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Objectives: The Thoracic Surgery Foundation for Research and Education (TSFRE) was formed in 1991 with the primary goals of generating new knowledge and nurturing the development of surgeon–scientists. The purpose of this article is to determine how effective the TSFRE has been in achieving these goals. Methods: A survey instrument was sent electronically to all former and current TSFRE research award recipients. Major themes included the benefits on TSFRE award recipients with respect to career choices of thoracic surgery, progress toward research independence, and the ability to leverage TSFRE funds to more substantive National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards. Success rates for NIH funding were confirmed using NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools. Results: The total completed survey response rate was 70% (75/107). The response rates for each group were as follows: resident 74% (28/38), faculty 85% (29/34), Braunwald 50% (9/18), and TSFRE/NIH K-award 65% (11/17). The funding rate for all grants was 14% (90/619). For resident research awardees, 81% (34/42) are cardiothoracic surgeons or are thoracic surgery residents. The conversion rate for existing TSFRE/NIH co-sponsored K-awards to R01 grants is 40% at 5 years compared with a 20% K to R conversion rate for all NIH K-award recipients. K to R conversion rates for junior faculty grant awardees without a prior K-award is 44%, which is much higher than NIH rates for all new investigator R01 awards. Conclusions: The return on investment for TSFRE funding for surgeon–scientists is resoundingly positive with respect to promoting careers in cardiothoracic surgery and to obtaining subsequent NIH funding for thoracic surgeon investigators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: SYNTAX study compares outcomes of coronary artery bypass grafting with percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with 3-vessel and/or left main disease. Complexity of coronary artery disease was quantified by the SYNTAX score, which combines anatomic characteristics of each significant lesion. This study aims to clarify whether SYNTAX score affects the outcome of bypass grafting as defined by major adverse cerebrovascular and cardiac events (MACCE) and its components over a 2-year follow-up period. Methods: Of the 3075 patients enrolled in SYNTAX, 1541 underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (897 randomized controlled trial patients, and 644 registry patients). All patients undergoing bypass grafting were stratified according to their SYNTAX score into 3 tertiles: low (0–22), intermediate (22–32), and high (≥33) complexity. Clinical outcomes up to 2 years after allocation were determined for each group and further risk factor analysis was performed. Results: Registry patients had more complex disease than those in the randomized controlled trial (SYNTAX score: registry 37.8 ± 13.3 vs randomized 29.1 ± 11.4; P < .001). At 30 days, overall coronary bypass mortality was 0.9% (registry 0.6% vs randomized 1.2%). MACCE rate at 30 days was 4.4% (registry 3.4% vs randomized 5.2%). SYNTAX score did not significantly affect overall 2-year MACCE rate of 15.6% for low, 14.3% for medium, and 15.4% for high SYNTAX scores. Compared with randomized patients, registry patients had a lower rate of overall MACCE rate (registry 13.0% vs randomized 16.7%; P = .046) and repeat revascularization (4.7% vs 8.6%; P = .003), whereas other event rates were comparable. Risk factor analysis revealed left main disease (P = .049) and incomplete revascularization (P = .005) as predictive for adverse 2-year outcomes. Conclusions: The outcome of coronary artery bypass grafting was excellent and independent from the SYNTAX score. Incomplete revascularization rather than degree of coronary complexity adversely affects late outcomes of coronary bypass. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: Health status assessment is essential for documenting the benefit of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) or transcatheter mitral valve repair on patients' symptoms, function, and quality of life. Health status can also be a powerful marker for subsequent clinical outcomes, but its prognostic importance around the time of both TAVR and transcatheter mitral valve repair has not been fully defined.Methods: Among 73 699 patients who underwent transfemoral TAVR or transcatheter mitral valve repair between 2011 and 2018 (mean age, 81.9±7.0 years, 53% men, 92% TAVR), we constructed sequential models examining the association of health status (as assessed with the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire-Overall Summary Score; KCCQ-OS) at baseline, 30 days, change from baseline to 30 days, and combinations of these assessments with death and heart failure (HF) hospitalization from 30 days to 1 year.Results: Although higher baseline KCCQ-OS and 30-day KCCQ-OS scores were each associated with lower risk of death and HF hospitalization (in individual models and in a model including both measures), the 30-day KCCQ-OS was most predictive (death: hazard ratio, 0.89 per 5-point increase [95% CI, 0.89-0.90]; HF hospitalization: hazard ratio, 0.91 [95% CI, 0.90-0.91]). The 30-day KCCQ-OS also was most predictive when included in a separate model with change in KCCQ from baseline to 30 days. Similar findings were noted for the outcomes of death and of HF hospitalization, unadjusted and adjusted for patient factors. All interaction terms between procedure type and KCCQ were not significant, suggesting that health status provided similar prognostic information in both procedures.Conclusions: The patient's assessment of their health status immediately before and 30 days after TAVR and transcatheter mitral valve repair is associated with subsequent risk of death and HF hospitalization, with the 30-day assessment being most strongly associated with outcomes. Our findings support the routine use of KCCQ data as a prognostic tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Up to 90% of embolic strokes that occur in patients with atrial fibrillation originate from the left atrial appendage. Exclusion of the left atrial appendage during cardiac surgery may decrease the future risk of stroke, especially in patients with atrial fibrillation or at high risk for developing atrial fibrillation. We report the initial results of a multicenter Food and Drug Administration trial to assess the safety and efficacy of a novel left atrial appendage exclusion clip. Methods: Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery via median sternotomy with atrial fibrillation or a Congestive Heart Failure, Hypertension, Age > 75 Years, Diabetes Mellitus, Stroke score greater than 2 were eligible for concomitant AtriClip (Atricure Inc, Westchester, Ohio) device insertion. Device insertion (35, 40, 45, and 50 mm) was performed at any point after sternotomy on or off cardiopulmonary bypass. Safety was assessed at 30 days, and efficacy of left atrial appendage exclusion was assessed at operation (by transesophageal echocardiography) and 3-month follow-up (by computed tomography angiography or transesophageal echocardiography). Results: A total of 71 patients (mean age, 73 years) undergoing open cardiac surgery at 7 US centers were enrolled in the study. The left atrial appendage in 1 patient was too small and did not meet eligibility criteria; the remaining 70 patients had successful placement of an AtriClip device. Intraprocedural successful left atrial appendage exclusion was confirmed in 67 of 70 patients (95.7%). Although significant adverse events occurred in 34 of 70 patients (48.6%), there were no adverse events related to the device and no perioperative mortality. At 3-month follow-up, 1 patient died and 65 of 70 patients (92.9%) were available for assessment. Of the patients who underwent imaging, 60 of 61 patients (98.4%) had successful left atrial appendage exclusion by computed tomography angiography or transesophageal echocardiography imaging. Conclusions: In this small study, safe and atraumatic exclusion of the left atrial appendage can be performed during open cardiac surgery with the AtriClip device with greater than 95% success and appears to be durable in the short term by imaging. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy in the prevention of stroke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]