CTSNet Podcasts

This week on The Beat, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief Joel Dunning spoke with Dr. Gavin Wright, thoracic surgeon and Director of Surgical Oncology at St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne, Australia, and thoracic surgeon and CTSNet Senior Editor Leanne Ashrafian about Dr. Wright’s thoughts on the JCOG0802 trial and why he prefers segmentectomy over lobectomy. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:59 JANS 1, Chest Tube Removal Review 05:33 JANS 2, Tricuspid Ann Remodeling 07:53 JANS 3, The Cost of Gender in MV Surgery 09:42 JANS 4, Endo Balloon vs Clamping 11:53 AVR & LIMA to LAD via Bi Minithorac 13:13 Surgical Reimplant ARCAPA 14:14 Editors Picks 2025 20:41 Gavin Wright, Segmentectomy vs Lob 44:33 Upcoming Events 45:56 Instructional Video Competition 46:12 Career Center 46:35 Closing They discussed the findings of the JCOG0802 trial and compared it to the CALGB 140503 trial. They also covered the use of FEV1 as an assessment tool, the significance of p-values, local recurrence, and Type I errors. Additionally, they reviewed The Lancet paper addressing segmentectomy vs lobectomy. Furthermore, they explored potential future trials, including the debate over wedge resection vs segmentectomy.   Joel also highlights recent JANS articles on a systematic review and meta-analysis on chest tube removal after cardiac surgery in first vs. second postoperative day, tricuspid annular remodeling in tachycardia induced cardiomyopathy with functional tricuspid regurgitation, a propensity-score matched analysis on the silent cost of gender in mitral valve surgery, and endo-aortic balloon occlusion versus transthoracic clamping in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.  In addition, Joel explores endoscopic AVR and LIMA to LAD via bilateral minithoracotomy, surgical reimplantation of the anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the pulmonary artery (ARCAPA), and the 2025 CTSNet Editors' Picks. Before closing, Joel highlights upcoming events in CT surgery.    JANS Items Mentioned  1.) Chest Tube Removal After Cardiac Surgery in First vs. Second Post-Operative Day: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis  2.) Tricuspid Annular Remodeling in Tachycardia Induced Cardiomyopathy With Functional Tricuspid Regurgitation  3.) The Silent Cost of Gender in Mitral Valve Surgery: A Propensity-Score Matched Analysis   4.) Endo-Aortic Balloon Occlusion Versus Transthoracic Clamping in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery  CTSNet Content Mentioned  1.) Endoscopic AVR and LIMA to LAD Via Bilateral Minithoracotomy   2.) Surgical Reimplantation of the Anomalous Origin of the Right Coronary Artery From the Pulmonary Artery (ARCAPA)   3.) CTSNet Summarized—Editors’ Picks 2025  Other Items Mentioned  1.) Instructional Video Competition   2.) 2025 CTSNet Recruitment Guide    3.) Career Center   4.) CTSNet Events Calendar  Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and not of CTSNet. Please review our full disclaimer page here.

This week on The Beat, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief Joel Dunning reflects on the most popular content of 2025 on CTSNet. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:15 Top Interview 03:52 Top Webinar 05:23 Top Clinical Video 06:24 Top JANS Article 07:01 Top Video Series 08:02 Top Contributor 08:59 Top Cardiac Procedures 12:14 Top Podcasts 17:02 JANS 1, Doctor Story 21:28 JANS 2, Ex Vivo Heart Perfusion 22:41 JANS 3, PCI vs CABG 24:04 JANS 4, NEOpredict-Lung 25:29 2026 Plans He discusses the top interview, the most popular webinar, and reveals the leading CTSNet contributor of the year. He also highlights the most-read JANS article, the most viewed CTSNet series, the top clinical videos in cardiac surgery, and the leading podcast episodes of 2025 from both The Beat and The Atrium. Additionally, he shares key statistics about CTSNet, including website viewership, YouTube subscribers, and listener demographics.   Joel also highlights recent JANS articles on if ex vivo heart perfusion offsets ischemic penalties with six-hour or greater preservation in adult donation after brain death heart transplantation, an impactful article titled “This Man Saved My Life—I Live by His Example,” the long-term outcomes for women with chronic coronary artery disease after percutaneous coronary intervention vs coronary artery bypass grafting, and the long-term outcomes of preoperative nivolumab with or without relatlimab in patients with resectable non-small-cell lung cancer (NEOpredict-Lung).    In addition, Joel outlines CTSNet’s goals and initiatives to look forward to in 2026. Before closing, he highlights upcoming events in CT surgery.    JANS Items Mentioned  1.)  Ex Vivo Heart Perfusion Offsets Ischemic Penalties With ≥6-Hour Preservation in Adult Donation-After-Brain-Death Heart Transplantation  2.) This Man Saved My Life—I Live by His Example  3.) Women With Chronic Coronary Artery Disease: Long-Term Outcomes After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention vs Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting  4.) Long-Term Outcomes of Preoperative Nivolumab With or Without Relatlimab in Patients With Resectable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NEOpredict-Lung)  CTSNet Content Mentioned  1.) CTSNet Summarized—Most Popular Content of 2025  2.) CTSNet Summarized—Most Popular Podcast Episodes of 2025  3.) CTSNet Summarized—Top Cardiac Procedure Videos of 2025   Other Items Mentioned  1.) All CTSNet Summarized Content   2.) 2025 CTSNet Recruitment Guide   3.) Career Center   4.) CTSNet Events Calendar  Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and not of CTSNet. Please review our full disclaimer page here.

This week on The Beat, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief Joel Dunning discusses how to get involved with Pace4Life, a charity he supports that provides reconditioned pacemakers to Ghana. He also previews upcoming podcast episodes and guests, including discussions on the Ross procedure guidelines and more interviews related to the JCOG0802 trial.  Chapters 00:00 Intro  02:31 JANS 1, Ethiopian Surgeon  07:08 JANS 2, RCA to Cor Sinus Fistula  09:30 JANS 3, Y-Incision Hemodynamics  12:38 JANS 4, Endograft Infection  15:06 Instructional Video Competition  16:01 Career Center  16:40 Video 1, Complications Podcast  19:34 Video 2, Totally Endoscopic Case  21:23 Video 3, Post-Infarction VSD Repair  23:15 Closing, Upcoming Events  Joel also highlights recent JANS articles on a heart surgeon who saved another surgeon’s life as a teen and how they now perform surgeries together, right coronary artery to coronary sinus fistula, a surgical aortic valve replacement with Y-incision aortic annular enlargement provided better hemodynamics than transcatheter aortic valve replacement, and management of endograft infection after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.  In addition, Joel explores totally endoscopic mitral and tricuspid valve repair, ASD with APVR repair, and LAA occlusion, as well as the repair of a post-infarction VSD, and an episode of The Atrium podcast featuring host Dr. Alice Copperwheat speaking with Dr. Samer Nashef about complications in cardiothoracic surgery. Before closing, Joel highlights upcoming events in CT surgery.    JANS Items Mentioned  1.)  A Heart Surgeon Saved His Life as a Teen. Now They Perform Surgeries Together.  2.) Right Coronary Artery to Coronary Sinus Fistula: A Rare Problem With an Elegant Solution  3.) Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement With Y-incision Aortic Annular Enlargement Provided Better Hemodynamics Than Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement  4.) Management of Endograft Infection After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair  CTSNet Content Mentioned  1.) The Atrium: Complications  2.) Totally Endoscopic Mitral and Tricuspid Valve Repair, ASD With APVR Repair, and LAA Occlusion  3.) Repair of a Post-Infarction VSD  Other Items Mentioned  1.) Pace4Life   2.) MICS and Robotic-Assisted Surgery: A Roundtable Discussion With the Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons Club  3.) Instructional Video Competition  4.) 2025 CTSNet Recruitment Guide   5.) Career Center   6.) CTSNet Events Calendar  Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and not of CTSNet. Please review our full disclaimer page here.

This week on The Beat, CTSNet Editor-in-Chief Joel Dunning speaks with Dr. Nasser Altorki, thoracic surgeon at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, and thoracic surgeon and CTSNet Senior Editor Leanne Ashrafian about the 10-year results from the JCOG0802 trial. Chapters 00:00 Intro 02:56 JANS 1, Re-Repair vs Replacement 05:07 JANS 2, Mini Mitral Multicentre RCT 07:01 JANS 3, PERSEVERE Study 08:54 JANS 4, Parietal Pleurectomy vs Pleural Abrasion 11:38 Career Center 12:33 Video 1, Endoscopic Post-Infarction VSD Repair 14:11 Video 2, 3D Dor Procedure & MVR Huge LV Aneurysm 15:19 Video 3, Non-Cardioplegic Myo Protection Robotic 17:16 Nasser Altorki Interview, JCOG 45:16 Upcoming Events 47:20 Closing They discuss key aspects of the trial, including the noninferiority primary endpoint. Dr. Altorki shares his overall thoughts on the trial, and they also examine topics such as pulmonary function, lobar vs sublobar resection, and segmentectomy vs wedge resection. Additionally, they explore secondary primary lung cancer, the importance of thoracic surgeons presenting data to patients, and best practices for segmentectomy to ensure patient safety. They also examine good wedge resection vs bad wedge resection, planning for segmentectomy, and the future of lobectomy and segmentectomy.   Joel also highlights recent JANS articles on the outcomes of re-repair vs replacement after failed primary mitral regurgitation repair, minimally invasive thoracoscopically-guided right minithoracotomy vs conventional sternotomy for mitral valve repair, one-year results of novel aortic arch hybrid prosthesis for repair of acute DeBakey Type I dissection with malperfusion, and a meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of parietal pleurectomy vs pleural abrasion in treating spontaneous pneumothorax.  In addition, Joel explores endoscopic post-infarction VSD repair, 3D video-assisted endoscopic Dor procedure and MVR for post-infarction huge LV aneurysm, and non-cardioplegic myocardial protection for robotic mitral surgery. Before closing, Joel highlights upcoming events in CT surgery.    JANS Items Mentioned  1.) Outcomes of Re-Repair Versus Replacement After Failed Primary Mitral Regurgitation Repair: STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database Analysis  2.) Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopically-Guided Right Minithoracotomy Versus Conventional Sternotomy for Mitral Valve Repair: The UK Mini Mitral Multicentre RCT  3.) One-Year Results of Novel Aortic Arch Hybrid Prosthesis for Repair of Acute DeBakey Type I Dissection With Malperfusion: PERSEVERE Study  4.) A Meta-Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Parietal Pleurectomy Versus Pleural Abrasion in Treating Spontaneous Pneumothorax  CTSNet Content Mentioned  1.) Endoscopic Post-Infarction VSD Repair  2.) Pushing Surgical Boundaries: 3D Video-Assisted Endoscopic Dor Procedure and MVR for Post-Infarction Huge LV Aneurysm  3.) Non-Cardioplegic Myocardial Protection for Robotic Mitral Surgery  Other Items Mentioned  1.) Instructional Video Competition  2.) 2025 Endoscopic Cardiac Surgeons Club Video Competition  3.) 2025 CTSNet Recruitment Guide   4.) Career Center   5.) CTSNet Events Calendar  Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and not of CTSNet. Please review our full disclaimer page here.

In this episode of The Cardiac Recovery Room, moderator Vicki Morton, Director of Clinical and Quality Outcomes at Providence Anesthesiology Associates in North Carolina, USA, spoke with Alexander Gregory, a cardiovascular anesthesiologist and assistant professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, and the Libin Cardiovascular Institute at the Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Canada, and Dr. V. Seenu Reddy, a cardiothoracic surgeon at HCA’s TriStar Cardiovascular Surgery in Nashville, Tennesee, USA, about the 10 things they hate about Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS).   Chapters 00:00 Introduction  01:38 Overcomplication  05:29 Simple Barriers  08:54 Change Obstructionists  10:52 Status Quo  12:49 Messing with Protocol  14:21 Giving Up on Protocol  16:48 Need for Patient-Reported Outcomes  19:18 Struggle Into Cardiac Subspecialty  21:30 Takeaways  The goal of this discussion was to identify specific challenges and propose potential solutions. They emphasize the importance of having two leaders—a champion and a co-champion—to effectively guide ERAS initiatives. Additionally, they discuss creating standing orders and issues related to microbarriers and resistance to change. They also highlight the need for customization of protocols, acknowledging the differences between surgeons who utilize ERAS and those who do not, as well as the tendency to maintain the status quo. Patient perspectives are another key focus, with a call to implement changes that enhance tracking and monitoring of patient outcomes. Furthermore, they explore the role of technology designed for patients, as well as applying ERAS principles to surgeries that fall “outside of the box.”   The Cardiac Recovery Room is the place to hear the conversations colleagues are having after the meetings. Each month, a new episode will be released featuring a leadership panel from the ERAS Cardiac Society.  Disclaimer The information and views presented on CTSNet.org represent the views of the authors and contributors of the material and not of CTSNet. Please review our full disclaimer page here.