COVID-19 in the perioperative period of cardiovascular surgery: the brazilian experience

Abstract Introduction: We investigated the clinical course and outcomes of patients submitted to cardiovascular surgery in Brazil and who had developed symptoms/signs of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the perioperative period. Methods: A retrospective multicenter study including 104 patients who were allocated in three groups according to time of positive real time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2): group 1, patients who underwent cardiac surgery > 10 days after positive RT-PCR; group 2, patients with a positive RT-PCR within 10 days before or after surgery; group 3, patients who presented positive RT-PCR > 10 days after surgery. The primary outcome was mortality and secondary outcomes were postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, and postoperative days of hospitalization. Results: The three groups were similar with respect to age, the European System of Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score, and comorbidities, except hypertension. Postoperative complications and death were significantly higher in groups 2 and 3 than in group 1, and no significant difference between groups 2 and 3 was seen. Group 2 showed a high prevalence of surgery performed as an urgent procedure. Although no significant differences were observed in ICU length of stay, total postoperative hospitalization time was significantly higher in group 3 than in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: COVID-19 affecting the postoperative period of patients who underwent cardiovascular surgery is associated with a higher rate of morbidity and mortality. Delaying procedures in RT-PCR-positive patients may help reduce risks of perioperative complications and death.

Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in frail patients: study protocol for the fragile multicenter randomized controlled trial

Abstract Introduction: Advances in modern medicine have led to people living longer and healthier lives. Frailty is an emerging concept in medicine yet to be explored as a risk factor in cardiac surgery. When it comes to CABG surgery, randomized controlled clinical trials have primarily focused on low-risk (ROOBY, CORONARY), elevated-risk (GOPCABE) or high-risk patients (BBS), but not on frail patients. Therefore, we believe that off-pump CABG could be an important technique in patients with limited functional capacity to respond to surgical stress. In this study, the authors introduce the new national, multicenter, randomized, controlled trial "FRAGILE", to be developed in the main cardiac surgery centers of Brazil, to clarify the potential benefit of off-pump CABG in frail patients. Methods: FRAGILE is a two-arm, parallel-group, multicentre, individually randomized (1:1) controlled trial which will enroll 630 patients with blinded outcome assessment (at 30 days, 6 months, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years), which aims to compare adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events after off-pump versus on-pump CABG in pre-frail and frail patients. Primary outcomes will be all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest with successful resuscitation, low cardiac output syndrome/cardiogenic shock, stroke, and coronary reintervention. Secondary outcomes will be major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, operative time, mechanical ventilation time, hyperdynamic shock, new onset of atrial fibrillation, renal replacement therapy, reoperation for bleeding, pneumonia, length of stay in intensive care unit, length of stay in hospital, number of units of blood transfused, graft patency, rate of complete revascularization, neurobehavioral outcomes after cardiac surgery, quality of life after cardiac surgery and costs. Discussion: FRAGILE trial will determine whether off-pump CABG is superior to conventional on-pump CABG in the surgical treatment of pre-frail and frail patients. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02338947. Registered on August 29th 2014; last updated on March 21st 2016.

Cirurgia de preservação da valva aórtica em idosos com estenose aórtica / Aortic valve preservation surgery in elderly patients with aortic stenosis

OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste estudo é apresentar resultados imediatos e tardios da cirurgia de preservação da valva aórtica por meio do desbastamento, descalcificação e comissurotomia da valva aórtica na estenose aórtica em idosos. MÉTODOS: Estudo realizado no InCor FMUSP, no qual foram operados 32 pacientes > 65 anos com estenose aórtica isolada, submetidos a plastia da valva aórtica. Observamos os resultados imediatos e tardios, o seguimento ecocardiográfico e clínico; sendo este último pela revisão das consultas ambulatoriais e entrevista por contato telefônico. A sobrevida atuarial e livre de eventos foi calculada pelo método de Kaplan-Meier. RESULTADOS: Quatro (15,4 por cento) pacientes apresentaram reestenose da valva aórtica. Cinco pacientes evoluíram com insuficiência aórtica moderada e dois com insuficiência aórtica grave. Os procedimentos realizados na cirurgia foram: descalcificação, comissurotomia e desbastamento em 28, 20 e 16 pacientes, respectivamente. As complicações pós-operatórias graves totalizaram nove (28,1 por cento) pacientes. Ocorreram dois óbitos hospitalares, estes por sepse causada por pneumonia hospitalar, e cinco tardios. A classe funcional pós-operatória, segundo a NYHA, em ordem decrescente foi de 70,5 por cento, 17,6 por cento, 5,8 por cento e 5,8 por cento; para as classes funcionais I, II, III e IV, respectivamente. A sobrevida actuarial foi de 66,9 por cento + 12,1 por cento em oito anos. A curva livre de tromboembolismo e endocardite foram de 90,9 por cento + 8,7 por cento e 100 por cento em oito anos, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: A cirurgia de preservação da valva aórtica em idosos com estenose aórtica nesta série de pacientes mostrou-se com baixa morbidade e mortalidade, taxa de sobrevida satisfatória em oito anos e melhora da classe funcional no seguimento apresentado.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate early and late results of the aortic valve preservation surgery (AVPS) through rough-hewing, demineralization and commissurotomy of the aortic valve (AV) in aortic stenosis (AS) at elderly people. METHODS: Thirty-two patients operated for pure AS, older than 65 years-old were studied at InCor FMUSP. Early and late results, clinical (ambulatory and phone interview) and echocardiographic follow-up were investigated. Actuarial and event-free survival analysis was done using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Four patients (15.4 percent) had presented de novo AV stenosis. Five patients had progressed to moderate and two to serious aortic regurgitation. Demineralization, commissurotomy and rough-hewing were realized in 28, 20 and 16 patients, respectively. Nine patients had presented serious postoperative complications (28.1 percent). Two hospital-acquired pneumonia sepsis and five late deaths had occurred. Postoperative NYHA functional status were 70.5 percent, 17.6 percent, 5.8 percent and 5.8 percent for functional classes I, II, III and IV, respectively. Actuarial eight-year survival rate was 66.9 ± 12.1 percent. Eight-year free thromboembolism and endocarditis rate were 90.9 ± 8.7 percent and 100 percent, respectively. CONCLUSION: Aortic valve preservation surgery at the aged with AS was revealed a low morbidity and mortality procedure and presented an eight-year acceptable survival rate and functional status improvement among the studied series of patients.