Cardiac Surgery

Freedom from Reoperation Is Not What It Seems: Competing Risks and Valve Durability

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An elderly woman with a cane speaks to a doctor in an early 20th-century hospital ward, painted in a warm historical style.

Last updated: October 2026 Author: Michele D. Pierri Reading time: 25–30 minutes Introduction A 78-year-old woman sits in front of me with an echocardiogram showing severe aortic stenosis. She has already decided on a biological valve. Her question is the one every surgeon hears: “How long will it last?” The honest answer usually comes from … Read more

Infective Endocarditis: AHA 2026 vs ESC 2023

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Early 20th-century doctor staring fearfully into a microscope as ghostly, alien-like microorganisms emerge from the slide in a dimly lit hospital ward.

Introduction On September 8, 2026, Circulation published the new American Heart Association scientific statement on infective endocarditis (IE) — the first comprehensive AHA document on the subject since 2015 [1]. Ten years is a long time in endocarditis. The patients have changed over that interval. Cardiovascular prostheses and transcatheter devices are now everywhere, molecular microbiology … Read more