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OBJECTIVES To compare isolated primary bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with isolated redo surgical aortic valve replacement (rSAVR) due to structural valve deterioration (SVD). METHODS Clinical data of consecutive patients who underwent primary isolated SAVR and isolated rSAVR due to SVD between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2022, at Leipzig Heart Center were retrospectively compared with regard to the primary outcome of all-cause mortality or stroke during hospitalization. Secondary outcomes of interest included myocardial infarction, re-exploration for bleeding, and permanent pacemaker implantation. RESULTS A total of 2620 patients, 39.5% females, with a median EuroSCORE II of 1.7 [interquartile range (IQR) 1.1–2.7] were identified, of which rSAVR was performed in 174 patients (6.6%). Patients undergoing primary SAVR were older (69 vs 67 years of age, P  = 0.001) and were less likely to have a history of prior stroke (0.9% vs 4.0%, P  = 0.003). Although both all-cause death and death or stroke occurred less often following primary SAVR (0.5% vs 5.8%, and 2.2% vs 6.9%, respectively; P  < 0.001), prior surgery was not associated with adverse clinical outcome in multivariable analysis. In a matched comparison of 322 patients, rates of death or stroke did not differ between groups (4.8% for both rSAVR and SAVR, P  = 1.0). CONCLUSIONS Although redo surgery for SVD is associated with increased rates of early mortality and stroke by univariate analysis, much of this increased risk can be accounted for by comorbidities. Patients undergoing rSAVR on an elective basis can expect an outcome similar to that of primary SAVR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV+) is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Increasingly, patients who are HIV + are being evaluated to undergo cardiac surgery. Current risk-adjusted scoring systems, including the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score, fail to stratify HIV + risk. Unfortunately, there exists a paucity of cardiac surgery outcomes data in modern patients who are HIV+. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of PearlDiver, an all-payer claims administrative database. In total, 14,714,743 patients were captured between 2010 and 2020. Of these, 59,695 (0.4%) of patients had a history of HIV+, and 1759 (2.95%) of these patients underwent cardiac surgery. Patients who were HIV+ were younger, more often male, and had greater comorbidity, history of hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and heart failure. Results: Postoperatively, patients who were HIV + had significantly greater rates of pneumonia (relative risk, 1.70; P = .0003) and 30-day all-cause readmission (relative risk, 1.28, P

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to describe trends and outcomes for patients undergoing surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in the Netherlands. METHODS The Netherlands Heart Registration database was used to report the number and outcomes of isolated, primary SAVR procedures performed from 2007 to 2018 in adult patients. RESULTS A total of 17 142 procedures were included, of which 77.9% were performed using a biological prosthesis and 21.0% with a mechanical prosthesis. Median logistic EuroSCORE I decreased from 4.6 [interquartile range (IQR) 2.4–7.7] to 4.0 (IQR 2.6–6.0). The 120-day mortality decreased from 3.3% in 2007 to 0.7% in 2018. The median duration of follow-up was 76 months (IQR 53–111). Ten-year survival, when adjusted for age, EuroSCORE I and body surface area, was 72.4%, and adjusted 10-year freedom from reinvervention was 98.1%. Additional analysis for patients under the age of 60 showed no difference between patients treated with a biological or mechanical prosthesis in adjusted 10-year survival, 89.7% vs 91.9±%, respectively (P  = 0.25), but a significant difference in adjusted 10-year freedom from reintervention, 90.0±% vs 95.9%, respectively (P  < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Between 2007 and 2018, age and risk profile of patients undergoing SAVR decreased, especially for patients treated with a biological prosthesis. The 120-day mortality decreased over time. Patients undergoing SAVR nowadays have a risk of 120-day mortality of <1% and 10-year freedom from valve-related reintervention of >95%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The risk assessment for outcomes of older people undergoing cardiac surgery employ scales such as the Euro-Score II, and STS (Society for Thoracic Surgeons), which use clinical and laboratory data. Some studies have suggested a lower accuracy in older patients. Frailty assessment, using functional parameters, has shown promise in this age group. The aim of this study is to compare the validity of risk prediction of Euro-score II, with the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS), in older patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of a cohort of patients above 60 years scheduled for elective CABG in a single centre. The patients were graded on the Euro-Score II scale and the EFS scales. The primary outcome of 30th day mortality, and the secondary outcome of immediate post-operative complications during hospitalization were recorded. Results: A total of 487 patients were recruited. The mean age was 68 years. Male subjects comprised 81.1% of the study group. Classification of risk as per the EFS placed 76.3 % as low risk, 23.4% as intermediate, and none were considered to be high risk. The EuroScore II classification placed 86% in the intermediate and high risk groups. The AUC in the ROC (receiver operator curve) for the EFS was 0.793 and for the and EuroScoreII it was 0.752. The 30th day mortality threshold fit occurred at 5/6 score for both EuroScore II and EFS. Euroscore- II sensitivity/specificity was 66.7%/75.1% respectively. The EFS had a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 77.1%. The ROC curves for the secondary outcomes were not significant. Conclusion: Both scales are of modest value in predicting short-term mortality in older patients, and require further refinements for improving clinical decision-making in the individual patient.

Background: The risk assessment for outcomes of older people undergoing cardiac surgery employ scales such as the Euro-Score II, and STS (Society for Thoracic Surgeons), which use clinical and laboratory data. Some studies have suggested a lower accuracy in older patients. Frailty assessment, using functional parameters, has shown promise in this age group. The aim of this study is to compare the validity of risk prediction of Euro-score II, with the Edmonton Frail Scale (EFS), in older patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods: This was a prospective, observational study of a cohort of patients above 60 years scheduled for elective CABG in a single centre. The patients were graded on the Euro-Score II scale and the EFS scales. The primary outcome of 30th day mortality, and the secondary outcome of immediate post-operative complications during hospitalization were recorded. Results: A total of 487 patients were recruited. The mean age was 68 years. Male subjects comprised 81.1% of the study group. Classification of risk as per the EFS placed 76.3 % as low risk, 23.4% as intermediate, and none were considered to be high risk. The EuroScore II classification placed 86% in the intermediate and high risk groups. The AUC in the ROC (receiver operator curve) for the EFS was 0.793 and for the and EuroScoreII it was 0.752. The 30th day mortality threshold fit occurred at 5/6 score for both EuroScore II and EFS. Euroscore-II sensitivity/specificity was 66.7%/75.1% respectively. The EFS had a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 77.1%. The ROC curves for the secondary outcomes were not significant. Conclusion: Both scales are of modest value in predicting short-term mortality in older patients, and require further refinements for improving clinical decision-making in the individual patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES This observational study aimed to evaluate Association pour l'Etude et la Prévention de l'Endocardite Infectieuse (AEPEI) surgery score predictive performance in comparison to general (EuroSCORE I, II) and specific (De Feo, PALSUSE) surgical risk scores for infective endocarditis (IE). METHODS The study included patients who underwent surgery for IE during the acute phase at Bichat University Hospital (Paris, France) between 1 January 2006 and 31 December 2016 and at Nancy University Hospital (Nancy, France) between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2019. Patients with IE complicating percutaneous aortic valve implantations or implantable intra-cardiac devices were excluded. Discrimination and calibration were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, calibration curves and the Hosmer–Lemeshow test. RESULTS In-hospital mortality rates were 18% at Bichat and 16% at Nancy. Discrimination was high for all risk scores at Bichat (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.77 for EuroSCORE I, 0.78 for EuroSCORE II, 0.76 for De Feo score, 0.72 for PALSUSE and 0.73 for AEPEI with 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.67 to 0.83), but lower at Nancy (0.56 for EuroSCORE I, 0.65 for EuroSCORE II, 0.63 for De Feo score, 0.67 for PALSUSE and 0.66 for AEPEI score with 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.47 to 0.75). With Brier score, all scores were adequately calibrated in both populations between 0.129 (De Feo) and 0.135 (PALSUSE) for Bichat and between 0.128 (De Feo) and 0.135 (EuroSCORE I) for Nancy. With the Hosmer–Lemeshow test, the AEPEI score exhibited the best calibration (observed/predicted ratio 1.058 in Bichat, 1.087 in Nancy). CONCLUSIONS This surgical score external validation in 2 large independent populations demonstrated that the AEPEI surgical score had the best predictive performance compared to other prognosis scores. It could be helpful in clinical practice to assist the endocarditis team in decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES No reliable scores are available to predict mortality following surgery for type A acute aortic dissection (TAAAD). Recently, the German Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection Type A (GERAADA) score has been developed. We aim to compare how the GERAADA score performs in predicting operative mortality for TAAAD to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) II. METHODS We calculated the GERAADA score and EuroSCORE II in patients who underwent TAAAD repair at the Bristol Heart Institute. As there are no precise criteria to calculate the GERAADA score, we used 2 methods: a Clinical-GERAADA score, which evaluated malperfusion with clinical and radiological evidence, and a Radiological-GERAADA score, where malperfusion was assessed by computed tomography scan alone. RESULTS 207 consecutive patients had surgery for TAAAD, and the observed 30-day mortality was 15%. The Clinical-GERAADA score showed the strongest discriminative power with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.80 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.71–0.89], while the Radiological-GERAADA score had an AUC of 0.77 (95% CI 0.67–0.87). EuroSCORE II showed acceptable discriminative power with an AUC of 0.77 (95% CI 0.67–0.87). CONCLUSIONS Clinical GERAADA score performed better than the other scores and it is specific and easy to use in the context of a TAAAD. Further validation of the new criteria for malperfusion is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a common surgical intervention used to treat severe coronary artery disease. The Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score has become a widely used prognostic index for assessing the severity of liver disease and prioritizing liver transplantation. However, its utility in predicting outcomes in cardiac surgery procedures has not been extensively evaluated. Methods This retrospective study gathered data on patients who underwent CABG or CABG combined with other concomitant surgical interventions, such as carotid common or external carotid artery endarterectomy, thoracic aortic aneurysm repair, and aortic or mitral valve replacement or decalcification procedures, at a single tertiary care facility from January 2011 to December 2020. Researchers collected demographic, clinical, and laboratory information, including MELD score and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) data. The patients were divided into two groups: the first group included only those who underwent CABG, while the second group comprised patients who underwent CABG along with other concomitant cardiac interventions. Results The MELD score at discharge was significantly higher in the CABG and other interventions group compared to the CABG-only group (median = 14.09, IQR = 7.41-18.7 vs. median = 6.41, IQR = 4.61-9.44, p < 0.001). However, the difference in MELD score at admission between the two groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.328). A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically relevant, indicating that liver function worsened postoperatively in the patients with additional interventions. The EuroSCORE was also significantly higher in the CABG and other interventions group, suggesting a higher surgical risk as expected (median = 5.74, IQR = 3.54-11.47 vs. median = 3.34, IQR = 1.97-5.66, p < 0.001). Additionally, differences in laboratory parameters, especially coagulation and hemostasis indicators throughout the postoperative period, including the ICU stay (divided into four equal periods based on each patient's total ICU length of stay) and at discharge, indicate a more complex biological state in patients with additional interventions. These findings may have implications for perioperative management and long-term outcomes. Conclusions The elevated MELD score in patients undergoing CABG with additional interventions emphasizes the need for close monitoring of liver function and coagulation status. Evaluating hepatic status preoperatively would be beneficial, and incorporating liver-protective strategies could help mitigate postoperative repercussions. It may also be useful to include liver function parameters in existing cardiovascular risk scores to improve risk assessment., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Research Ethics Committee of Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy issued approval 163/21.03.2022. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Ludusanu et al.)

Objective: Human immunodeficiency virus infection (HIV+) is associated with a 2-fold increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Increasingly, patients who are HIV + are being evaluated to undergo cardiac surgery. Current risk-adjusted scoring systems, including the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Predicted Risk of Mortality score, fail to stratify HIV + risk. Unfortunately, there exists a paucity of cardiac surgery outcomes data in modern patients who are HIV+., Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of PearlDiver, an all-payer claims administrative database. In total, 14,714,743 patients were captured between 2010 and 2020. Of these, 59,695 (0.4%) of patients had a history of HIV+, and 1759 (2.95%) of these patients underwent cardiac surgery. Patients who were HIV+ were younger, more often male, and had greater comorbidity, history of hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic liver disease, chronic kidney disease, chronic lung disease, and heart failure., Results: Postoperatively, patients who were HIV + had significantly greater rates of pneumonia (relative risk, 1.70; P  = .0003) and 30-day all-cause readmission (relative risk, 1.28, P  < .0001). After linear regression analysis, these results remained significant. Data also show that a lesser proportion of patients with HIV + underwent coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, and any cardiac surgery compared with controls., Conclusions: Patients who are HIV + undergoing cardiac surgery are at greater risk of pneumonia and readmission. Moreover, we discovered lower rates of cardiac surgery in patients who are HIV+, which may reflect limited access to surgery when indicated. Today's risk-adjusted scoring systems in cardiac surgery need to better account for the modern patient who is HIV+., Competing Interests: The authors reported no conflicts of interest. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

The article focuses on the study to evaluate the outcomes of low-, intermediate-, high- and very high-risk patients undergoing sutureless, rapid deployment aortic valve replacement. The ideal strategy for the treatment of severe aortic valve stenosis in patients of varying risk categories has become a debated topic in the last years: should the transcatheter or surgical approach be adopted.

Introduction: Before the operation each cardiosurgery geriatric patient is assessed by the Vulnerable Elders-13 Survey (VES-13) and European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) scales. Aim: To compare the applicability of the VES-13 and EuroSCORE scale in the assessment of postoperative risk among operated patients > 60 years old qualified most often for coronary artery bypass grafting. Material and methods: VES-13 is a questionnaire containing 13 questions, including patient's age and a health self-assessment. The EuroSCORE includes age, sex and cardiological assessment and vascular changes, respiratory diseases, neurological and nephrological disorders. In both scales the risk of death is high when the patient has > 6 points. The study included 100 patients = 60 (60.83 ±6.18) years old who were divided into subgroups with < 6 points and = 6 points. Results: The number of VES-13 points = 3.06 ±2.25, EuroSCORE = 5.50 ±3.19. In patients > 75 years old VES score was 4.32 ±2.6 vs. 2.707 ±2.02 and EuroSCORE 8.09 ±3.02 vs. 4.77 ±2.83. The most frequent postoperative complication was atrial fibrillation. The most frequent complications were the following: death (5%), delirium (3.64%), bleeding (3.54%), stroke (3.54%), renal failure (3.32%), pacemaker implantation (3.28%), difficult healing of the wound (2.64%), intestinal ischemia (2.56%). The correlation between the VES-13 and EuroSCORE was moderate. Conclusions: In cardiosurgery patients who obtained before the operation = 6 points on the VES-13 or EuroSCORE the risk of postoperative complications is high. VES-13 and EuroSCORE cannot be used interchangeably because the correlation is at a medium level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introducción y objetivos: Los modelos predictivos de mortalidad hospitalaria, EuroSCORE logístico y EuroSCORE II, ofrecen un rendimiento razonable en cirugía cardíaca. Sin embargo, su aplicación en la cirugía de aorta es motivo de controversia. El objeto del presente estudio es el diseño de un modelo de estimación de riesgo específico ajustado a pacientes con cirugía de aorta torácica. Métodos: Se recogieron retrospectivamente 310 pacientes consecutivos con cirugía de aorta proximal (raíz, aorta ascendente y/o arco) entre 2006 y 2013. Se elaboró un modelo predictivo mediante regresión logística múltiple con las variables que resultaron significativas en el análisis univariado. La capacidad discriminatoria se calculó mediante el área bajo la curva ROC y se comparó con las obtenidas aplicando el EuroSCORE logístico y el EuroSCORE II. Resultados: La mortalidad hospitalaria observada fue de un 8,1%. Las variables relacionadas con muerte hospitalaria fueron la clase NYHA, el aclaramiento de creatinina, el estado crítico preoperatorio y la endocarditis activa. La mortalidad predicha por el EuroSCORE logístico, el EuroSCORE II y el modelo elaborado fueron de 14,98, 8,12 y 8,06%, respectivamente. El área bajo la curva ROC fue de 0,665 (0,541-0,789) para el EuroSCORE logístico, de 0,718 (0,588-0,848) para el EuroSCORE II y de 0,775 (0,675-0,876) para el modelo elaborado (Hosmer-Lemeshow, p = 0,405). Conclusiones: El modelo predictivo elaborado predice la mortalidad hospitalaria de manera más ajustada, y con mayor discriminación que el EuroSCORE logístico y el EuroSCORE II para pacientes sometidos a cirugía de aorta torácica, aportando además una mayor sencillez de cálculo al basarse únicamente en 4 parámetros preoperatorios.

Increasing numbers of adult patients with complex congenital heart conditions are presenting for noncardiac surgery later in life. These disorders can present challenges for surgical and anesthesia providers. Specifically, single ventricle lesions offer anatomic and physiologic concerns during the perioperative period. Single ventricle physiology represents a delicate balance between systemic and pulmonary blood flow. Any alterations in blood flow through these systems can produce undesirable hemodynamic changes, especially during the perioperative period. We present a case of an adult patient with a single left ventricle who presented for laparoscopic total colectomy due to inflammatory bowel disease. His abnormal anatomy coupled with the hemodynamic disruptions caused by laparoscopy presented significant anesthetic challenges. We highlight the anesthetic concerns of single ventricle physiology, specifically pertaining to laparoscopic surgery. We provide recommendations for safely managing these patients perioperatively. With detailed preoperative evaluation and close hemodynamic monitoring during the perioperative period, these patients can experience successful surgical and anesthetic outcomes.

Introduction: The concerns for induction of anaesthesia in patients undergoing cardiac surgery include hemodynamic stability, attenuation of stress response and maintenance of balance between myocardial oxygen demand and supply. Various Intravenous anaesthetic agents like Thiopentone, Etomidate, Propofol, Midazolam, and Ketamine have been used for anesthetizing patients for cardiac surgeries. However, many authors have expressed concerns regarding induction with thiopentone, midazolam and ketamine. Hence, Propofol and Etomidate are preferred for induction in these patients. However, these two drugs have different characteristics. Etomidate is preferred for patients with poor left ventricular (LV) function as it provides stable cardiovascular profile. But there are concerns about reduction in adrenal suppression and serum cortisol levels. Propofol, on the other hand may cause a reduction in systemic vascular resistance and subsequent hypotension. Thus, this study was conducted to compare induction with these two agents in cardiac surgeries. Methods: Baseline categorical and continuous variables were compared using Fisher′s exact test and student′s t test respectively. Hemodynamic variables were compared using student′s t test for independent samples. The primary outcome (serum cortisol and blood sugar) of the study was compared using Wilcoxon Rank Sum test. The P value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Etomidate provides more stable hemodynamic parameters as compared to Propofol. Propofol causes vasodilation and may result in drop of systematic BP. Etomidate can therefore be safely used for induction in patients with good LV function for CABG/MVR/AVR on CPB without serious cortisol suppression lasting more than twenty-four hours.

Background: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a complex treatment. Despite this, there are a lack of training programs designed to develop relevant clinical and nonclinical skills required for ECMO specialists. The aim of the current study was to describe the design, implementation and evaluation of a 1-day simulation course for delivering training in ECMO. Methods: A 1-day simulation course was developed with educational and intensive care experts. First, the delegates received a lecture on the principles of simulation training and the importance of human factors. This was, followed by a practical demonstration and discussion of the ECMO circuit, console components, circuit interactions effects and potential complications. There were then five ECMO simulation scenarios with debriefing that covered technical and nontechnical issues. The course culminated in a knowledge-based assessment. Course outcomes were assessed using purpose-designed questionnaires. Results: We held 3 courses with a total of 14 delegates (9 intensive care nurses, 3 adult intensive care consultants and 2 ECMO technicians). Following the course, 8 (57%) gained familiarity in troubleshooting an ECMO circuit, 6 (43%) increased their familiarity with the ECMO pump and circuit, 8 (57%) perceived an improvement in their communication skills and 7 (50%) perceived an improvement in their leadership skills. At the end of the course, 13 (93%) delegates agreed that they felt more confident in dealing with ECMO. Conclusions: Simulation-training courses may increase knowledge and confidence in dealing with ECMO emergencies. Further studies are indicated to determine whether simulation training improves clinical outcomes and translates to reduced complication rates in patients receiving ECMO.

Ketamine is a unique anesthetic drug that provides analgesia, hypnosis, and amnesia with minimal respiratory and cardiovascular depression. Because of its sympathomimetic properties it would seem to be an excellent choice for patients with depressed ventricular function in cardiac surgery. However, its use has not gained widespread acceptance in adult cardiac surgery patients, perhaps due to its perceived negative psychotropic effects. Despite this limitation, it is receiving renewed interest in the United States as a sedative and analgesic drug for critically ill-patients. In this manuscript, the authors provide an evidence-based clinical review of ketamine use in cardiac surgery patients for intensive care physicians, cardio-thoracic anesthesiologists, and cardio-thoracic surgeons. All MEDLINE indexed clinical trials performed during the last 20 years in adult cardiac surgery patients were included in the review.

Introduction: European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) is a valuable tool in control of the quality of cardiac surgery. However, the validity of the risk score for the individual patient may be questioned. The present study was carried out to investigate whether the continued fall in short-term mortality reflects an actual improvement in late mortality, and subsequently, to investigate EuroSCORE as predictor of 1-year mortality. Methods: A population-based cohort study of 25,602 patients from a 12-year period from three public university hospitals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve surgery. Analysis was carried out based on EuroSCORE, age and co-morbidity factors (residual EuroSCORE). Results: During the period the average age increased from 65.1 ± 10.0 years to 68.9 ± 10.7 years (P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA), and the number of females increased from 26.0% to 28.2% (P = 0.0012, Chi-square test). The total EuroSCORE increased from 4.67 to 5.68 while the residual EuroSCORE decreased from 2.64 to 1.83. Thirty-day mortality decreased from 4.07% in 1999-2000 to 2.44% in 2011-2012 (P = 0.0056; Chi-square test), while 1-year mortality was unchanged (6.50% in 1999-2000 vs. 6.25% in 2011-2012 [P = 0.8086; Chi-square test]). Discussion: The study demonstrates that both co-morbidity and age has a great impact on 30-day mortality. However, with time the impact of co-morbidity seems less. Thus, age is more important than co-morbidity in late mortality. The various developments in short and long-term mortality are not readily explained. Conclusion: Although 30-day mortality of CABG and valve surgery patients has decreased during the 12-year period, the 1-year mortality remains the same.

Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in pregnancy is associated with a high maternal mortality and morbidity and has been found to be as high as 30-56%. Aim: To review the management of such patients in a tertiary center over a 15 year period, as the current literature consists of a few case reports, a few small case series and 2 meta-analyses. Materials and Methods: A review of all patients admitted to our institution for management of PH in pregnancy between 1994 and February 2009 was undertaken. Cases were identified from the high-risk pregnancy database within the department of anesthesia and from the hospital medical records. Severity of PH, type of PH, NYHA functional status at presentation and delivery, mode of delivery, peripartum monitoring and APGAR scores were noted. Patients were reviewed by a multidisciplinary team and management planned accordingly. Results: 19 eligible patients were identified. Patients who were significantly sick due to their PH were aggressively managed during pregnancy. Overall there was an improvement in NYHA functional status at the time of delivery. Epidural analgesia and anesthesia for labor and operatively delivery seem to be the ideal choice. Conclusion: Multidisciplinary approach is a key to the successful management of these patients. Secondary PH results in higher morbidity and mortality, in particular, older the age higher the maternal morbidity and mortality.

Truncus arteriosus (TA) is a rare congenital heart disease defined as a single arterial vessel arising from the heart that gives origin to the systemic, pulmonary and coronary circulations. The truncal valve in majority of the cases is tricuspid though quadricuspid and bicuspid valves have been reported. Patients with TA typically have a large nonrestrictive sub truncal ventricular septal defect. Survival of these infants beyond 1-year is uncommon. Here, we report a unique case of 12-year-old female patient with persistent TA who underwent surgical repair by using transesophageal echocardiography as a monitoring device during the perioperative management.

Keywords: European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation; Age; Creatinine; Ejection Fraction; Ejection Fraction version II EN European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation Age Creatinine Ejection Fraction Ejection Fraction version II 1123 1124 2 05/05/22 20220501 NES 220501 I read with great interest the article from Santarpino and associates [[1]], who present a large series of cardiac surgery patients enrolled in several Italian Institutions, aiming to compare the performance of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE II) with the Age, Creatinine, Ejection Fraction version II (ACEF II) score. It was based even on the daily clinical practice of those in charge for taking care of cardiac surgery patients, who know very well that, in elective patients, the main risk factors related to the patient are these. This superiority was more evident in the subgroups of patients undergoing isolated valve surgery and isolated aortic surgery; conversely, in the setting of isolated coronary artery bypass surgery, the 2 scores provided a similar discrimination ability, with an area under the curve of 0.80 for the EuroSCORE II vs 0.77 for the ACEF II score. [Extracted from the article]

Background and Aims: Previous studies around the world indicated validity and accuracy of European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) risk scoring system we evaluated the EuroSCORE risk scoring system for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery in a group of Iranian patients. Materials and Methods: In this cohort 2220 patients more than 18 years, who were performed CABG surgery in Massih Daneshvari Hospital, from January 2004 to March 2010 were recruited. Predicted mortality risk scores were calculated using logistic EuroSCORE and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) and compared with observed mortality. Calibration was measured by the Hosmer-Lemeshow (HL) test and discrimination by using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve area. Results: Of the 2220 patients, in hospital deaths occurred in 270 patients (mortality rate of 12.2%).The accuracy of mortality prediction in the logistic EuroSCORE and APACHE II model was 89. 1%;in the local EuroSCORE (logistic) was 91.89%; and in the local EuroSCORE support vector machines (SVM) was 98.6%.The area under curve for ROC curve, was 0.724 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.57-0.88) for logistic EuroSCORE;0.836 (95% CI:0.731-0.942) for local EuroSCORE (logistic);0.978 (95% CI: 0.937-1) for Local EuroSCORE (SVM); and 0.832 (95% CI: 0.723-0.941) for APACHE II model.The HL test showed good calibration for the local EuroSCORE (SVM), APACHE II model and local EuroSCORE (logistic) (P = 0.823, P = 0.748 and P = 0.06 respectively); but there was a significant difference between expected and observed mortality according to EuroSCORE model (P = 0.033). Conclusion: We detected logistic EuroSCORE risk model is not applicable on Iranian patients undergoing CABG surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation (EuroSCORE) is a valuable tool in control of the quality of cardiac surgery. However, the validity of the risk score for the individual patient may be questioned. The present study was carried out to investigate whether the continued fall in short-term mortality reflects an actual improvement in late mortality, and subsequently, to investigate EuroSCORE as predictor of 1-year mortality. Methods: A population-based cohort study of 25,602 patients from a 12-year period from three public university hospitals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve surgery. Analysis was carried out based on EuroSCORE, age and co-morbidity factors (residual EuroSCORE). Results: During the period the average age increased from 65.1 ± 10.0 years to 68.9 ± 10.7 years (P < 0.001, one-way ANOVA), and the number of females increased from 26.0% to 28.2% (P = 0.0012, Chi-square test). The total EuroSCORE increased from 4.67 to 5.68 while the residual EuroSCORE decreased from 2.64 to 1.83. Thirty-day mortality decreased from 4.07% in 1999--2000 to 2.44% in 2011--2012 (P = 0.0056; Chi-square test), while 1-year mortality was unchanged (6.50% in 1999--2000 vs. 6.25% in 2011--2012 [P = 0.8086; Chi-square test]). Discussion: The study demonstrates that both co-morbidity and age has a great impact on 30-day mortality. However, with time the impact of co-morbidity seems less. Thus, age is more important than co-morbidity in late mortality. The various developments in short and long-term mortality are not readily explained. Conclusion: Although 30-day mortality of CABG and valve surgery patients has decreased during the 12-year period, the 1-year mortality remains the same. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Although B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) strongly predicts cardiac morbidity and mortality, the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) has a modest predictive value to identify a composite operative risk after cardiac surgery. The authors tested the hypothesis that a single preoperative BNP measurement would be superior to standard EuroSCORE in predicting composite adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery. Design: A prospective observational study. Setting: A teaching university hospital. Participants: Two hundred eight adult patients. Interventions: Conventional cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Measurements and Main Results: The preoperative additive EuroSCORE and BNP measurement were performed in all patients. Postoperative nonfatal major adverse cardiac events (malignant ventricular arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, and cardiac dysfunction), all-cause mortality, and prolonged lengths of stay were chosen as study endpoints. Predictive abilities of both EuroSCORE and BNP were assessed using logistic regression and compared with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Thirty-six (17%, 95% confidence interval [CI], 12%-22%) patients experienced 49 events over the study period. The areas under the ROC curves assessing the utility of EuroSCORE and BNP in predicting adverse outcome and prolonged in-hospital stay were 0.59 (95% CI, 0.48-0.69) versus 0.76 (95% CI, 0.68-0.85; p < 0.001) and 0.65 (95% CI, 0.57-0.74) versus 0.71 (95% CI, 0.63-0.80; p = 0.147), respectively. Using logistic regression, BNP considered as a dichotomized variable was the only independent predictor of adverse cardiac outcome (adjusted odds ratio = 10.7; 95% CI, 4.1-27.8; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Preoperative BNP measurement is a strong, independent, and more accurate predictor of adverse outcome than EuroSCORE in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. BNP could be considered as a simple and objective tool for the detection of high-risk patients after cardiac surgery. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To assess the performance of the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) when applied in a North American cardiac surgical population. Methods: The simple additive EuroSCORE model was applied to predict operative mortality (in-hospital or 30-day) in 401 684 patients undergoing coronary or valve surgery in 1998 and 1999 as well as in 188 913 patients undergoing surgery in 1995 in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database. Results: The proportion of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was greater in STS patients (84%) than in Europe (65%). STS patients were also older (mean age 65.3 versus 62.5), and had more diabetes (30 versus 17%) and prior cardiac surgery (11 versus 7%). Other comorbidity was also significantly more prevalent in STS patients. EuroSCORE predicted overall mortality was virtually identical to the observed mortality (1998/1999: predicted 3.994%, observed 3.992%; 1995: observed and predicted 4.156%). Predicted mortality also closely matched observed mortality across the risk groups. Discrimination was good to very good for the population overall and for isolated CABG in both time periods, with the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 0.75 and 0.78. Conclusion: Despite substantial demographic differences between Europe and North America, EuroSCORE performs very well in the STS database, and can be recommended as a simple, additive risk stratification system on both sides of the Atlantic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: The most used mortality risk prediction models in cardiac surgery are the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (ES) and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score. There is no agreement on which score should be considered more accurate nor which score should be utilized in each population subgroup. We sought to provide a thorough quantitative assessment of these 2 models., Methods: We performed a systematic literature review and captured information on discrimination, as quantified by the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC), and calibration, as quantified by the ratio of observed-to-expected mortality (O:E). We performed random effects meta-analysis of the performance of the individual models as well as pairwise comparisons and subgroup analysis by procedure type, time and continent., Results: The ES2 {AUC 0.783 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.765-0.800]; O:E 1.102 (95% CI 0.943-1.289)} and STS [AUC 0.757 (95% CI 0.727-0.785); O:E 1.111 (95% CI 0.853-1.447)] showed good overall discrimination and calibration. There was no significant difference in the discrimination of the 2 models (difference in AUC -0.016; 95% CI -0.034 to -0.002; P = 0.09). However, the calibration of ES2 showed significant geographical variations (P < 0.001) and a trend towards miscalibration with time (P=0.057). This was not seen with STS., Conclusions: ES2 and STS are reliable predictors of short-term mortality following adult cardiac surgery in the populations from which they were derived. STS may have broader applications when comparing outcomes across continents as compared to ES2., Registration: Prospero (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/) CRD42020220983., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.)

The degeneration of bioprosthetic aortic Conduit with hemodynamic dysfunction mostly requires a re-do surgery, which is associated with an increased perioperative risk. Considering this, an open implantation of a transcatheter aortic bioprothesis (TAVI) after resection of the degenerated valve leaflets could be of great benefit, reducing cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass duration, especially in combined surgery in high-risk patients. This is a case of a high-risk female (78 years, EuroScore 59%) treated with an open TAVI as an alternative to conventional valve or aortic conduit replacement for degenerative aortic valve due to endocarditis lente, 2 years following a bio-Bentall procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undernourished patients treated in general surgery departments suffer from prolonged and complicated hospitalizations, and higher mortality rates compared with well nourished patients. Pivotal information regarding patients' nutritional status and its effect on clinical outcome is lacking for cardiac surgery patients. We investigated the prevalence of malnutrition risk and its association with 30-day hospital mortality and postoperative complications., Methods and Results: Four hundred and three patients who underwent cardiac surgery during 2008 and were screened with the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) on admission were enrolled. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses compared the association of high and low risk for malnutrition with length of hospitalization (LOS), in-hospital and 30-day mortality, and postoperative complications. Almost 20% of the patients were found to be at high risk for malnutrition. Univariate analyses revealed higher in-hospital mortality rates (p = 0.03) and greater incidence of LOS and antibiotic treatment longer than 21 days (p = 0.002 and p = 0.04, respectively), vasopressor treatment longer than 11 days (p = 0.02), and positive blood cultures (p = 0.02) in patients belonging to the high-risk MUST group. Incorporation of the MUST in a multivariate model with the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE) significantly improved postoperative complications prediction, as well as in-hospital and 30-day mortality, compared with the EuroSCORE alone., Conclusions: Malnutrition is prevalent in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, associated with higher postoperative mortality and morbidity. Preoperative MUST screening has emerged as highly relevant for enabling early diagnosis of patients at malnutrition risk, predicting postoperative mortality and morbidity, thus promoting well timed treatment. Prospective studies are needed to explore whether intervention can decrease malnutrition risk.

Objective: The aim of our study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of patients exclusively undergoing total arterial revascularization off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and to compare the performance of the radial artery and the right internal thoracic artery as a second conduit., Methods: We studied a consecutive series of 1700 patients undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, receiving a radial artery or right internal thoracic artery as a second graft for total arterial revascularization, between 2003 and 2010. A total of 1447 patients (85.11%) received bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting, and 253 patients (14.89%) received left internal thoracic artery and radial artery grafting. A propensity score-matched analysis was performed to compare the 2 groups, bilateral internal thoracic artery and left internal thoracic artery and radial artery, relative to overall survival, morbidity, and combined end points event-free survival. Hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox regression., Results: In the full unmatched patient population, the postoperative survival (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.38-0.92; P = .021), incidence of reintervention/readmission (HR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.28-0.61; P < .001), and combined end points (HR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.35-0.63; P < .001) were significantly better in the bilateral internal thoracic artery group. In the propensity score-matched patient population, the incidence of reintervention/readmission (HR, 0.40; 95% CI, 0.18-0.88; P = .02) and combined end points (HR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.32-0.92; P = .02) were significantly better in the bilateral internal thoracic artery group compared with the left internal thoracic artery-radial artery group., Conclusions: The results of our study provide evidence for the superiority of the right internal thoracic artery graft compared with the radial artery as a second conduit in total arterial revascularization off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting., (Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite modern advances in surgical care, triple-valve surgery (TVS) remains a challenge and carries a mortality of 10% to 20%. No validated risk score is available for TVS, and the effect of advanced age is unknown. This study examined our results in the modern era with the aim of identifying perioperative predictors of adverse outcomes., Methods: Between 1997 and 2013, 131 patients (mean age, 67.2±13.4 years) underwent TVS at our institution. Sixty-eight patients (51.9%) were aged 70 years and older. The most common etiology for aortic and mitral disease was degenerative (77.1%), rheumatic (10%), and endocarditis or prosthetic-related, or both, in the rest. Tricuspid valve disease was functional in 96%. New York Heart Association functional class III/IV was present in 69.4%, and 24% had had previous cardiac operations. One or more concomitant cardiac procedures were performed in 77 patients (58.8%), including coronary revascularization in 54. All aortic procedures were replacements, 14 patients required a prosthetic root conduit and 7 thoracic aorta replacement. Mitral replacements were used in 55%, repairs in 45%, and 96.2% of tricuspid procedures were repairs. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine predictors of adverse outcomes., Results: The 30-day and hospital mortality was 10.6% (n=14). Major complications occurred in 70 (53.4%). Univariate analysis identified New York Heart Association functional class III/IV (p=0.04), preoperative renal failure requiring dialysis (p=0.04), urgent operation (p=0.04), intraaortic balloon pump placement (p=0.02), and postoperative low cardiac output (p<0.0001) as predictors for early death. Proximal aortic operations, urgent operation, and New York Heart Association class IV correlated with increased early mortality (p<0.04) in patients aged 70 and older in addition to their decreased overall survival and decreased likelihood of discharge to home. Overall actuarial survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 84.5%, 75%, and 45%, respectively., Conclusions: TVS remains a surgical challenge in the modern era. Despite a trend of increasing age and surgical risk, the early mortality rate and long-term survival remain respectable. Advanced age is associated with increased perioperative risk, but age per se should not be a contraindication for TVS., (Copyright © 2014 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the contemporary outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in a moderate surgical risk population., Methods: We studied 502 consecutive adults who had undergone isolated SAVR from January 2002 to June 2011 for severe aortic valve stenosis with a Society of Thoracic Surgery predicted risk of mortality of 4% to 8%. We included concomitant coronary artery bypass and aortic annular enlargement but not other concomitant procedures. The updated Valve Academic Research Consortium definitions were used, as appropriate., Results: The median age was 80 years (range, 49-96), 323 (64.3%) had New York Heart Association class III-IV symptoms, and 101 (20.1%) had undergone previous coronary artery bypass grafting. The mean predicted risk of mortality was 5.6%. Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 270 (53.8%). Re-exploration for bleeding occurred in 29 (5.8%), stroke in 9 (1.8%), and vascular complications in 2 (0.4%). In the cohort, 14 early deaths (2.8%) occurred. During follow-up (1174 days), 175 patients died. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis, the significant independent predictors of mid-term death included chronic pulmonary disease (hazard ratio, 2.00, 95% confidence interval, 1.41-2.84; P < .001), peripheral vascular disease (hazard ratio, 1.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.05-2.37; P = .029), and atrial fibrillation (hazard ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.16-2.65; P = .008)., Conclusions: SAVR in moderate-risk patients is currently performed with one half of the early predicted risk (2.8%) and a low likelihood of complications, including a 1.8% incidence of stroke. Patients counseled for randomization to transcatheter aortic valve insertion should be informed of the excellent early to mid-term outcomes of SAVR, particularly those without pulmonary impairment, peripheral vascular disease, or atrial fibrillation., (Published by Mosby, Inc.)

Objective: To understand the association between pre-operative depression symptoms, including cognitive and somatic symptom subtypes, and length of post-operative stay in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, and the role of socioeconomic status (SES)., Methods: We measured depression symptoms using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and household income in the month prior to surgery in 310 participants undergoing elective, first-time, CABG. Participants were followed-up post-operatively to assess the length of their hospital stay., Results: We showed that greater pre-operative depression symptoms on the BDI were associated with a longer hospital stay (hazard ratio=0.978, 95% CI 0.957-0.999, p=.043) even after controlling for covariates, with the effect being observed for cognitive symptoms of depression but not somatic symptoms. Lower SES augmented the negative effect of depression on length of stay., Conclusions: Depression symptoms interact with socioeconomic position to affect recovery following cardiac surgery and further work is needed in order to understand the pathways of this association., (© 2013.)