopliteal occlusion, and thrombosis of the right DFA, with severe, diffuse, and heavily calcified atherosclerosis. Under locoregional anesthesia, the DFA lesion was recanalized and a ByCross rotational atherectomy system (ByCross Atherectomy Catheter^©, Plusmedica) was used in combination with a drug-eluting balloon (DEB) angioplasty (IN.PACT Admiral^©, Medtronic). Successful re-establishment of DFA patency was achieved with no evidence of residual stenosis, recoil or flow-limiting dissections. No periprocedural issues or complications related to the use of the ByCross device were observed. The day after the procedure, the patient was discharged on dual oral antiplatelet therapy. After six months of follow-up the duplex ultrasound demonstrated patency without hemodynamic restenosis. The treatment of DFA atherosclerotic disease with ByCross rotational atherectomy has not been previously reported. ByCross rotational atherectomy followed by paclitaxel-coated balloon angioplasty of the DFA appears to be useful in patients at high risk for open repair with severely calcified arterial disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of IVUS in BEVAR as additional intraoperative tool: procedure guidance and quality control imaging.","authors":"Michele Piazza, Carmine Spiezia, Francesco Squizzato, Elda C Colacchio, Franco Grego, Michele Antonello","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13417-X","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13417-X","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) is a catheter-based imaging technique that utilizes high-frequency sound waves to produce real-time, cross-sectional images of the vessel lumen. IVUS is a well-known endovascular imaging tool for peripheral and aortic procedures, with potential benefit also during branched endovascular aortic repair (BEVAR) METHODS: We conducted a single-center retrospective observational study, including 47 patients undergoing elective BEVAR procedure from 2020 to 2024. Exclusion criteria were acute dissection, frank rupture. Two groups were compared: an IVUS-guided group, with routine IVUS for BEVAR procedure guidance, as intraoperative tool for post - implant bridging stent quality control; a NON-IVUS-guided group underwent standard BEVAR procedures without IVUS use. Primary endpoints are technical success of IVUS assessment for each target vessel, incidence of intraoperative branch instability detected by IVUS, and absence of IVUS-related adverse events. Secondary endpoints are procedural metrics, rate of intraoperative revisions prompted by IVUS findings, and postoperative outcomes such as branch instability requiring reintervention, as confirmed by follow-up imaging.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>There were 27 BEVAR (nine type I-III, 11 type IV, seven post-dissection TAAAs) in IVUS group and 20 (seven type I-III, eight type IV, five post-dissection TAAAs) in NON-IVUS group. Overall, there were no differences in operative time (median procedure time 310 vs. 318 min; P=0.89) and Xray exposure (47.3 vs. 47.5 mGy, P=0.99) between the two groups. There was a significant reduction of contrast volume for the main graft deployment phase (P=0.021) and X-ray reduction during the bridging stent phase (P=0.012); 76 TVVs were treated in group NON-IVUS group and over 103 bridged target vessels in IVUS group, the number of branch instability as kinking or compression identified with IVUS and not with angiography was 22%; this required additional unplanned reinforcement with stent reinforcement in 16% of the cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study suggests that IVUS is a safe and potentially valuable adjunctive imaging technology for intra-operative detection of TVV instability and highly sensitive in the identification of morphological defects, reducing Xray exposure or contrast volume for selected steps of the procedure. Long term investigations on larger cohorts are required to validate these promising results.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146159979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the reliability and guideline concordance of ChatGPT-5 in the management of vascular diseases: a cross-sectional expert-based assessment.","authors":"Üzeyir Yilmaz, Mehmet I Yeşilkaya","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13536-8","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13536-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as large language models are increasingly used in clinical decision support, yet their reliability in vascular medicine remains uncertain. This study evaluated the accuracy and guideline concordance of ChatGPT-5 in vascular disease management.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Seventy open-ended clinical questions were derived from five major national and international vascular guidelines. Responses generated by ChatGPT-5 were independently assessed by five cardiovascular surgeons using a five-point Likert scale. Inter-rater agreement was analyzed using the free-marginal multirater kappa statistic.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ChatGPT-5 achieved a mean score of 4.74±0.27, showing strong consistency with evidence-based recommendations. Forty questions (57%) received perfect agreement, and inter-rater reliability was moderate (κ=0.50; 95% CI: 0.37-0.64).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>ChatGPT-5 produced guideline-aligned and clinically sound responses in vascular disease scenarios. While promising as a supportive clinical tool, broader datasets and real-world validations are needed to ensure clinical translatability.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146159919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Surgical options of left subclavian artery revascularization in the endovascular repair of the aortic arch.","authors":"Enrico Gallitto, Paolo Spath, Stefania Caputo, Andrea Vacirca, Antonio Cappiello, Federica Campana, Rodolfo Pini, Chiara Mascoli, Gianluca Faggioli, Mauro Gargiulo","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13511-3","DOIUrl":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13511-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Management of the left subclavian artery (LSA) is necessary to reduce the risk of stroke and spinal cord ischemia, when endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal and aortic arch pathologies requires proximal landing zone in the arch. This study presents the main surgical techniques and a single-center 10-year experience with LSA revascularization during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), contextualized within current literature.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Described the main surgical techniques for LSA revascularization: left subclavian-to-carotid transposition, left carotid-subclavian bypass with prosthetic graft, right-to-left carotid-subclavian bypass with left carotid reimplantation, and right-to-left subclavian bypass. Detailed steps and 10-years single center experience (2014-2025), are outlined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall 83 patients (median age 71 years; 81% male) underwent LSA revascularization during TEVAR procedures. Pathologies included acute aortic syndromes, degenerative and post-dissection thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms. Proximal landing zones were zone 0 (6%), zone 1 (31%), and zone 2 (63%). A total of 88 LSA revascularizations were performed: left carotid-subclavian bypass (72%), right carotid-LSA with left carotid reimplantation (22%), and bilateral carotid-subclavian bypass (6%). Endovascular repair included standard TEVAR (63%) and branched/fenestrated devices (37%). Technical success was 100%, with early complication rate of 12% (7% surgical, 4% non-surgical). No major strokes occurred; paraplegia was 2%; 30-day mortality 8%, unrelated to debranching. Median follow-up was 22 months (IQR 12-39), with 100% primary patency. Overall 1- and 3-year survival rates were 77% and 73%, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Surgical LSA revascularization during TEVAR is safe and effective, with excellent technical success and patency rates. Individualized surgical strategies allow optimal protection of cerebral and spinal perfusion.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":"25-34"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Endovascular repair of descending aorta lesions using a second-generation unibody single-branched stent-graft: a technical note.","authors":"Zicheng Wan, Chang Shu","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13530-7","DOIUrl":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13530-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This report describes the second-generation unibody Cratos single-branched stent-graft for left subclavian artery (LSA) revascularization during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The Cratos device represents the second-generation evolution of the Castor single-branched stent-graft, featuring an outer unibody branch configuration that allows simultaneous exclusion of the primary entry tear and revascularization of the LSA. It incorporates an adjustable proximal stent segment that optimizes sealing and reduces the risk of bird-beak formation at the proximal landing zone, while a reinforced branch-main body junction enhances fatigue resistance and long-term durability.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>We reported 2 patients presented with TBAD extending to the distal aortic arch, with the primary entry tear located just distal to the LSA zone 3. Both were successfully treated with the Cratos single-branched stent-graft, achieving complete exclusion of the entry tear and preservation of LSA flow without endoleak or neurological complications during follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The Cratos single-branched stent-graft provides a safe and effective option for one-stage endovascular repair of aortic arch pathologies requiring zone 2 landing. Long-term follow-up and larger studies are warranted to confirm these promising early outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":"67 1","pages":"58-66"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147477656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Countless ways to save LSA: modern techniques and challenges.","authors":"Luca Bertoglio","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13651-9","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13651-9","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":"67 1","pages":"1-3"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147477707","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Physician-modified endografts for left subclavian artery revascularization during aortic arch and descending thoracic endovascular repair: a literature review and center experience.","authors":"Andrea Kahlberg, Nicola Favia, Ferdinando B Valente, Benedetta Mangili, Vincenzo Ardita, Enrico Rinaldi, Roberto Chiesa","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13542-3","DOIUrl":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13542-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Management of the left subclavian artery (LSA) during thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in zone 2 remains debated, as intentional coverage without revascularization increases the risk of cerebrovascular accident and spinal cord ischemia. Among available strategies, physician-modified endografts (PMEGs) have emerged as a practical, fully endovascular option for LSA preservation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The study reports the single-center experience at San Raffaele University Hospital, Milan, with PMEGs for TEVAR involving the distal aortic arch and the proximal descending thoracic aorta. In addition, a review of the current literature on PMEG-based LSA revascularization was conducted, including studies published between 2016 and 2024 addressing technical success, neurologic events, and mid-term patency.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen consecutive patients operated between February 2023 and October 2024, all in urgent or emergent settings, were included in this study. PMEG implantation achieved 93% technical success with no 30-day mortality, stroke, or spinal cord ischemia. At a mean follow-up of 18.4 months, LSA patency was 92.3%, with a single reintervention for branch occlusion. Consistently, literature data demonstrate >90-95% technical success, stroke rates of 0-5%, and durable (>95%) LSA patency up to 3 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Initial experience with PMEG-based LSA revascularization seems to offer a valuable, fully endovascular alternative for Zone-2 TEVAR in urgent or emergent cases that can't wait for standard custom-made device manufacturing. Meticulous imaging-guided planning and standardized modification protocols are essential for durable outcomes. While long-term data remain limited, accumulating evidence supports PMEGs as an effective bridge between conventional hybrid approaches and dedicated branched endografts.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":"90-98"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146230361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Holding on to bypass in endovascular times? A narrative review on the role of surgical LSA revascularization in zone 2 TEVAR and how to achieve optimal results.","authors":"David Khangholi, Nikolaos Tsilimparis, Natasha Hasemaki, Alexia-Vasiliki Amvrazi, Jan Stana, Nikolaos Konstantinou","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13519-8","DOIUrl":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13519-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become the preferred treatment for most descending thoracic aortic pathologies. In Zone 2 procedures, intentional coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) is frequently required to achieve an adequate proximal seal, but this carries a risk of stroke, spinal cord ischemia, and upper extremity ischemia. Preventive LSA revascularization is therefore recommended in current guidelines, although the level of supporting evidence remains limited. This narrative review summarizes the indications, timing strategies, techniques, and outcomes of surgical LSA debranching in combination with Zone 2 TEVAR. Both carotid-subclavian bypass (CSB) and subclavian-carotid transposition (SCT) restore antegrade flow to the LSA. Patency rates are excellent for both techniques, with CSB being favored in many tertiary centers due to lower rates of local nerve injury. Timing remains debated: staged approaches are increasingly adopted in elective cases, as simultaneous debranching and TEVAR have been associated with higher perioperative stroke rates. However, overall stroke risk appears more strongly related to the TEVAR procedure itself than to the revascularization technique. Surgical debranching offers long-term durability and versatility, especially in complex arch anatomy, and avoids endoleak-related complications. Endovascular alternatives, however, reduce local surgical morbidity and allow minimally invasive management under sedation, with comparable long-term survival. In conclusion, surgical LSA debranching remains a cornerstone adjunct to Zone 2 TEVAR, balancing durability and neurological protection against higher local complication rates. Further studies are required to refine patient selection, compare surgical and endovascular strategies, and strengthen the evidence base for current recommendations.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":"16-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comparison of visibility and material properties of the iCover and VBX stent grafts when used as bridge stents in fenestrated endografts. An in-vitro study.","authors":"Carla L Blanco Amil, Gaspar Mestres, Donovan Ruiz, Victoria Gamé, Simona Chierico, Xavier Alomar, Fabricio Barahona, Vincent Riambau","doi":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13450-8","DOIUrl":"10.23736/S0021-9509.26.13450-8","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>To in-vitro compare different material properties of two balloon-expandable covered-stents, VBX (W.L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, AZ, USA) and iCover (iVascular, Barcelona, Spain), as bridging stents in fenestrated aortic endoprosthesis.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Four experiments were designed to evaluate a total of 12 stents (6 VBX 6x59 mm and 6 iCover 6x57 mm). Visibility of the stents was evaluated by computed tomography (CT) comparing Hounsfield units (HU) of the radiopaque marks of the balloon, the first and second stent crown and the whole crimped and expanded stent. Material assessment was analyzed performing three experiments: 1) evaluation of the diameter in three different zones, the percentage of stent shortening and its integrity after the expansion and flaring inside a 6-mm-diameter handmade fenestration; 2) evaluation of the residual lumen area of the stent with a 90° angulation; 3) water permeability test; measuring the water entry pressure and the integral water leakage at 120 mmHg. All models underwent a CT scan immersed in a 37 °C water bath and analyzed in the workstation Osirix Imaging Software v 3.8.1, 32 bit (Pixmeo, Geneva, Switzerland) by two different observers.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the crimped configuration, both stents showed statistically significant differences in radiopacity. iCover was more radiopaque than VBX for the entire stent as well as for the first and second stent crowns (4935.23 vs. 2574.39 HU; 723.81 vs. 262.63 HU; and 535.94 vs. 259.02 HU, respectively; P<0.001). For the expanded stent, iCover appeared to be more radiopaque than VBX; 1662.61 vs. 930.71 HU, P<0.001. However, VBX balloons had more intense radiopaque marks than iCover; 1454.89 vs. 1107.79 HU, P<0.001. The expansion into the fenestration did not show significant differences in the diameters after flaring, but VBX presented a greater shortening percentage; 8.32% vs. 2.57%, P<0.001. The reduction in the total area at 90º was 12% iCover vs. 19% VBX, P=0.152. The water entry pressure was 120 mmHg for both. The integral water leakage at 120 mmHg was 0 in both cases.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>VBX and iCover stents showed similar properties that demonstrate their competence in in-vitro conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":101333,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of cardiovascular surgery","volume":" ","pages":"107-115"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147286753","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}