Background/Objective: Post-implantation syndrome (PIS) is a benign and self-limited acute-phase inflammatory response to endovascular interventions such as Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR). Despite the absence of a precise definition, PIS is characterized by fever and elevated inflammatory parameters. The development of PIS has been associated with prolonged hospital stay, increased costs and a greater likelihood for rehospitalization. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of PIS on the overall morbidity and mortality rate following TEVAR and to detect possible risk factors for the development of PIS after TEVAR.

Methods: Primary elective TEVAR procedures for aneurysm or penetrating aortic ulcer of the descending thoracic aorta between January 2017 and Dezember 2023 were analysed in this single-centre retrospective observational study. The peak levels of CRP, leukocytes, procalcitonin were examined both before and after intervention. Welch two-sample t-test and Pearson's Chi-squared test with Yates' continuity correction were performed. A multivariant logistic regression analysis was performed to assess potential risk factors. PIS was defined as postinterventional temperature >38°C, and a leucocyte count >12 000/ml or a CRP level >10 mg/dl.

Results: 186 TEVAR procedures were performed, 24.7% (n=46) met the inclusion criteria. 30.4 % (n=14) cases of PIS were identified. Patients with PIS showed significantly increased temperatures (POD 1, 2, 3, 4. with p-values <0.02) as well as increased peak levels of CRP (POD 3 with p=0.004), and leucocytes (POD4 with p= 0.028). Patients with PIS demonstrated a trend towards prolonged ICU (2.14 d vs. 1.03 d p= 0.110) and hospital (6.64 d vs. 5.66 d p=0.102) stays compared to patients without PIS. In our cohort, stent graft material did not have a statistically significant influence on the development of PIS.

Conclusion: Our results are comparable to studies with larger collectives on PIS after abdominal endovascular aortic repair. PIS was not associated with an increased mortality rate. It is imperative that further studies with larger sample sizes be conducted to analyze PIS after TEVAR.

Background
Aortic stenosis (AS) imposes chronic left ventricular (LV) pressure overload, leading to hypertrophy, remodeling, and without intervention ultimately to heart failure. Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) relieves outflow obstruction and induces reverse remodeling, characterized by partial restoration of LV´s pre–pressure overload state.

Methods
We studied 164 patients undergoing SAVR, with comprehensive assessments at four timepoints. Evaluations included heart failure status, quality-of-life scores, echocardiography (aortic flow velocity, regurgitation, valve area, LV ejection fraction -LVEF, LV and atrial volumes, wall thickness), biomarkers of myocardial stretch and injury, renal and hepatic function, lipid profile, circulating mRNAs and histological analysis of perioperative LV biopsies.

Results
Women presented with more pronounced baseline LV hypertrophy but exhibited faster and more pronounced reverse remodeling than men, with greater reductions in LV mass and septal thickness indexed. Despite higher age and worse heart failure scores at baseline, women achieved superior structural recovery after one year. However, women had lower glomerular filtration rate, higher creatinine, and greater susceptibility to renal dysfunction. LVEF improved significantly in both sexes. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was higher in women at baseline and postoperatively, consistent with longer hypertension exposure and greater myocardial stretch. Transcriptomic profiling of total blood identified sex-specific molecular patterns. Differentially expressed mRNAs were enriched in pathways regulating extracellular matrix remodeling, fibroblast activation, angiogenesis, immune signaling, and oxidative stress. In women, early post-SAVR enrichment included matrix-degrading enzymes (MMP14, ADAM9) and angiogenic/fibrotic regulators (PDGFC, WNT pathways), while men showed enrichment of oxidative stress- and membrane transport–related transcripts (GLRX5, DNAJ30, FZD5).

Conclusion
The timely performed SAVR restores normal flow dynamics, improves LV structure and function, and enhances functional status and quality of life. Gender-specific differences were evident: women demonstrated greater reverse remodeling despite higher age and worse baseline parameters yet were more vulnerable to renal impairment. Integrating molecular and structural data may enable early identification of non-responders and guide personalized therapeutic strategies after SAVR.

Surgical education in Austria faces significant challenges. A growing shortage of specialists, evolving training requirements, and increasing strain on clinical resources threaten the long-term quality of patient care. Innovative teaching approaches are, therefore, urgently required.

At the Center for Biomedical Research and Translational Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, we have established a concept called SMART Medical Training that offers medical students, beginning in their 5th semester, early hands-on access to complex surgical skills, including robotic-assisted techniques. Within our elective surgical training courses, students practice vascular suturing under the supervision of experienced cardiac and vascular surgeons. Training is performed on synthetic grafts, ex-vivo porcine hearts, and innovative biological and 3D-printed vessel models, providing an advanced level of exposure that has traditionally been reserved for surgical residents.

A key innovation of this program is the integration of digital evaluation methods. Motion analysis (video-based and wearable tremor detection) and eye-tracking for cognitive performance assessment enable objective, quantitative monitoring of individual learning progress. These data allow for personalized training optimization and establish novel, measurable performance parameters for surgical education. Our current research focuses on refining these evaluation strategies to create an optimized, data-driven training environment for surgical teaching.

This approach represents a paradigm shift in surgical education: combining realistic, high-level practice with digital performance assessment to bridge the gap between undergraduate training and residency. By promoting early skill acquisition and implementing objective evaluation tools, this program contributes to the modernization of surgical education and to securing the next generation of highly qualified surgeons in Austria.

Nerve injury induces the reprogramming of adult Schwann cells (SCs) into a distinct repair phenotype essential for peripheral nerve regeneration. Current understanding of the underlying regenerative mechanisms is largely based on rodent models, while translational progress is hampered by limited validation in human systems. To address this need, we aim to reveal the functional heterogeneity and temporal dynamics of cell populations within injured human peripheral nerves. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing on cultured human sural nerve explants at days 1, 4, 8 and 12 post-excision and validated the findings using immunofluorescence staining of nerve sections and isolated human SC cultures. Single-cell RNA sequencing successfully captured cell type-specific and time-resolved gene expression changes in the nerve explants. We were able to confirm the transition of SCs into a repair state and demonstrate immunomodulatory properties associated with distinct SC subtypes. Thus, this ex vivo injury model represents a valuable human-based platform to study early cellular and molecular responses following peripheral nerve injury. We are currently analyzing additional donor samples across multiple time points to build a detailed, temporally resolved single-cell atlas of the injured human sural nerve.