[Long term results for the ATS valve, the first open pivot valve: 182 cases]. / Résultats a long terme de la valve ATS, premiere valve a pivot ouvert: 182 observations.

Between May 1995 and May 2004, 197 ATS valves were implanted in 182 patients: 120 males and 62 females with an average age of 58 +/- 13 years. 149 cases were for aortic valvular replacement and 48 cases were for the mitral valve. Fifteen patients had a double mitral and aortic replacement. Twelve tricuspid procedures were necessary, 17 patients underwent coronary revascularisation and 58 underwent an aortic procedure (Bentall, aortic sub-coronary, aortic cross). The in-hospital mortality (31 days) was 1.6%. The long term mortality at up to 9 years included 23 deaths. No death was attributed to the ATS valve. Nine thrombo-embolic events occurred, but six were minor. One mitral valve thrombosis was due to the voluntary cessation of anticoagulants and another was linked to a reduction in anticoagulant treatment. There were ten haemorrhagic events. They were all linked with an organic visceral lesion. Only one death was recorded. All patients received standard anticoagulant treatment with a target INR between 2.5 and 4. 155 patients were asked about the problem of valve noise. 139 (89.6%) stated that they did not notice any noise from their valves in everyday life. Conclusions The ATS valvular prosthesis is currently the only open pivot valve, fundamentally differentiating it from other valves with 2 leaflets. As a result of this, it has a very low rate of thrombo-embolic complications and a reduction in anticoagulant treatment could therefore be envisaged (Westaby, Van Nooten, Stefanidis). The haemodynamic characteristics are excellent and the ease of rotation of the leaflets allows optimal orientation. Finally, thanks to its structural characteristics, there is less leaflet closure noise and it is less perceptible than with other prostheses. It therefore offers an excellent quality of life.

[Long term survival with the Bentall button operation in 150 patients]. / Suivi à long terme de l'opération de Bentall avec collerettes sur 150 patients.

Between May 1980 and May 2000, 150 patients (123 males and 27 females) underwent surgery with the same surgeon for ascending aortic replacement with a valvular conduit and coronary reimplantation with the aid of a collar of aortic wall (button technique). The average age was 50 +/- 16 years. Within this population, 114 patients had isolated annulo-ectasial disease, 36 had Marfan syndrome and 20 had dissection (5 acute and 15 chronic). A carbon fibre valve with 2 leaflets was implanted in 124 patients, a mono-leaflet valve in 20 and 6 others required a heterograft due to their age or a contra-indication to anticoagulation. The associated procedures were: 12 arch replacements, 5 myocardial revascularisations, 4 mitral replacements, 1 tricuspid plasty, 1 inter-atrial communication closure. In 30 patients (20%) there was a cardiovascular surgical re-intervention. The operative and first month mortality amounted to one sudden death on the 19th day, ie 0.6%. Three patients were lost to follow up. The average survival was 7.87 +/- 5.37 years (minimum 1, maximum 20 years). The actuarial survival was 85% at 10 years and 60% at 20 years. These figures are much higher than those reported in our previous statistics from 1994 when the percentage of survivors at 12 years was only 61%. In the group of patients undergoing surgery before 60 years of age, the survival at 14 years was 94% and 81% at 20 years. Only four late re-interventions were attributable to the Bentall procedure, of which 2 were left coronary ostium stenoses. The rate of thrombosis and embolism was 0.42 per 100 patient-years and the rate of haemorrhagic accidents was identical, including minor accidents. This considerable improvement in long-term prognosis is explicable by the adoption of a single operative technique, considered to be the best, with the best myocardial protection thanks to coronary retro-perfusion and cold or hot cardioplegia, and also without doubt with the best medical survival.

[Coronary surgery of the beating heart. First year of experience in a series of 317 non-selected coronary patients]. / Chirurgie coronaire à coeur battant. Première année d'expérience sur une série de 317 patients coronariens non sélectionnés.

From May 1999 to May 2000, 317 unselected patients, representing 92.7% of all coronary artery surgery procedures, underwent open heart surgery of the beating heart by median sternotomy with the aid of a cardiac stabilising device. The main preoperative characteristics were: mean age = 66.1 years; men = 78.9%; left main stem disease = 31.8%; mean left ventricular ejection fraction = 54.1%; mean Parsonnet index = 16.9. These 317 patients were compared with a group of 303 patients who underwent coronary bypass surgery the year before by the same surgical team with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and cardiac standstill. Seven hundred and eighty-six distal anastomoses were carried out in the beating heart group (2.48 grafts per patient) compared with 2.91 in the CPB group: p < 0.001). There were 10.1% single bypass, 37.5% double bypass, 47.3% triple bypass and 5% quadruple bypass procedures. A cardiopulmonary bypass was required in 13 patients (4.1%). The mortality at 30 days was 3.1% versus 4.6% in the CPB group (p = NS). The need for blood transfusion was reduced by nearly 40% in the beating heart group (23.7% versus 39.9%, p < 0.001). The incidence of cerebrovascular complications was reduced from 3% in the CPB group to 0.6% in the beating heart group (p = 0.06). The peak postoperative troponine I levels were much lower in the beating heart group (2.5 versus 6.4 ng/ml, p < 0.001). The authors conclude that surgery on the beating heart is feasible in most patients. Compared with conventional surgery under CPB, there seems to be less requirement for blood transfusion and a tendency to reduce the cerebral risk. Nevertheless, a large prospective randomised trial is required to validate the potential advantages and limitations of this technique with respect to conventional surgery and to determine the optimal indications of surgery on the beating heart.

[Postoperative infections after heart surgery under extracorporeal circulation]. / Infections postopératoires après chirurgie cardiaque sous circulation extracorporelle.

Postoperative infection is still an important cause of mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to assess its incidence and causes in order to optimise treatment. Between January 1996 and December 1997, 1,000 consecutive patients (253 women and 747 men) were operated for cardiac aortic pathology under cardiopulmonary bypass. The mean age was 66 +/- 11 years. The initial pathology was coronary artery disease (N = 663), valvular heart disease (N = 193), an association of the two (N = 94), thoracic aortic pathology (N = 38) or other pathologies (N = 12). The global postoperative infection rate was 4.9% (N = 49). The incidence of sternal and/or mediastinal infections was 0.7%, of bronchopneumonia 0.9%, urinary infection 2.1%, and septicaemia 1.7%. Nine patients died of the consequences of an infection. The hospital stay was significantly longer in infected patients, irrespective of the site of infection. Statistical analysis of the whole population did not show any predictive factor related to the preoperative clinical status of the patients. The only predictive factor demonstrated was the day on which surgery was performed: the infection rate in patients operated during the first 4 days of the week was 2.2% compared with 7.3% for the patients operated during the last 3 days (p = 0.004, odds ratio (OR) = 3.57). In those patients who had an urinary infection, the two identified risk factors were the female gender (p = 0.006, OR = 3.34) and an operation performed at the end of the week (p = 0.017, OR = 3.77). In patients with sternal and medistinal infections, the only identified predictive factor was combined coronary artery and valvular surgery (p = 0.009, OR = 7.43). With respect to pulmonary infections, the only predictive factor was recent preoperative myocardial infarction (< 1 month) (p = 0.004, OR = 7.5). Finally, no predictive risk factors were identified in those patients who developed septicaemia. In conclusion, this study showed that postoperative infection remains a serious complication of cardiac surgery. The prevention of these complications should be a priority for quality health care.

[Heart surgery in normothermia and aerobiosis: apropos of 530 patients]. / Chirurgie cardiaque en normothermie et aéorobiose: à propos de 530 patients.

Between February and October 1991, 530 consecutive patients underwent myocardial revascularization or valvular surgery with warm continuous antegrade and retrograde cardioplegia (37 degrees C). Three hundred and thirty three patients had isolated myocardial revascularization, 159 valvular surgery alone and 25 had combined valvular and coronary bypass. The global mortality was 5.1%, 3.7% for coronary bypass, 7.5% for valvular surgery and 8% for combined valvular and coronary surgery. A multivariate analysis identified the "reperfusion time" as the only predictive factor of hospital mortality (p < 0.001). Intraortic balloon counterpulsation was required postoperatively in 3.2% of cases, 5.2% of coronary bypass and 0.8% of the valvular patients. Inotropic drugs were used to come off cardiopulmonary bypass in 16.5% of coronary and 37.5% of valvular patients. There were 0.9% perioperative infarctions: 1.2% in the coronary bypass cases and 0.6% in the valvular cases. Spontaneous return to sinus rythm was observed in 87.9% of cases. The average "reperfusion time" was 20.48 +/- 0.7 mn. Analysis of the influence of aortic cross clamp time on cardiac morbidity in two groups of coronary patients (Group I: short cross clamp time less than 60 mn; Group II: long cross clamp time, 60 to 33 mn) showed that the hospital mortality, the prevalence of the use of inotropic drugs and balloon counterpulsation the postoperative cardiac index, the rate of spontaneous de fibrillation and the reperfusion time did not depend on the aortic cross clamp time. Cardiac morbidity.

Beyond cold cardioplegia.

One hundred fifteen consecutive patients were operated on for myocardial revascularization or valvular disease or both with continuous antegrade and retrograde aerobic warm (37 degrees C) blood cardioplegia. Mean cross-clamp time was 56.3 +/- 21 minutes (+/- standard deviation). Mean reperfusion time was 18.4 +/- 11.8 minutes (range, 5 to 81 minutes). Five patients (4.3%) died, and 15 (13%) needed inotropic support. Two (1.7%) required intraaortic balloon support. Two patients (1.7%) had evidence of perioperative myocardial infarction, and 98 (85%) returned spontaneously to normal sinus rhythm. Sixteen patients had a cross-clamp time greater than 80 minutes. All 16 of them had an uneventful postoperative course except for 1 patient who required inotropic drugs. This method of myocardial protection is now used for all open heart procedures in our institution.

[Anesthesia and intensive care for heart-lung transplantation]. / Anesthésie et réanimation pour transplantation coeur-poumons.

Since Shumway carried out the first successful heart-lung transplant (HLT) in Stanford in 1981, HLT has become a new therapeutic means for patients with end-stage pulmonary disease or arterial hypertension. However, it is still rarely carried out because of a lack of donors and the complexity of the surgery and postoperative course. This review described the criteria for proper donor and recipient selection, as well as the anaesthetic and postoperative management of HLT patients at Marie Lannelongue Hospital. The lack of suitable organ grafts results, at least in part, from improper donor management. Pulmonary oedema by fluid overloading and excessive haemodilution should be carefully prevented. Low doses of catecholamines and vasopressin maintain circulatory stability and convenient organ function. The indications for HLT (primary pulmonary hypertension, Eisenmenger's complex, and end-stage bronchopulmonary disease) are all characterized by severe pulmonary hypertension, hypoxaemia and cardiac failure. Careful anaesthetic induction is required to avoid circulatory collapse. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) should be started early, so that mediastinal dissection may be carried out in satisfactory haemodynamic conditions. After unclamping the aorta, circulatory support with fluid and catecholamine infusion is often required. High inspired oxygen fraction and end-expiratory positive pressure may be required because of reperfusion pulmonary oedema. Blood transfusion is often needed as there are major blood losses due to dissection of the posterior mediastinum during CPB. Postoperative catecholamine administration is prolonged over several days. Negative fluid balance is often necessary to reduce pulmonary oedema. Improvement in surgical technique, early extubation, and late prescription of steroids have reduced the incidence of tracheal complications. Acute renal failure often occurs as a result of prolonged CPB, hypovolaemia, drug nephrotoxicity and sepsis. Bacterial complications (pneumonia, mediastinitis) are the main causes of early death. After the 15th postoperative day, opportunistic infections and allograft rejection are the main complications. Since 1981, major advances in HLT recipient management resulted in improved survival rates (70-80% at 1 year, and 60-70% at 2 years for the best teams). Despite the complexity of management, and the longterm threat of obliterative bronchiolitis, HLT is, at present time, the only possibility for these young patients to recover a normal quality of life.