Publications
Below you can find a list of our published research.
Below you can find a list of our published research.
94 results
Cited 10 times since 2018 (1.7 per year) source: EuropePMC
The Annals of thoracic surgery, Volume 106, Issue 2, 3 1 2018, Pages 412-420 National Comparison of Hospital Performances in Lung Cancer Surgery: The Role of Case Mix Adjustment. Beck N, Hoeijmakers F, van der Willik EM, Heineman DJ, Braun J, Tollenaar RAEM, Schreurs WH, Wouters MWJM
Background: When comparing hospitals on outcome indicators, proper adjustment for case mix (a combination of patient and disease characteristics) is indispensable. This study examines the need for case mix adjustment in evaluating hospital outcomes for non-small cell lung cancer surgery. Methods: Data from the Dutch Lung Cancer Audit for Surgery were used to validate factors associated with postoperative 30-day mortality and complicated course with multivariable logistic regression models. Betwe... Abstract
Cited 4 times since 2017 (0.6 per year) source: EuropePMC
European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Volume 52, Issue 6, 1 1 2017, Pages 1161-1167 Right ventricular dysfunction after surgical left ventricular restoration: prevalence, risk factors and clinical implications. Couperus LE, Delgado V, van Vessem ME, Tops LF, Palmen M, Braun J, Verwey HF, Klautz RJM, Schalij MJ, Beeres SLMA
Objectives: Surgical left ventricular (LV) restoration (SVR) induces changes in LV systolic and diastolic function that may affect postoperative right ventricular (RV) function. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effect of SVR on RV function, with specific focus on determinants and prognostic implications of RV dysfunction. Methods: Eighty-six patients (age 60 ± 10 years, 73% male) with clinical and echocardiographic follow-up 2 years after SVR were included. RV dysfunction was defined a... Abstract
Cited 2 times since 2017 (0.3 per year) source: EuropePMC
Lung cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands), Volume 114, 2 1 2017, Pages 50-55 Esophageal ultrasound (EUS) assessment of T4 status in NSCLC patients. Kuijvenhoven JC, Crombag L, Breen DP, van den Berk I, Versteegh MIM, Braun J, Winkelman TA, van Boven W, Bonta PI, Rabe KF, Annema JT
Background: Mediastinal and central large vessels (T4) invasion by lung cancer is often difficult to assess preoperatively due to the limited accuracy of computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest. Esophageal ultrasound (EUS) can visualize the relationship of para-esophageally located lung tumors to surrounding mediastinal structures. Aim: To assess the value of EUS for detecting mediastinal invasion (T4) of centrally located lung tumors. Methods: Patients who underwent EUS for the diagnosis and... Abstract
Cited 5 times since 2017 (0.7 per year) source: EuropePMC
Europace : European pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac electrophysiology : journal of the working groups on cardiac pacing, arrhythmias, and cardiac cellular electrophysiology of the European Society of Cardiology, Volume 19, Issue 4, 1 1 2017, Pages 560-567 Limited left atrial surgical ablation effectively treats atrial fibrillation but decreases left atrial function. Compier MG, Tops LF, Braun J, Zeppenfeld K, Klautz RJ, Schalij MJ, Trines SA
Aims: Limited left atrial (LA) surgical ablation with bipolar radiofrequency is considered to be an effective procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF). We studied whether limited LA surgical ablation concomitant to cardiac surgery is able to maintain LA function. Methods and results: Thirty-six consecutive patients (age 66 ± 12 years, 53% male, 78% persistent AF) scheduled for valve surgery and/or coronary revascularization and concomitant LA surgical ablation were included. Epicardia... Abstract
Cited 9 times since 2016 (1.2 per year) source: EuropePMC
The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, Volume 153, Issue 4, 23 4 2016, Pages 845-852 Right ventricular dysfunction affects survival after surgical left ventricular restoration. Couperus LE, Delgado V, Palmen M, van Vessem ME, Braun J, Fiocco M, Tops LF, Verwey HF, Klautz RJ, Schalij MJ, Beeres SL
Objective: Several clinical and left ventricular parameters have been associated with prognosis after surgical left ventricular restoration in patients with ischemic heart failure. The aim of this study was to determine the prognostic value of right ventricular function. Methods: A total of 139 patients with ischemic heart failure (62 ± 10 years; 79% were male; left ventricular ejection fraction 27% ± 7%) underwent surgical left ventricular restoration. Biventricular function was assessed with e... Abstract
Cited 4 times since 2016 (0.5 per year) source: EuropePMC
Interactive cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, Volume 23, Issue 6, 1 1 2016, Pages 979-981 Left ventricular assist device implantation in patients after left ventricular reconstruction. Palmen M, Braun J, Beeres SL, Klautz RJ
Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation can be challenging in patients with a prior surgical ventricular restoration (SVR). In this case series of heart failure patients with a history of SVR, we describe the surgical technique and outcome of a customized approach for inflow cannula orientation. Seven patients with a history of SVR with end-stage chronic heart failure were accepted for long-term LVAD support. In all patients, the Dacron patch was removed through left ventriculotomy an... Abstract
Cited 131 times since 2016 (16.5 per year) source: EuropePMC
Nature reviews. Cardiology, Volume 13, Issue 8, 19 3 2016, Pages 451-470 Vein graft failure: from pathophysiology to clinical outcomes. de Vries MR, Simons KH, Jukema JW, Braun J, Quax PH
Occlusive arterial disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Aside from balloon angioplasty, bypass graft surgery is the most commonly performed revascularization technique for occlusive arterial disease. Coronary artery bypass graft surgery is performed in patients with left main coronary artery disease and three-vessel coronary disease, whereas peripheral artery bypass graft surgery is used to treat patients with late-stage peripheral artery occlusive disease. The great... Abstract
The New England journal of medicine, Volume 374, Issue 20, 1 1 2016, Pages 1992 Surgery for Severe Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation. Braun J, Petrus AH, Klautz RJ
Cited 6 times since 2016 (0.7 per year) source: EuropePMC
Netherlands heart journal : monthly journal of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology and the Netherlands Heart Foundation, Volume 24, Issue 2, 1 1 2016, Pages 143-151 Outcome of stand-alone thoracoscopic epicardial left atrial posterior box isolation with bipolar radiofrequency energy for longstanding persistent atrial fibrillation. Compier MG, Braun J, Tjon A, Zeppenfeld K, Klautz RJ, Schalij MJ, Trines SA
Introduction: Catheter ablation of longstanding (> 1 year) persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with poor outcome. This might be due to remodelling and fibrosis formation, mainly located in the posterior left atrial (LA) wall. Therefore, we adopted a thoracoscopic epicardial box isolation of the posterior left atrium using bipolar RF energy with intraoperative testing of conduction block. Methods and results: Bilateral thoracoscopic box isolation was performed with a bipolar RF c... Abstract
Cited 19 times since 2016 (2.3 per year) source: EuropePMC
European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Volume 49, Issue 6, 19 3 2016, Pages 1699-1704 Stentless bioprostheses: a versatile and durable solution in extensive aortic valve endocarditis. Schneider AW, Hazekamp MG, Versteegh MI, Bruggemans EF, Holman ER, Klautz RJ, Braun J
Objectives: Infective endocarditis of the aortic valve with local aortic root destruction requires radical resection of infected tissues and subsequent reconstruction of periannular structures and the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT). Homografts or stentless bioprostheses are recommended for use in this specific patient group. The Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis is a porcine aortic root prosthesis, which approaches the surgical versatility of the homograft, but has the advantage of ready... Abstract
Cited 3 times since 2015 (0.3 per year) source: EuropePMC
Cardiovascular research, Volume 107, Issue 4, 3 1 2015, Pages 601-612 Forced fusion of human ventricular scar cells with cardiomyocytes suppresses arrhythmogenicity in a co-culture model. Engels MC, Askar SF, Jangsangthong W, Bingen BO, Feola I, Liu J, Majumder R, Versteegh MI, Braun J, Klautz RJ, Ypey DL, De Vries AA, Pijnappels DA
Aims: Fibrosis increases arrhythmogenicity in myocardial tissue by causing structural and functional disruptions in the cardiac syncytium. Forced fusion of fibroblastic cells with adjacent cardiomyocytes may theoretically resolve these disruptions. Therefore, the electrophysiological effects of such electrical and structural integration of fibroblastic cells into a cardiac syncytium were studied. Methods and results: Human ventricular scar cells (hVSCs) were transduced with lentiviral vectors en... Abstract
Cited 13 times since 2014 (1.4 per year) source: EuropePMC
Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, Volume 9, Issue 10, 1 1 2014, Pages 1547-1553 Phase II multicenter clinical trial of pulmonary metastasectomy and isolated lung perfusion with melphalan in patients with resectable lung metastases. den Hengst WA, Hendriks JM, Balduyck B, Rodrigus I, Vermorken JB, Lardon F, Versteegh MI, Braun J, Gelderblom H, Schramel FM, Van Boven WJ, Van Putte BP, Birim Ö, Maat AP, Van Schil PE
Introduction: The 5-year overall survival rate of patients undergoing complete surgical resection of pulmonary metastases (PM) from colorectal cancer (CRC) and sarcoma remains low (20-50%). Local recurrence rate is high (48-66%). Isolated lung perfusion (ILuP) allows the delivery of high-dose locoregional chemotherapy with minimal systemic leakage to improve local control. Methods: From 2006 to 2011, 50 patients, 28 male, median age 57 years (15-76), with PM from CRC (n = 30) or sarcoma (n = 20)... Abstract
Cited 23 times since 2013 (2.1 per year) source: Scopus
European journal of heart failure, Volume 15, Issue 9, 10 2 2013, Pages 1011-1018 Galectin-3 and left ventricular reverse remodelling after surgical mitral valve repair. Kortekaas KA, Hoogslag GE, de Boer RA, Dokter MM, Versteegh MI, Braun J, Marsan NA, Verwey HF, Delgado V, Schalij MJ, Klautz RJ
Aims: Mitral valve repair in patients with functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) has been associated with beneficial left ventricular (LV) reverse remodelling. Recently, galectin-3 emerged as a marker of myocardial inflammation and fibrosis which may influence LV remodelling after surgery. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the association between pre-operative galectin-3 levels and LV reverse remodelling in heart failure patients with significant FMR who underwent mitral valve repair.... Abstract
The Annals of thoracic surgery, Volume 93, Issue 4, 1 1 2012, Pages 1193-1194 Invited commentary. Braun J
Cited 8 times since 2012 (0.7 per year) source: EuropePMC
Current opinion in cardiology, Volume 27, Issue 2, 1 1 2012, Pages 111-117 Mitral valve surgery in low ejection fraction, severe ischemic mitral regurgitation patients: should we repair them all? Braun J, Klautz RJ
Purpose of review: The optimal surgical treatment of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation still is the subject of much debate in the surgical and cardiological communities. Although combined restrictive mitral annuloplasty and revascularization has demonstrated good results with regard to improvement of clinical status, low rates of recurrent mitral regurgitation and sustained left ventricular reverse remodeling, a survival benefit still has not been demonstrated. In addition, not all patients... Abstract
Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde, Volume 156, Issue 41, 1 1 2012, Pages A3604 [Surgery in patients with centrally-situated non-small cell lung carcinoma: lung-parenchymal sparing procedure versus pneumonectomy]. Versteegh M, Smeenk HG, Annema J, Wijers O, Tjon A, Wolterbeek R, van Kralingen K, Klautz R, Braun J
Objective: To examine if lung-parenchymal sparing resection ('sleeve' resection) is a safe and oncologically responsible alternative to pneumonectomy in patients with central tumours. Further, to evaluate in how far this technique is being used in the Netherlands. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Method: Patients undergoing either lung-parenchymal sparing procedure or pneumonectomy for centrally situated non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) between January 1995 and January 2010 wer... Abstract
Cited 6 times since 2012 (0.5 per year) source: EuropePMC
European journal of cardio-thoracic surgery : official journal of the European Association for Cardio-thoracic Surgery, Volume 41, Issue 1, 1 1 2012, Pages 74-80; discussion 80-1 Management of mitral regurgitation during left ventricular reconstruction for ischemic heart failure. Klein P, Braun J, Holman ER, Versteegh MI, Verwey HF, Dion RA, Bax JJ, Klautz RJ
Objective: Remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) in ischemic cardiomyopathy frequently leads to functional mitral regurgitation (MR). The indication for correcting MR in patients undergoing LV reconstruction (LVR) is unclear. In this study, we evaluated our strategy of correcting MR≥grade 2+ by restrictive mitral annuloplasty (RMA) during LVR. Methods: We studied 92 consecutive patients (76 men, mean age 61±10 years) who underwent LVR for ischemic heart failure (IHF). RMA was performed in all pa... Abstract
Cited 21 times since 2011 (1.7 per year) source: EuropePMC
Journal of cellular and molecular medicine, Volume 15, Issue 12, 1 1 2011, Pages 2675-2683 Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation alters electrical conductivity of human epicardial cells. Bax NA, Pijnappels DA, van Oorschot AA, Winter EM, de Vries AA, van Tuyn J, Braun J, Maas S, Schalij MJ, Atsma DE, Goumans MJ, Gittenberger-de Groot AC
The myocardium of the developing heart tube is covered by epicardium. These epicardial cells undergo a process of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and develop into epicardium-derived cells (EPDCs). The ingrowing EPDCs differentiate into several celltypes of which the cardiac fibroblasts form the main group. Disturbance of EMT of the epicardium leads to serious hypoplasia of the myocardium, abnormal coronary artery differentiation and Purkinje fibre paucity. Interestingly, the elect... Abstract
Cited 11 times since 2011 (0.9 per year) source: EuropePMC
Journal of thoracic oncology : official publication of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, Volume 6, Issue 9, 1 1 2011, Pages 1510-1515 Transesophageal ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for the mediastinal restaging of non-small cell lung cancer. von Bartheld MB, Versteegh MI, Braun J, Willems LN, Rabe KF, Annema JT
Introduction: Selected patients with stage III (N2/N3) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who are downstaged to N0 by chemoradiation therapy might benefit from subsequent surgical resection of the tumor. How mediastinal lymph nodes can be best reevaluated is subject of debate. Transesophageal ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) is a minimally invasive technique to sample mediastinal nodes. We assessed sensitivity and false-negative rate of EUS-FNA for the mediastinal restaging of... Abstract
Cited 43 times since 2011 (3.3 per year) source: EuropePMC
Basic research in cardiology, Volume 106, Issue 5, 24 4 2011, Pages 829-847 In vitro epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation in human adult epicardial cells is regulated by TGFβ-signaling and WT1. Bax NA, van Oorschot AA, Maas S, Braun J, van Tuyn J, de Vries AA, Groot AC, Goumans MJ
Adult epicardial cells are required for endogenous cardiac repair. After myocardial injury, they are reactivated, undergo epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) and migrate into the injured myocardium where they generate various cell types, including coronary smooth muscle cells and cardiac interstitial fibroblasts, which contribute to cardiac repair. To understand what drives epicardial EMT, we used an in vitro model for human adult epicardial cells. These cells have an epithelium-like... Abstract