Coronary artery bypass grafting using the radial artery has, since the 1990s, gone through a revival. Observational studies have indicated better long-term patency when using radial arteries. Therefore, radial artery might be preferred especially in younger patients where long time patency is important. During the last 10 years different endoscopic techniques to harvest the radial artery have evolved. Endoscopic radial artery harvest only requires a small incision near the wrist in contrast to open harvest, which requires an incision from the elbow to the wrist. However, it is unknown whether the endoscopic technique results in fewer complications or a graft patency comparable to open harvest. When the radial artery has been harvested, there are two ways to use the radial artery as a graft. One way is sewing it onto the aorta and another is sewing it onto the mammary artery. It is unknown which technique is the superior revascularisation technique.

IV iron is indicated in clinical conditions, where rapid anaemia alleviation and repletion of iron stores are required. The acute toxicity of IV iron is ascribed to the presence of labile iron in plasma. Thus, shorter plasma residence time might improve the safety profile, even for compounds holding-on the iron tightly. In this single-centre, open-label, single-dose escalation study, we evaluated the elimination kinetics of ferric bepectate (FBP) compared to those of ferric carboxymaltose (FCM). Thirty-three iron-depleted anaemic patients who had undergone cardiac surgery were included and received 200, 500 or 1500 mg FBP or 500 mg FCM. Plasma drug curves were subjected to model-free analysis. Because saturation kinetics was found, a compartmental model with limited elimination capacity was applied. Urinary iron excretion was also analysed. The initial non-compartmental analysis revealed an increasing AUC/dose ratio for FBP. For both drugs, the central distribution compartment corresponded to plasma volume, and elimination followed Michaelis-Menten saturation kinetics. Maximal elimination rates (Vmax ) were 224 mg/h and 81 mg/h for FBP 500 mg and FCM 500 mg, respectively; drug concentrations at half Vmax (Km ), 99 mg/L and 212 mg/L, respectively; and terminal plasma half-life (T½), 3.05 h and 8.96 h, respectively. Both drugs were equally effective in eliciting an early ferritin rise. Urinary iron excretion was measurable in all patients receiving FCM but not in those receiving FBP, which was well tolerated. Intravenous iron drugs are subject to capacity-limited elimination with different saturation thresholds. Urinary iron excretion can be used as a surrogate for labile plasma iron.

To evaluate if an opiate sparing multimodal regimen of dexamethasone, gabapentin, ibuprofen and paracetamol had better analgesic effect, less side effects and was safe compared to a traditional morphine and paracetamol regimen after cardiac surgery.

Degenerative aortic valve (AV) stenosis is the most prevalent heart valve disease in the western world. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) has until recently been the standard of treatment for patients with severe AV stenosis. Whether transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) can be offered with improved safety and similar effectiveness in a population including low-risk patients has yet to be examined in a randomised setting.

The aims of the study were to compare clinical outcomes and valve durability after 8 years of follow-up in patients with symptomatic severe aortic valve stenosis at low surgical risk treated with either transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) or surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).