Outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting: a 3 year analysis using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database.

BACKGROUND: Accurate risk factor analysis is a critical element in contemporary cardiac surgical practice. In the USA, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database allows institutions and individual surgeons to carry out detailed patient risk assessment and to review their cardiac surgical outcomes in a comparative fashion. METHODS: To evaluate outcomes of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, data from all patients operated upon at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, over a 3 year period were entered into the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database. RESULTS: Our results (mortality and morbidity) compared favourably with those contained within this large international database. CONCLUSION: It is hoped that a similar Australasian database can be established to facilitate a meaningful local risk assessment and a comparative analysis of outcomes of cardiac surgical procedures.

Third and fourth operations for myocardial ischemia: short-term results and long-term survival.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients having at least two operations for myocardial ischemia are now presenting for a third or fourth procedure. We report the Mayo Clinic experience with repeated reoperative surgery for coronary artery disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We have evaluated 67 consecutive patients (54 men, 13 women) during a 14-year period (1978 to 1992). The mean age at the third procedure (n=63) was 63.4 years and at the fourth procedure (n=4) was 70.6 years. Clinical indications for surgery were unstable angina in 29 patients (43%), New York Heart Association class III angina in 36 (54%), non-Q wave acute myocardial infarction in 1, and acute pulmonary edema in 1. Urgent or emergency surgery was undertaken in 17 patients (25%). All patients had triple-vessel disease, and 20 (30%) had left main coronary artery stenosis >50%. The mean ejection fraction in 56 patients was 0.56+/-0.11. Occlusion or significant stenoses of preexisting saphenous grafts were thought to be the major cause of recurrent ischemia in 64 patients (96%). Only 14 patients (21%) had received previous arterial grafts. An average of 2.4 grafts was placed, and a new internal mammary artery was used on 47 occasions. Eight patients (11.9%) died. Three patients required a left ventricular assist device, and one of them survived. There were 21 late deaths: 8 were cardiac and 5 were likely to be cardiac. Five-year and 10-year survival in all patients was 75.6%+/-5.3% and 47.9%+/-7.7%, respectively. Freedom from further intervention for hospital survivors at 5 and 10 years was 88.4+/-4.5 and 72.3+/-8.5%, respectively. Of the 38 patients still alive at last follow-up, 29 (76%) were considered to be in New York Heart Association functional class I or II. On univariate analysis, use of an intra-aortic balloon pump, prolonged bypass time, left main coronary artery stenosis >50%, and a surgeon's impression of angiographic inoperability correlated with increased risk of early mortality. CONCLUSION: We conclude that in a select group of patients, repeated reoperative surgery, despite an increased mortality, can result in good long-term survival and significant improvement in clinical status.

Single versus bilateral internal mammary artery grafts: 10-year outcome analysis.

BACKGROUND: The superior long-term patency of the internal mammary artery (IMA) confers important short-term and late survival advantages when grafted to the left anterior descending coronary artery. However, it remains uncertain whether patients derive additional survival benefit when both IMAs are used in coronary revascularization. METHODS: Between June 1983 and May 1986, 160 patients (mean age 60 years) received bilateral IMA grafts for coronary artery bypass procedures, and in 93% of patients, the right IMA was used to bypass the left coronary system. During a similar interval, a group of 161 patients matched for symptomatic status and extent of disease (mean age, 62 years) received a single left IMA and saphenous vein grafts. RESULTS: The two groups were similar with respect to gender, preoperative angina class, priority status, extent of coronary artery disease, left ventricular function, and number of distal anastomoses. Diabetes was more prevalent in the patient group receiving a single IMA graft (27% versus 17.5%; p = 0.05). Early outcome was similar in the two groups; operative mortality was 0.6% for the patient group receiving single IMA grafts and 0% for those with bilateral IMA grafts. The mean follow-up of 320 hospital survivors was 10 years. Univariate analysis revealed significantly fewer overall deaths in the patients receiving bilateral IMA grafts (n = 30; p = 0.05), and less late cardiac mortality (n = 12; p = 0.016). Ten-year actuarial survival for patients dismissed from the hospital was 76% for those receiving single IMA graft versus 85% for those receiving bilateral IMA grafts. Multivariate analysis revealed diabetes (risk ratio = 1.73), advancing age (risk ratio = 1.08), and lower ejection fraction (risk ratio = 1.01) to be the only significant predictors of late cardiac death. Use of a single IMA graft was not significant (p = 0.138) despite a risk ratio of 1.78. Use of only a single IMA graft correlated with an increased risk of angina recurrence (p < 0.001), late myocardial infarction (p = 0.019), and risk of any cardiac event (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Independent risk factors for late death were diabetes mellitus, older age, and reduced ejection fraction. Patients receiving bilateral IMA grafts had better long-term survival than those with a single IMA graft, but this was not independent of diabetes. Multivariate analysis, however, did confirm that compared with single arterial grafts, bilateral IMA grafting was an independent predictor of lower rates of angina recurrence, late myocardial infarction, and the composite end point of any cardiac event.

Laparostomy: a technique for the management of severe abdominal sepsis.

The mortality from acute suppurative peritonitis may approach 70%, survivors often undergoing multiple operations and requiring protracted intensive medical support. Attempts to improve prognosis fail when they rely on the diagnosis of persistent or recurrent collections. The results of laparostomy in conjunction with continuous peritoneal irrigation (CPI), which aims to primarily eradicate and subsequently prevent the recurrence of sepsis are reported. Two deaths occurred in this series of seven patients, only one attributed to persistent sepsis. Overall, the mortality of 28% compares favourably with similar patient series and suggests that laparostomy with CPI deserves consideration in the management of selected patients with severely contaminated abdominal cavities.