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The rising rates of drug use and associated cardiovascular complications, particularly infective endocarditis, have led to poorer health outcomes for people who use drugs (PWUD). The objectives of this scoping review were to identify (1) attitudes of cardiac surgeons toward PWUD and (2) challenges faced in the surgical treatment of drug use-related disease.A comprehensive literature search of three databases was performed with this assistance of a medical librarian. Articles were screened and analyzed for common themes by two independent authors. After literature review, a scoping review was conducted according to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, summarizing existing evidence.Analysis of 35 qualified articles revealed eight themes regarding the perspectives and practices of cardiac surgeons toward PWUD: (1) need for multidisciplinary care teams (45.7%); (2) insufficient resources for treatment of underlying substanceuse disorders (40.0%); (3) stigma toward PWUD (37.1%); (4) willingness of surgeons to operate (31.4%); (5) incomplete guidelines for surgical management of drug-use related infective endocarditis (17.1%); (6) recognizing the importance of psychosocial factors (14.3%); (7) use of drug abstinence contracts (14.3%); and (8) use of stigmatizing language to describe PWUD and/or sterile injection (40.0%).Provision of equitable care for PWUD requires effort from multiple disciplines including cardiothoracic surgeons, infectious disease specialists, addiction medicine specialists, and social workers. Additionally, further research is needed to gather sufficient data for evidence-based guidelines in the treatment of cardiac complications in PWUD.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a significant risk factor for aortic dissection and rupture. Guidelines recommend referral of patients to a cardiovascular specialist for periodic surveillance imaging with surgical intervention determined primarily by aneurysm size. We investigated the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and surveillance practices in patients with ascending aortic aneurysms.We retrospectively reviewed records of 465 consecutive patients diagnosed between 2013 and 2016 with ascending aortic aneurysm ≥4 cm on computed tomography scans. Primary outcomes were clinical follow-up with a cardiovascular specialist and aortic surveillance imaging within 2 years following index scan. We stratified patients into quartiles using the area deprivation index (ADI), a validated percentile measure of 17 variables characterizing SES at the census block group level. Competing risks analysis was used to determine interquartile differences in risk of death before follow up with a cardiovascular specialist.Lower SES was associated with significantly lower rates of surveillance imaging and referral to a cardiovascular specialist. On competing risks regression, the ADI quartile with lowest SES had lower hazard of follow-up with a cardiologist or cardiac surgeon before death (hazard ratio: 0.46 [0.34, 0.62], p .001). Though there were no differences in aneurysm size at time of surgical repair, patients in the lowest socioeconomic quartile were more frequently symptomatic at surgery than other quartiles (92% vs. 23%-38%, p .001).Patients with lower SES receive less timely follow-up imaging and specialist referral for TAAs, resulting in surgical intervention only when alarming symptoms are already present.

Mitral valve repair durability currently plays a key role in operative decision making and in defining optimal surgical practice. However, mitral valve durability outcomes measures are not captured by national registries and limited to centers that publish their outcomes. In this study, we aim to describe the scope of institutions represented by reports describing durability outcomes after mitral valve repair within the contemporary literature.A scoping review of the literature was performed to extract abstracts potentially reporting mitral valve operation outcomes published between 2000-2019. 370 full text articles reporting mitral valve durability outcomes by either reoperation rate or rate of recurrent mitral regurgitation met criteria for analysis. Study characteristics including case volume, country and institution of origin, and surgeon volume were extracted and used to calculate the proportion of total cases in the top 3, 5, and 10 represented countries and institutions by the sum of reported mitral valve repairs described. The top 5 of 21 countries represented 78.9% of the mitral valve repair cases described. The top 3 most represented institutions described 20,120 (37.3%) of all mitral valve repairs in 58 (33.9%) single-center studies.Published mitral valve repair durability data must be interpreted with caution when used to derive policies and practice recommendations that govern the cardiovascular community at large.

Purpose Diffuse mega-aorta is challenging. Prior studies have raised concerns regarding the safety of the open two-stage elephant trunk (ET) approach for extensive thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), specifically in regard to interstage mortality. This study evaluates the safety of the two-stage ET approach for management of extensive TAA. Methods Between 2003 and 2018, 152 patients underwent a Stage I ET procedure by a single surgeon (mean age 64.5 ± 14.8). Second stage ET procedure was planned in 60 patients (39.4%) and to-date has been performed in 54 patients (90%). (in the remaining patients, the ET was prophylactic for the long-term, with no plan for near-term utilization). Results In-hospital mortality after the Stage I procedure was 3.3% (5/152). In patients planned for Stage II, the median interstage interval was 5 weeks (range: 0-14). Of the remaining six patients with planned, but uncompleted Stage II procedures, five patients expired from various causes in the interval period (interstage mortality of 8.3%). There were no cases of aortic rupture in the interstage interval. Stage II was completed in 58 patients (including four unplanned) with a 30-day mortality of 10.3% (6/58). Seven patients developed strokes after Stage II (12%), and three patients (5.1%) developed paraplegia. Conclusions The overall mortality, including Stage I, interstage interval, and Stage II was 18.6%. This substantial cumulative mortality for the open two-staged ET approach for the treatment of extensive TAA appears commensurate with the severity of the widespread aortic disease in this patient group. Fear of interstage rupture should not preclude the aggressive Two-Stage approach to the management of extensive TAA.

BACKGROUND It is unknown how high and low-risk cases are distributed among cardiac surgeons of different experience levels. The purpose of this study was to determine if high and low-risk coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) cases are distributed among surgeons in such a way that would optimize outcomes in light of recent studies that show mid-career surgeons may obtain better patient outcomes on more complex cases. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study using aggregated New York (NY) and California (CA) statewide surgeon-level outcome data, including 336 cardiac surgeons who performed 43,604 CABGs. The surgeon observed and expected mortality rates (OMR and EMR) were collected and the number of years-in-practice was determined by searching for surgeon training history on online registries. Loess and linear regression models were used to characterize the relationship between surgeon EMR and surgeon years-in-practice. RESULTS The median number of surgeon years-in-practice was 20 (interquartile range [IQR] 11-28) with a median annual case volume of 46 (IQR 19, 70.25). The median surgeon observed to expected mortality (O:E) ratio was 0.87 (IQR 0.19-1.4). Median EMR for CA surgeons was 2.42% and 1.44% for NY surgeons. Linear regression models showed EMR was similar across years in practice. Regression models also showed surgeon O:E ratios were similar across years-in-practice. CONCLUSION High and low-risk CABG cases are relatively equally distributed among surgeons of differing experience levels. This equal distribution of high and low-risk cases does not reflect a triaging of more complex cases to more experienced surgeons, which prior research shows may optimize patient outcomes.

We report an emergent complex hybrid repair of a type A intramural hematoma with a tear of the aortic arch at the site of Kommerell's diverticulum and an aberrant right subclavian artery. We identified a type IA endoleak intraoperatively, which was managed immediately with proximal extension. Performing this operation in the hybrid operating room facilitated optimal surgical management.

PURPOSE The incidence and management of sternal wound complications in patients undergoing orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is not well studied. We report outcomes in heart transplant patients who developed sternal infections requiring reoperations. METHODS From 2004 to 2013, 437 patients underwent OHT at a single institution. In a retrospective review, patients who developed sternal infections (Infection group, n = 27) were compared with those without (Control group, n = 410). RESULTS Sternal infection rate was 6.2% (n = 27). Demographics were similar (Table 1). Infection group had higher rates of COPD 25% vs 13%, P = 0.03, and previous cardiac surgery via median sternotomy 28% vs 15%, P = 0.03. Infection group had a greater incidence of prolonged ventilation, 44% vs 31%, P = 0.2, renal failure 56% vs 24%, P = 0.001, dialysis requirement 30% vs 10%, P = 0.006, permanent stroke 11% vs 2%, P = 0.02, perioperative myocardial infarction 4% vs 0.2%, P = 0.09. The infection group had a longer ICU stay (524 + 410 vs 187 + 355 hours, P = 0.001) and hospitalization (59 + 28 vs 0.29 + 43 days, P = 0.001). In-hospital/30-day mortality was 30% vs 19%, P = 0.2. The mean time for sternal reoperation at 44 + 50 days. Deep wound infection (41%) and sternal dehiscence (22%) were common presentations. Causative organisms were Enterobacter (22%), Klebsiella (15%), and Pseudomonas (15%). Vancomycin (44%), 4th generation cephalosporin (37%), and fluoroquinolones (30%) were the most commonly used antibiotics. Surgical treatment included sternal debridement with pectoralis muscle flap (52%), primary closure (18%), and omental flap (11%). CONCLUSION Sternal wound infections impart a significant burden on patients with OHT. Causative organisms are predominantly virulent gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, a high index of suspicion must be maintained for early detection and treatment.

BACKGROUND AND AIM We reviewed our institutional experience with tricuspid valve endocarditis to understand the impact of the opioid epidemic on the incidence of right heart endocarditis. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all cases of tricuspid endocarditis managed surgically from January of 2011 to May of 2017. There were no exclusion criteria. RESULTS A total of 126 patients were identified. There were seven cases in 2011 and 36 in 2016. The average age of the patients decreased from 52.85 ± 19.6 years in 2011 to 39.2 ± 12.9 in 2017. Caucasians comprised 71% of the patients in 2011 and 75% in 2016. Tricuspid valve replacement was performed in 74 patients (58.73%) and repair was performed in 52 (41.27%). Thirty-day mortality was 11.11%. Reoperation, stroke and renal failure requiring dialysis during the index hospitalization were 5.6%, 0.8%, and 8%, respectively. Staphylococcus aureus, found in 43% of cases, was the most common isolate throughout the study period. Streptococcus was the second most common causative agent. CONCLUSIONS In a span of 5 years, our institution has noted a fivefold increase in surgical volume for tricuspid endocarditis, most likely related to the impact of the opioid epidemic.

Background and Aim Concomitant endovascular stent grafting of the descending thoracic aorta during open repair for acute DeBakey I aortic dissection can be performed in patients with extensive dissection and malperfusion. We analyzed the effects of this strategy on distal aortic remodeling. Methods From 2006-2014, acute DeBakey I dissection patients without primary aortic arch tear undergoing open distal hemiarch reconstruction (Standard group) versus those undergoing hemiarch with descending thoracic aorta (DTA) thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR group) were retrospectively reviewed. We studied aortic remodeling only in patients with three-dimensional computed tomography scans available at 1 and 12 months following surgery (Standard group n = 26; Stent group n = 21). Results At 1 month, abdominal aortic diameters were similar, but true lumen (TL) and true lumen to total diameter ratios (TL index [TLI]) in the DTA were significantly improved in the TEVAR group (P

Ventricular septal defect (VSD) after myocardial infarction (MI) is an uncommon but serious complication. Patients refractory to attempts at medical stabilization and requiring emergency surgery have expected mortality rates greater than 50%. We present three cases of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation bridge to surgical repair in patients with multisystem organ failure who would otherwise require emergent cardiac surgery with associated risk and review the literature for mechanical circulatory support for patients with anterior and posterior post-MI VSD.

Objective To determine operative outcomes of right mini-thoracotomy mitral valve surgery utilizing port access technology in first-time and reoperative cardiac surgery patients. Methods From 2002 to 2011, 881 patients underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. Of these, 154 patients had previous cardiac operations via sternotomy (Group 1), of which 18 (12%) had two previous operations. Seven hundred and twenty-seven patients had no previous cardiac operations (Group 2). Results Patient demographics were similar in both groups. In Group 1, 76 (49%) patients had previous coronary artery bypass grafting, 13 (8%) had previous aortic valve surgery, and 57 (37%) had previous mitral valve surgery. Preoperative echo findings for Groups 1 and 2 included severe mitral regurgitation (MR) (88%, n = 135; 94%, n = 687), mitral stenosis (MS) (4%, n = 6; 2%, n = 12), MS + MR (8%, n = 13; 4%, n = 28), and ejection fraction (48%, 56%). Operative procedures in Groups 1 and 2 were MV repair (54%, n = 84; 89%, n = 645) and MV replacement (46%, n = 70; 11%, n = 82). Circulatory management techniques for Groups 1 and 2 included endoballoon (75%, n = 116; 79%, n = 576), Chitwood clamp (8%, n = 12; 20%, n = 147), and fibrillatory arrest (17%, n = 30; 0.5%, n = 4). Perioperative outcomes were: stroke: 2.5%, 1.6%; reoperation for bleeding: 5%, 6%; valvular reoperation rate: 0.6%, 2%; aortic dissection: 2.5%, 1%; and wound infection: 0%, 0%. Transfusion requirement was 49% (n = 76) and 31% (n = 232), respectively. Median hospital stay was seven and seven days, respectively. On postoperative echocardiography, 98% (n = 151) and 99% (n = 718) of patients had zero or trace MR (1+) with 100% freedom from MR > 2+. In-hospital mortality was 3% (n = 5) and 1% (n = 8). Conclusions Operative outcomes with minimally invasive mitral valve surgery utilizing port access technology can be performed safely. Stroke rate was higher in the reoperative cases (p = NS) although similar to reports evaluating redo sternotomy in mitral valve cases. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12293 (J Card Surg 2014;29:343–348)