Cardiac surgery practice during the COVID-19 outbreak: a multicentre national survey.

OBJECTIVES: Healthcare systems worldwide have been overburdened by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. Accordingly, hospitals had to implement strategies to profoundly reshape both non-COVID-19 medical care and surgical activities. Knowledge about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac surgery practice is pivotal. The goal of the present study was to describe the changes in cardiac surgery practices during the health emergency at the national level. METHODS: A 26-question web-enabled survey including all adult cardiac surgery units in Italy was conducted to assess how their clinical practice changed during the national lockdown. Data were compared to data from the corresponding period in 2019. RESULTS: All but 2 centres (94.9%) adopted specific protocols to screen patients and personnel. A significant reduction in the number of dedicated cardiac intensive care unit beds (-35.4%) and operating rooms (-29.2%), along with healthcare personnel reallocation to COVID departments (nurses -15.4%, anaesthesiologists -7.7%), was noted. Overall adult cardiac surgery volumes were dramatically reduced (1734 procedures vs 3447; P < 0.001), with a significant drop in elective procedures [580 (33.4%) vs 2420 (70.2%)]. CONCLUSIONS: This national survey found major changes in cardiac surgery practice as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This experience should lead to the development of permanent systems-based plans to face possible future pandemics. These data may effectively help policy decision-making in prioritizing healthcare resource reallocation during the ongoing pandemic and once the healthcare emergency is over.

Cardiac surgery practice during the COVID-19 outbreak: a regionwide survey.

BACKGROUND: Health systems worldwide have been overburdened by the "COVID-19 surge". Consequently, strategies to remodulate non-COVID medical and surgical care had to be developed. Knowledge of the impact of COVID surge on cardiac surgery practice is mainstem. Present study aims to evaluate the regional practice pattern during lockdown in Campania. METHODS: A multicenter regional observational 26-question survey was conducted, including all adult cardiac surgery units in Campania, Italy, to assess how surgical practice has changed during COVID-19 national lockdown. RESULTS: All centers adopted specific protocols for screening patients and personnel. A significant reduction in the number of dedicated intensive care unit (ICU) beds (-30.0%±38.1%, range: 0-100%) and cardiac operating rooms (-22.2%±26.4%, range: 0-50%) along with personnel relocation to other departments was disclosed (anesthesiologists -5.8%±11.1%, range: 0-33.3%; perfusionists -5.6%±16.7%, range: 0-50%; nurses -4.8%±13.2%, range: 0-40%; cardiologists -3.2%±9.5%, range: 0-28.6%). Cardiac surgeons were never reallocated to other services. Globally, we witnessed dramatically lower adult cardiac surgery case volumes (335 vs. 667 procedures, P<0.001), as institutions and surgeons followed guidelines to curtail non-urgent operations. CONCLUSIONS: This regional survey demonstrates major changes in practice as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In this respect, this experience might lead to the development of permanent systems-based plans for future pandemic and may effectively help policy decision making when prioritizing healthcare resource reallocation during and after the pandemic.

Spontaneous coronary artery rupture presenting as an acute coronary syndrome evolved in pseudoaneurysm and cardiac tamponade: Case report and literature review.

Spontaneous coronary artery rupture is a rare disorder that may develop early into a sudden death due to the abrupt evolution of the associated cardiac tamponade. In some cases the rupture is contained and a false aneurysm develops with slower evolution of clinical signs. The correct diagnosis of spontaneous coronary artery rupture deserves a high level of suspicion; frequently it may be missed because the time window of its evolution seems to be very short or signs of acute coronary syndrome sometimes can prevail, leading to delays in diagnosis or to misdiagnosis. We report the case of a patient presenting a giant pseudoaneurysm of the right coronary artery due to spontaneous coronary artery rupture without any underlying disease. Moreover we present a review of the few cases in the literature, offering a pathophysiological hypothesis linking the site of rupture and clinical presentation.

Giant Candida mycetoma in an ascending aorta tubular graft.

We report the case of a 46-year-old male hospitalized for abdominal pain and fever with history of a David procedure followed by an aortic valve replacement due to severe aortic regurgitation. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and computed tomography showed a large mass floating in the aorta. After surgical excision of the vegetation, attached to the Dacron prosthesis, histological examination revealed Candida hyphae and spores confirming the diagnosis of a mycetoma in an ascending aorta tubular graft. At six-month follow-up, the patient was in good clinical condition without recurrence of the fungal mass on TEE.

BRAF test and cytological diagnosis with a single fine needle cytology sample.

OBJECTIVE: Recently, fine needle cytology (FNC) of the thyroid has been combined with biomolecular analysis. In particular, there has been detailed study of the V600E-BRAF mutation. The aim of our study is to demonstrate that with a single thyroid sample it is possible to obtain enough cellular material for both cytological diagnosis and a V600E-BRAF molecular test. STUDY DESIGN: FNC was carried out under ultrasound guidance aided by an echographist and cytopathologist. We acquired one biopsy for each nodule with a 23-gauge needle without suction. The preparations were smeared by the pathologist onto one glass slide, air dried and stained with Diff-Quick. Cell adequacy was evaluated for each patient. The needle was washed by aspirating 2 ml of physiologic solution which was collected into a tube. The material was collected for molecular testing. RESULTS: The following cytological diagnoses were made: not neoplastic, Tir2 (n = 227); indeterminate, Tir3 (n = 15); suspicious, Tir4 (n = 4), and malignancy, Tir5 (n = 12). The V600E-BRAF mutation was found in 0 of 227 Tir2 specimens, 2 of 15 (13.3%) Tir3 specimens, 2 of 4 (50%) Tir4 specimens and 9 of 12 (75%) Tir5 specimens. CONCLUSIONS: Our data showed that, in a routine clinical setting, FNC specimens can be handled properly to provide both morphological and molecular information. In fact, our tests show that with a single specimen it is possible to set up a slide for the cytological diagnosis and to obtain enough residual cellular material for DNA extraction (>70 ng) and for the identification of the V600E-BRAF mutation.

Surgical treatment of impending paradoxical embolization associated with pulmonary embolism in a patient with heterozygosis of factor V Leiden.

We report an unusual case of impending paradoxical embolization in a 69-year-old woman heterozygote carrier of factor V Leiden mutation. The patient presented to the emergency room with the clinical scenario of massive pulmonary embolism. Serial echocardiographic examinations revealed a large thrombus in the right atrium floating via a patent foramen ovale into the left atrium. Anticoagulation therapy was started. After 72 h, due to the unresolved thrombus, the patient underwent surgical treatment consisting of complete excision of the thrombus, closure of the foramen ovale, and pulmonary embolectomy. No in-hospital complications were noted. At 1-year follow-up, the patient is doing well on long-term anticoagulation treatment free of thromboembolic events.

Anterior mitral valve aneurysm perforation in a patient with preexisting aortic regurgitation.

We report the case of a 71-year-old man hospitalized for acute heart failure. Transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography showed mitral valve aneurysm (MVA) rupture and severe mitral regurgitation. No vegetations but significant aortic regurgitation were also observed. MVA perforation is a rare life-threatening condition that typically occurs as a complication of endocarditis but may also be associated with other diseases, in particular connective tissue disorders. In the present case, the absence of such etiology suggests a possible role for of aortic regurgitation in MVA rupture secondary to a "jet lesion" mechanism.

On-pump versus off-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in high-risk patients: operative results of a prospective randomized trial (on-off study).

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk reduction of cardiopulmonary bypass complications between on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in high-risk patients. METHODS: This multicenter, prospective, randomized, parallel trial enrolled patients for elective or urgent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting with an additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation of 6 or more. The patients in cardiogenic shock were excluded. The composite primary end point included operative mortality, myocardial infarction, stroke, renal failure, reoperation for bleeding and adult respiratory distress syndrome within 30 days after surgery. The total sample size was 693 patients, according to a scheduled interim analysis at 400 patients enrolled (α-spending = 0.029, Pocock method). RESULTS: A total of 411 patients were included in the interim analysis. Randomization assigned 203 patients to on-pump and 208 patients to off-pump treatment. Of the 411 patients, 24 crossed over; thus, 195 patients were actually treated on-pump and 216 off-pump. According to the intention to treat analysis, the rate of the composite primary end point was significantly lower (unadjusted P = .009, adjusted P = .010) in the off-pump group (5.8% vs 13.3%). The risk of experiencing the primary end point was significantly greater for the on-pump group (unadjusted odds ratio, 2.51; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-5.10; P = .011; adjusted odds ratio, 3.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.32-7.14; P = .009). CONCLUSIONS: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting reduces early mortality and morbidity in high-risk patients.

Intramural aortic hematoma: no flap no warning?

We report a case of type A intramural aortic hematoma (IMH) occurred in a 78 years old female. The clinical scenario (medical history of hypertension, severe substernal chest pain, early diastolic decrescendo murmur as for aortic insufficiency), the laboratory results (no significant troponin level), ECG and transthoracic echocardiography findings (no signs of myocardial ischemia) shifted the initial diagnostic suspicion from acute coronary syndrome to the acute aortic syndrome (AAS) and triggered further imaging tests. Computed tomography revealed an aneurismatic dilatation with thickening of the wall of the ascending aorta without intimal flap. No particular "warning message" for evidence of AAS was sent to the clinician on call. Subsequently, due to the persisting high clinical suspicion transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed. TEE confirmed the aneurysm of the ascending aorta and highlighted an extended and marked aortic wall thickness, consisting with the diagnosis of type A IMH. Patient underwent urgent cardiac surgery that confirmed the diagnosis.

Echocardiographic assessment of regional left ventricular wall motion abnormalities in patients with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy: comparison with anterior myocardial infarction.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to assess the echocardiographic distribution of regional wall motion abnormalities (RWMA) in patients with tako-tsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) compared with anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (ant-STEMI). METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-seven TTC and 37 ant-STEMI patients underwent standard echocardiographic examination at the time of hospital admission. RWMA and the involvement of the left ventricular territories supplied by each coronary artery according to the American Society of Echocardiography classification were reported. TTC patients showed a lower left ventricular ejection fraction (37.6 ± 5.1 vs. 40.9 ± 3.7%; P = 0.002) and a higher wall motion score index (WMSI; 1.98 ± 0.2 vs. 1.51 ± 0.14; P < 0.001) compared with ant-STEMI patients. No significant differences were observed between groups with regard to detection of RWMA in the territory supplied by the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) (37 vs. 37; P = 1). Conversely, in TTC patients, the territories supplied by the LAD/left circumflex coronary artery (LCX) (37 vs. 31; P = 0.011), LAD/right coronary artery (RCA) (34 vs. 13; P < 0.001), RCA (33 vs. 5; P < 0.001), and RCA/LCX (31 vs. 2; P < 0.001) were more frequently involved. A cut-off value of WMSI ≥1.75 (area under the curve 0.956) and for the number of territories with RWMA ≥4 (AUC = 0.928) predicted TTC with a sensitivity of 83 and 84% and a specificity of 100 and 97%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Echocardiography revealed a distinctive pattern of contractility in TTC patients, characterized by symmetrical RWMA extending equally into the territory of distribution of all coronary arteries.

Metastatic melanoma: an unusual presentation.

In this report we describe a case of a malignant cutaneous melanoma metastasizing to the pleural surface and peritoneal cavity 5 years after surgical resection of the primary lesion. Malignant cutaneous melanoma is a very aggressive cancer able to metastasize anywhere in the body. Pleural secondary lesions represent a rare event described only in a small number of patients and the association with peritoneal localizations may suggest an uncommon pattern of spread that we discuss.

Myocardial revascularization by left ventricular assisted beating heart is associated with reduced systemic inflammatory response.

BACKGROUND: The present study was designed to investigate whether use of left ventricular assisted technique (LVA) in beating-heart myocardial revascularization would exert less impact on patients' inflammatory response, as compared with minimal extracorporeal circulation (MECC). METHODS: Seventy-three consecutive high-risk patients undergoing myocardial revascularization were randomly assigned either to LVA (group A) or to MECC (group B). Monocyte count and plasma concentration of C-reactive protein, inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1beta, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and polymorphonuclear elastase were measured at baseline and at various time points postoperatively. RESULTS: Preoperative clinical and demographic data did not differ between the two groups. The two groups also were similar with respect to mortality, number of grafts performed, duration of extracorporeal circulation, and need for inotropes. However, LVA was associated with significantly less inflammatory response postoperatively compared with MECC, as indicated by a significant difference in interleukin-6 (p = 0.002), C-reactive protein (p = 0.002), monocyte percentage (p = 0.006), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (p = 0.002), and polymorphonuclear elastase (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: High-risk patients undergoing beating-heart myocardial revascularization with LVA show reduced inflammatory response compared with patients treated with the MECC.

Giant left atrial myxoma: an unusual cause of acute pulmonary edema.

We report a case of a huge left atrial myxoma with an unusual clinical presentation characterized by acute pulmonary edema. The possible pathophysiologic mechanism has been discussed.

Valve surgery in octogenarians: in-hospital and long-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Global population aging and greater age-related incidence of ischemic, degenerative and calcific valve disease have led to an increasing number of very elderly patients being referred for valve surgery. However, their preoperative risk factors, and in-hospital and long-term outcomes have not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS: Three hundred seven consecutive patients 80 years and older (60% female; mean age 83+/-2.4 years) attending three major Italian cardiac centres to undergo valve surgery were evaluated. Seventy-nine patients underwent mitral valve surgery (isolated n=30, combined n=49) and 228 underwent aortic valve surgery (isolated n=134, combined n=94). RESULTS: The most frequent in-hospital complications were atrial arrhythmias, need for inotropic support for more than 48 h, renal insufficiency, congestive heart failure, respiratory failure, and stroke or transient ischemic attack. The in-hospital mortality rate was 9.7% (30 of 307). Multivariate logistic regression identified the following clinical variables as predictors of in-hospital death: New York Heart Association functional class IV, diabetes, hypertension, renal insufficiency at presentation, rheumatic etiology and left ventricular ejection fraction of less than 45%. Late mortality occurred in 45 of 277 patients (16.2%), but there was a substantial improvement in the New York Heart Association functional class of the 232 long-term survivors (from 3.0+/-0.7 to 1.7+/-0.6; P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Surgery seems to be an effective therapeutic option for selected symptomatic octogenarians with valve disease, associated with good long-term survival and an improved functional class. Operative mortality is related more to patients' preoperative clinical status and increased comorbidity than the type of surgery per se.

Aortic valve dysfunction and dilated ascending aorta. A complex and controversial association.

Several pathogenetic mechanisms account for the association of the ascending aorta dilation with aortic valve dysfunction. Functional aortic insufficiency can derive from medial degeneration of the aortic wall and annuloaortic ectasia; leaflet structural disease can determine root dilation by increasing aortic wall stress in case of both regurgitation and stenosis; aortic valve disease and aortic aneurysm can however coexist due to two different intrinsic etiologies. In the attempt to best tailor the surgical correction of such conditions to the underlying causative mechanism, several technical options have already been developed including composite or separate aortic valve and root replacement, valve-sparing operations, and aortoplasty techniques. The criteria for surgical indication cannot leave the underlying pathogenesis out of consideration as well. The newly acquired knowledge in the basic research on this topic is expected to affect the approach to the individual patient in the future.