Influence of surgical volume on outcomes in low-risk patients undergoing isolated surgical aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Intermediate- and high-risk patients undergoing isolated surgical aortic valve replacement have superior outcomes at higher-volume compared with lower-volume hospitals. This study examines the impact of hospital volume on outcomes in low-risk patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. METHODS: Using data from our 29 North Texas hospital collaborative, we examined 2066 low-risk cases (Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality of ≤3%) undergoing aortic valve replacement surgery between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2017. Cases from 3 high-volume hospitals (≥200 aortic valve replacement cases total) and 26 low-volume hospitals (<200 cases total) were examined. RESULTS: Some 53.5% of the cases were at high-volume hospitals. No statistical differences were seen in the Predicted Risk of Mortality or pertinent demographics between the high-volume and low-volume hospitals. Significant differences in outcomes were seen between the 2 groups in operative mortality (2.28% vs 1.19%, P = .007), renal failure (2.14% vs 1.00%, P = .003), and readmission within 30 days (9.72% vs 6.25%, P < .001) when comparing low-volume with high-volume hospitals. In patients undergoing aortic valve replacement, undergoing the procedure in a low-volume hospital was an independent predictor for operative mortality (odds ratio, 1.95; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-3.20; P = .008) and renal failure (odds ratio, 2.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.33-3.81; P = .003). CONCLUSIONS: Operative mortality in low-risk patients undergoing aortic valve replacement is higher in low-volume compared with high-volume hospitals. The probability of a major complication, such as renal failure, is also greater in low-volume hospitals. The relationship between volume and outcomes in low-risk patients will require more research to understand the causes and design appropriate interventions.

Impact of Accurate 30-Day Status on Operative Mortality: Wanted Dead or Alive, Not Unknown.

BACKGROUND: Risk-adjusted operative mortality is the most important quality metric in cardiac surgery for determining The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Composite Score for star ratings. Accurate 30-day status is required to determine STS operative mortality. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of unknown or missing 30-day status on risk-adjusted operative mortality in a regional STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database cooperative and demonstrate the ability to correct these deficiencies by matching with an administrative database. METHODS: STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database data were submitted by 27 hospitals from five hospital systems to the Texas Quality Initiative (TQI), a regional quality collaborative. TQI data were matched with a regional hospital claims database to resolve unknown 30-day status. The risk-adjusted operative mortality observed-to-expected (O/E) ratio was determined before and after matching to determine the effect of unknown status on the operative mortality O/E. RESULTS: TQI found an excessive (22%) unknown 30-day status for STS isolated coronary artery bypass grafting cases. Matching the TQI data to the administrative claims database reduced the unknowns to 7%. The STS process of imputing unknown 30-day status as alive underestimates the true operative mortality O/E (1.27 before vs 1.30 after match), while excluding unknowns overestimates the operative mortality O/E (1.57 before vs 1.37 after match) for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. CONCLUSIONS: The current STS algorithm of imputing unknown 30-day status as alive and a strategy of excluding cases with unknown 30-day status both result in erroneous calculation of operative mortality and operative mortality O/E. However, external validation by matching with an administrative database can improve the accuracy of clinical databases such as the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.

Coronary bypass versus percutaneous intervention: sex matters. The impact of gender on long-term outcomes of coronary revascularization.

Objectives: Women have a higher mortality than men following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The influence of patient sex on outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) is controversial. Since patient selection for randomized clinical trials may not reflect clinical practice, we investigated the impact of sex on outcomes of CABG versus PCI in a comprehensive registry of coronary revascularization (CR). Methods: All patients undergoing CR in a network of eight community hospitals were enrolled. Follow-up was obtained after 5 years (median, 79.7 months). ST-elevation myocardial infarction (MI) patients were excluded. Propensity-score matching accounted for differences between groups. Results: There were 2162 men (673 CABG, 1489 PCI) and 991 women (294 CABG, 697 PCI). Survival free from major adverse cardiac events (MACE)-all cause mortality, nonfatal MI, re-intervention at 5 years for PCI versus CABG was 77.1 +/- 1.1 vs. 83.1 +/- 1.5, hazard ratio (HR) 0.588 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.491-0.704; P < 0.001) for men, but 75.0 +/- 1.6 vs. 74.5 ± 2.5, HR 0.869 (95% CI: 0.687-1.100; P = 0.24) for women. After matching, MACE-free survival for men remained significantly different, 69.5 +/- 2.2 vs. 79.5 +/- 2.0, HR 0.548 (95% CI: 0.424-0.682; P < 0.001) but not for women, 68.1 +/- 3.4 vs. 69.4 +/- 3.4, HR 0.752 (95% CI: 0.540-1.049; P = 0.093). Conclusions: In a 'real world' unselected cohort of CR patients, men enjoy improved survival and reduced MACE with CABG versus PCI. Outcomes for women are worse than for men and are equivalent with either procedure, emphasizing importance of accounting for sex in assessing outcomes of comparative CR procedures.

Establishing a Dedicated General Thoracic Surgery Subspecialty Program Improves Lung Cancer Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Various factors may influence outcomes after lobectomy for lung cancer. Postgraduate subspecialty training in general thoracic surgery with a focus on minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and thoracic oncology was completed by an established cardiothoracic surgeon on the hospital staff in July 2007, and principles emphasized in that training were incorporated into practice through formation of a subspecialty program. We hypothesized that establishing a dedicated general thoracic surgeon-lead subspecialty program, with focus on MIS and thoracic oncology, would improve short-term and long-term outcomes. METHODS: Patients entered into the hospital cancer registry have survival status updated annually through correspondence with patients, physicians, and searches of the Social Security Death Index and obituaries. The registry was queried for all patients undergoing lobectomy for lung cancer, 2002 to 2013, and divided into two groups for comparison, before and after, based on operation date relative to January 2008. Patients (n = 279) who had lobectomy for lung cancer were identified in the registry. Data included surgical approach (percent of video-assisted thoracoscopy [VATS]), pathologic stage, number of lymph nodes and stations sampled, hospital length of stay (LOS), and survival. χ2 statistics were used for proportions, t tests for continuous variables, and a nonparametric test for LOS. A Cox proportional hazard model was created, and survival curves were constructed using time between operation and death or last follow-up. RESULTS: Patients having lobectomy in the after group had substantially more VATS procedures (53.9% versus 9.5%), decreased LOS (median 3.5 versus 7.0 days), greater mean total lymph nodes (9.0 versus 6.3), and nodal stations (4.2 versus 2.8) sampled per patient. Thirty-day, 90-day, and 1-year survival were similar in both groups. Overall survival was better in the after group (hazard ratio [HR] 0.41, 95% confidence interval: 0.25 to 0.68), and this survival benefit remained statistically significant when comparing groups stratified by lung cancer stage (stage I: HR 0.46, stage II: HR 0.32, combined stage III to IV: HR 0.19). CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a dedicated general thoracic surgeon-lead subspecialty program, with focus on MIS and thoracic oncology, can substantially improve short-term outcomes with increased VATS utilization, decreased LOS, and increased lymph node sampling. Long-term survival was also significantly improved.

Comparison of Outcomes of Operative Therapy for Acute Type A Aortic Dissections Provided at High-Volume Versus Low-Volume Medical Centers in North Texas.

Immediate surgery is standard therapy for acute type A aortic dissections (TAAD). Because of its low incidence, many smaller cardiac surgery programs do not routinely perform this procedure because it may negatively affect outcomes. Many high-risk, low-volume (LV) surgical procedures are now preferentially performed in reference centers. We compared the outcomes of surgery for TAAD in high-volume (HV) and LV centers in a single metropolitan area to determine the optimal setting for treatment. Thirty-five of the 37 cardiac surgery programs in the Dallas Ft. Worth metropolitan area participate in a regional consortium to measure outcomes collected in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Database. From January 01, 2008, to December 31, 2014, 29 programs had treated TAAD. Those programs performing at least 100 operations for TAAD were considered HV centers and the others LV. Surgery for TAAD was performed in 672 patients over the 7-year study period with HV centers performing 469 of 672 (70%) of the operations. Despite similar preoperative characteristics, operative mortality was significantly lower in HV versus LV centers (14.1% vs 24.1%; p = 0.001). There was no significant difference in postoperative paralysis rates (2.6% vs 4.5%; p = 0.196), stroke rates (10.7% vs 9.4%; p = 0.623), or 30-day readmission rates (12.1% vs 15.5%; p = 0.292). An improved survival rate in HV centers was maintained over a 5-year follow-up period. Surgery for TAAD in a single large metropolitan area was most commonly performed in HV centers. In conclusion, the treatment of acute thoracic aortic dissection is recommended to be performed in reference centers because of lower early and midterm mortality.

Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Versus Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: Meds Matter: Impact of Adherence to Medical Therapy on Comparative Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Multiple studies have compared coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) with percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) for coronary revascularization. There is considerable evidence that adherence to medical therapy can affect the outcomes of therapeutic interventions. However, the long-term influence of compliance with recommended medical therapy on the comparative outcomes of CABG versus PCI remains to be defined. METHODS: All non-ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing coronary revascularization in an 8-hospital network were followed for up to 8 years to determine medication history and major adverse cardiac events: all-cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and reintervention. All mortalities were checked against the Social Security Death Index. Survival curves were derived with Kaplan-Meier methods; hazard ratios were calculated with the Cox proportional hazard model; and propensity score matching was used to account for differences in patient selection. RESULTS: Among the 973 CABG and 2255 PCI patients, Kaplan-Meier major adverse cardiac event-free survival curves demonstrated a significant benefit for antiplatelet, lipid-lowering, and ß-blocker therapy in both the CABG and PCI groups (P=0.001 for all 3 medications). Cox regression identified compliance with optimal medical therapy as a more powerful predictor of major adverse cardiac event-free survival than choice of therapy (hazard ratio for noncompliance=2.79; 95% confidence limits, 2.19-3.54; P<0.001; hazard ratio for PCI versus CABG=1.68, 95% confidence limits, 138-2.04; P<0.001). In propensity-matched patients, CABG outcomes were superior to PCI outcomes in patients nonadherent to optimal medical therapy (P=0.001) but were not different in patients adherent to optimal medical therapy (P=0.574). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of coronary revascularization strategy, medication adherence has a dramatic effect on long-term outcome. Among comparable patients who adhere to optimal medical therapy, outcomes of PCI and CABG may not differ; however, among nonadherent patients, CABG affords better major adverse cardiac event-free survival. Therefore, patient compliance with medical therapy may inform clinical decision making and should be incorporated into all future comparative studies of comparative coronary revascularization strategies.

Excess short-term mortality in women after isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Female sex is considered a risk factor for adverse outcomes following isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. We assessed the association between sex and short-term mortality following isolated CABG, and estimated the 'excess' deaths occurring in women. METHODS: Short-term mortality was investigated in 13 327 consecutive isolated CABG patients in North Texas between January 2008 and December 2012. The association between sex and CABG short-term mortality, and the excess deaths among women were assessed via a propensity-adjusted (by Society of Thoracic Surgeons-recognised risk factors) generalised estimating equations model approach. RESULTS: Short-term mortality was significantly higher in women than men (adjusted OR=1.39; 95% CI 1.04 to 1.86; p=0.027). This significantly greater risk translates into 35 'excess' deaths among women included in this study (>10% of the total 343 deaths in the study cohort) and into 392 'excess' deaths among the ∼40 000 women undergoing isolated CABG in the USA each year. CONCLUSIONS: The higher risk associated with female sex lead to 35 'excess' deaths in women in this study cohort (over 10% of the total deaths) and to 392 'excess' deaths among women undergoing isolated CABG in the USA each year. Further research is needed to assess the causal mechanisms underlying this sex-related difference. Results of such work could inform the development and implementation of sex-specific treatment and management strategies to reduce women's mortality following CABG. Based on our results, if such work brought women's short-term mortality into line with men's, total short-term mortality could be reduced by up to 10%.

Improved long-term survival for diabetic patients with surgical versus interventional revascularization.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate, affecting nearly 8% of the population. Previous studies have demonstrated a potential benefit for surgical over interventional revascularization in diabetics. However, randomized clinical trials comparing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) many not accurately reflect current clinical practice. We therefore undertook a prospective registry of coronary revascularization (CR) in diabetic patients with CABG, on-pump and off-pump, and PCI with bare-metal and drug-eluting stents to determine long-term clinical outcomes. METHODS: All patients undergoing isolated CR in 8 community hospitals were enrolled. Follow-up was obtained after 5 to 8 years; all mortalities were checked against the Social Security Death Index. The ST-elevation myocardial infarction and salvage patients were excluded. Propensity matching was used to account for differences between PCI and CABG groups. Survival curves were derived using Kaplan-Meier methods, whereas hazard ratios and cumulative hazards were calculated using the Cox proportional hazard model. RESULTS: Of the 3,156 patients in the registry, there were 1,082 diabetics; 334 CABG and 748 PCI. Due to the differences in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups, propensity score matching was used to achieve clinically comparable groups of 240 patients each. In matched patient groups mortality was more common in the PCI group with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.60 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39% to 0.93%; p = 0.023). Similarly, occurrence of any major cardiac adverse event (MACE) (mortality, non-fatal myocardial infarction, or revascularization) was more frequent in the PCI group with an OR of 0.57 (95% CI 0.31% to 0.70%, p < 0.001). Kaplan-Meier event-free survival of matched groups was significantly improved in the CABG versus PCI group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In the current era of on-pump and off-pump CABG surgery and bare-metal and drug-eluting stents, this registry which unselectively records all non-ST elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing coronary revascularization, diabetic patients benefit from improved long-term survival and reduced MACE with CABG versus PCI. These findings corroborate recent evidence from prospective randomized trials and thus provide clinically relevant validation of their broad applicability to diabetics with extensive coronary artery disease in need of revascularization.

Preoperative ß-blocker use in coronary artery bypass grafting surgery: national database analysis.

IMPORTANCE: Use of preoperative ß-blockers has been associated with a reduction in perioperative mortality for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery in observational research studies, which led to the adoption of preoperative ß-blocker therapy as a national quality standard. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether preoperative ß-blocker use within 24 hours of CABG surgery is associated with reduced perioperative mortality in a contemporary sample of patients. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Adult Cardiac database for 1107 hospitals performing cardiac surgery in the United States from January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2012. Participants included 506,110 patients 18 years and older undergoing nonemergent CABG surgery who had not experienced a myocardial infarction in the prior 21 days or any other high-risk presenting symptom. We used logistic regression and propensity matching with a greedy 5-to-1 digit-matching algorithm to examine the association between ß-blocker use and the main outcomes of interest. EXPOSURES: Preoperative ß-blocker use. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Incidence of perioperative mortality, permanent stroke, prolonged ventilation, any reoperation, renal failure, deep sternal wound infection, and atrial fibrillation. RESULTS: Among the 506,110 patients undergoing CABG surgery who met the inclusion criteria, 86.24% received preoperative ß-blockers within 24 hours of surgery. In propensity-matched analyses that included 138,542 patients, we found no significant difference between patients who did and did not receive preoperative ß-blockers in rates of operative mortality (1.12% vs 1.17%; odds ratio [OR], 0.96 [95% CI, 0.87-1.06]; P = .38), permanent stroke (0.97% vs 0.98%; OR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.89-1.10]; P = .81), prolonged ventilation (7.01% vs 6.86%; OR, 1.02 [95% CI, 0.98-1.07]; P = .26), any reoperation (3.60% vs 3.69%; OR, 0.97 [95% CI, 0.92-1.03]; P = .35), renal failure (2.33% vs 2.24%; OR, 1.04 [95% CI, 0.97-1.11]; P = .30), and deep sternal wound infection (0.29% vs 0.34%; OR, 0.86 [95% CI, 0.71-1.04]; P = .12). However, patients who received preoperative ß-blockers within 24 hours of surgery had higher rates of new-onset atrial fibrillation when compared with patients who did not (21.50% vs 20.10%; OR, 1.09 [95% CI, 1.06-1.12]; P < .001). Results of logistic regression analyses were broadly consistent. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Preoperative ß-blocker use among patients undergoing nonemergent CABG surgery who have not had a recent myocardial infarction was not associated with improved perioperative outcomes.

Coronary artery revascularization evaluation--a multicenter registry with seven years of follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Data from randomized clinical trials comparing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) may not accurately reflect current clinical practice, in which there is off-label usage of drug-eluting stents (DES). We undertook a prospective registry of coronary revascularization by CABG on- and off-pump and PCI with bare-metal stents (BMSs), DESs, or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) to determine clinical outcomes. METHODS AND RESULTS: All patients undergoing isolated coronary revascularization in 8 community-based hospitals were enrolled. Final follow-up was obtained after 5 years by patient and/or physician contact and the Social Security Death Index. ST-elevation myocardial infarction and salvage patients were excluded. Five or more years of follow-up was obtained on 81.5% (3156) of the eligible patients-968 CABG patients (82.0%) and 2188 PCI patients (81.3%). Overall follow-up was 63.5±27.9 months (median, 79.7 months). The incidence of initial major adverse cardiac events (MACEs) at follow-up for CABG versus PCI was 29.2% versus 41.8% (P<0.001). Analysis of stent subgroups showed more events with BMSs (equivalent to PTCA alone) compared with DESs. All stents had more events than on- or off-pump CABG groups. Using propensity score-matched groups, the odds ratio for CABG to PCI was 0.69 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56 to 0.85; P<0.001) for mortality and 0.58 (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.75; P<0.001) for any MACE. CONCLUSIONS: In the current era of DES and off-pump surgery, in a community hospital setting, comparable patients undergoing coronary revascularization appear to benefit from improved long-term survival and reduced MACE with CABG versus PCI.

Redo autograft operations after the Ross procedure.

BACKGROUND: Autograft dilatation after the Ross procedure is the most common cause of late autograft failure. We looked at results after reoperation for autograft dysfunction using autograft sparing and composite root replacement techniques. METHODS: Data were abstracted from our prospectively collected Ross registry for 160 consecutive patients who underwent a Ross procedure by a single surgeon between 1994 and 2008. Follow-up records were obtained, and the last echocardiographic report after reoperation was analyzed. RESULTS: Autograft reoperation was necessary in 17 patients, at a median interval of 6.9 years after the original procedure. Indications for reoperation were insufficiency with autograft dilatation in 16 patients, and without dilatation in 1 patient. Surgical procedures used at reoperation included autograft reimplantation in 6 patients (35.3%), autograft remodeling procedure in 1 patient (5.9%), composite root replacement with mechanical valved conduit in 5 patients (29.4%), composite root replacement with biologic valved conduit in 3 patients (17.6%), and mechanical aortic valve replacement in 2 patients (11.8%). At a median follow-up of 5.0 years after reoperation, freedom from greater than 2+ aortic insufficiency was 100% (17 of 17 patients) in both reimplantation and replacement groups. There was 1 death after reoperation (at >14 years) related to complications from systemic lupus erythematosus. There have been no strokes after autograft reimplantation. CONCLUSIONS: Autograft valve reimplantation and composite aortic root replacement are effective treatments for aortic root dilatation and aortic insufficiency after the Ross procedure. Echocardiographic follow-up demonstrates reasonable short-term function after autograft preservation procedures.

Influence of surgeon volume on outcomes with aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: A volume-outcome association has been shown for cardiovascular procedures such as coronary artery bypass grafting. The association of a volume-outcome relationship for aortic valve replacement procedures, however, has not been clearly defined. We evaluated the influence of surgeon volume on operative outcomes with isolated aortic valve replacement and aortic valve replacement with concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting. METHODS: One thousand six hundred thirty-five patients were identified as having either isolated aortic valve replacement or aortic valve replacement plus coronary artery bypass grafting between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2009. Patients were divided into three equal terciles using their Society of Thoracic Surgery Predicted Risk of Mortality scores. Data were retrieved on 14 surgeons with complete data records in our Society of Thoracic Surgery database covering a minimum 5-year period (mean, 8.9 ± 1.5 years; median, 10 years). RESULTS: Clinically significant increases are seen in operative mortality, permanent stroke, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, and hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay in the high-risk compared with low-risk groups. The low-risk patient group has the smallest observed to expected ratio, less than 50%, whereas in the high-risk group the ratio is greater than 1. Odds ratios demonstrate that as surgeon volume increases, outcomes improve correspondingly (ie, odds ratio <1). In low-risk patients, five of ten major complications demonstrated improved outcomes with increased surgeon volume; in medium and high-risk groups eight of ten were improved. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeon volumes have a significant influence on operative outcomes in high-risk patients undergoing aortic valve replacement or aortic valve replacement with coronary artery bypass grafting.

Does body mass index affect outcomes for aortic valve replacement surgery for aortic stenosis?

BACKGROUND: Obesity is a worldwide healthcare concern, and its association with several chronic diseases is well documented. However, the effect obesity may have on the acute care delivery is not well understood, and in cardiac surgery, reports are conflicting. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of obesity in an isolated aortic valve replacement population. The hypothesis is that increasing body mass index (BMI) will portend worse long-term outcomes and greater short-term resource utilization secondary to perioperative complications but will not affect perioperative mortality. METHODS: Data were collected on 1,066 patients undergoing isolated AVR between January 2000 and December 2010. All definitions follow The Society of Thoracic Surgeons guidelines. Body mass indexes were calculated and used both as a continuous independent variable and to categorize patients into three BMI groups. Long-term mortality follow-up was by Social Security Death Index search. Standard bivariate and multivariate comparisons were performed with hierarchical models used for odds ratios. RESULTS: When controlling for standard covariates that negatively impact outcome (sex, age, renal failure needing dialysis, diabetes mellitus, and current smoker), BMI was not predictive for either operative mortality or a composite morbidity-mortality outcome. When divided into three equal-sized groups, there was again no statistical difference among groups for mortality or for the composite variable. Separate analyses for females and males yielded the same lack of correlation. Long-term follow-up out to 12 years shows that the low BMI group has statistically worse survival than the moderate or high BMI groups. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing BMI has no independent association with worsened outcomes in the short or long term, and overweight patients have a survival benefit after surgery. Patients who are at the lower end of the BMI scale, however, are at increased risk for poor long-term survival.

Preoperative beta-blocker usage: is it really worthy of being a quality indicator?

BACKGROUND: Since 2007, the use of preoperative ß-blockers has been used as a quality standard for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Recent studies have called into question of the benefit of empiric preoperative ß-blocker use. METHODS: Data were extracted from our Society of Thoracic Surgeons certified database for patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft surgery from 2000 to 2008. We compared the outcomes for patients who received preoperative ß-blockers with those of patients who did not. RESULTS: The study group had 12,855 patients, of whom 7,967 (62.0%) were treated preoperatively with ß-blockers. Using propensity matching, we selected two matched groups of 4,474 patients with preoperative ß-blocker use and 4,474 not using preoperative ß-blockers. In the unmatched cohort, only deep sternal infection (0.3% versus 0.5% without ß-blockers; p=0.032), pneumonia (1.9% versus 2.4% without ß-blockers; p=0.039), and intraoperative blood usage (37.2% versus 34.1% without ß-blockers; p<0.001) reached statistically significant difference. In the matched groups, there was no difference between adverse event rates in patients treated with ß-blockers and those who were not. The number of patients requiring intraoperative blood product use was significantly higher among ß-blocker-treated patients (p=0.004). Calculating the adjusted odds ratios showed that in the matched groups, the preoperative use of ß-blockers was not an independent predictor of mortality. CONCLUSIONS: A rational for preoperative ß-blockade exists. However, as with any medical intervention, its application should be tailored to specific clinical scenarios. With no differences in mortality or morbidity, our findings do not support preoperative ß-blockade as a useful quality indicator for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

The Ross procedure performed for aortic insufficiency is associated with increased autograft reoperation.

BACKGROUND: The Ross procedure in infants/children is generally accepted, while in adults it remains controversial. We examined our adult experience for clinical and operative factors that predict autograft reoperation. METHODS: Prospectively collected data of 160 consecutive adults undergoing a Ross procedure by a single surgeon from July 1994 through June 2008 were reviewed. Clinical follow-up was obtained in 160 of 160 (100%) and echocardiogram in 150 of 152 (98.7%) survivors. Multivariate proportional hazards analysis was employed to determine risk factors for autograft reoperation. RESULTS: Mean age was 42.0±11.1 years and 73.1% were male. Presenting pathology was aortic insufficiency (AI) in 93 (58.1%) and aortic stenosis (AS) in 67 (41.9%). Bicuspid aortic valves accounted for 91% of AS and 85% of AI patients. Annuloplasty was required in 49 of 93 (52.7%) patients with AI and 12 of 67 (17.9%) patients with AS (p<0.001). There were 3 operative mortalities (1.87%) with 2 late cardiac related deaths (1.3%). Kaplan-Meier survival was 92.9±0.03% at 7.5 years. Fifteen patients (9.4%) required reoperation on the autograft root; 14 of 15 (93.3%) had AI. The time to aortic valve reoperation significantly diverged at 7.5 years; patients with AI required more reoperations. Factors predicting increased risk of autograft reoperation included female gender (hazard ratio [HR]=7.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.3 to 46.6), aortic dilatation (HR=6.3; 95% CI 1.3 to 33.2), a 3-cusp valve (HR=8.1; 95% CI 1.3 to 53.3) and annuloplasty (HR=7.8; 95% CI 1.2 to 52.0). CONCLUSIONS: The Ross procedure in adults provides excellent freedom from autograft failure in patients operated for AS. Other treatment alternatives should be strongly considered in adults presenting primarily with aortic insufficiency.

Aortic valve replacement surgery: comparison of outcomes in matched sternotomy and PORT ACCESS groups.

BACKGROUND: In the past decade, minimally invasive approaches have been developed for aortic valve surgery. We reviewed our data to determine if the use of the PORT ACCESS technique has improved hospital morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Data were collected on 90 patients who had a replacement of their aortic valve using PORT ACCESS procedures (PORT ACCESS aortic valve replacement [PAVR]). This group was then matched 1:4 to a control group having aortic valve replacement surgery using a standard sternotomy approach. RESULTS: The two groups had no statistically significant differences in preoperative risk factors. The perioperative and 30-day outcomes from the matched AVR and PAVR groups showed no mortalities in the PAVR group and 3.1% in the AVR group. Mean length of stay was shorter for PAVR patients (7.2 +/- 5.0 days; median 6 days) compared with the mean stay in the sternotomy group (8.5 +/- 9.5 days; median 6 days), PAVR patients also had statistically significant shorter intensive care unit stays, and time on ventilator. The number of patients needing ventilator support postoperatively was significantly lower in the PORT ACCESS group. Cross-clamp and perfusion times were longer in the PAVR group. No other morbidity was significantly different between groups, except for postoperative tamponade (higher in PAVR group). CONCLUSIONS: In this analysis of matched patients, the patients having aortic valve replacement using PORT ACCESS procedures, spent a shorter time in the intensive care unit and had less need for postoperative ventilator usage (both number of patients using a ventilator and the mean time of use) in comparison with patients undergoing conventional sternotomy.

Mitral valve surgery: comparison of outcomes in matched sternotomy and port access groups.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The 30-day outcomes were compared between matched groups of patients undergoing mitral valve procedures through Port Access (femoral cannulation, percutaneous retrograde cardioplegia and aortic occlusion), and through a sternotomy. METHODS: By using a Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)-certified, audited database, a total of 1108 patients was identified who were operated on between January 1996 and November 2008. A total of 608 mitral valve repair (MV-Rpr) patients (including 241 with Port Access procedures) and 500 mitral valve replacement (MVR) patients (including 45 with Port Access procedures) was included. Matching groups were created for 177 MV-Rpr patients (matched on preoperative cerebrovascular accident (CVA), previous coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and valve procedures, urgent operative status, mitral stenosis, heart failure, NYHA class IV, and age) and for MVR patients with 43 matches (matched for previous CABG surgery, operative status, NYHA class IV, and mitral insufficiency). RESULTS: Patients with Port Access procedures for MV-Rpr had a shorter length of hospital stay (5.4 +/- 2.8 versus 7.3 +/- 5.8 days), less postoperative ventilator usage (8.4 +/- 36.0 versus 24.8 +/- 81.6 h) and a shorter intensive care unit (ICU) stay (34.0 +/- 40.5 versus 81.7 +/- 133.8 h) when compared to sternotomy cases. Port Access also resulted in fewer patients requiring postoperative ventilation (50.3% versus 76.9%; p < 0.001) or reoperation for bleeding (2.3% versus 6.8%; p = 0.048). In MVR patients, Port Access use led to reductions in mortality (11.6% versus 0%; p = 0.021), ventilation time (13.8 +/- 40.3 versus 38.1 +/- 83.0 h), ICU stay (51.9 +/- 83.4 versus 152.4 +/- 125.0 h) and postoperative hospital stay (8.2 +/- 8.0 versus 11.0 +/- 8.6 days). In both groups, the cross-clamp time was longer with Port Access (107.7 +/- 26.8 versus 92.8 +/- 35.2 min for MV-Rpr; 130.2 +/- 44.2 versus 102.7 +/- 64.6 min for MVR). CONCLUSION: The performance of mitral valve surgery through a Port Access approach led to a reduction in ICU time, ventilator time, and hospital stay when compared to sternotomy. No increase in morbidity was observed with Port Access compared to sternotomy.

Pulmonary vein isolation and autonomic denervation for the management of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation by a minimally invasive surgical approach.

BACKGROUND: Advances in technology such as epicardial bipolar radiofrequency pulmonary vein isolation, ganglionated plexi identification, and isolation and thoracoscopic left atrial appendage exclusion have enabled less invasive surgical options for management of atrial fibrillation. METHODS: We performed a prospective, nonrandomized study of consecutive patients with symptomatic paroxysmal atrial fibrillation undergoing a video-assisted, minimally invasive surgical ablation procedure. The procedure consisted of bilateral, epicardial pulmonary vein isolation with bipolar radiofrequency, partial autonomic denervation, and selective excision of the left atrial appendage. Minimum follow-up was 1 year with long-term monitoring (24-hour continuous, 14-day event or pacemaker interrogation). RESULTS: Between March 2005 and January 2008, 52 patients (35 male), mean age 60.3 years (range, 42-79 years) underwent the procedure. The left atrial appendage was isolated in 88.0% (44/50). Average hospital stay was 5.2 days (range 3-10 days). There were no operative deaths or major adverse cardiac events. On long-term monitoring, freedom from atrial fibrillation/flutter/tachycardia was 86.3% (44/51) and 80.8% (42/52) at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Antiarrhythmic drugs were stopped in 33 of 37 patients and warfarin in 30 of 37 of the patients in whom ablation was successful at 12 months. Freedom from symptoms attributed to atrial fibrillation/flutter/tachycardia was 78.0% (39/50) at 6 months and 63.8% (30/47) at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive surgical ablation is effective in the management of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation as evidenced by freedom from atrial arrythmias by long-term monitoring at 12 months. Measuring success using clinical symptoms underestimated clinical success as compared with long-term monitoring.

Role of a percutaneous ventricular assist device in decision making for a cardiac transplant program.

BACKGROUND: The role of a percutaneous ventricular assist device (VAD) for left heart support in the management of patients in cardiogenic shock is not well defined. METHODS: All patients who received LV support using the percutaneous TandemHeart (percTH) ventricular support device (Cardiac Assist, Pittsburgh, PA) were retrospectively reviewed. Indications for insertion included bridge to decision (BTD) or "salvage" and bridge to transplant (BTT). RESULTS: Between April 2005 and December 2008, 22 percTH devices were successfully implanted in patients (13 men) with isolated left heart failure. Mean duration of support was 6.8 +/- 9.4 days (median, 4; maximum, 45 days). Of patients requiring percTH support for at least 3 days, mean pump flows were 3.77 +/- 1.10, 4.22 +/- 0.69, and 4.04 +/- 0.41 L/min on at days 1, 2, and 3. Mean serum aspartate aminotransferase levels were 455 +/- 994 mg/dL before percTH, 551 +/- 1046 mg/dL at day 1, and 231 +/- 225 mg/dL at day 3 after percTH. No mechanical device failure, device-related infections, or cerebrovascular accidents occurred. Ten of 11 BTT patients were successfully bridged. Support was withdrawn in 7 of 11 BTD patients. The percTHs were successfully explanted in 4 BTD patients: 1 as recovery, 1 direct to transplant, and 2 to VAD. CONCLUSIONS: The percTH was reliable, with no mechanical device failures and minimal associated adverse events. We support the use of the percTH in the BTD mode, allowing time for a more complete evaluation of neurologic and end-organ status without the added expense and morbidity of a long-term VAD.

Minimally invasive surgical ablation of atrial fibrillation: six-month results.

BACKGROUND: A minimally invasive surgery for treatment of atrial fibrillation was developed with bilateral pulmonary vein isolation, mapping, and ablation of the ganglionic plexi and excision of the left atrial appendage. A prospective multicenter registry was created to evaluate the outcomes. METHODS: The procedure was performed through bilateral minithoracotomies with video assistance. It included bilateral pulmonary vein isolation with bipolar radiofrequency with documentation of conduction block, location of ganglionic plexi by high-frequency stimulation, and appropriate ablation and left atrial appendage exclusion/excision. Clinical follow-up at 6 months included monitoring with electrocardiogram, Holter, event monitor, or pacemaker interrogation. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients with 60 (52.6%) paroxysmal, 32 (28.1%) persistent, and 22 (19.3%) long-standing persistent atrial fibrillations were treated. The mean age was 59.5 +/- 10.6 years, and 69.3% were men. The mean follow-up period was 204 +/- 41 days (median 195). There were 2 (1.8%) operative mortalities. At 6-month follow-up, with long-term monitoring, 52/60 (86.7%) patients with paroxysmal fibrillations were in normal sinus rhythm and 43/60 (71.7%) were both in normal sinus rhythm and off antiarrhythmic drugs. The patients with persistent atrial fibrillation had a lower success rate, with 18/32 (56.3%) being in normal sinus rhythm and 46.9% both in normal sinus rhythm and off antiarrhythmic drugs; for long-standing persistent cases, 11/22 (50%) were in normal sinus rhythm and 7/22 (31.9%) were also off antiarrhythmic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Minimally invasive atrial fibrillation surgery is an effective treatment of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation at 6 months. Continuous event monitoring is necessary to accurately assess treatment results. A more extensive lesion set seems to be required for treatment of persistent atrial fibrillation.