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Objectives: Novel cardiac biomarkers serum (suppression of tumorigenicity [ST2]) and Galectin-3 may be associated with an increased likelihood of important events after cardiac surgery. Our objective was to explore the association between pre- and postoperative serum biomarker levels and 30-day readmission or mortality for pediatric patients.Methods: We prospectively enrolled pediatric patients <18 years of age who underwent at least one cardiac surgical operation at Johns Hopkins Children's Center from 2010 to 2014 (N = 162). Blood samples were collected immediately before surgery and at the end of bypass. We evaluated the association between pre- and postoperative Galectin-3 and ST2 with 30-day readmission or mortality, using backward stepwise logistic regression, adjusting for covariates based on the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Heart Surgery Mortality Risk Model.Results: In our cohort, 21 (12.9%) patients experienced readmission or mortality 30-days from discharge. Before adjustment, preoperative ST2 terciles demonstrated a strong association with readmission and/or mortality after surgery (OR: 2.58; 95% CI: 1.17-3.66 and OR: 4.37; 95% CI: 1.31-14.57). After adjustment for covariates based on the STS congenital risk model, Galectin-3 postoperative mid-tercile was significantly associated with 30-day readmission or mortality (OR: 6.17; 95% CI: 1.50-0.43) as was the highest tercile of postoperative ST2 (OR: 4.98; 95% CI: 1.06-23.32).Conclusions: Elevated pre-and postoperative levels of ST2 and Galectin-3 are associated with increased risk of readmission or mortality after pediatric heart surgery. These clinically available biomarkers can be used for improved risk stratification and may guide improved patient care management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/purpose: Surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) and prior chest radiation is associated with poor outcomes in comparison with patients without prior radiation. Our objective was to compare clinical outcomes of patients with and without prior chest radiation undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for symptomatic severe AS.Methods/materials: Between January 2003 and January 2017, 1150 patients underwent TAVR at our institution. Of these, 44 had prior chest radiation. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics, procedural details, and clinical outcomes were prospectively collected.Results: Patients with prior chest radiation were younger, 76 ± 13 years, compared with those without prior chest radiation, 82 ± 8 years (p = 0.002). Median Society of Thoracic Surgeons score for chest radiation patients was 7 ± 4, compared to 8 ± 5 in those without prior radiation. Despite higher prevalence of complete heart block, there was no significant difference between the 2 groups with regard to the need for permanent pacemaker implantation. There was a trend toward longer length of intensive care unit stay in chest radiation patients, but there was no significant difference in 30-day or 1-year mortality.Conclusions: Thus, TAVR appears to be a safe treatment option in the short and medium term for patients with symptomatic severe AS and prior chest radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is now the standard of care for patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis who are extreme, high, or intermediate risk for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).Objectives: The authors sought to evaluate TAVR in a prospective multicenter trial involving low-risk patients.Methods: The Low Risk TAVR (Feasibility of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients With Symptomatic, Severe Aortic Stenosis) trial was the first U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved Investigational Device Exemption trial to enroll in the United States. This investigator-led trial was a prospective, multicenter, unblinded, comparison to historical controls from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 30 days.Results: The authors enrolled 200 low-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis at 11 centers to undergo TAVR. The authors compared outcomes with an inverse probability weighting-adjusted control cohort of 719 patients who underwent SAVR at the same institutions using the STS database. At 30 days, there was zero all-cause mortality in the TAVR group versus 1.7% mortality in the SAVR group. There was zero in-hospital stroke rate in the TAVR group versus 0.6% stroke in the SAVR group. Permanent pacemaker implantation rates were similar between TAVR and SAVR (5.0% vs. 4.5%). The rates of new-onset atrial fibrillation (3.0%) and length of stay (2.0 ± 1.1 days) were low in the TAVR group. One patient (0.5%) in the TAVR group had >mild paravalvular leak at 30 days. Fourteen percent of TAVR patients had evidence of subclinical leaflet thrombosis at 30 days.Conclusions: TAVR is safe in low-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis, with low procedural complication rates, short hospital length of stay, zero mortality, and zero disabling stroke at 30 days. Subclinical leaflet thrombosis was observed in a minority of TAVR patients at 30 days. (Feasibility of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Patients With Symptomatic, Severe Aortic Stenosis [Low Risk TAVR; NCT02628899). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Conscious sedation is used during transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) with limited evidence as to the safety and efficacy of this practice.Methods: The National Cardiovascular Data Registry Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy Registry was used to characterize the anesthesia choice and clinical outcomes of all US patients undergoing elective percutaneous transfemoral TAVR between April 1, 2014, and June 30, 2015. Raw and inverse probability of treatment-weighted analyses were performed to compare patients undergoing TAVR with general anesthesia with patients undergoing TAVR with conscious sedation on an intention-to-treat basis for the primary outcome of in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes including 30-day mortality, in-hospital and 30-day death/stroke, procedural success, intensive care unit and hospital length-of-stay, and rates of discharge to home. Post hoc falsification end point analyses were performed to evaluate for residual confounding.Results: Conscious sedation was used in 1737/10 997 (15.8%) cases with a significant trend of increasing usage over the time period studied (P for trend<0.001). In raw analyses, intraprocedural success with conscious sedation and general anesthesia was similar (98.2% versus 98.5%, P=0.31). The conscious sedation group was less likely to experience in-hospital (1.6% versus 2.5%, P=0.03) and 30-day death (2.9% versus 4.1%, P=0.03). Conversion from conscious sedation to general anesthesia was noted in 102 of 1737 (5.9%) of conscious sedation cases. After inverse probability of treatment-weighted adjustment for 51 covariates, conscious sedation was associated with lower procedural success (97.9% versus 98.6%, P<0.001) and a reduced rate of mortality at the in-hospital (1.5% versus 2.4%, P<0.001) and 30-day (2.3% versus 4.0%, P<0.001) time points. Conscious sedation was associated with reductions in procedural inotrope requirement, intensive care unit and hospital length of stay (6.0 versus 6.5 days, P<0.001), and combined 30-day death/stroke rates (4.8% versus 6.4%, P<0.001). Falsification end point analyses of vascular complications, bleeding, and new pacemaker/defibrillator implantation demonstrated no significant differences between groups after adjustment.Conclusions: In US practice, conscious sedation is associated with briefer length of stay and lower in-hospital and 30-day mortality in comparison with TAVR with general anesthesia in both unadjusted and adjusted analyses. These results suggest the safety of conscious sedation in this population, although comparative effectiveness analyses using observational data cannot definitively establish the superiority of one technique over another. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The ability of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons ( STS) and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (Euro SCORE)-2 scores to predict outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve replacement ( TAVR) is insufficient. Frailty and serum albumin as a frailty marker were shown to correlate with prognosis after TAVR. We sought to evaluate the additive value of serum albumin to STS and Euro SCORE-2 scores to predict mortality in individuals undergoing TAVR. Design Retrospective analysis. Setting Tertiary-care hospital prospective registry. Participants Individuals who underwent TAVR (N = 426). Measurements We compared survival rates according to median baseline albumin levels (4 g/dL), STS score (4.5%), and EuroSCORE-2 (3.45%). Participants were divided into four groups according to median serum albumin and median STS and Euro SCORE-2 scores (high vs low), and 1-year survival rates were compared. A category-free net reclassification index ( NRI) was calculated to compare the ability of a model of STS or Euro SCORE-2 alone to classify mortality risk with and without the addition of baseline serum albumin. Results Participants with low albumin levels had higher mortality (hazard ratio ( HR) = 3.03, 95% confidence interval ( CI) = 1.66-5.26, P < .001). Participants with low serum albumin and a high STS ( HR = 4.55, 95% CI = 2.21-9.38, P < .001) or Euro SCORE-2 ( HR = 2.72, 95% CI = 1.48-5.06, P = .001) score had higher mortality. Using NRI analysis, a model that included albumin in addition to STS correctly reclassified 42% of events ( NRI = 0.58) and a model that included albumin in addition to Euro SCORE-2 correctly reclassified 44% of events ( NRI = 0.64). Conclusion Serum albumin, as a marker of frailty, can significantly improve the ability of STS and Euro SCORE-2 scores to predict TAVR-related mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To develop models of 30-day mortality and cardiopulmonary morbidity from data on anatomic lung resections deposited in the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) database. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of 47 960 anatomic lung resections from the ESTS database (July 2007-August 2015) (36 376 lobectomies, 2296 bilobectomies, 5040 pneumonectomies and 4248 segmentectomies). Logistic regression analyses were used to test the association between baseline and surgical variables and morbidity or mortality. Bootstrap resampling was used for internal validation and to check predictors of stability. Variables that occurred in more than 50% of the bootstrap samples were deemed reliable. User-friendly aggregate scores were then created by assigning points to each variable in the model by proportionally weighting the regression coefficients. Patients were grouped in classes of incremental risk according to their scores. RESULTS: Cardiopulmonary morbidity and 30-day mortality rates were 18.4% (8805 patients) and 2.7% (1295 patients). The following variables were reliably associated with morbidity after logistic regression analysis (C-index 0.68): male sex (P < 0.0001); age (P< 0.0001); predicted postoperative forced expiratory volume in 1 s (ppoFEV1) (P < 0.0001); coronary artery disease (CAD) (P < 0.0001); cerebrovascular disease (CVD) (P < 0.0001); chronic kidney disease (P < 0.0001); thoracotomy approach (P < 0.0001); and extended resections (P < 0.0001). All variables occurred in more than 95% of the bootstrap samples. An aggregate score was created that stratified the patients into six classes of incremental morbidity risk (P < 0.0001). The following variables were reliably associated with mortality after logistic regression analysis (C-index 0.74): male sex (P < 0.0001); age (P < 0.0001); ppoFEV1 (P < 0.0001); CAD (P = 0.003); CVD (P < 0.0001); body mass index (P < 0.0001); thoracotomy approach (P < 0.0001); pneumonectomy (P < 0.0001); and extended resections (P = 0.002). All variables occurred in more than 80% of bootstrap samples. An aggregate score was created that stratified the patients into six classes of incremental mortality risk (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The updated ESTS morbidity and mortality models can be used to define risk-adjust outcome indicators for auditing quality of care and to counsel patients about their surgical risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The Japanese Board of General Thoracic Surgery and the annual survey by the Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery ( JATS) of certified hospitals began in 2005; since then, over 1300 specialists and 650 hospitals have been certified by this system. To evaluate how this system contributes to improving the outcomes of general thoracic surgery, the effects of the number of certified general thoracic surgeons (GTSs) and hospital volume on 30-day mortality or hospital mortality were evaluated. METHODS: Using data from the annual survey of JATS from 2005 to 2012, the outcomes of 211 619 patients who underwent lung resection for lung cancer were evaluated. The patients were divided into four groups by the level of surgery: first level, partial resection; second level, segmentectomy and lobectomy; third level, sleeve segmentectomy and lobectomy; and fourth level, pneumonectomy, sleeve pneumonectomy and pleuro-pneumonectomy. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between operative mortality and the number of GTSs, hospital volume and level of surgical procedure. RESULTS: Overall 30-day and hospital mortality rates were 0.40 and 0.77%, respectively. The 30-day and hospital mortality rates for each surgical level were 0.20 and 0.35% for the first level, 0.36 and 0.73% for the second level, 1.02 and 1.81% for the third level and 2.42 and 4.26% for the fourth level, respectively. The number of GTSs was associated with lower 30-day and hospital mortality rates (P < 0.0001). On logistic analysis, number of GTSs (<3 vs ≥3), hospital volume (<50 vs ≥50) and level of procedure (1 vs 2, 3 vs 2, 4 vs 2) were significantly associated with 30-day and hospital mortality rates. For 30-day mortality, the odds ratios were 0.688 (P < 0.0001) for higher number of GTSs and 0.856 (P = 0.0510) for higher volume hospitals. In the subgroup analysis by surgical level, low 30-day and hospital mortality rates in the second and fourth surgical levels were correlated with a higher number of GTSs. CONCLUSIONS: The current decrease in overall 30-day mortality rates from the JATS data showed greater dependence on the number of GTSs than on the hospital volume. We believe that the certification system in Japan is useful for the establishment of GTS status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many patients classified as "urgent" in Australia New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) registry contradict the prescribed definition (surgery within 72hours of angiogram or unplanned admission). The aim was to examine the impacts of this misclassification on the prediction of 30-day mortality following cardiac surgery.Methods: The 'reported clinical status' was compared with a 'corrected clinical status' following reclassification based on the standard definition calculated from raw data. Observed-to-predicted risk ratios (OPRs) of 30-day mortality were calculated for the model using reported status and corrected status and compared. A Bland-Altman plot was generated to examine the level of agreement between the two OPRs.Results: Of 18496 cases reported as urgent, 49.9% were operated after 72hours, leading to misclassification of 14.6% in the registry. Misclassified patients had significantly higher mortality (3.5%) than true urgent patients (2.9%). Underweight (OR:1.6,CI:1.2-2.1), dialysis (OR:1.4,CI:1.1-1.7), endocarditis (OR:2.1,CI:1.7-2.5), shock (OR:1.6,CI:1.3-2.0) and poor ejection fraction (OR:1.2,CI:1.1-1.4) were significant predictors of misclassification. Bland- Altman plot demonstrates significant disagreement between two risk estimates (P<0.001). Misclassification results in overestimation of risk by 9.1%. Observed-to-predicted risk increased with corrected definition (0.8975 vs 0.9875), suggesting poorer calibration with reported status.Conclusions: In the ANZSCTS database, misclassification prevalence is 14.6%. Misclassification compromises the discrimination capacity and calibration of the model and results in overestimation of mortality risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Improved outcomes are desirable results of clinical audit. The aim of this study was to use data from the Victorian Audit of Surgical Mortality ( VASM) and the Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset ( VAED) to highlight specific areas of clinical improvement and reduction in mortality over the duration of the audit process. Methods This study used retrospective, observational data from VASM and VAED. VASM data were reported by participating public and private health services, the Coroner and self-reporting surgeons across Victoria. Aggregated VAED data were supplied by the Victorian Department of Health. Assessment of outcomes was performed using chi-squared trend analysis over successive annual audit periods. Because initial collection of data was incomplete in the recruitment phase, statistical analysis was confined to the last 3-year period, 2010-2013. Results A 20% reduction in surgical mortality over the past 5 years has been identified from the VAED data. Progressive increase in both surgeon and hospital participation, significant reduction in both errors in management as perceived by assessors and increased direct consultant involvement in cases returned to theatre have been documented. Conclusions The benefits of VASM are reflected in the association with a reduction of mortality and adverse clinical outcomes, which have clinical and financial benefits. It is a purely educational exercise and continued participation in this audit will ensure the highest standards of surgical care in Australia. This also highlights the valuable collaboration between the Victorian Department of Health and the RACS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

been recently updated as EuroSCORE II to optimize its efficacy in cardiac surgery, but its performance has been poorly evaluated for predicting 30-day mortality in patients who undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Consecutive patients (n [ 250) treated with TAVR were included in this analysis. Transapical access was used in 60 patients, while 190 procedures were performed using a transfemoral approach. Calibration (risk-adjusted mortality ratio) and discrimination (C-statistic and U-statistic) were calculated for the logistic EuroSCORE, EuroSCORE II, and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) scores for predicting 30-day mortality. Observed mortality was 7.6% in the overall population (6.3% and 11.7% for the transfemoral and transapical cohorts, respectively). Predicted mortality was 22.6 - 12.8% by logistic EuroSCORE, 7.7 - 5.8% by EuroSCORE II, and 7.3 - 4.1% by STS score. The risk-adjusted mortality ratio was 0.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.10 to 0.58) for logistic EuroSCORE, 0.99 (95% CI 0.29 to 1.69) for Euro- SCORE II, and 1.05 (95% CI 0.30 to 1.79) for STS score. Moderate discrimination was observed with EuroSCORE II (C-index 0.66, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.79, p [ 0.02) compared to the logistic EuroSCORE (C-index 0.63, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.76, p[0.06) and STS (C-index 0.58, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.73, p [ 0.23) score, without a significant difference among the 3 risk scores. Discrimination was slightly better in the transfemoral cohort compared to the transapical cohort with the 3 risk scores. In conclusion, EuroSCORE II and the STS score are better calibrated than the logistic EuroSCORE but have moderate discrimination for predicting 30-day mortality after TAVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study sought to evaluate the long-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in the Multicenter Canadian Experience study, with special focus on the causes and predictors of late mortality and valve durability. Background: Very few data exist on the long-term outcomes associated with TAVI. Methods: This was a multicenter study including 339 patients considered to be nonoperable or at very high surgical risk (mean age: 81 ± 8 years; Society of Thoracic Surgeons score: 9.8 ± 6.4%) who underwent TAVI with a balloon-expandable Edwards valve (transfemoral: 48%, transapical: 52%). Follow-up was available in 99% of the patients, and serial echocardiographic exams were evaluated in a central echocardiography core laboratory. Results: At a mean follow-up of 42 ± 15 months 188 patients (55.5%) had died. The causes of late death (152 patients) were noncardiac (59.2%), cardiac (23.0%), and unknown (17.8%). The predictors of late mortality were chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (hazard ratio [HR]: 2.18, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.53 to 3.11), chronic kidney disease (HR: 1.08 for each decrease of 10 ml/min in estimated glomerular filtration rate, 95% CI: 1.01 to 1.19), chronic atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.03), and frailty (HR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.07 to 2.17). A mild nonclinically significant decrease in valve area occurred at 2-year follow-up (p < 0.01), but no further reduction in valve area was observed up to 4-year follow-up. No changes in residual aortic regurgitation and no cases of structural valve failure were observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Approximately one-half of the patients who underwent TAVI because of a high or prohibitive surgical risk profile had died at a mean follow-up of 3.5 years. Late mortality was due to noncardiac comorbidities in more than one-half of patients. No clinically significant deterioration in valve function was observed throughout the follow-up period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Two independent reports documented substantially higher operative mortality associated with transmyocardial revascularization (TMR) when used in isolation than that reported in the premarket clinical trials. To clarify the state of the art, this article assesses temporal trends in the use of TMR, short-term and long-term outcomes, and outcomes stratified by procedure type (TMR only and TMR + coronary artery bypass graft [CABG]) and by the 2 specific TMR devices. Methods: The study population included all patients undergoing TMR in isolation or in combination with CABG at 435 cardiothoracic hospitals in the United States participating in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) from January 2000 through November 2006 (n = 15,386). Analysis of long-term outcomes was accomplished through linkage to Medicare claims data. Short-term and long-term (7 years) adverse outcomes were assessed and compared between the 2 TMR device types. Results: The use of TMR in conjunction with CABG surgery is increasing. This study showed modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices. In combination with CABG, after risk adjustment, patients treated with the holmium:YAG laser (experienced a higher rate of operative mortality (3.5% vs 2.5%; adjusted hazard ratio 1.39, 95% confidence level 1.03 to 1.87) but no difference in the composite short-term rate of major morbidity or mortality, compared with the Heart Laser CO2 transmyocardial revascularization system (PLC Medical Systems, Inc, Milford, MA). However, there were no clinically meaningful differences in long-term results. Conclusions: Modest differences in short-term morbidity and mortality between the 2 devices suggest the usefulness of further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Failure to rescue (FTR; the probability of death after a complication) has been adopted as a quality metric in adult cardiac surgery, in which it has been shown that high-performing centers with low mortality rates do not have fewer complications, but rather lower mortality in those who experience a complication (lower FTR). It is unknown whether this holds true in pediatric heart surgery. We characterized the relationship between complications, FTR, and mortality in this population. Methods: Children (0 to 18 years) undergoing heart surgery at centers participating in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (2006 to 2009) were included. Outcomes were examined in multivariable analysis adjusting for patient characteristics, surgical risk category, and within-center clustering. Results: This study included 40,930 patients from 72 centers. Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.7%, 39.3% had a postoperative complication, and the FTR rate (number of deaths in those with a complication) was 9.1%. When hospitals were characterized by in-hospital mortality rate, there was no difference across hospital mortality tertiles in the complication rate in adjusted analysis; however, hospitals in the lowest mortality tertile had significantly lower FTR rates (6.6% versus 12.4%; p < 0.0001). Similar results were seen when evaluating high-severity complications and across surgical risk groups. Conclusions: This analysis suggests that hospitals with low mortality rates do not have fewer complications after pediatric heart surgery, but instead have lower mortality in those who experience a complication (lower FTR). Further investigation into FTR as a quality metric in pediatric heart surgery is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has been designed to treat elderly patients with severe aortic stenosis at high risk for operation; however, these patients are also often affected by severe iliac-femoral arteriopathy that prohibits the transfemoral approach. Methods: From May 2008 to January 2012, 400 patients were evaluated for TAVI at our center; of these, 141 patients (64 men; mean age 81.3 ± 8 years) with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis and no reasonable surgical option due to excessive risk were eligible for CoreValve (137 patients; Medtronic Inc, MN) or Sapien (Edwards Lifesciences, CA) implantation. Twenty-five patients (all affected by severe peripheral vasculopathy, including five re-do procedures), with a mean The Society of Thoracic Surgeons mortality score 11% ± 6%, underwent CoreValve implantation directly from the ascending aorta through a right anterior minithoracotomy. This case series was reviewed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of these patients. A combined team of cardiologists, cardiac surgeons with expertise in hybrid procedures, and anesthetists performed all the procedures. Results: In all patients after valve deployment, the mean aortic gradient immediately dropped to 5 mm Hg or less, and the angiographic grade aortic insufficiency was 1 or less in 22 patients. One patient was converted to the transfemoral approach due to an extremely fragile aortic wall, but the patient died of abdominal aorta aneurysm rupture on postoperative day 1. Procedural success was obtained in the remaining 24 patients. A left ventricle tear in 1 patient was successfully surgically treated. Four patients required a permanent pacemaker implantation. Thirty-day mortality was 8% (2 patients). All discharged patients improved their New York Heart Association functional class and functional capacity, and echocardiograms demonstrated good valve performance up to 2 years (mean valve gradient, 9 mm Hg). During follow-up, 1 patient died of cachexia and another of bone marrow aplasia. Conclusions: TAVI with the direct aortic approach is safe and feasible, offering a new attractive option to treat selected high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis and peripheral vasculopathy, including those requiring a re-do procedure, and has emerged as a valuable alternative route to transapical access. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Previous studies suggest center volume is associated with outcome after the Norwood operation; however, the impact of surgeon volume is less clear. We evaluated the relative impact of surgeon and center volume on mortality in a large Norwood cohort. Methods: Patients in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database undergoing the Norwood operation (2000 to 2009) were included. Using multivariable logistic regression, we evaluated the relationship between in-hospital mortality and annual center and surgeon volume, adjusting for patient factors. Results: A total of 2,555 patients were operated on at 53 centers by 111 surgeons. Overall unadjusted mortality was 22.1%. When analyzed individually, both lower center and surgeon volume were associated with higher mortality (odds ratio for centers with 0 to 10 vs >20 cases per year 1.56 [95% confidence interval 1.05 to 2.31]; odds ratio for surgeons with 0 to 5 vs >10 cases per year 1.60 [95% confidence interval 1.12 to 2.27]). When analyzed together, the addition of surgeon volume to the center volume models attenuated but did not completely mitigate the association of center volume with outcome (relative attenuation of odds ratio = 34%). Adjusted mortality rates in low, medium, and high volume centers were 25.6%, 22.3%, and 17.7%, respectively. Across all center volume strata, lower volume surgeons had higher adjusted mortality rates. Conclusions: Both center and surgeon volumes appear to influence Norwood outcomes. These data suggest outcomes may potentially be improved through strategies that take advantage of the positive influence of both of these variables. This could include further investigation into the feasibility of regional collaborations, and the development of quality improvement initiatives within and across centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background--Most survival prediction models for coronary artery bypass grafting surgery are limited to in-hospital or 30-day end points. We estimate a long-term survival model using data from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Methods and Results--The final study cohort included 348 341 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting patients aged &Methods and Results--The final study cohort included 348 341 isolated coronary artery bypass grafting patients aged 65 years, discharged between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2007, from 917 Society of Thoracic Surgeons-participating hospitals, randomly divided into training (n= 174 506) and validation (n= 173 835) samples. Through linkage with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims data, we ascertained vital status from date of surgery through December 31, 2008 (1- to 6-year follow-up). Because the proportional hazards assumption was violated, we fit 4 Cox regression models conditional on being alive at the beginning of the following intervals: 0 to 30 days, 31 to 180 days, 181 days to 2 years, and >2 years. Kaplan-Meier-estimated mortality was 3.2% at 30 days, 6.4% at 180 days, 8.1% at 1 year, and 23.3% at 3 years of follow-up. Harrell's C statistic for predicting overall survival time was 0.732. Some risk factors (eg, emergency status, shock, reoperation) were strong predictors of short-term outcome but, for early survivors, became nonsignificant within 2 years. The adverse impact of some other risk factors (eg, dialysis-dependent renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) continued to increase.;65 years, discharged between January 1, 2002, and December 31, 2007, from 917 Society of Thoracic Surgeons-participating hospitals, randomly divided into training (n= 174 506) and validation (n= 173 835) samples. Through linkage with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims data, we ascertained vital status from date of surgery through December 31, 2008 (1- to 6-year follow-up). Because the proportional hazards assumption was violated, we fit 4 Cox regression models conditional on being alive at the beginning of the following intervals: 0 to 30 days, 31 to 180 days, 181 days to 2 years, and >2 years. Kaplan-Meier-estimated mortality was 3.2% at 30 days, 6.4% at 180 days, 8.1% at 1 year, and 23.3% at 3 years of follow-up. Harrell's C statistic for predicting overall survival time was 0.732. Some risk factors (eg, emergency status, shock, reoperation) were strong predictors of short-term outcome but, for early survivors, became nonsignificant within 2 years. The adverse impact of some other risk factors (eg, dialysis-dependent renal failure, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) continued to increase. Conclusions--Using clinical registry data and longitudinal claims data, we developed a long-term survival prediction model for isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. This provides valuable information for shared decision making, comparative effectiveness research, quality improvement, and provider profiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents an analysis on how associations between hospital-level factors and patient-level 30-day mortality outcomes can be estimated by marginal and multilevel logistic regression methods after cardiac surgery. Data was provided by the Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ASCTS) on 32,354 cardiac surgery patients from 18 hospitals from 2001-2009.

Background: Previous studies have suggested truncal valve insufficiency may adversely affect outcome after common arterial trunk (CAT) repair. It is unknown if truncal insufficiency requiring truncal valve surgery (TVS) at the time of primary CAT repair impacts outcome. Methods: Patients in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database undergoing CAT repair from 2000 to 2009 were included. Outcomes were compared for patients with and without TVS at the time of CAT repair and were further stratified by interrupted aortic arch (IAA) repair. Results: Of 572 patients (63 centers), median age at surgery was 12 days (interquartile range, 6 to 34). Twenty-three patients underwent concomitant TVS (n = 22 repair, n = 1 replacement) during CAT repair, and 4 patients underwent TVS later during the same hospitalization (n = 1 repair, n = 3 replacement). Thirty-nine patients underwent IAA repair at the time of CAT repair, 5 of whom had concomitant TVS. Mortality for CAT repair with TVS versus isolated CAT repair was 30% versus 10% (p = 0.0002). All 4 patients who required TVS later during the admission died. Truncal valve surgery was associated with increased mortality among CAT patients both with and without IAA repair, with the highest mortality (60%) among CAT patients undergoing IAA repair and TVS (n = 5). Common arterial trunk plus TVS had an increased risk of mechanical support and a longer hospital stay. Conclusions: Truncal valve surgery in patients undergoing CAT repair is associated with significant mortality. Repair of IAA and TVS at the time of CAT repair carries particularly high risk. Failure to address significant truncal insufficiency, necessitating early reoperation with TVS, had uniformly poor outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This is a study of a method of mortality review, adopted by the Michigan Society of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeons, to enhance understanding of mortality and potentially avoidable deaths after cardiac surgery, utilizing a voluntary statewide database. Methods: A system to categorize mortality was developed utilizing a phase of care mortality analysis approach as well as providing criteria to classify mortality as potentially “avoidable.” For each mortality, the operating surgeon categorized a cardiac surgery mortality trigger into 1 of 5 time frames: preoperative, intraoperative, intensive care unit (ICU), postoperative floor, and discharge. Results: A total of 53,674 adult cardiac operations were performed from January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2010 with a crude mortality of 3.5% (1,905 of 53,674). Of the mortalities analyzed, 35% (618 of 1,780) were preoperative, 25% (451 of 1,780) were ICU, 19% (333 of 1,780) were intraoperative, 11% (198 of 1,780) were floor, and 10% (180 of 1,780) were discharge phase. “Avoidable” mortality triggers occurred in 53% (174 of 333) of the intraoperative, 41% (253 of 618) and (184 of 451) of the preoperative and ICU phases, 42% (83 of 198) of the floor, and 19% (35 of 180) of the discharge phase. Overall potentially avoidable mortality was 41% (729 of 1780). Thirty-six percent (644 of 1,780) of the mortalities were coronary artery bypass grafting patients and 29% (188 of 644) of these were in the preoperative phase, with a mean predicted risk of 16%. Conclusions: This analysis identifies the occurrence of potentially avoidable mortalities in the 4 hospital phases of care, with the largest absolute number of avoidable mortalities occurring in the preoperative phase. A focus on these phases of care provides significant opportunity for quality improvement initiatives. Utilizing phase of care mortality analysis stimulates surgeons and hospitals to develop and refine mortality reviews and provides a structured statewide platform for discussion, education, quality improvement, and enhanced outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality (PROM) score is a well-validated predictor of 30-day mortality after cardiac procedures. This study investigated the ability of PROM to predict longer-term survival. Methods: From January 1, 1996, to December 31, 2009, 24,222 patients with PROM scores underwent cardiac procedures at an academic center. Long-term all-cause mortality was determined from the Social Security Death Index. Logistic and Cox survival regression analyses evaluated the long-term predictive utility of the PROM. Area under the receiver operator characteristic curve measured the discrimination of PROM at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years. Kaplan-Meier curves were stratified by quartiles of PROM risk to compare long-term survival. All analyses were performed for the whole sample and for 30-day survivors. Results: The overall 30-day mortality was 2.78% (674 of 24,222). PROM predicted 30-day mortality extremely well (area under the receiver operator characteristic, 0.794) and predicted longer-term survival almost as well. Among all patients and 30-day survivors, area under the receiver operator characteristic values for PROM at 1, 3, 5, and 10 years were remarkably similar to the 30-day end point for which PROM is calibrated. PROM was highly predictive of Kaplan-Meier survival for patients surviving beyond 30 days. Among 30-day survivors, each percent increase in PROM score was associated with a 9.6% increase (95% confidence interval, 9.3% to 10.0%) in instantaneous hazard of death (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The PROM algorithm accurately predicts death at 30-days and during 14 years of follow-up with almost equally strong discriminatory power. This may have profound implications for informed consent and for longitudinal comparative effectiveness studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The primary inclusion criteria from both the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score and the logistic EuroSCORE are currently used to identify high-risk and inoperable patients eligible for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). We aimed to examine the correlation between STS and logistic EuroSCOREs and their performance characteristics in patients referred for TAVI. Methods: The study cohort consisted of 718 high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis who were considered for participation in a TAVI clinical trial. The performance of the STS and logistic EuroSCOREs was evaluated in three groups: (a) medical management or balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV), 474 (66%); (b) 133 patients (18.5%) with surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR); (c) 111 (15.4%) with TAVI. The mean age was 81.8±8.1 years, and 394 (54.8%) were female. Results: The mean STS score was 11.5±6.1, and the mean logistic EuroSCORE was 39.7±23.0. Pearson correlation coefficient showed moderate correlation between the STS and logistic EuroSCOREs (r=0.61, P<.001). At a median follow-up of 190 days (range, 67–476), 282 patients (39.2%) died. The STS and logistic EuroSCOREs were both higher in patients who died as compared to those in survivors (13.1±6.2 vs.10.0±5.8 and 43.4±23.1 vs. 37.5±22, respectively; P<.001). The observed and predicted 30-day mortality rates in the medical/BAV group were 10.1% observed, 12.3% by STS and 43.1% by logistic EuroSCORE. In the surgical AVR group, the rates were 12.8% observed, 8.4% by STS and 25.6% by logistic EuroSCORE. In the TAVI group, the rates were 11.7% observed, 11.8% by STS and 41.2% by logistic EuroSCORE. The odds ratio (OR) for 30-day mortality in the medical/BAV group was 1.05 (P=.01) with STS and 1.003 (P=.7) with logistic EuroSCORE. In the surgical AVR group, the OR was 1.09 (P=.07) with STS and 1.007 (P=.6) with logistic EuroSCORE. In the TAVI group, the OR was 1.14 (P=.03) with STS and 1.03 (P=.04) with logistic EuroSCORE. Conclusion: In high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis, STS score is superior to the logistic EuroSCORE in predicting mortality. Clinical judgment should play a major role in the selection of patients with severe aortic stenosis for the different therapeutic options. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: Body mass index (BMI) influences risk in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients, but albumin level is not collected by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database. We postulate that preoperative albumin is a better predictor of mortality than BMI following CABG. Methods: BMI from patients with serum albumin level within 6 months of isolated CABG during 1995–2010 from our institutional databases were identified. Patients were stratified by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) BMI class, and by preoperative albumin. Regression models were used to assess predictors of morbidity and mortality. Results: We analyzed 2,794 isolated CABG patients at our institution. Unadjusted mortality was highest with lowest BMI (P ≤ .05), and in patients with 2–3 g/dL albumin (P = .02). Ejection fraction (EF) and intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) use were similar despite BMI; however, EF was lowest and IABP use highest in the 2–3 g/dL albumin group (P < .001, respectively). Unlike BMI groups, increasing albumin was associated with lower major complication rates (P = .001). Similarly, adjusted mortality was not influenced by BMI (AOR 0.97, 95% CI 0.93–1.02), but increasing albumin levels reduced the adjusted odds of death (AOR 0.61, 95% CI 0.42–0.90). Conclusion: Albumin, more than body mass index, is associated with mortality and morbidity in isolated CABG recipients and may be a better indicator for outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: Women undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery have been previously shown to be at an independently increased risk for post-operative morbidity and mortality. However, there are considerably less data on whether this trend remains true in patients undergoing concomitant aortic valve replacement (AVR) and CABG surgery. The aim of our study was to investigate this pertinent issue. Methods: Data obtained between June 2001 and December 2009 by the Australasian Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons Cardiac Surgery Database Program were retrospectively analysed. Demographic, operative data and post-operative complications were compared between male and female patients using χ2 and t tests. Long-term survival analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the log-rank test. Independent risk factors for short- and long-term mortality were identified using binary logistic and Cox regression, respectively. Results: Concomitant AVR and CABG surgery was undertaken in 2,563 patients; 31.8% were female. Female patients were older (mean age 76 vs. 73 years; p < 0.001) and presented more often with hypertension (p < 0.001) but less often with severely impaired ejection fraction (p < 0.001), peripheral vascular disease (p < 0.001) and triple vessel disease (p < 0.001). Women did not demonstrate an increased risk of 30-day mortality (4.8 vs. 3.3%) on univariate (p = 0.069) or multivariate (p = 0.236) analysis. Female gender was independently associated with post-operative myocardial infarction (p = 0.022) and red blood cell transfusion (p < 0.001). There was no difference in long-term survival between men and women on multivariate analysis (p = 0.413). Conclusion: Female gender is not associated with poorer short- or long-term outcomes after concomitant CABG and AVR surgery. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Age, preoperative creatinine value, and ejection fraction are easily arranged in the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score to predict operative mortality in elective cardiac operations, as recently shown. We validate the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score in a large multicentric study. Methods: We analyzed 29,659 consecutive patients who underwent elective cardiac operations in 14 Italian institutions during the period from 2004 to 2009. The operative (30-day) mortality rate was recorded for the entire population and for subgroups of patients based on the risk distribution. The predicted mortality was assessed using the additive and logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluations, and the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score. Accuracy and clinical performance of the different models were tested. Results: The observed mortality rate was 2.77% (95% confidence interval, 2.59–2.96). The predicted mortality rate was 2.84% (95% confidence interval, 2.79–2.88) for the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score (not significantly different from the observed rate), 6.26% for the additive European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, and 9.67% for the logistic European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (both significantly overestimated). For all deciles of risk distribution, the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation significantly overestimated mortality risk; the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score slightly overestimated the mortality risk in very low-risk patients and significantly underestimated the mortality risk in very high-risk patients, correctly estimating the risk in 7 of 10 deciles. The accuracy of the age, creatinine, ejection fraction score was acceptable (area under the curve of 0.702). In a separate analysis, this value increased to 0.74 by excluding centers that reported no operative mortality. These values were similar or worse for the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation. Conclusions: The age, creatinine, ejection fraction score provides an accuracy level comparable to that of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation, with far superior clinical performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Practice guidelines for the appropriate use of emergency department thoracotomy (EDT) according to current national resuscitative guidelines have been developed by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma (ACS-COT) and published. At an urban level I trauma center we analyzed how closely these guidelines were followed and their ability to predict mortality. Methods: Between January 2003 and July 2010, 120 patients with penetrating thoracic trauma underwent EDT at Mount Sinai Hospital (MSH). Patients were separated based on adherence (group 1, n = 70) and nonadherence (group 2, n = 50) to current resuscitative guidelines, and group survival rates were determined. These 2 groups were analyzed based on outcome to determine the effect of a strict policy of adherence on survival. Results: Of EDTs performed during the study period, 41.7% (50/120) were considered outside current guidelines. Patients in group 2 were less likely to have traditional predictors of survival. There were 6 survivors in group 1 (8.7%), all of whom were neurologically intact; there were no neurologically intact survivors in group 2 (p = 0.04). The presence of a thoracic surgeon in the operating room (OR) was associated with increased survival (p = 0.039). Conclusions: A policy of strict adherence to EDT guidelines based on current national guidelines would have accounted for all potential survivors while avoiding the harmful exposure of health care personnel to blood-borne pathogens and the futile use of resources for trauma victims unable to benefit from them. Cardiothoracic surgeons should be familiar with current EDT guidelines because they are often asked to contribute their operative skills for those patients who survive to reach the OR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stroke remains an important complication after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). We sought to determine the frequency and death-related incidence of stroke after on-pump and off-pump CABG. Methods: We analyzed 4,869 consecutive isolated CABG performed in our institution. Of these, 3,490 (71.7%) were off-pump and 1,379 (28.3%) were on-pump. Propensity matched samples of 1,379 off-pump and 1,379 on-pump were compared on clinical presentation and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) predicted scores for risk of postoperative mortality and stroke. Univariate analyses were used to compare the relationship of off-pump and on-pump groups to postoperative mortality and stroke. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the unique association between all variables and occurrence of mortality after stroke. Results: No differences were found for sex, diabetes mellitus, history of renal failure, prior stroke, or timing of surgery. Postoperative mortality occurred in 75 patients (2.7%) and stroke in 47 (1.7%). The off-pump patients had a lower rate of stroke (1.0% versus 2.4%; p < 0.01) compared with on-pump patients. Mortality after stroke occurred in 14 patients, with a lower rate occurring in the off-pump group (14.3% versus 36.4%; p = 0.07). Multivariate analyses controlling for the effect of preoperative risk factors and STS mortality risk demonstrated that off-pump status was independently associated with an 84% decrease in the risk of death after stroke (adjusted odds ratio 0.157, 95% confidence interval: 0.035 to 0.711, p = 0.016). Conclusions: Off-pump CABG is associated with lower stroke rates and stroke-related mortality. It may be useful to consider off-pump CABG for patients who are at higher risk for postoperative stroke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: It is not known which patient subgroups may benefit most from off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) rather than coronary artery bypass grafting on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Methods: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database was queried for all isolated, primary coronary artery bypass graft cases between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2007, at a US academic center. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality (PROM) was calculated by a formula based on 30 preoperative risk factors. It was used in three ways to compare 30-day operative mortality between patients treated with OPCAB versus CPB. First, patients were divided into quartiles based on their PROM, and mortality rates were compared between OPCAB and CPB patients within each PROM quartile. Second, a logistic regression model tested for an interaction between surgery type and PROM; a significant interaction would indicate that the relative mortality risk of OPCAB versus CPB varied with different PROM levels. Finally, locally smoothed kernel regression curves were used to visually estimate a threshold PROM point at which mortality rates diverge for the surgery types. Results: There were 14,766 consecutive patients, 7,083 OPCAB (48.0%) and 7,683 CPB (52.0%). There was no difference in operative mortality between OPCAB and CPB for patients in the lower two risk quartiles. In the higher risk quartiles there was a mortality benefit for OPCAB (odds ratio, 0.62 and 0.45 for OPCAB in the third and fourth risk quartiles). Logistic regression analysis confirmed a significant interaction between surgery type and PROM (p = 0.005) meaning that OPCAB is especially beneficial to patients with higher PROM. This benefit is most significant for patients with PROM values above 2.5% to 3%, where mortality curves sharply diverge. Conclusions: Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is associated with lower operative mortality than coronary artery bypass grafting on CPB for higher risk patients. This mortality benefit increases with increasing PROM. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Major scores for the evaluation of procedural risk in cardiac surgery are the European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation score (EuroSCORE), the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score, and the Parsonnet score. The aim of our study was to analyze the predictive value of these scores in “high risk” patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods: Six hundred and fifty-two patients underwent isolated AVR from January 1999 through June 2007. Emergency and redo operations were included; acute endocarditis was excluded. Evaluation was performed by logistic regression analysis. Data collection was prospective. Results: The mean logistic EuroSCORE of all patients was 8.5 ± 7.9%, the mean STS score was 4.4 ± 3.9%, and the mean logistic Parsonnet score was 9.8 ± 8.5%. In-hospital mortality was 2.5% (n = 16). Freedom from all-cause death was 93.4% at 1 year, 90.2% at 2 years, and 75.8% at 5 years, respectively. A total of 182 patients had a logistic EuroSCORE greater than 10. For the group of patients with a EuroSCORE between 10% and 20% (n = 130) the mean EuroSCORE was 13.9 ± 2.8% and the STS score was 6.5 ± 3.8%. Observed mortality was 4.6% in this group. For the 52 patients with a logistic EuroSCORE of at least 20 (mean 28.5 ± 10.3%, STS score 10.1 ± 7.3%) the observed mortality was 3.9% (n = 2). By stepwise logistic regression, none of the EuroSCORE variables could be identified as an independent predictor in the “high- risk” group. Conclusions: The logistic EuroSCORE was primarily created to allow patient grouping for the total spectrum of cardiac surgery. In patients undergoing isolated AVR, the EuroSCORE highly overestimates mortality, whereas the STS score seems to be actually more suitable in assessing perioperative mortality for these patients. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Mortality after oesophagectomy is lower in high-volume than in low-volume surgical units. Case series from cardiothoracic surgeons report lower mortality rates than those from general surgeons. We therefore used a national data set to investigate the effects of surgical specialty and volume on mortality after oesophagectomy. Methods: We analysed Hospital Episode Statistics for oesophagectomy for cancer (n =9034 cases), linked to data from death certificates, in England from 1998 to 2003. Results: After adjustment for patients'' age, sex and deprivation score, the odds ratio (OR) for death of general surgeons'' (GS) patients, compared with cardiothoracic surgeons'' (CTS) patients, was significantly high: 1.62 [95% CI 1.34–1.96] at 30 days and 1.38 [1.18–1.61] at 90 days. The odds ratio for high-volume GS patients was not significantly different from that for high-volume CTS patients. However, the odds ratio for low-volume GS patients compared with high-volume CTS patients was significantly high: 1.72 (1.40–2.11) at 30 days and 1.48 (1.26–1.74) at 90 days. Conclusion: Patients treated by general surgeons in low-volume hospitals had worse mortality outcomes than those treated by general surgeons in high-volume hospitals or by cardiothoracic surgeons. This is important because a majority of patients who underwent oesophagectomy for cancer were in this high-mortality risk group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: We hypothesized that established thoracic surgeons without formal minimally invasive training can learn thoracoscopic lobectomy without compromising patient safety or outcome. Methods: Data were retrospectively collected on patients who underwent pulmonary lobectomy at a single health system between August 1, 2003, and April 1, 2008. Age, sex, pulmonary function tests, preoperative and postoperative stages, pathologic diagnosis, anatomic resection, extent of lymph node sampling, surgical technique and duration, complications, blood loss, transfusion requirement, chest tube duration, length of hospital stay, 30-day readmission, and mortality rate were examined. The percentage of patients who underwent thoracoscopic lobectomy and their outcomes were then compared among three chronologic cohorts. Results: Three hundred sixty-four patients underwent pulmonary lobectomy (239 open; 99 thoracoscopic; 26 thoracoscopic converted to open). Baseline characteristics, staging, pathologic diagnosis, and anatomic resections were similar in the early, middle, and late cohorts. The percentage of thoracoscopic lobectomies increased from 16% to 49%, whereas open lobectomy decreased from 81% to 42% (p < 0.0001). The complication rate remained constant with the exception of air leaks lasting more than 7 days (9% versus 10% versus 2%; p = 0.02). Hospital length of stay (6 versus 5 versus 4 days; p < 0.0001) and chest tube duration (4 versus 3 versus 3 days; p < 0.0001) decreased and operative duration increased as more thoracoscopic lobectomies were performed. Blood loss, transfusion requirement, 30-day readmission, and 1-year survival were not significantly different among chronologic cohorts. Conclusions: Established thoracic surgeons can safely incorporate thoracoscopic lobectomy with no increase in morbidity or mortality. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The purpose of this study is to examine trends in mitral valve (MV) repair and replacement surgery using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (STS ACSD). Methods: The study population included isolated mitral valve operations performed between January 2000 and December 2007 at 910 hospitals participating in the STS ACSD. Patients with endocarditis, prior cardiac operation, shock, emergency operation, and concomitant coronary artery bypass graft or aortic valve surgery were excluded. Results: During the 8-year study period, 58,370 patients underwent isolated primary MV operations. For patients with isolated mitral regurgitation (n = 47,126), the rate of MV repair (versus replacement) increased from 51% to 69% (p < 0.0001). Among patients having replacement (n = 24,404), there has been a pronounced decline in the use of mechanical valves: 68% to 37% (p < 0.0001). The operative mortality for MV replacement was consistently higher than that for repair (3.8% versus 1.4%), a finding that persisted after risk-adjustment (adjusted odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.59; p < 0.0001). Among patients having elective isolated MV repair (n = 28,140), the operative mortality was 1.2%. For asymptomatic (class I) patients, operative mortality was 0.6%. Conclusions: This study documents several important trends in MV surgery, including the progressive adoption of mitral valve repair and increasing use of bioprosthetic replacement valves. Operative risks of MV repair are significantly lower than those for MV replacement. Operative mortality for isolated elective mitral valve repair is 1% in contemporary clinical practice. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Thoracic procedures are currently performed by general and thoracic surgeons. Initial clinical outcome after training is a good measure of the quality of the surgical training received. Methods: We examined the morbidity and mortality for pneumonectomy, lobectomy and esophagectomy during one surgeon's first 2 years of practice; we collected data prospectively. The results were based on the experience of the only dedicated thoracic surgeon (5 years of general surgery and 3 years of thoracic surgery training with certification from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada) at the largest tertiary care hospital of Brown University School of Medicine. Results: During the 2-year period, 154 major pulmonary resections (20 pneumonectomies, 134 lobectomies) and 25 esophagectomies (18 transhiatal, 4 Ivor-Lewis, 2 thoracoabdominal, one 3-incision) were performed. Mortality for major lung resection was 1.9% (pneumonectomy 5%, lobectomy 1.5%), and morbidity was 27% (pneumonectomy 35%, lobectomy 26%). Mortality for esophagectomy was 4%, and morbidity was 36% (anastamotic leak 12%). Conclusions: These results compare favourably with clinical outcomes published from several large series. Thoracic surgical training in Canada is adequate and prepares surgeons well to perform major thoracic procedures. A database of the initial results from all graduates of thoracic surgery training in Canada is needed. Such a database could be used to compare the initial results of thoracic procedures performed by general and thoracic surgery graduates from Canada and the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Though clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for cardiac rehabilitation (CR) are an effective and widely used treatment method worldwide, they are as yet not widely accepted in Korea. Given that cardiovascular disease is the second leading cause of death in Korea, it is urgent that CR programs be developed. In 2008, the Government of Korea implemented CR programs at 11 university hospitals as part of its Regional Cardio-Cerebrovascular Center Project, and three additional medical facilities will be added in 2019. In addition, owing to the promotion of CR nationwide and the introduction of CR insurance benefits, 40 medical institutions nationwide have begun CR programs even as a growing number of medical institutions are preparing to offer CR. The purpose of this research was to develop evidence-based CPGs to support CR implementation in Korea. Methods This study is based on an analysis of CPGs elsewhere in the world, an extensive literature search, a systematic analysis of multiple randomized control trials, and a CPG management, development, and assessment committee comprised of 33 authors--primarily rehabilitation specialists, cardiologists, and thoracic surgeons in 21 university hospitals and two general hospitals. Twelve consultants, primarily rehabilitation, sports medicine, and preventive medicine specialists, CPG experts, nurses, physical therapists, clinical nutritionists, and library and information experts participated in the research and development of these CPGs. After the draft guidelines were developed, three rounds of public hearings were held with staff members from relevant academic societies and stakeholders, after which the guidelines were further reviewed and modified. Principal Conclusions CR involves a more cost-effective use of healthcare resources relative to that of general treatments, and the exercise component of CR lowers cardiovascular mortality and readmission rates, regardless of the type of coronary heart disease and type and setting of CR. Individualized CR programs should be considered together with various factors, including differences in heart function and lifestyle, and doing so will boost participation and adherence with the CR program, ultimately meeting the final goals of the program, namely reducing the recurrence of myocardial infarction and mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This report from a single institution describes the results of consecutive pediatric heart operations done by trainees under the supervision of a senior surgeon. The 3.1% mortality seen in 1067 index operations is comparable across procedures and risk bands to risk-stratified results reported by the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. With appropriate mentorship, surgeons-in-training are able to achieve good results as first operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pericardial effusions with tamponade may present a clinical challenge in management for the cardiothoracic surgeon. We report a case of acute pulmonary edema secondary to the rapid release of a chronic traumatic pericardial effusion that resulted in the death of the patient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Readmission and/or mortality following pediatric cardiac surgery is a preventable complication. Previous clinical prediction models for 30-day readmission and mortality following cardiac surgery in pediatric patients exist but only offer low levels of prediction for this combined endpoint. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that novel and clinically available biomarkers are a useful tool in predicting readmission and mortality in in the pediatric cardiac surgery population. Methods: Levels of soluble ST2, Galectin-3, NTproBNP, and GFAP were measured in pre- and post-operative samples from 162 patients from a single medical center. 30-day readmission or mortality status was obtained through patient follow up and patient records. We tested the biomarker panel against the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) congenital heart surgery database mortality risk model and compared these models using area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROC), net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) analysis. Results: In our cohort, 21 (12.9%) pediatric patients experienced either readmission or mortality within 30-days of cardiac surgery. For the prediction of 30-day readmission or mortality, the STS clinical model alone resulted in a c-statistic of 0.838 (95%CI:0.75 - 0.93, p-value: <0.001). The STS clinical model in combination with the log-transformed pre- and post-operative biomarker panel resulted in a c-statistic of 0.899 (95%CI:0.84 - 0.96, p-value 0.036) which showed significant improvement over the STS model alone with an NRI of 0.299 (p-value 0.027) and an IDI of 0.089 (p-value 0.003). Conclusions: These finding highlight the potential improvement in 30-day readmission and mortality prediction in the pediatric cardiac surgery population with both pre- and post-operative biomarkers included in a clinical prediction model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Cardiac biomarkers such as serum ST2 and Galectin-3 may be associated with readmission or mortality after cardiac surgery. Our objective was to explore the association between pre- and post-operative serum biomarker levels and 30-day readmission or mortality for pediatric patients. Methods: We prospectively enrolled pediatric patients <18 years of age who underwent at least one congenital heart operation at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital from 2010 to 2014 (N=162). Blood samples were collected immediately prior to surgery and at the end of bypass and biomarkers were measured by ELISA(Meso Scale Discovery). Gal-3 and ST2 levels were divided based on tercile cut point and evaluated as continuous and log-transformed. We evaluated the association between pre- and post-operative Gal-3 and ST2 with readmission or mortality within 30 days using multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for covariates used in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) congenital heart surgery mortality risk model.4 Results: In our cohort, 21 (12.9%) patients experienced readmission or mortality 30-days from discharge. Before adjustment, preoperative ST2 terciles demonstrated a strong association with readmission/mortality after surgery (OR: 2.58; 95 % CI: 1.17 – 3.66; p = 0.012 and OR: 4.37; 95% CI: 1.31 – 14.57; p=0.016). After adjustment for covariates in the STS congenital model, Gal-3 postoperative mid-tercile was significantly associated with 30-day readmission or mortality (OR: 10.97; 95% CI: 1.51 – 79.53; p= 0.018) and the highest tercile of postoperative ST2 (OR: 9.66; 95% CI: 1.47 – 63.30; p=0.018). Conclusions: Elevated pre-and post-operative levels of ST2 and Gal-3 are associated with increased risk of readmission or mortality after cardiac surgery. These biomarkers can be used for risk stratification and improved patient care management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the reports of Theodore Roosevelt on the evolution with modifications to improve long-term performance. Topics discussed include perioperative mortality for a young adult calculated from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database Risk Calculator; mechanical valves failed to demonstrate superiority of the former valve; and the implantation of xenografts in a patient.

Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether common risk stratification models in cardiac surgery predict perioperative outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with previous percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the perioperative mortality and morbidity of 367 patients with prior elective PCI versus 2361 patients without prior PCI, who underwent first-time isolated CABG between 2001 and 2009 at our institution. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) were used to describe the performance and accuracy of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) risk model in predicting mortality and morbidity. Results: Both groups were comparable concerning preoperative logistic EuroSCORE (PCI: 4.9±6.57, non-PCI: 4.60±5.45, p =0.51). Patients with previous elective PCI had increased perioperative mortality (PCI: 3.8% vs non-PCI: 2.1%, p =0.01) and higher rates of major adverse cardiac events (8.4% vs 4.5% respectively, p =0.003). Discriminatory power for 30-day mortality was higher in the non-PCI group (EuroSCORE area under the curve (AUC): 0.875 vs 0.552 in the PCI group). Logistic EuroSCORE predicted 30-day mortality in the non-PCI group (confidence interval (CI)=0.806–0.934, p =0.0004) but not in the PCI group (CI=0.301–0.765, p =0.8). Discriminatory power for morbidity or mortality (M&M) was lower in the PCI group (AUC: 0.980 vs 0.713 for the non-PCI group). The STS risk model had a lower discriminatory power for predicting M&M in PCI patients (AUC: 0.611 vs 0.686 for the non-PCI group, p <0.001). Conclusions: The EuroSCORE and the STS risk model were inaccurate in predicting perioperative mortality after CABG in patients with history of elective PCI. There is a need for modification of risk models to improve risk assessment for surgical candidates with prior PCI. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]