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In 2019, the Society for Enhanced Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERAS-CS) published perioperative guidelines to optimize the care of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. For centers with limited capacity, a sequential approach to the implementation of the full guidelines may be more feasible. Therefore, we aimed to explore the priority of implementation of the ERAS-CS guideline recommendations from a patient and caregiver perspective.Using a modified nominal group technique, individuals who previously underwent cardiac surgery and their caregivers ranked ERAS-CS recommendations within 3 time points (ie, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative) and across 2 to 3 voting rounds. Final round rankings (median, mean and first quartile) were used to determine relative priorities.Seven individuals (5 patients and 2 caregivers) participated in the study. Patient engagement tools (2, 2.29, and 1.50), surgical site infection reduction (2, 1.67, and 1.25), and postoperative systematic delirium screening (1, 2.43, and 1.00) were the top-ranked ERAS-CS recommendations in the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative time points, respectively.Exploration of patient and caregiver priorities may provide important insights to guide the healthcare team with clinical pathway development and implementation. Further study is needed to understand the impact of the integration of patient and caregiver values on effective and sustainable clinical pathway implementation.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to disrupt the provision of cardiac procedural services due to overwhelming interval surges in COVID-19 cases and the associated crisis of cardiac intervention deferment. Despite the availability of widespread testing, highly efficacious vaccines, and intensive public health efforts, the pandemic is entering its third year, where new severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 variants have increased the likelihood that patients scheduled for a cardiac intervention will contract COVID-19 in the perioperative period. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Workforce on Critical Care, the STS Workforce on Adult Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, and the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons have developed this document, endorsed by the STS and affirmed by the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and the Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology, to provide guidance for cardiac procedure deferment and intervention timing for preoperative patients diagnosed with COVID-19. This document is intended for the perioperative cardiac surgical team and outlines the present state of the pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on intervention outcome, and offers a recommended algorithm for individualized cardiac procedure triage and timing.

Delirium after cardiac surgery is associated with prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay and elevated rates of mortality. The Society of Thoracic Surgery National Database (STS-ND) includes delirium in routine data collection but restricts its definition to hyperactive symptoms. The objective is to determine whether the Confusion Assessment Method for ICU (CAM-ICU), which includes hypo- and hyperactive symptoms, is associated with improved prediction of poor 1-year functional survival following cardiac surgery.Clinical and administrative databases were used to determine the influence of postoperative delirium on 1-year poor functional survival, defined as being institutionalized or deceased at 1 year. Patients experiencing postoperative delirium using the STS-ND definition (2007-2009) were compared with patients with delirium identified by the CAM-ICU (2010-2012). A propensity score match was undertaken, and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models were generated to determine risk of poor 1-year functional survival.There were 2756 and 2236 patients in the STS-ND and CAM-ICU cohorts, respectively. Propensity matching resulted in a cohort of 1835 patients (82.1% matched). The overall rate of delirium in the matched study population was 7.6% in the STS-ND cohort and 13.0% in the CAM-ICU cohort (P .001). Delirium in the CAM-ICU cohort was independently associated with poor 1-year functional survival (hazard ratio, 2.58; 95% confidence interval, 1.20-5.54; P = .02); delirium in the STS-ND cohort was not associated with poor 1-year functional survival (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.49-1.71; P = .79).A systematic screening tool identifies postoperative delirium with improved prediction of poor 1-year functional survival following cardiac surgery.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health care and cardiac surgery. We report cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Methods A detailed survey was sent to recruit participating adult cardiac surgery centers in North America. Data regarding cardiac surgeons' perceptions and changes in practice were analyzed. Results Our study comprises 67 institutions with diverse geographic distribution across North America. Nurses were most likely to be redeployed (88%), followed by advanced care practitioners (69%), trainees (28%), and surgeons (25%). Examining surgeon concerns in regard to COVID‐19, they were most worried with exposing their family to COVID‐19 (81%), followed by contracting COVID‐19 (68%), running out of personal protective equipment (PPE) (28%), and hospital resources (28%). In terms of PPE conservation strategies among users of N95 respirators, nearly half were recycling via decontamination with ultraviolet light (49%), followed by sterilization with heat (13%) and at home or with other modalities (13%). Reuse of N95 respirators for 1 day (22%), 1 week (21%) or 1 month (6%) was reported. There were differences in adoption of methods to conserve N95 respirators based on institutional pandemic phase and COVID‐19 burden, with higher COVID‐19 burden institutions more likely to resort to PPE conservation strategies. Conclusions The present study demonstrates the impact of COVID‐19 on North American cardiac surgeons. Our study should stimulate further discussions to identify optimal solutions to improve workforce preparedness for subsequent surges, as well as facilitate the navigation of future healthcare crises.

At present, there is a lack of information on patient and caregiver values, and perceived priorities and barriers, to guide successful post-discharge recovery. This was a single center, multiple methods study that investigated patient, caregiver, and health care provider perceptions of the discharge process after cardiac surgery. Themes emerging from focus group discussions with patients and caregivers were used to develop surveys relating to values, barriers, and challenges relating to the discharge process. Thirty-two patients (n = 16) and caregivers (n = 16) participated in four separate focus groups. Four themes emerged from these discussions: (1) a lack of understanding about what the discharge process entails and when discharge is appropriate, (2) issues relating to the information provided to patients at the time of discharge, (3) participant experiences with the health care system, and (4) the experiences of caregivers. Seventy-eight patients, 34 caregivers, 53 nurses and/or other allied health professionals, and 8 surgeons completed the cross-sectional surveys. The most important component of the discharge process for patients and caregivers was "knowing what to do in an emergency." Health care providers less accurately identified what caregivers perceived as the most important aspects of the discharge process.Statements relating to informational barriers to discharge were the most discordant among patient and caregiver respondents. After discharge, patients and caregivers identified the need for longer-term follow up with the surgeon and more support in the community. Incorporation of patient and caregiver values to guide the post-cardiac surgery discharge process is essential to promote successful recovery.

Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) after cardiac surgery is associated with longer hospital stay and increased in-hospital death and stroke, but its long-term implications remain incompletely understood. A systematic literature review was undertaken to investigate the impact of POAF on long-term death and stroke in adult patients who undergo cardiac operations.Electronic databases (Cochrane, Embase, Ovid MEDLINE, and PubMed) were queried from inception to October 2018. Included studies compared long-term outcomes after cardiac operations in patients with and without POAF. Adjusted and unadjusted meta-analyses examined death, stroke, and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Risk of bias was evaluated with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.The inclusion criteria were met by 32 studies describing 155,575 patients who had undergone cardiac operations. POAF occurred in 36,988 patients (23.7%). Meta-analysis of 10 studies (44,367 patients) demonstrated increased 1-year death in patients with POAF (odds ratio, 2.60; 95% confidence interval, 2-3.38; P.01). Aggregate adjusted hazard of death (16 studies, n = 84,295) was also increased in patients with POAF (hazard ratio, 1.25; 95% confidence interval, 1.2-1.3; P.01).This systematic review and meta-analysis identified an association between POAF and long-term death after cardiac surgery. More comprehensive POAF prevention and management, including more stringent follow-up for POAF recurrence after hospital discharge, may be indicated. The included studies used inconsistent definitions of POAF and variable exclusion criteria; however, estimates of heterogeneity are low. Differences in preoperative comorbidities, such as age, ejection fraction, and obesity, may not be fully accounted for in adjusted analyses. Future work is required to delineate mechanisms linking POAF and death in this population.

The Thoracic Surgery Social Media Network (TSSMN) is a collaborative effort of leading journals in cardiothoracic surgery to highlight publications via social media. This study aims to evaluate the 1-year results of a prospective randomized social media trial to determine the effect of tweeting on subsequent citations and nontraditional bibliometrics.A total of 112 representative original articles were randomized 1:1 to be tweeted via TSSMN or a control (non-tweeted) group. Measured endpoints included citations at 1 year compared with baseline, as well as article-level metrics (Altmetric score) and Twitter analytics. Independent predictors of citations were identified through univariable and multivariable regression analyses.When compared with control articles, tweeted articles achieved significantly greater increase in Altmetric scores (Tweeted 9.4 ± 5.8 vs Non-tweeted 1.0 ± 1.8, P.001), Altmetric score percentiles relative to articles of similar age from each respective journal (Tweeted 76.0 ± 9.1 percentile vs Non-tweeted 13.8 ± 22.7 percentile, P.001), with greater change in citations at 1 year (Tweeted +3.1 ± 2.4 vs Non-Tweeted +0.7 ± 1.3, P.001). Multivariable analysis showed that independent predictors of citations were randomization to tweeting (odds ratio [OR] 9.50; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.30-27.35, P .001), Altmetric score (OR 1.32; 95% CI 1.15-1.50, P.001), open-access status (OR 1.56; 95% CI 1.21-1.78, P.001), and exposure to a larger number of Twitter followers as quantified by impressions (OR 1.30, 95% CI 1.10-1.49, P.001).One-year follow-up of this TSSMN prospective randomized trial importantly demonstrates that tweeting results in significantly more article citations over time, highlighting the durable scholarly impact of social media activity.

For yet another year, our lives have been dominated by a pandemic. This year in review, we feature an expert panel opinion regarding extracorporeal support in the context of COVID-19, challenging previously held standards. We also feature survey results assessing the impact of the pandemic on cardiac surgical volume. Furthermore, we focus on a single center experience that evaluated the use of pulmonary artery catheters and the comparison of transfusion strategies in the Restrictive and Liberal Transfusion Strategies in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction (REALITY) trial. Additionally, we address the impact of acute kidney injury on cardiac surgery and highlight the controversy regarding the choice of fluid resuscitation. We close with an evaluation of dysphagia in cardiac surgery and the impact of prehabilitation to optimize surgical outcomes.

Background While fast track clinical pathways have been demonstrated to reduce resource utilization in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, it remains unclear as to whether they adversely affect post-operative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of fast tracking on post-operative outcomes following cardiac surgery. Methods In a retrospective study, all patients undergoing first-time, on-pump, non-emergent coronary artery bypass grafting, valve, or coronary artery bypass grafting + valve at a single centre between 2010 and 2017 were included. Patients were considered to have been fast tracked if they were extubated and transferred from intensive care to a step-down unit on the same day as their procedure. The risk-adjusted effect of fast tracking on a 30-day composite of all-cause mortality, stroke, renal failure, infection, atrial fibrillation, and readmission to hospital was determined. Furthermore, propensity score matching was used to match fasting track patients in a 1-to-1 manner with their nearest “neighbor” in the control group and subsequently compared in terms of 30-day post-operative outcomes. Results 3252 patients formed the final study population (fast track: n = 245; control: n = 3007). Patients who were fast tracked experienced reduced time to initial extubation (4.3 vs. 5.6 h, p Conclusion Fast track clinical pathways was associated with reduced intensive care unit, overall length of stay and similar 30-day post-operative outcomes. These results suggest that fast tracking appropriate patients may reduce resource utilization, while maintaining patient safety. Graphical abstract

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In the setting of the current novel coronavirus pandemic, this document has been generated to provide guiding statements for the adult cardiac surgeon to consider in a rapidly evolving national landscape. Acknowledging the risk for a potentially prolonged need for cardiac surgery procedure deferral, we have created this proposed template for physicians and interdisciplinary teams to consider in protecting their patients, institution, and their highly specialized cardiac surgery team. In addition, recommendations on the transition from traditional in-person patient assessments and outpatient follow-up are provided. Lastly, we advocate that cardiac surgeons must continue to serve as leaders, experts, and relevant members of our medical community, shifting our role as necessary in this time of need.

Long-term data on patient survivors after extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support remains limited. This study sought to examine the 5-year survival and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients treated with venoarterial (VA)- or venovenous (VV)-ECMO.A single-center retrospective chart review and survival analysis was conducted on all patients who required ECMO from December 2007 to June 2019. Cross-sectional HRQoL assessments were performed using 8 standardized questionnaires among survivors.Records for 370 ECMO patients (288 VA-ECMO, 82 VV-ECMO) were reviewed. Survival at 5 years was 33% (VA-ECMO) and 36% (VV-ECMO). Among patients that survived to 30 days, 5-year survival rates were 73% (VA-ECMO) and 71% (VV-ECMO). Sixty surviving patients (56%) had HRQoL assessments (48 VA-ECMO, 12 VV-ECMO). Median follow-up time was 4.2 (VA-ECMO) and 5.7 years (VV-ECMO). Fourteen (29%) VA-ECMO patients and 9 (75%) VV-ECMO patients reported difficulty with any activity of daily living whereas 13 (27%) VA-ECMO patients and 8 (67%) VV-ECMO patients reported difficulty with any instrumental activity of daily living. Eleven (23%) VA-ECMO patients and 7 (58%) VV-ECMO patients reported a high post-traumatic stress disorder score. Low decision regret scores in both cohorts indicated minimal regret that ECMO was initiated.Five-year clinical and patient-centered outcomes of patients requiring ECMO support is acceptable in those who survived the initial 30 days. Among ECMO survivors, persistent HRQoL concerns were apparent, highlighting the importance of longer-term postdischarge follow-up.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic negatively impacted cardiothoracic (CT) surgery, with changes in clinical, academic, and personal responsibilities. We hypothesized that the pandemic may disproportionately impact female academic CT surgeons, accentuating preexisting sex disparities. This study assessed sex differences in authorship of 2 major CT surgery journals during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic.All accepted submissions toIn total, 1106 submissions were accepted during the 2019 period, whereas 900 articles (18.6% decrease) were accepted during the same period in 2020. Original research articles comprised 33.3% of the 2019 articles but only 4.9% of the 2020 articles. Female authors contributed to 39.3% (23.1% original research and 16.2% nonoriginal articles) and 29.4% (3.3% original research and 26.1% nonoriginal articles) of articles during the 2019 and 2020 periods, respectively. This represents a marked change in the type of articles that female authors contributed to.Early on during the COVID-19 pandemic, the type of articles accepted, and authorship demographic changed. There was a decrease in contribution of female-authored CT surgery articles submitted to both journals, especially for original research. Future research will elucidate the long-term impact of the pandemic on sex disparities in academic productivity.

Executive Summary Cardiothoracic surgical patients are at risk of increased coronavirus disease severity. Several important factors influence the administration of the coronavirus disease vaccine in the perioperative period. This guidance statement outlines current information regarding vaccine types, summarizes recommendations regarding appropriate timing of administration, and provides information regarding side effects in the perioperative period for cardiac and thoracic surgical patients.

Background The burden of frailty on cardiac surgical outcomes is incompletely understood. Here we perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies comparing frail versus pre-frail versus non-frail patients following cardiac surgery. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases until July 2018 for studies comparing cardiac surgery outcomes in “frail”, “pre-frail” and “non-frail” patients. Data was extracted in duplicate. Primary outcome was operative mortality. Results There were 19 observational studies with 66,448 patients. Frail patients were more likely female (risk ratio [RR]1.7; 95%CI:1.5–1.9), older (mean difference: 2.4; 95%CI:1.3–3.5 years older) with greater comorbidities and higher STS-PROM. Frailty (RR2.35; 95%CI:1.57–3.51; p p p p = 0.002). Frail (Hazard Ratio [HR]3.27; 95%CI:1.93–5.55; p p = 0.005) had worse mid-term mortality (median follow-up 1 years [range 0.5–4 years]). After adjustment for baseline imbalances, frailty was still associated with greater operative mortality (odds ratio [OR]1.97; 95%CI:1.51–2.57; p p < 0.00001) and midterm mortality (HR1.37; 95%CI:1.03–1.83; p = 0.03). Conclusion In patients undergoing cardiac surgery, frailty and pre-frailty were associated with 2-fold and 1.5-fold greater adjusted operative mortality, respectively, greater adjusted perioperative complications and frailty was associated with almost 5-fold risk of non-home discharge. Graphical abstract Burden of frailty and pre-frailty on cardiac surgical outcomes.

BackgroundDelirium is prevalent and underdetected among cardiac surgery patients on the postoperative ward. This study aimed to validate the 4 A's Test delirium screening tool and evaluate its accuracy both when used by research assistants and when subsequently implemented by nursing staff on the ward.MethodsThis single-center, prospective observational study evaluated the performance of the 4 A's Test administered by research assistants (phase 1) and nursing staff (phase 2). Assessments were undertaken during the patients' first 3 postoperative days on the postcardiac surgery ward along with previous routine nurse-led Confusion Assessment Method assessments. These index tests were compared with a reference standard diagnosis of delirium based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 5th Edition criteria. Surveys regarding delirium screening were administered to nurses pre- and postimplementation of the 4 A's Test in phase 2 of the study.ResultsIn phase 1, a total of 137 patients were enrolled, of whom 24.8% experienced delirium on the postoperative cardiac ward. The 4 A's Test had a sensitivity of 85% (95% confidence interval, 73-93) and a specificity of 90% (95% confidence interval, 85-93) compared with the reference standard. The nurse-assessed Confusion Assessment Method had a sensitivity of 23% (95% confidence interval, 13-37) and specificity of 100% (95% confidence interval, 99-100). In phase 2, nurses (n = 51) screened 179 patients for delirium using the 4 A's Test. Compared with the reference rater, the 4 A's Test had a sensitivity of 58% (95% confidence interval, 28-85) and specificity of 94% (95% confidence interval, 85-98). Postimplementation, 64% of nurses thought that the 4 A's Test improved their confidence in delirium detection, and 76% of nurses would consider routine 4 A's Test use.ConclusionsThe 4 A's Test demonstrated moderate sensitivity and high specificity to detect delirium in a real-world setting after cardiac surgery on the postoperative ward. A modified model of use with less frequent administration, along with increased engagement of the postoperative team, is recommended to improve early delirium detection on the cardiac surgery postoperative ward.

Cardiac surgery patients with a prolonged ICU length of stay (prICULOS) have lower rates of functional survival following their procedure, however detailed information on their health related quality of life (HRQoL) is lacking. We sought to investigate the potential need for intervention in these high-risk patients through comprehensive HRQoL assessments in the months to year following their surgery. A prospective, observational pilot study was undertaken and cardiac surgery patients with a prICULOS (ICU length of stay of ≥5 days) were recruited. A control group was obtained through recruitment of cardiac surgery patients with an ICU length of stay of 5 days. In-person clinical or telephone survey HRQoL assessments were completed at 3-6 months and 1-year time points after their procedure. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was calculated for all study variable comparisons to quantify the standardized effect size observed between non-prICULOS and prICULOS patients. 789 cardiac procedures were performed during the study period and 89 patients experienced a prICULOS (10.7%). Of these 89 patients, 35 prICULOS patients were recruited along with 35 controls. 29 out of 35 prICULOS patients completed the study (83%). At the 3-6 month follow up the prICULOS patients had higher levels of weight loss, fear of falling, and driving deficits. At 1-year, prICULOS patients had persistent difficulties with activities of daily living and required more family and external support. This study demonstrates the need for closer follow up and intervention for cardiac surgery patients with a prICULOS who were found to have poorer mid and long-term HRQoL.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the frequency and risk factors for non-home discharge (NHD) and its association with clinical outcomes and quality of life (QOL) at 1 year following cardiac surgery in patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). METHODS: Discharge disposition was evaluated in 552 patients enrolled in trials of severe or moderate IMR. Patient and in-hospital factors associated with NHD were identified using logistic regression. Subsequently, association of NHD with 1-year mortality, serious adverse events (SAE), and QOL was assessed. RESULTS: NHD was observed in 30% (154/522) with 25% (n=71/289) in moderate and 36% (n=83/233) in severe IMR patients (unadjusted p=0.006), a difference not significant after including age (5-year change: adjusted odds ratio [adjOR] 1.52; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.35–1.72; p

Background Injection drug use–associated infective endocarditis (IDU-IE) is a growing epidemic. The objective of this survey was to identify the beliefs and practice patterns of Canadian cardiac surgeons regarding surgical management of IDU-IE. Methods A 30-question survey was developed by a working group and distributed to all practicing adult cardiac surgeons in Canada. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Of 146 surgeons, 94 completed the survey (64%). Half of surgeons (49%) would be less likely to operate on patients with IE if associated with IDU. In the case of prosthetic valve IE owing to continued IDU, 36% were willing to reoperate once and 14% were willing to reoperate twice or more. Most surgeons required commitments from patients before surgery (73%), and most referred patients to addiction services (81%). Some surgeons would offer a Ross procedure (10%) or homograft (8%) for aortic valve IE, and 47% would consider temporary mechanical circulatory support. Whereas only 17% of surgeons worked at an institution with an endocarditis team, 71% agreed that there was a need for one at each institution. Most surgeons supported the development of IDU-IE–specific guidelines (80%). Conclusions Practice patterns and surgical management of IDU-IE vary considerably across Canada. Areas of clinical unmet needs include the development of a formal addiction services referral protocol for patients, the development of an interdisciplinary endocarditis team, as well as the creation of IDU-IE clinical practice guidelines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound global impact. Its rapid transmissibility has transformed healthcare delivery and forced countries to adopt strict measures to contain its spread. The vast majority of U.S. cardiac surgical programs have deferred all but truly emergent/urgent operative procedures in an effort to reduce the burden on the healthcare system and to mobilize resources to combat the pandemic surge. While the number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase worldwide, the incidence of new cases has begun to decline in many North American cities. This “flattening of the curve” has prompted interest in re-opening the economy, relaxing public health restrictions, and resuming non-urgent health care delivery., Graphical abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates aggressive infection mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to patients and healthcare providers. This document is intended to provide a framework for the adult cardiac surgeon to consider in this rapidly changing environment. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative detailed protective measures are outlined. These are guidance recommendations during a pandemic surge to be used for all patients while local COVID-19 disease burden remains elevated.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether 5-m gait speed, an established marker of frailty, is associated with post-operative events following elective proximal aortic surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review of 435 patients >60 years of age who underwent elective proximal aortic surgery, defined as surgery on the aortic root, ascending aorta, and/or aortic arch through median sternotomy. Patients completed a 5-m gait speed test within 30-days prior to surgery. We evaluated the association between categorical (slow, ≤0.83 m/s and normal, >0.83 m/s) and continuous gait speed and the likelihood of experiencing the composite outcome before and after adjustment for EuroSCORE II. The composite outcome included in-hospital mortality, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, and discharge location. Secondary outcomes were 1-year mortality and 5-year survival. RESULTS: Of the study population, 30.3% (132/435) were categorized as slow. Slow walkers were significantly more likely to suffer in-hospital mortality, prolonged ventilation, renal failure, and were less likely to be discharged home (p’s

Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a devastating complication of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. We aim to characterize current practices pertaining to SCI prevention and treatment across Canada.Two questionnaires were developed by the Canadian Thoracic Aortic Collaborative and the Canadian Cardiovascular Critical Care Society targeting aortic surgeons and intensivists. A list of experts in the management of patients at risk of SCI was developed, with representation from each of the Canadian centers that perform complex aortic surgery.The response rate was 91% for both intensivists (21/23), and from cardiac and vascular surgeons (39/43). Most surgeons agreed that staging is important during endovascular repair of extent II thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (60%) but not for open repair (34%). All of the surgeons felt prophylactic lumbar drains were effective in reducing SCI, whereas only 66.7% of intensivists felt that lumbar drains were effective (P .001). There was consensus among surgeons over when to employ lumbar drains. A majority of surgeons preferred to keep the hemoglobin over 100 g/L if the patient demonstrated loss of lower-extremity function, whereas most intensivists felt a target of 80 g/L was adequate (P .001). Management of perioperative antihypertensives, use of intraoperative adjuncts, and management of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis in the presence of a lumbar drain, were highly variable.We observed some consensus but considerable variability in the approach to SCI prevention and management across Canada. Future studies focused on the areas of variability may lead to more consistent and improved care for this high-risk population.

Background Normothermic ex vivo heart perfusion (EVHP) has been shown to improve the preservation of hearts donated after circulatory arrest and to facilitate clinical successful transplantation. Steroids are added to the perfusate solution in current clinical EVHP protocols; however, the impact of this approach on donor heart preservation has not been previously investigated. We sought to determine the impact of steroids on the inflammatory response and development of myocardial edema during EVHP. Methods Thirteen pigs were anesthetized, mechanical ventilation was discontinued, and a hypoxemic cardiac arrest ensued. A 15-minute warm-ischemic standoff period was observed, and then hearts were resuscitated with a cardioplegic solution. Donor hearts were then perfused ex vivo in a normothermic beating state for 6 hours with 500 mg of methylprednisolone (steroid: n = 5) or without (control: n = 8). Results The addition of steroids to the perfusate solution reduced the generation of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6, -8, -1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α) and the development of myocardial edema during EVHP (percentage of weight gain: control = 26% ± 7% versus steroid = 16% ± 10%, p = 0.049). Electron microscopy suggested less endothelial cell edema in the steroid group (injury score: control = 1.8 ± 0.2 versus steroid = 1.2 ± 0.2, p = 0.06), whereas perfusate troponin-I (control = 11.9 ± 1.9 ng/mL versus steroid = 9.5 ± 2.4 ng/mL, p = 0.448) and myocardial function were comparable between the groups. Conclusions The addition of methylprednisolone to the perfusion solution minimizes the generation of proinflammatory cytokines and development of myocardial edema during normothermic ex vivo perfusion of hearts donated after circulatory arrest.

OBJECTIVES Long-term quality of life following open surgical valve replacement is an increasingly important outcome to patients and their caregivers. This study examines non-institutionalized survival and rehospitalization within our surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) and mitral valve replacement (MVR) populations. METHODS A retrospective single-centre study of all consecutive open surgical valve replacements between 1995 and 2014 was undertaken. Clinical data were linked to provincial administrative data for 3219 patients who underwent AVR, MVR or double (aortic and mitral) valve replacement with or without concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Non-institutionalized survival and cumulative incidence of rehospitalization was examined up to 15 years. RESULTS Follow-up was complete for 96.9% of the 2146 patients who underwent AVR ± CABG (66.7% of the overall cohort), 878 who underwent MVR ± CABG (27.3%) and 195 who underwent double (aortic and mitral) valve replacement ± CABG (6.0%) with a median follow-up time of 5.6 years. Overall non-institutionalized survival was 35.4% at 15 years, and the cumulative incidence of rehospitalization was 34.4%, 63.2% and 87.0% at 1, 5 and 15 years, respectively, without significant differences between valve procedure cohorts. Both non-institutionalized survival and cumulative incidence of rehospitalization improved in more recent eras, despite increasing age and comorbidities. CONCLUSIONS Non-institutionalized survival and rehospitalization data for up to 15 years suggest good functional outcomes long after surgical AVR and/or MVR. Continued improvements are seen in these metrics over the past 2 decades. This provides a unique insight into the quality of life after surgical valve replacement in the ageing demographics with valvular heart disease.

Objective This study determined whether frailty provides incremental value to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II in identifying patients at risk of poor 1-year functional survival. Methods This prospective study in patients undergoing cardiac surgery defined frailty using 3 common definitions: (1) the Modified Fried Criteria; (2) the Short Physical Performance Battery; and (3) the Clinical Frailty Scale. The primary outcome was functional survival, defined as being alive at 1 year postsurgery with a health-related quality of life score greater than 60 on the EuroQol-Visual Analogue Scale. Results Of the 188 participants, 49.5%, 52.6%, and 31.9% were deemed frail according to the Modified Fried Criteria, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Clinical Frailty Scale, respectively. The median age of our cohort was 71.0 years (29.3% female). The probability of functional survival at 1 year for the entire cohort was 73.9%. After adjusting for the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II, patients deemed frail under the Modified Fried Criteria, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Clinical Frailty Scale had an increased odds ratio for poor functional survival of 3.44, 3.47, and 2.08, respectively. When compared with the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II alone, the Modified Fried Criteria, Short Physical Performance Battery, and Clinical Frailty Scale showed an absolute improvement in the discrimination slope of 6.7%, 6.5%, and 2.4% with a category-free classification improvement of 59.6%, 59.2%, and 35.1%, respectively. Conclusions Preoperative frailty was associated with a 2- to 3.5-fold higher risk of poor functional survival 1 year after cardiac surgery. The addition of frailty to the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation II provides incremental value in identifying patients at risk of poor functional survival 1 year postsurgery, regardless of frailty definition.