Choice of anesthesia technique is associated with earlier hospital discharge and reduced costs after transcatheter transfemoral aortic valve implantation.

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become a viable alternative to palliation in patients with severe aortic stenosis. We compared general anesthesia to conscious sedation for TAVI procedures with respect to post operative morbidity, hospital length of stay, and financial burden. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of prospectively collected data in patients undergoing transfemoral TAVI procedures from 2012 to 2017. Patients were matched based on age and sex and classed into either general anesthesia or conscious sedation groups respectively. Conscious sedation was provided with a dexmedetomidine infusion, and patients in general anesthesia group received a standard induction, tracheal intubation, and maintenance with sevoflurane. The hospital case costs were compared between the two groups before and after adjustment for inflation. Results: We matched 124 pairs for a total of 248 patients. Both groups were similar with respect to demographic data, past medical history, medications, and intraoperative characteristics. There was no difference in postoperative morbidity and mortality between the two groups. The median hospital length of stay was 5 [interquartile range (IQR): 3, 10] and 7 (IQR: 4, 12) days, P=0.01, and after adjustment for inflation, the total hospital case costs were $48,984 (IQR: $44,802, $61,438) Canadian (CAD) vs. $55,333 (IQR: $46,832, $68,702) CAD, P=0.01, in the conscious sedation and general anesthesia groups, respectively. Conclusions: Advancements in TAVI technologies, conscious sedation and a collaborative, multidisciplinary team approach reduces overall length of hospital stay and procedure costs.

Superior Vena Cava Resection and Reconstruction with Resection of Primary Lung Cancer and Mediastinal Tumor.

The superior vena cava is a short ∼7-cm valveless vessel that brings blood from the upper half of the body to the heart but has connections to the infracardiac venous structures as well. It can become obstructed, mostly by advanced lung cancer but benign conditions account for one-fourth of cases. When possible, reconstruction can be by biological material or via ring reinforced grafts. When perfomed, replacement should be with small caliber grafts to allow for rapid flow of blood, which, with the addition of anticoagulants, reduces the risk of thrombosis. Even with advanced malignancy, treatment may confer reasonable survival.

Redo sternotomy versus left ventricular assist device explant as risk factors for early mortality following heart transplantation.

OBJECTIVES: There is an increasing proportion of patients with a previous sternotomy (PS) or durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) undergoing heart transplantation (HT). We hypothesized that patients with LVAD support at the time of HT have a lower risk than patients with PS and may have a comparable risk to patients with a virgin chest (VC). METHODS: This is a single-centre retrospective cohort study of all adults who underwent primary single-organ HT between 2002 and 2017. Multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to compare 30-day and 1-year mortality between transplanted patients with a VC (VC-HT), a PS (PS-HT) or an LVAD explant (LVAD-HT). RESULTS: Three hundred seventy-nine patients were analysed (VC-HT: 196, PS-HT: 94, LVAD-HT: 89). A larger proportion of patients in the LVAD-HT group were males (83%), had blood group O (52%), non-ischaemic aetiology (70%) and sensitization (67%). The PS-HT group had a higher frequency of patients with congenital heart disease (30%) and PSs compared to LVAD-HT patients (P < 0.001). PS-HT and LVAD-HT patients required a longer bypass time (P < 0.001) and showed a greater estimated blood loss (P < 0.001). Postoperatively, LVAD-HT required haemodialysis more frequently than the VC-HT group (P = 0.031). Multivariable analyses found that PS-HT patients had increased 30-day mortality compared to VC-HT [hazard ratio (HR) 2.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.15-6.01; P = 0.022] while LVAD-HT did not (HR 2.17, 95% CI 0.96-4.93; P = 0.064). At 1-year, neither PS-HT nor LVAD-HT groups were significantly associated with increased mortality compared to VC-HT. CONCLUSIONS: Transplants in recipients with PS-HT demonstrated increased early mortality compared to VC-HT patients. Although LVAD explant is often technically challenging, this population demonstrated similar mortality compared to those VC-HT patients. The chronic and perioperative support provided by the LVAD may play a favourable role in early patient outcomes compared to other redo sternotomy patients.

Behcet Disease Presenting With Cardiac and Pulmonary Masses.

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging features of inflammatory intracardiac and pulmonary masses secondary to Behcet disease have not been well described in the literature. We present a case of Behcet disease, presenting with enhancing cardiac and pulmonary inflammatory masses that mimicked the imaging appearance of metastatic cardiac angiosarcoma. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging examination showed the mass reduced in size with immunosuppressive therapy. This case highlights the importance of considering Behcet disease in the differential diagnosis for an enhancing cardiac mass.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation and left ventricular assist device: a word of caution.

Aortic valve disease in the setting of a left ventricular assist device presents unique challenges. We present the case of a patient who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation to replace a stenotic aortic valve to facilitate left ventricular assist device explantation. Thirty-three days later, the porcine pericardial valve cusps were fused and a thick pseudomembrane had occluded the left ventricular outflow tract, forcing the explant to be aborted.

Cystic tumor of the atrioventricular node: rare antemortem diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: The cystic tumor of the atrioventricular node (TAV) is a rare, congenital cardiac tumor, typically located at the base of the atrial septum. Histologically benign, this multicystic mass is a tumor of the conduction system and is considered the smallest tumor capable of causing sudden and unexpected death. TAV has shown a predilection for women with a mean age at presentation of 38 years. The majority of cases are diagnosed incidentally at autopsy, while antemortem surgical excision is rare, with ours being the fifth and sixth reported cases in the medical literature. METHODS: We present two cases, in 33- and 29-year-old women who were admitted for complaints of dyspnea, dizziness, palpitation or numbness, along with a review of the literature. One was known to have complete congenital heart block and ventricular septal defect, where an intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram revealed a right atrial mass. The other patient had a right atrial mass visible on magnetic resonance imaging, which led to surgical resection and permanent pacemaker insertion. RESULTS: Histopathological examination revealed a tumor composed of cysts, some lined by squamous epithelium, and others by transitional epithelium. Irregular proliferation of glandular structures with squamoid nests within a fibrous stroma, with sebaceous-type differentiation, was also observed. A chronic inflammatory component with secondary lymphoid follicles was also noted. CONCLUSION: These cases are presented, along with a review of the four previously reported cases of TAV diagnosed antemortem. Awareness regarding this lesion could improve gross and microscopic characterization of TAV and increase antemortem diagnoses.

Left ventricular apical papillary fibroelastoma resection via mediastinoscope through the aortic valve.

This case report describes a novel minimally invasive technique for complete resection of a cardiac papillary fibroelastoma by directly visualizing the mass via an intraoperative mediastinoscope placed through the aortic valve. A 68-year-old man presented to the emergency department with two episodes of transient ischemic attack. Echocardiography demonstrated a pedunculated, mobile mass in the left ventricular apex. Cardiac surgery was consulted, and complete resection of the fibroelastoma was carried out by inserting a mediastinoscope through the aortic valve and into the left ventricle, whereby the mass was directly visualized and excised with biopsy forceps. There were no postoperative complications, and at 1-year follow-up, the patient had no further evidence of embolic events.

Cardiac angiosarcoma: a case report and review of the literature.

We present the case of a 36-year-old woman with widespread metastatic cardiac angiosarcoma to the lungs and the liver. She was treated with preoperative chemotherapy and underwent extensive surgical resection of the cardiac mass and is currently doing well. Analysis of the effectiveness of various treatment modalities from cases which have been reported has also been reviewed and discussed.

Surgical management of cardiac tumors.

Cardiac tumors, though rare, can affect all parts of the heart, from venous structures to atria to ventricles, valves, and great vessels. Although most are benign and have good long-term prognosis, surgery for malignant tumors, whether primary or secondary, usually carries poor long-term survival. Surgery follows examination by 2D echo, CT, MRI, and possibly coronary angiography. Whenever malignancy is suspected, metastatic workup is required before primary resection and reconstruction. Bovine pericardium, Dacron grafts, and prosthetic valves are used for reconstruction. Resection of ventricular tumors is limited by lack of a good ventricular muscular replacement. Although cardiac transplantation has been used for tumors, long-term survival for anything but benign tumors is limited, making transplant a poor solution for any malignant tumors. Outcome of resection of heart or great vessel tissue for tumors arising elsewhere is related more to the primary tumor than it is to the cardiac resection and reconstruction.