Fate of aortic bioprostheses: An 18-year experience.

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience in aortic valve replacement with the Mitroflow (Sorin, Vancouver, Canada) aortic bioprosthesis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent aortic valve replacement with a Mitroflow bioprosthesis at our institution from January 1994 to December 2011. No exclusion criteria were retained. Patients were followed yearly. Echocardiography follow-up was performed systematically before the hospital discharge and annually by patients' cardiologists. RESULTS: Seven hundred twenty-eight patients (mean age, 76 ± 6 years; range, 33-91 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with Mitroflow 12A or LX model and were included in this analysis. 30-day mortality for nonemergent isolated aortic valve replacement was 5.5%. Eight patients (1%) underwent reoperation for structural valve deterioration (SVD) and 30 patients (5.8%) presented echocardiographic signs of SVD. Actuarial freedom from reoperation for SVD was 99% ± 0.5% and 95% ± 5% at 10 and 15 years. Actuarial freedom from echocardiographic signs of SVD was 77% ± 5% and 56% ± 11% at 10 and 15 years, respectively. At the univariate analysis, only the mean gradient at discharge (P = .0200), the prevalence of size 19 (P = .0273), and severe patient-prosthesis mismatch (P = .0384) were significantly different in patients developing SVD at follow-up. Freedom from echocardiographic signs of SVD at 8 years were 88% ± 4% and 64% ± 13% in patients with a Mitroflow > 19 and Mitroflow 19, respectively (log-rank test, P = .0056; Wilcoxon test, P = .0589). CONCLUSIONS: Overall outcomes were satisfactory. However the risk of early SVD seems higher for the Mitroflow size 19. This size should be reserved for applications when annulus enlargement is risky or there is an anatomic contraindication to sutureless or stentless valve.

Predictive factors of stroke in patients undergoing coronary bypass grafting: statins are protective.

BACKGROUND: Despite major improvement in surgical techniques and intensive care management, stroke remains one of the most devastating complications of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). We aimed to determine factors predicting the occurrence of stroke during CABG. A special interest was focused on preoperative therapies. METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 810 consecutive candidates for CABG alone in a specific database, including all pre- and perioperative data (history, clinical, therapeutic, cardiac catheterization, surgical and intensive care data). Univariate tests and then multiple logistic regression analysis were used to determine independent predictive factors. RESULTS: During the first postoperative month, stroke occurred in 11 cases and transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 4 additive cases (cumulative rate: 1.85%). After the multivariate analysis, the following factors remained significant (p<0.05) in the predictive model, with corresponding odds ratios between brackets: redo cardiac surgery (7.45), unstable cardiac status (4.74), past history of cerebrovascular disease (4.14), past history of peripheral arterial disease (3.55), whereas the presence of preoperative statins was protective (0.24, 95% IC: 0.07-0.78). The addition of perioperative data (aortic calcification, postoperative arrhythmia, on/off-pump surgery) did not change the final predictive model. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first real-world observational report highlighting the interest of statins for the prevention of stroke in the very special situation of CABG. Even though according to randomized trials coronary patients have a benefit from these drugs, a special level of interest should be directed towards those presenting the above-mentioned risk factors.