The 2021 Vivien T. Thomas Lecture during The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 57th Annual Meeting was delivered by Quinn Capers IV, MD, associate dean for faculty diversity and vice chair for diversity and inclusion in the Department of Internal Medicine at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

The 2021 C. Walton Lillehei Lecture was presented during The Society of Thoracic Surgeons 57th Annual Meeting by Paul G. Yock, MD, MA, founder and director of the Stanford Byers Center for Biodesign in California.

During the lecture, Dr. Yock encourage participants to view innovation as a discipline—one that can be taught, practiced, and recreated. He acknowledged, though, that comprehensive innovation can be difficult in the health care setting because it involves multiple stakeholders. He likened the “user” in this scenario to an “eight-headed monster.”

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In the News: A Surgeon's View
How the cardiothoracic surgery community can address the gender wage gap.
5 min read
HelenMari Merritt-Genore, DO
Risk assessment and stratification, as well as operative and non-operative treatment options for lung resection in patients with marginal pulmonary function
Duration
9 min.

Right ventricular (RV) failure occurs when the right ventricle does not maintain enough blood flow through the pulmonary circulation to achieve adequate left ventricular filling. This video reviews the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of RV failure after cardiac surgery.

Presenters: 
Nathalie Roy, MD 
Harvard University, Boston Children’s Hospital

Hitoshi Hirose MD, PhD
Thomas Jefferson University

Duration
9 min.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation is the most common complication following heart surgery. This video will describe potential inflammatory components that contribute to this problem found in the pericardial space.  

Presenter:
Spencer J. Melby, MD
Barnes Jewish Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis

Duration
9 min.

Cardiac surgery is an underappreciated contributor to the opioid crisis, with patients commonly utilizing opioid prescriptions months after their index procedure. This video addresses the historical basis for opioid-based anesthesia and analgesia in cardiac surgery and describes five programmatic strategies to reduce the perioperative use of opioids.  

Presenter:
Michael C. Grant, MD, MSE
Johns Hopkins Medicine

Duration
7 min.
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Career Development Blog

With the new academic year fully in progress, those of you in your final year of training are undoubtedly considering life beyond residency or fellowship. In addition to the busy demands of day-to-day life, you will have the added excitement and challenges of finding your first “real” job. In broad strokes, considering the four Ps below may help you identify and determine your ideal job.

4 min read
Betty C. Tong, MD, MHS, MS  

Lactate production is a consequence of cardiac surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients with elevated lactate levels have increased 30-day mortality. This video addresses the etiology of elevated lactate and aggressive treatment to ensure the best postoperative outcome.

Presenters:
Shahnur Ahmed 
Wayne State University 

Frank A. Baciewicz Jr., MD
Wayne State University 

Duration
8 min.