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Objectives: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock has been increasingly used without concomitant mortality reduction. This study aims to investigate determinants of in-hospital and postdischarge mortality in patients requiring postcardiotomy ECMO in the Netherlands., Methods: The Netherlands Heart Registration collects nationwide prospective data from cardiac surgery units. Adults receiving intraoperative or postoperative ECMO included in the register from January 2013 to December 2019 were studied. Survival status was established through the national Personal Records Database. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate determinants of in-hospital (3 models) and 12-month postdischarge mortality (4 models). Each model was developed to target specific time points during a patient's clinical course., Results: Overall, 406 patients (67.2% men, median age, 66.0 years [interquartile range, 55.0-72.0 years]) were included. In-hospital mortality was 51.7%, with death occurring in a median of 5 days (interquartile range, 2-14 days) after surgery. Hospital survivors (n = 196) experienced considerable rates of pulmonary infections, respiratory failure, arrhythmias, and deep sternal wound infections during a hospitalization of median 29 days (interquartile range, 17-51 days). Older age (odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% CI, 1.0-1.04) and preoperative higher body mass index (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02-1.14) were associated with in-hospital death. Within 12 months after discharge, 35.1% of hospital survivors (n = 63) died. Postoperative renal failure (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.6-4.9), respiratory failure (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.3-9.9), and re-thoracotomy (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.3-6.5) were associated with 12-month postdischarge mortality., Conclusions: In-hospital and postdischarge mortality after postcardiotomy ECMO in adults remains high in the Netherlands. ECMO support in patients with higher age and body mass index, which drive associations with higher in-hospital mortality, should be carefully considered. Further observations suggest that prevention of re-thoracotomies, renal failure, and respiratory failure are targets that may improve postdischarge outcomes., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Structural valve deterioration (SVD) is the Achilles' heel of bioprostheses. Its correlation with younger age is well known. In recent years we exclusively reserved use of small-size Mitroflow valve prostheses (LivaNova, London, United Kingdom) to an older patient population with small aortic annuli. This study aimed to assess the incidence of SVD and its effect on patient survival and need for reoperation., Materials and Methods: Two hundred five patients (aged 75.9 ± 5.3 years; range, 62-92 years) underwent aortic valve replacement with a 19-mm or 21-mm Mitroflow valve prosthesis between 2005 and 2011. The great majority was female (n = 170; 83%). In half of patients it was an isolated procedure. All valve prostheses were implanted in a supra-annular position using pledgeted sutures. A 19-mm valve was implanted in 93 patients (45.3%), whereas in 112 patients (54.6%) a 21-mm valve was used., Results: Twenty-three patients (11.2%) were diagnosed with early SVD by echocardiography. Average time from surgery to diagnosis of SVD was 64.3 ± 26.8 months. Ten patients needed a reoperation for SVD. Average time from surgery to a second operation was 45.7 ± 35.7 months. Overall survival was 64.5% and 42.3% at 5 and 9 years, respectively. Cumulative freedom from SVD at 5 and 9 years was 94.8% ± 1.6% and 77.4% ± 5.4%, respectively. In 4 patients death was linked to the presence of SVD. There were no differences in mortality, reoperation, or SVD between the 2 Mitroflow valve sizes., Conclusions: Small-size Mitroflow pericardial valve prostheses have shown a worrisome incidence of SVD even in patients aged >70 years. Based on this experience we have discontinued their use., (Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To verify the rate of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications during the first 6 months after mitral valve repair and to assess whether the type of antithrombotic therapy influenced clinical outcome., Methods: Retrospective data were retrieved from 19 centers. Inclusion criteria were isolated mitral valve repair with ring implantation. Exclusion criteria were ongoing or past atrial fibrillation and any combined intraoperative surgical procedures. The study cohort consisted of 1882 patients (aged 58 ± 15 years; 36% women), and included 1517 treated with an oral anticoagulant (VKA group) and 365 with antiplatelet drugs (APLT group). Primary efficacy outcome was the incidence of arterial thromboembolic events within 6 months and primary safety outcome was the incidence of major bleeding within 6 months. Propensity matching was performed to obtain 2 comparable cohorts (858 vs 286)., Results: No differences were detected for arterial embolic complications in matched cohort (1.6% VKA vs 2.1% APLT; P = .50). Conversely, patients in the APLT group showed lower incidence of major bleeding complications (3.9% vs 0.7%; P = .01). Six-month mortality rate was significantly higher in the VKA group (2.7% vs 0.3%; P = .02). Multivariable analysis in the matched cohort found VKA as independent predictor of major bleeding complications and mortality at 6 months., Conclusions: Vitamin K antagonist therapy was not superior to antiplatelet therapy to prevent thromboembolic complications after mitral valve repair. Our data suggest that oral anticoagulation may carry a higher bleeding risk compared with antiplatelet therapy, although these results should be confirmed in an adequately powered randomized controlled trial., (Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: In vitro tests demonstrated that the new cone-bearing configuration of the Jarvik 2000 (Jarvik Heart Inc, New York, NY) left ventricular assist device exhibits better hydraulic efficiency than the previous pin-bearing design. We investigated the long-term outcomes of patients who received the Jarvik 2000 left ventricular assist device, depending on bearing design., Methods: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 18 centers included in the Italian Registry was performed. From May 2008 to September 2013, 99 patients with end-stage heart failure were enrolled. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their Jarvik 2000 suspending mechanism: Group pin included patients with pin bearings (May 2008 to June 2010), and group cone included patients with newer cone bearings (July 2010 to September 2013). The 2 groups did not differ significantly in terms of baseline characteristics., Results: A total of 30 of 39 patients (group pin) and 46 of 60 patients (group cone) were discharged. During follow-up, 6 patients underwent transplantation, and in 1 patient the left ventricular assist device was explanted. The cumulative incidence competing risk of the entire cohort for noncardiovascular-related death was 28% (20%-40%); the cumulative incidence competing risk for cardiovascular-related death was 56% (42%-73%): 71% in group pin versus 26% in group cone (P = .034). The multivariate analyses confirmed that the pin-bearing design was a risk factor for cardiovascular death, along with Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support class. Right ventricular failures and ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes were significantly higher in group pin., Conclusions: Patients with the new pump configuration showed a better freedom from cardiovascular death and lower incidence of fatal stroke and right ventricular failure. Further studies are needed to prove the favorable impact of pump-enhanced fluid dynamics on long-term results., (Copyright © 2016 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the midterm results of a technique for correction of posterior leaflet prolapse without resection or use of artificial chordae., Methods: From May 2009 to October 2013, 96 patients with isolated posterior leaflet prolapse (n=36) or bileaflet prolapse (n=60) with or without chordal rupture underwent posterior leaflet repair at the Prince Sultan Cardiac Center. The novel Uniscallop ("U") technique was used in 46 patients (group U), based only on scallop suture without resection or artificial chordae application. A conventional approach (quadrangular or triangular resection, focal sliding, artificial chordae) was adopted in the remaining 50 patients (group C). In both groups, the annulus was reshaped using a 40- or 50-mm-long band. Postoperative echocardiography was performed in all patients after a mean follow-up of 18±13 months in group U and 20±9 months in group C., Results: There were no early or late deaths. No patients in either group showed systolic anterior motion. Both surgical strategies were successful in obtaining a significant reduction in mitral regurgitation grade. Left ventricular function was maintained, and tricuspid regurgitation grade was reduced overall. Moderate mitral regurgitation during follow-up developed in only 1 patient in group C, as the result of dehiscence of a plication stitch., Conclusions: Although the rationale for the use of the U technique is different from what is generally accepted, the midterm results of this approach are comparable to those obtained with more conventional techniques, remaining stable after a mean follow-up of 18 months., (Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The optimal surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) has not been well defined. Second-order chordal cutting (CC), in selected patients, can improve surgical outcomes., Methods: From 2007 to 2011, 31 patients underwent CC for ischemic MR. The indication was the presence of increased tethering of the anterior leaflet, with a bending angle (BA) <145°. Patients with same echocardiographic characteristics were identified and propensity matched for age, ejection fraction (EF), MR grade, diameters, and BA. Only patients with preoperative and follow-up echocardiograms were included and divided into 2 groups of 26 patients each, CC and no-CC., Results: Preoperatively, in the CC and no-CC groups, the age was 61 ± 9 and 62 ± 10 years, EF was 31% ± 5% and 29% ± 8%, MR grade (0-4) was 3.6 ± 0.6 and 3.3 ± 0.8, and diastolic and systolic dimension was 56 ± 7 and 43 ± 8 mm and 57 ± 11 and 44 ± 11 mm, respectively. The New York Heart Association class and BA was 2.7 ± 0.6 and 2.6 ± 0.7 and 137° ± 4° and 137° ± 6°, respectively. All patients underwent overreductive annuloplasty. In the CC group, second-order chords were cut using aortotomy. After a mean of 33 ± 15 months, the MR grade was 0.6 ± 0.6 and 1.1 ± 0.8 (P = .014) and the EF was 40% ± 5% and 35% ± 7% (P = .005) in the CC and no-CC groups, respectively. The corresponding diastolic and systolic diameters were 52 ± 5 and 38 ± 8 mm and 53 ± 11 and 41 ± 12 mm (P = NS). The modifications were significant only in the CC group (P = .022 and P = .029 for the diastolic and systolic dimensions, respectively). The corresponding New York Heart Association class decreased to 1.1 ± 0.3 and 1.5 ± 0.6 (P = .004). The BA increased to 182° ± 4° in the CC (P < .001) and remained unchanged (137° ± 6°) in the no-CC group., Conclusions: In selected patients with a BA <145° and coaptation depth ≤10 mm, CC is related to less MR return or persistence, improved EF, and lower New York Heart Association class., (Copyright © 2014 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: It is uncertain whether mitral valve replacement is really inferior to mitral valve repair for the treatment of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. This multicenter study aimed at providing a contribution to this issue., Methods: Of 1006 patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction < 40%) operated on at 13 Italian institutions between 1996 and 2011, 298 (29.6%) underwent mitral valve replacement whereas 708 (70.4%) received mitral valve repair. Propensity scores were calculated by a nonparsimonious multivariable logistic regression, and 244 pairs of patients were matched successfully using calipers of width 0.2 standard deviation of the logit of the propensity scores. The postmatching median standardized difference was 0.024 (range, 0-0.037) and in none of the covariates did it exceed 10%., Results: Early deaths were 3.3% (n = 8) in mitral valve repair versus 5.3% (n = 13) in mitral valve replacement (P = .32). Eight-year survival was 81.6% ± 2.8% and 79.6% ± 4.8% (P = .42), respectively. Actual freedom from all-cause reoperation and valve-related reoperation were 64.3% ± 4.3% versus 80% ± 4.1%, and 71.3% ± 3.5% versus 85.5% ± 3.9 in mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement, respectively (P < .001). Actual freedom from all valve-related complications was 68.3% ± 3.1% versus 69.9% ± 3.3% in mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement, respectively (P = .78). Left ventricular function did not improved significantly, and it was comparable in the 2 groups postoperatively (36.9% vs 38.5%, P = .66). At competing regression analysis, mitral valve repair was a strong predictor of reoperation (hazard ratio, 2.84; P < .001)., Conclusions: Mitral valve replacement is a suitable option for patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and impaired left ventricular function. It provides better results in terms of freedom from reoperation with comparable valve-related complication rates., (Copyright © 2013 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) worsens over time, and its natural history is unfavorable. An aggressive surgical strategy, using the echocardiographic systolic dimensions of the tricuspid annulus (sysTA), can be helpful to reduce the detrimental late effects of FTR., Methods: From March 2006 to February 2008, 298 patients, with at least FTR grade 1+, underwent mitral valve surgery. Of these 298 patients, 167 underwent tricuspid repair (treated group [T], moderate-or-greater FTR in 108 and mild in 59, with sysTA > 24 mm) and 137 did not (untreated group [UT], moderate-or-greater FTR in 16 and mild in 115; 81 with sysTA > 24 mm and 34 with sysTA of ≤ 24 mm). The 256 survivors underwent echocardiographic examination at a mean follow-up of 13 ± 8 months., Results: Preoperatively, at discharge, and at the follow-up examination, the mean FTR grade was 1.11 ± 0.32, 0.87 ± 0.49, and 1.03 ± 0.57 (P = NS) in the UT group and 2.11 ± 0.92, 0.45 ± 0.36, and 0.48 ± 0.32 (P < .001) in the T group. A total of 24 patients had FTR grade 2 or greater, 16 (14.5%) in the UT group and 8 (5.5%) in the T group (P = .026). In the UT group, 10 of 16 patients had sysTA of 25 to 28 mm and 6 of 10 had sysTA greater than 28 mm. No patient with mild FTR and sysTA of 24 mm or less had an increased FTR grade. Globally, 12 patients (10.9%) had an increased FTR grade in the UT group versus none in the T group (P < .001). Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation had less residual FTR if annuloplasty had been performed (1.6 ± 0.7 vs 0.91 ± 0.63, P = .005)., Conclusions: An aggressive strategy for FTR correction, using the sysTA, was able to reduce the FTR grade 1 year after surgery, but mitral surgery alone could not., (Copyright © 2011 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: We evaluated results of an echocardiographically based strategy combining mitral annuloplasty with other procedures to treat chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation., Methods: From March 2006 to February 2009, 147 patients underwent mitral valve surgery for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. Mean effective regurgitant orifice was 36 ± 11 mm(2), and ejection fraction was 35% ± 9%. On the basis of echocardiographic findings, in 10 cases a prosthesis was inserted and mitral annuloplasty was performed in 137 cases, isolated in 83, associated with chordal cutting in 12 cases (in 5 anterior leaflet was augmented with pericardial patch), and with exclusion of anteroseptal (n = 35) or inferior (n = 7) scars in 42., Results: Thirty-day mortality was 4.8%; 3-year survival was 86% ± 3%. None of the 126 survivors were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV. Among 117 survivors of mitral valve repair, after 18 ± 6 months mean effective regurgitant orifice reduced from 34.1 ± 10.2 mm(2) to 2.3 ± 0.4 mm(2) (P < .001). Nine patients showed residual effective regurgitant orifice 10 to 19 mm(2). Reverse remodeling was present in 69 patients (59.0%), no remodeling in 40 (34.1%), and continuous remodeling in 8 (6.9%). Ejection fraction changed from 37% ± 10% to 43% ± 10% (P < .001), improving in 47, remaining unchanged in 63, and worsening in 7., Conclusions: Echocardiographically based strategy contributed to reduced postoperative mitral regurgitation persistence (effective regurgitant orifice ≥ 10 mm(2) in 7.7% of cases, with no patients showing effective regurgitant orifice ≥ 20 mm(2)). All patients remained in New York Heart Association functional class I or II, but more than mitral annuloplasty was performed in close to 40%., (Copyright © 2011 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We report the long-term results of left ventricular surgical restoration in which 2 different strategies were used, which had restoration of ventricular volume or ventricular shape as their target., Methods: From 1988 to 2008, 308 patients with anterior scars underwent elective left ventricular surgical restoration. Before 2002, a Dor procedure was performed in 107 cases to reduce left ventricular volume (group V); from 1998 to 2001, a Guilmet procedure was performed in 32 patients to rebuild a left ventricular conical shape (group S). From 2002, 169 patients (group S) underwent left ventricular surgical restoration to reshape a conical left ventricle by means of the Dor procedure (n = 29, septoapical scars) or septal reshaping (n = 140, when the septum was more involved than the anterior wall). The 2 groups were similar for all features but age, mitral regurgitation grade, mitral valve surgery rate (higher in group S), and ejection fraction (higher in group V)., Results: Early mortality was 7.8% (11.2% in group V vs 6.0% in group S, P = .102). Logistic regression showed that volume reduction was significantly related to higher early mortality. Five-year cardiac survival, cardiac event-free survival, and event-free survival were higher in group S. Cox analysis showed that the choice of volume reduction provided lower survival (hazard ratio, 2.1), cardiac survival (hazard ratio, 3.0), cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.7), and event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.2). When 30-day events were excluded, volume reduction was still a risk factor for cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.2)., Conclusions: When the main target of left ventricular surgical restoration is left ventricular reshaping rather than left ventricular volume reduction, early and late outcomes seem to improve., (2010 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate long-term results of bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting with saphenous vein or another arterial conduit as the third conduit., Methods: From September 1991 to December 2002, a total of 1015 patients underwent first isolated coronary artery bypass grafting for triple-vessel disease, with bilateral internal thoracic artery plus saphenous vein in 643 cases and bilateral internal thoracic artery plus arterial conduit in 372. A nonparsimonious regression model was built to determine propensity score, then sample matching (saphenous vein vs arterial conduit) was performed to select 885 patients (590 with saphenous vein, 295 with arterial conduit). Groups had similar preoperative and operative characteristics., Results: Eight-year freedoms from cardiac death were significantly higher when saphenous vein was used (98.6% +/- 0.5% with saphenous vein vs 95.3% +/- 1.3% with arterial conduit, P = .009), but this difference was related exclusively to right gastroepiploic artery grafting (94.5% +/- 1.6% vs saphenous vein, P = .004). This difference disappeared for radial artery grafting (97.6% +/- 1.6% vs saphenous vein, P = .492). Cox analysis confirmed that supplementary gastroepiploic artery was an independent variable for lower freedoms from all-cause mortality and from cardiac death. Presence of high-degree stenosis (80%) appeared to influence this result., Conclusions: In patients with triple-vessel disease undergoing first isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, supplementary venous grafts seem to provide more stability than gastroepiploic artery, which may even impair long-term outcome.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate the possibility to predict postoperative graft patency in coronary surgery by means of intraoperative transit-time flow measurement., Methods: Of 3567 patients submitted to isolated myocardial revascularization from June 1997 through June 2003, 157 (4.4%) underwent both intraoperative transit-time flow measurement and angiography at follow-up. Thirty-six have been revascularized on a beating heart. Three hundred four grafts, 227 arterial conduits, and 77 saphenous vein grafts were checked., Results: No patients died, and none of them had an acute myocardial infarction within 12 months after the operation. After a mean of 6.7 +/- 4.8 months from the operation, 266 grafts (group A) were completely functioning, whereas 38 grafts (group B) had failed. The transit-time flow parameters recorded in the latter group had significantly lower mean flow and higher pulsatility index and percentage of backward flow values at both univariate and multivariate analysis. Moreover, mean flow values of 15 mL/min or less, pulsatility index values of 3.0 or greater, and percentage of backward flow values of 3.0% or greater were found to be independent variables for higher incidence of graft failure., Conclusions: Transit-time flow measurement represents a quick, easy, and reproducible method for intraoperative evaluation of graft function. The combination of the 3 major parameters (mean flow, pulsatility index, and percentage of backward flow) results in the chance to predict a graft failure (either anatomic or functional) within the first postoperative year.

Objectives: We sought to evaluate whether early and late results in patients who underwent off-pump or on-pump myocardial revascularization with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting were similar., Methods: From November 1994 through December 2001, 1835 patients underwent isolated myocardial revascularization with bilateral internal thoracic artery grafting. By applying propensity score pairwise matching, 1194 patients were selected and operated on either off pump (n = 597) or on pump (n = 597)., Results: The overall 30-day mortality was 1.5% (1.2% in the off-pump group and 1.8% in the on-pump group, P = .342). There was no difference for all the other complications between the 2 groups. Mean follow-up was 5.2 +/- 1.8 years. Forty-two patients died over the follow-up period (22 in the off-pump group and 20 in the on-pump group), 15 of them of cardiac causes (7 in the off-pump group and 8 in the on-pump group). Six-year outcomes (freedom from death, cardiac death, acute myocardial infarction and reoperation in all or in the grafted area, target cardiac events, and any other event) were similar for both categories. After a mean of 30.7 +/- 20.1 months, 202 patients had a postoperative angiography showing similar results., Conclusions: Our results with extensive arterial revascularization clearly show that with the technical improvements achieved in the most recent years, off-pump operations can be performed safely with the same quality of late results as those obtained with on-pump operations.