The impact of resource allocation during the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac surgical practice and patient outcomes: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has shaken the world and placed enormous strain on healthcare systems globally. In this systematic review, we investigate the effect of resource allocation on cardiac surgery programs and the impact on patients awaiting elective cardiac surgery. METHODS: PubMed and Embase were systematically searched for articles published from 1 January 2019 to 30 August 2022. This systematic review included studies investigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on resource allocation and the subsequent influence on cardiac surgery outcomes. A total of 1676 abstracts and titles were reviewed and 20 studies were included in this review. RESULTS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, resources were allocated away from elective cardiac surgery to help support the pandemic response. This resulted in increased wait times for elective patients, increased rates of urgent or emergent surgical intervention and increased rates of mortality or complications for patients awaiting or undergoing cardiac surgery during the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: While the finite resources available during the pandemic were often insufficient to meet the needs of all patients as well as the influx of new COVID-19 patients, resource allocation away from elective cardiac surgery resulted in prolonged wait times, more frequent urgent or emergent surgeries and negative impacts on patient outcomes. Understanding the impacts of delayed access to care with regards to urgency of care, increased morbidity and mortality and increased utilization of resources per indexed case needs to be considered to navigate through pandemics to minimize the lingering effects that continue to negatively impact patient outcomes.

Infective endocarditis and oral surgery input before cardiac surgery: time to prick the paradigm of pre-cardiac surgery assessments?

Purpose To review current practice regarding oral surgery input for patients awaiting cardiac valvular surgery and who are at risk of infective endocarditis (IE) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to stimulate debate around the indications for pre-operative oral surgery assessment. It also opens the way to developing a new research-based approach which is patient-centred, safe, effective and efficient.Methods A desk-top based patient review was undertaken between 27 March 2020 and 1 July 2022 to record the outcome of patients undergoing cardiac valvular surgery in Northern Ireland, following the revision of the referral guidelines for oral surgery intervention. Data were collected for all cardiac referrals to the oral surgery on-call service in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. Complications were recorded at two weeks, two months, and six months post-surgery, using Northern Ireland Electronic Care Records.Results In total, 67 cardiac patients were identified between 27 March 2020 and 1 July 2022: 65.7% of patients were male and had an average age of 68, while the female patients had an average age of 61. The mean interval of date of cardiology referral to surgery date was 9.7 working days, with 36% of patients referred within five days of the planned surgery date. Moreover, 39% had valvular surgery in combination with another type of cardiac surgery. No complications linked to dental aetiology were noted.Conclusions This paper raises questions about the advisability of oral surgery input before cardiac surgery for anything other than pain relief, management of acute dental sepsis, or IE whose source has been identified as an oral commensal. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an opportunity to review current practice and open the way to developing a new approach which is patient-centred, safe, effective and efficient.

Cardiac surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic had several specific as well as general implications on cardiac surgery. Acute respiratory distress made extracorporeal oxygenation necessary in a significant number of patients and accordingly many patients were treated in anesthesiological and even more in cardiac surgical intensive care units, which left only a limited number of beds in the intensive care units available for elective surgery cases. Moreover, the necessary availability of intensive care beds for severely diseased COVID-19 patients in general posed a further limit, as did the relevant number of diseased personnel. Specific emergency plans were developed for many heart surgery units, limiting the number of elective cases. Increasing waiting lists were of course stressful for numerous elective-surgery patients and the decreased number of heart operations also meant a financial burden for many units.

Study protocol of a phase 2, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind, adaptive, parallel group clinical study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of recombinant alpha-1-microglobulin in subjects at high risk for acute kidney injury following open-chest cardiac surgery (AKITA trial).

INTRODUCTION: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication after cardiac surgery (CS) and is associated with adverse short-term and long-term outcomes. Alpha-1-microglobulin (A1M) is a circulating glycoprotein with antioxidant, heme binding and mitochondrial-protective mechanisms. RMC-035 is a modified, more soluble, variant of A1M and has been proposed as a novel targeted therapeutic protein to prevent CS-associated AKI (CS-AKI). RMC-035 was considered safe and generally well tolerated when evaluated in four clinical phase 1 studies. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, adaptive design, parallel group clinical study that evaluates RMC-035 compared with placebo in approximately 268 cardiac surgical patients at high risk for CS-AKI. RMC-035 is administered as an intravenous infusion. In total, five doses will be given. Dosing is based on presurgery estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and will be either 1.3 or 0.65 mg/kg.The primary study objective is to evaluate whether RMC-035 reduces the incidence of postoperative AKI, and key secondary objectives are to evaluate whether RMC-035 improves postoperative renal function compared with placebo. A blinded interim analysis with potential sample size reassessment is planned once 134 randomised subjects have completed dosing. An independent data monitoring committee will evaluate safety and efficacy data at prespecified intervals throughout the trial. The study is a global multicentre study at approximately 30 sites. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The trial was approved by the joint ethics committee of the physician chamber Westfalen-Lippe and the University of Münster (code '2021-778 f-A') and subsequently approved by the responsible ethics committees/relevant institutional review boards for the participating sites. The study is conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice, the Declaration of Helsinki and other applicable regulations. Results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT05126303.

Cardiac Surgery for Treatment of COVID-19-Associated Infectious Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Significant uncertainty exists about the optimal timing of surgery for infectious endocarditis (IE) surgery in patients with active SARS-CoV-2 infection. This case series and a systematic review of the literature were carried out to evaluate the timing of surgery and postsurgical outcomes for patients with COVID-19-associated IE. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched for reports published from June 20, 2020, to June 24, 2021, that contained the terms infective endocarditis and COVID-19. A case series of 8 patients from the authors' facility was also added. RESULTS: A total of 12 cases were included, including 4 case reports that met inclusion criteria in addition to a case series of 8 patients from the authors' facility. Mean (SD) patient age was 61.9 (17.1) years, and patients were predominantly male (91.7%). Being overweight was the main comorbidity among patients studied (7/8 [87.5%]). Among all patients evaluated in this study, dyspnea (n = 8 [66.7%]) was the leading symptom, followed by fever (n = 7 [58.3%]). Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus caused 75.0% of COVID-19-associated IE. The mean (SD) time to surgery was 14.5 (15.6) days (median, 13 days). In-hospital and 30-day mortality for all evaluated patients was 16.7% (n = 2). CONCLUSION: Clinicians must carefully assess patients diagnosed with COVID-19 to prevent missing underlying diseases such as IE. If IE is suspected, clinicians should avoid postponement of crucial diagnostic and treatment steps.

Retrospective record review on timing of COVID-19 vaccination and cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Novel clinical challenges are faced by cardiac surgeons under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Amidst the uncertainties faced due to the socioeconomic and public health impact, there is little evidence surrounding COVID-19 vaccination in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Timing of vaccination and postvaccination adverse effects are required parameters to discuss with cardiac surgical patients. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective observational study. All patients who underwent adult cardiac surgery at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong from January 2021 to December 2021 were included. Postoperative clinical outcomes, COVID-19 vaccination status, and vaccination-related adverse effects were collected. RESULTS: A total of 426 patients; 117 (27%) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, 111 (26%) underwent valvular surgery, and 97 (23%) underwent aortic surgery. Patients received either Sinovac CoronaVac or Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine. Overall vaccination rate with at least 1 dose was 52% (n = 212), 15% (n = 63) received the first dose before surgery, 36% (n = 149) received the first dose vaccination after surgery. Rate of completion with second and third doses of vaccination were 22% (n = 89) and 4.9% (n = 20), respectively. The mean timing of first dose of vaccine after surgery was 216 ± 84 days from operation. Three (1.4%) patients recorded vaccination-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination is safe in patients who received major cardiac surgery, with low adverse effects recorded and no vaccine-related mortality observed. A time frame of 3-6 months after cardiac surgery receiving COVID-19 vaccination is reasonable and could serve as a guidance for future COVID-19 vaccination booster programs.

Bentall Endocarditis by C. Lusitaniae After COVID-19: The Finger Covers The Moon.

We report a case of endocarditis months after a Bentall procedure. This was caused by Candida Lusitaniae, in an immunocompetent patient with a recent SARS-CoV-2 infection. The patient underwent a new Bentall procedure. SARS-CoV-2 has been associated with co-infection by Candida species since the beginning of the pandemic, nevertheless, Candida Lusitaniae remains a very uncommon causative agent of prosthetic endocarditis. We suggest a possible role of the SARS-CoV-2, which may have delayed the diagnosis of endocarditis and the appropriate therapy.

Effect of COVID-19 on cardiac surgery volumes in Sweden.

Objectives. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which commenced in 2020, is known to frequently cause respiratory failure requiring intensive care, with occasional fatal outcomes. In this study, we aimed to conduct a retrospective nationwide observational study on the influence of the pandemic on cardiac surgery volumes in Sweden. Results. In 2020, 9.4% (n = 539) fewer patients underwent open-heart operations in Sweden (n = 5169) than during 2019 (n = 5708), followed by a 5.8% (n = 302) increase during 2021 (n = 5471). The reduction was greater than 15% in three of the eight hospitals in Sweden performing open-heart operations. Compared to 2019, in 2020, the waiting times for surgery were longer, and the patients were slightly younger, had better renal function, and a lower European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation; moreover, few patients had a history of myocardial infarction. However, more patients had insulin-treated diabetes mellitus, hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, reduced left ventricular function, and elevated pulmonary artery pressure. Urgent procedures were more common, but acute surgery was less common in 2020 than in 2019. Early mortality and postoperative complications were low and did not differ during the three years. Conclusion. The 9.4% decrease in the number of heart surgeries performed in Sweden during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, compared to 2019, partially recovered during 2021; however, there was no backlog of patients awaiting heart surgery.

The Rapid Transformation of Cardiac Surgery Practice in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: Insights and Clinical Strategies From a Center at the Epicenter.

BACKGROUND: The onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has forced our cardiac surgery program and hospital to enact drastic measures that has forced us to change how we care for cardiac surgery patients, assist with COVID-19 care, and enable support for the hospital in terms of physical resources, providers, and resident training. METHODS: In this review, we review the cardiovascular manifestations of COVID-19 and describe our system-wide adaptations to the pandemic, including the use of telemedicine, how a severe reduction in operative volume affected our program, the process of redeployment of staff, repurposing of residents into specific task teams, the creation of operation room intensive care units, and the challenges that we faced in this process. RESULTS: We offer a revised set of definitions of surgical priority during this pandemic and how this was applied to our system, followed by specific considerations in coronary/valve, aortic, heart failure and transplant surgery. Finally, we outline a path forward for cardiac surgery for the near future. CONCLUSIONS: We recognize that individual programs around the world will eventually face COVID-19 with varying levels of infection burden and different resources, and we hope this document can assist programs to plan for the future.

Implementation of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Without On-Site Cardiac Surgery or Perfusion Support: A Tale of Two County Hospitals.

Patients with refractory respiratory and cardiac failure may present to noncardiac surgery centers. Prior studies have demonstrated that acute care surgeons, intensivists, and emergency medicine physicians can safely cannulate and manage patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Harborview Medical Center (Harborview) and Hennepin County Medical Center (Hennepin) are both urban, county-owned, level 1 trauma centers that implemented ECMO without direct, on-site cardiac surgery or perfusion support. Both centers 1) use an ECMO specialist model staffed by specially trained nurses and respiratory therapists and 2) developed comparable training curricula for ECMO specialists, intensivists, surgeons, and trainees. Each program began with venovenous ECMO to provide support for refractory hypoxemic respiratory failure and subsequently expanded to venoarterial ECMO support. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic created an impetus for restructuring, with each program creating a consulting service to facilitate ECMO delivery across multiple intensive care units (ICUs) and to promote fellow and resident training and experience. Both Harborview and Hennepin, urban county hospitals 1,700 miles apart in the United States, independently implemented and operate adult ECMO programs without involvement from cardiovascular surgery or perfusion services. This experience further supports the role of ECMO specialists in the delivery of extracorporeal life support.

Cardiac Surgery Outcomes During the COVID-19 Pandemic Worsened Across All Socioeconomic Statuses.

BACKGROUND: Increasing socioeconomic distress has been associated with worse cardiac surgery outcomes. The extent to which the pandemic affected cardiac surgical access and outcomes remains unknown. We sought to examine the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and outcomes after cardiac surgery by socioeconomic status. METHODS: All patients undergoing a Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) index operation in a regional collaborative, the Virginia Cardiac Services Quality Initiative (2011-2022), were analyzed. Patients were stratified by timing of surgery before vs during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 13, 2020). Hierarchic logistic regression assessed the relationship between the pandemic and operative mortality, major morbidity, and cost, adjusting for the Distressed Communities Index (DCI), STS predicted risk of mortality, intraoperative characteristics, and hospital random effect. RESULTS: A total of 37,769 patients across 17 centers were included. Of these, 7269 patients (19.7%) underwent surgery during the pandemic. On average, patients during the pandemic were less socioeconomically distressed (DCI 37.4 vs DCI 41.9; P < .001) and had a lower STS predicted risk of mortality (2.16% vs 2.53%, P < .001). After risk adjustment, the pandemic was significantly associated with increased mortality (odds ratio 1.398; 95% CI, 1.179-1.657; P < .001), cost (+$4823, P < .001), and STS failure to rescue (odds ratio 1.37; 95% CI, 1.10-1.70; P = .005). The negative impact of the pandemic on mortality and cost was similar regardless of DCI. CONCLUSIONS: Across all socioeconomic statuses, the pandemic is associated with higher cost and greater risk-adjusted mortality, perhaps related to a resource-constrained health care system. More patients during the pandemic were from less distressed communities, raising concern for access to care in distressed communities.

Engaging medical students in cardiac surgery: a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic prohibited Canadian medical students from in-person observerships. This may be particularly detrimental to under-represented groups that may consider surgical subspecialties. To address the unprecedented need for alternative surgical career exploration and diversity within the profession, The University of Toronto Cardiac Surgery Interest Group and Division of Cardiac Surgery collaborated on virtual experiential programming. RECENT FINDINGS: Medical students were invited to virtual (1) observerships of a cardiac bypass case, (2) mentorship sessions with surgeons, (3) resident teaching sessions, (4) multidisciplinary case-based Heart Team discussions to further their understanding of the scope of Cardiac surgery, and (5) a virtual coronary anastomosis training program. Additionally, a comprehensive virtual program was spearheaded to increase interest in Cardiac surgery among low-income Black high school students. SUMMARY: Trainee response to the virtual education, mentorship, and skill acquisition was positive. Trainees reported high levels of interest in the profession, particularly among females and under-represented minorities, supporting the principles of equity diversity, and inclusion in Cardiac surgery.