Yale has been, and continues to be, a catalyst for medical innovation and excellence. The Section of Cardiac Surgery is continuing Yale’s commitment to research by augmenting the basic science and clinical research capacity for faculty, residents, and researchers alike. The Section has initiated internal projects which are furthering outcome research in a variety of subspecialties, developing risk models relevant to aortic surgery, preventing thoracic aortic aneurysms, and studying the post-surgical effects on endocarditis patients resulting from intravenous drug use.
Yale’s commitment to research
The Section of Cardiac Surgery continues to deepen its external research footprint. Yale recently became a member of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network (CTSN), which receives support from several institutions, to provide the infrastructure to develop, coordinate, and conduct multiple collaborative proof-of-concept studies and interventional protocols to improve cardiovascular disease outcomes. Two trials that Yale will participate in are “Evaluating the Benefit of Concurrent Tricuspid Valve Repair During Mitral Surgery (TRICUSPID)” and “Hybrid Coronary Revascularization (HYBRID)”.
The TRICUSPID trial evaluates the benefit of concurrent tricuspid valve repair during surgery for degenerative mitral valve disease. The medical community is divided in their opinion on whether surgeons should routinely repair mild to moderate tricuspid regurgitation (TR) in patients who are undergoing planned mitral valve surgery. Repairing mild to moderate TR could potentially curtail development of severe TR over time. However, for many patients, mild to moderate TR results in no symptoms or other medical problems.
The HYBRID trial is a randomized trial of hybrid revascularization versus percutaneous coronary interventions for multi-vessel coronary artery disease. The use of minimally invasive left thoracotomy off-pump bypass grafting with staged percutaneous intervention to other coronary artery lesions is a novel concept that will likely expand the surgical indication for surgical coronary revascularization.
Our dedication to advancing cardiac surgery
Additionally, Yale recently became one of the few centers in the United States to become a member of the “Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement with the Medtronic Intrepid™ TMVR System in Patients with Severe Symptomatic Mitral Regurgitation (APOLLO)” trial. The trial evaluates the safety and efficacy of the Intrepid™ TMVR system as a treatment for those with severe symptomatic mitral regurgitation. Transcatheter technology has revolutionized the way that aortic stenosis is managed. Yale has been an active participant in many recent trials concerning transcatheter aortic valve technology, and expansion into the mitral valve space is just one example of Yale’s dedication to exploring new methods for managing this complex condition.