Medical Student Research Fellowship for Summer 2011

Mentor: J. Michael DiMaio, MD                
Department: Cardiothoracic Surgery                  
Room number: HA9.134   
Mail Code: 8879                  
Phone number: 214-645-7731     
E-mail: Michael.dimaio@utsouthwestern.edu, Leah.gaither@utsouthwestern.edu
Project title:  

1. Infective endocarditis: Clinical Care and Results of Surgical Management (IRB 062010-   009)
Parkland Memorial Hospital has a large population of immigrants from third-world countries.  Due to the continued presence of rheumatic heart disease and the sequela of valve abnormalities as well as the intravenous drug abuse populations, there is a large amount of endocarditis that presents at the hospital.  A review of the survival of these patients represents a survival in the cardiac surgical department that is far superior to other series in literature.  A very thorough review of the microbiology indicates that for surgery, valve repair versus replacement and the echocardiographic data can be compared to other series such as the ICE database (that stands for the International Consortium for Endocarditis).

2. LASER LEAD EXTRACTION (IRB pending)
With increasing number of electrophysiological devices, including pacemakers and ICDs, there is increasing requirement to remove these long-term devices with novel methods.  Newer methods involve using excimer lasers to help excise these leads in the operating room.  Some institutions have utilized this in the catheterization lab, but it is felt by our institution that the safest location is in the operating room with the combined expertise of cardiology and thoracic surgery.

3. AIRWAY AND LASER STENTS (IRB pending)
UT Southwestern represents one of the largest centers for aggressive airway and esophageal interventional management.  The utilization of holmium YAG lasers and stents for benign and malignant disease are reviewed in this series.  Again, the indications and complications of this will provide insight for other centers and other series.

           
Project Type – all patient based

Previous Research Activities or Publications with Medical Students:

• Infective Endocarditis: Clinical Course and Results of Surgical Management
• Pain Management Techniques used in the Postoperative Period following Thoracotomy Procedures –

A Retrospective Analysis and Follow up

• Clinical Management of Laryngotracheal Trauma: Case Report and Literature Review
• Lung Cancer in Heart Transplant Patients: The Use of CT Screening
• Traumatic Aortic Injury: Management of Blunt Aortic Injury – A Paradigm Shift?
• Pleural Effusions: Effective Palliation of Malignant Pleural Effusions With the Pleurx Catheter
• Esophageal Cancer: Clinical Impact of Combined Modality Therapy for Esophageal Cancer
• Renal Cell Carcinoma: Contemporary Techniques Improving the Safety of Surgical Management of Tumor Thrombi

• Early steroid withdrawal improves late survival after heart transplantation: 14 year results
• Renal function is preserved following heart transplantation using IL-2 receptor blockade