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Objective: To determine the impact of aortic root preservation versus aortic root replacement (ARR) after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair., Methods: In this observational study of consecutive aortic surgeries between 2007 and 2021, patients with ATAAD were identified via a prospectively maintained institutional database and were stratified by root preservation versus ARR (including valve-sparing and complete ARR). Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed., Results: Among the 601 patients underwent aortic arch reconstruction for ATAAD, 370 (61.6%) underwent root preservation and the other 231 (38.4%) underwent ARR, with a median follow-up of 6.3 years (interquartile range, 3.8-9.6 years). Cardiopulmonary bypass and ischemic times were longer in the ARR group, but intraoperative variables were otherwise similar between the groups, including cannulation strategy and extent of distal repair. There were no between-group differences in postoperative outcomes, including operative mortality, stroke, mechanical ventilation time, renal failure, reexploration for bleeding, and total length of stay. At a 1-year follow-up, the incidence of aortic regurgitation (moderate or greater) was similar in the 2 groups. On multivariable Cox regression, ARR was not associated with improved long-term survival compared with root preservation (hazard ratio, 1.13; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.56; P = .44). Late reinterventions on the aortic root or valve were similar in the 2 groups and was 2.0% for the overall cohort., Conclusions: These findings suggest that aortic root preservation may achieve similar midterm outcomes as ARR after ATAAD repair., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The study objective was to determine the impact of malperfusion syndrome on in-hospital mortality and midterm survival after emergency aortic arch reconstruction for acute type A aortic dissection., Methods: This was an observational study of aortic surgeries from 2010 to 2018. All patients with acute type A aortic dissection undergoing open aortic arch reconstruction were included. Patients were dichotomized by the presence or absence of malperfusion syndrome and were analyzed for differences in short-term postoperative outcomes, including morbidity and in-hospital mortality. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox analysis were performed to identify variables associated with survival., Results: A total of 467 patients undergoing aortic arch reconstruction for acute type A aortic dissection were identified, of whom 332 (71.1%) presented without malperfusion syndrome and 135 (28.9%) presented with malperfusion syndrome. Patients with malperfusion syndrome had higher in-hospital mortality (21.5% vs 5.7%) than patients without malperfusion syndrome. After multivariable adjustment, malperfusion syndrome was associated with worse survival (hazard ratio, 2.43, 95% confidence interval, 1.61-3.66, P < .001) compared with patients without malperfusion syndrome. The predicted risk of mortality increased as the number of malperfused vascular beds increased. Patients with coronary malperfusion syndrome and neuro-malperfusion syndrome had reduced survival compared with the rest of the cohort (P < .05)., Conclusions: Malperfusion syndrome is associated with higher in-hospital mortality and reduced survival for patients with acute type A aortic dissection, with the risk of mortality increasing as the number of malperfused vascular beds increases. Coronary malperfusion syndrome and neuro-malperfusion syndrome may represent a high-risk subgroup of patients presenting with acute type A aortic dissection complicated by malperfusion syndrome. Finally, malperfusion syndrome may benefit from immediate surgical intervention to restore true lumen perfusion, as opposed to operative delay., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study sought to evaluate the impact of central aortic versus peripheral cannulation on outcomes after acute type A aortic dissection repair., Methods: This was an observational study using an institutional database of acute type A aortic dissection repairs from 2007 to 2021. Patients were stratified according to central, subclavian, or femoral cannulation. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression were performed., Results: The study population consisted of 577 patients who underwent acute type A aortic dissection repair. Of these, central cannulation was used in 490 patients (84.9%), subclavian cannulation was used in 54 patients (9.4%), and femoral cannulation was used in 33 patients (5.7%). Rates of peripheral vascular disease, aortic insufficiency moderate or greater, and cerebral malperfusion differed significantly among the groups, but baseline characteristics were otherwise comparable (P > .05). Operative mortality was lowest in the central cannulation group (9.8%), but this did not differ significantly among the groups. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were similar among the groups. On multivariable Cox regression, cannulation strategy was not significantly associated with long-term survival., Conclusions: Acute type A aortic dissection repair can be safely performed through central aortic cannulation, with outcomes comparable to those obtained with subclavian or femoral cannulation., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: The literature supports the assertion that patients undergoing cardiac surgery who receive perioperative packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusions have increased associated mortality. The aim of the current study is to assess whether there is an association between non-pRBC blood product transfusions and increased mortality., Methods: Data from our center's Society of Thoracic Surgeons database included patients who underwent cardiac surgery from 2010 to 2018. Patients with pRBC transfusions or circulatory arrest were excluded. Propensity matching was performed (1:1; caliper = 0.2 times the standard deviation of logit of propensity score). Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox regression were used. Cardiac transplant, ventricular assist devices, transcatheter aortic valves, and patients who had experienced circulatory arrest were excluded from this analysis., Results: A total of 8042 patients met criteria for analysis. Following propensity matching (1:1), 395 patients requiring perioperative non-pRBC blood products (platelets, fresh-frozen plasma, and cryoprecipitate) were matched with 395 nontransfusion patients, yielding equitable patient cohorts. Median follow-up was 4.5 (3.0-6.4) years. Patients received platelets (327 [82.8%]), fresh-frozen plasma (141 [35.7%]), and cryoprecipitate (60 [15.2%]). There was no significant difference in the postoperative mortality (6 [1.5%] vs 4 [1.0%]; P = .52). Reoperation (20 [5.0%] vs 8 [2.0%]; P < .02) and prolonged ventilation (36 [9.1%] vs 19 [4.8%]; P < .02) were greater in the transfusion group. Emergent operation (odds ratio [OR] 2.86 [1.72-4.78]; P < .001), intra-aortic balloon pump (OR 3.24 [1.64-6.39]; P < .001), and multivalve operation (OR 4.34 [2.83-6.67]; P < .001) were significantly associated with blood product use. Blood product transfusion (hazard ratio; 1.15 [0.89-1.48]; P = .3) was not significantly associated with increased mortality risk. There was no significant long-term survival difference between cohorts., Conclusions: Patients who undergo cardiac surgery requiring blood products alone, without pRBC transfusion, have similar postoperative and long-term survival compared with patients not requiring blood products. These data are based on a limited patient sample, and future studies will aid in improving the generalizability of these results., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Readmissions following acute type A aortic dissections (ATAAD) are associated with potentially worse clinical outcomes and increased hospital costs. Predicting which patients are at risk for readmission may guide patient management prior to discharge., Methods: The National Readmissions Database was utilized to identify patients treated for ATAAD between 2010 and 2018. Univariate mixed effects logistic regression was used to assess each variable. Variables were assigned risk points based off the bootstrapped (bias-corrected) odds ratio of the final variable model according to the Johnson's scoring system. A mixed effect logistic regression was run on the risk score (sum of risk points) and 30-day readmission. Calibration plots and predicted readmission curves were generated for model assessment., Results: A total of 30,727 type A aortic dissections were identified. The majority of ATAAD (66%) were in men with a median age of 61 years and 30-day readmission rate of 19.4%. The risk scores ranging from -1 to 14 mapped to readmission probabilities between 3.5% and 29% for ATAAD. The predictive model showed good calibration and receiver operator characteristics with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.81. Being a resident of the hospital state (OR: 2.01 [1.64, 2.47], p < 0.001) was the highest contributor to readmissions followed by chronic kidney disease (1.35 [1.16, 1.56], p = 0), discharge to a short-term facility (1.31 [1.09, 1.57], p = 0.003), and developing a myocardial infarction (1.20 [1.00, 1.45], p = 0.048)., Conclusions: The readmission model had good predictive capability given by the large AUC. Being a resident in the State of the index admission was the most significant contributor to readmission.

Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a hospital's teaching status on survival and outcomes of patients presenting with type A aortic dissections imperative for enhancing patient care., Methods: The National Readmission Database was used to review all type A aortic dissections between 2010 and 2017. Provided sampling weights were used to generate national estimates, and baseline variables were compared with descriptive statistics. Mixed effects and logistic models were created for 30-day and 90-day readmission and inhospital mortality., Results: In all, 37 396 type A aortic dissections were identified, the majority of which (83%) were operated on at a teaching hospital. Inhospital mortality was higher at nonteaching hospitals A (20.3% vs 14.42%, P < .001). Median hospital charge was higher at teaching hospitals ($59 670 vs $53 220, P < .001). There was a higher rate of 30-day readmission in teaching hospitals (20.95% vs 19.36%, P = .02). On logistic regression for mortality, hospital teaching status was a significant protective factor (odds ratio 0.83, P < .001). On mixed effects logistic regression, hospital teaching status was not significant for readmissions., Conclusions: Type A aortic dissections continue to be primarily managed by teaching hospitals, with superior outcomes continuing to come from teaching hospitals. Given the substantial proportion of patients presenting out of state, investigations into optimal patient transfer and postoperative monitoring and referral could improve care., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The literature has reported worse in-hospital outcomes for patients with atrial fibrillation. The objective of the following study is to provide detailed results on the long-term impact of postoperative atrial fibrillation on survival and hospital readmission in cardiac surgery., Methods: All patients undergoing open cardiac surgery were reviewed with the exclusion of preoperative atrial fibrillation or patients undergoing ventricular assist device, transplant, or Cox-Maze procedures. Propensity matching (1:1) was performed to ensure similar baseline characteristics. Multivariable analysis identified significant associations with mortality and readmission., Results: A total of 12,227 patients with cardiac disease were divided into 7927 patients (64.8%) without postoperative atrial fibrillation and 4300 patients (35.2%) with new-onset postoperative atrial fibrillation. Propensity matching (1:1) yielded 4275 risk-adjusted pairs. There was no difference between the nonpostoperative atrial fibrillation versus postoperative atrial fibrillation cohorts regarding operative mortality (4.61% vs 4.12%; P = .26) and stroke (2.32% vs 2.76%; P = .191). Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation had higher rates of reoperation (12.12% vs 6.83%; P < .001), transfusion (43.42% vs 36.94%; P < .001), sepsis (1.99% vs 0.80%; P < .001), prolonged ventilation (15.88% vs 9.24% vs; P < .001), pneumonia (6.60% vs 2.36%; P < .001), renal failure (6.90% vs 3.37%; P < .001), and dialysis (4.94% vs 2.08%; P < .001). The postoperative atrial fibrillation cohort had a significantly higher incidence of atrial fibrillation on follow-up (11.74% vs 4.75%; P < .001). Postoperative atrial fibrillation was independently associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.21; 1.12-1.33; P < .001), all-cause readmissions (hazard ratio, 1.05; 1.01-1.1; P = .010), and heart failure-specific readmission (hazard ratio, 1.14; 1.04-1.26; P = .01)., Conclusions: Patients in the postoperative atrial fibrillation cohort had worse perioperative morbidity, lower survival, and more readmissions for heart failure on long-term follow-up., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected health care and in particular surgical volume. However, no data surrounding lost hospital revenue due to decreased cardiac surgical volume have been reported. The National Inpatient Sample database was used with decreases in cardiac surgery at a single center to generate a national estimate of decreased cardiac operative volume. Hospital charges and provided charge to cost ratios were used to create estimates of lost hospital revenue, adjusted for 2020 dollars. The COVID period was defined as January to May of 2020. A Gompertz function was used to model cardiac volume growth to pre-COVID levels. Single center cardiac case demographics were internally compared during January to May for 2019 and 2020 to create an estimate of volume reduction due to COVID. The maximum decrease in cardiac surgical volume was 28.3%. Cumulative case volume and hospital revenue loss during the COVID months as well as the recovery period totaled over 35 thousand cases and 2.5 billion dollars. Institutionally, patients during COVID months were younger, more frequently undergoing a CABG procedure, and had a longer length of stay. The pandemic caused a significant decrease in cardiac surgical volume and a subsequent decrease in hospital revenue. This data can be used to address the accumulated surgical backlog and programmatic changes for future occurrences., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective of this study was to leverage a national database of TAVR procedures to create a risk model for 30-day readmissions., Methods: The National Readmissions Database was reviewed for all TAVR procedures from 2011 to 2018. Previous ICD coding paradigms created comorbidity and complication variables from the index admission. Univariate analysis included any variables with a P-value of ≤0.2. A bootstrapped mixed-effects logistic regression was run using the hospital ID as a random effect variable. By bootstrapping, a more robust estimate of the variables' effect can be generated, reducing the risk of model overfitting. The odds ratio of variables with a P-value <0.1 was turned into a risk score following the Johnson scoring method. A mixed-effect logistic regression was run using the total risk score, and a calibration plot of the observed to expected readmission was generated., Results: A total of 237,507 TAVRs were identified, with an in-hospital mortality of 2.2 %. A total of 17.4 % % of TAVR patients were readmitted within 30 days. The median age was 82 with 46 % of the population being women. The risk score values ranged from -3 to 37 corresponding to a predicted readmission risk between 4.6 % and 80.4 %, respectively. Discharge to a short-term facility and being a resident of the hospital state were the most significant predictors of readmission. The calibration plot shows good agreement between the observed and expected readmission rates with an underestimation at higher probabilities., Conclusion: The readmission risk model agrees with the observed readmissions throughout the study period. The most significant risk factors were being a resident of the hospital state and discharge to a short-term facility. This suggests that using this risk score in conjunction with enhanced post-operative care in these patients could reduce readmissions and associated hospital costs, improving outcomes., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest pertinent to this work. IS receives institutional research support from Abbott, Artivion, Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Atricure and consults for Medtronic Vascular. None of these are related to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study sought to report outcomes of hemiarch replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest and retrograde cerebral perfusion, and secondarily, to report outcomes of this operative approach by type of underlying aortic disease., Methods: This was an observational study of aortic surgeries from 2010 to 2018. All patients who underwent hemiarch replacement with retrograde cerebral perfusion were included, whereas patients undergoing partial or total arch replacement or concomitant elephant trunk procedures were excluded. Patients were dichotomized into 2 groups by underlying aortic disease; that is, acute aortic dissection (AAD) or aneurysmal degeneration of the aorta. These groups were analyzed for differences in short-term postoperative outcomes, including stroke and operative mortality (Society of Thoracic Surgeons definition). Multivariable Cox analysis was performed to identify variables associated with long-term survival after hemiarch replacement., Results: A total of 500 patients undergoing hemiarch replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest plus retrograde cerebral perfusion were identified, of whom 53.0% had aneurysmal disease and 47.0% had AAD. For the entire cohort, operative mortality was 6.4%, whereas stroke occurred in 4.6% of patients. Comparing AAD with aneurysm, operative mortality and stroke rates were similar across each group. Five-year survival was 84.4% ± 0.02% for the entire hemiarch cohort, whereas 5-year survival was 88.0% ± 0.02% for the aneurysm subgroup and was 80.5% ± 0.03% for the AAD subgroup. On multivariable analysis, AAD was not associated with an increased hazard of death, compared with aneurysm (P = .790)., Conclusions: Morbidity and mortality after hemiarch replacement with hypothermic circulatory arrest plus retrograde cerebral perfusion are acceptably low, and this operative approach may be as advantageous for AAD as it is for aneurysm., (Copyright © 2021 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Chemodectomas are tumors derived from parasympathetic nonchromaffin cells and are often found in the aortic and carotid bodies. They are generally benign but can cause mass-effect symptoms and have local or distant spread. Surgical excision has been the main curative treatment strategy. The National Cancer Database was reviewed to study all patients with carotid or aortic body tumors from 2004 to 2015. Demographic data, tumor characteristics, treatment strategies, and patient outcomes were examined, split by tumor location. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were generated for both locations. In total, 248 patients were examined, with 151 having a tumor in the carotid body and 97 having a tumor in the aortic body. Many variables were similar between both tumor locations. However, aortic body tumors were larger than those in the carotid body (477.80 ± 477.58 mm vs 320.64 ± 436.53 mm, p = 0.008). More regional lymph nodes were positive in aortic body tumors (65.52 ± 45.73 vs 35.46 ± 46.44, p <0.001). There were more distant metastases at the time of diagnosis in carotid body tumors (p = 0.003). Chemotherapy was used more for aortic body tumors (p = 0.001); surgery was used more for carotid body tumors (p <0.001). There are slight differences in tumor characteristics and response to treatment. Surgical resection is the cornerstone of management, and radiation can often be considered. In conclusion, chemodectomas are generally benign but can present with metastasis and compressive symptoms that make understanding their physiology and treatment important., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Complete revascularization literature is limited by variance in patient cohorts and inconsistent definitions. The objective of the current study was to provide risk-adjusted outcomes for complete revascularization of significant nonmain-branch and main-branch vessel stenoses., Methods: All patients that underwent first-time isolated coronary artery bypass grafting procedures were included. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates, cumulative incidence function, and Cox regression were used to analyze outcomes., Results: The total population consisted of 3356 patients that underwent first-time isolated coronary artery bypass grafting. Eight hundred eighty-nine (26.5%) patients had incomplete and 2467 (73.5%) had complete revascularization. For main-branch vessels, 677 (20.2%) patients had incomplete revascularization and 2679 (79.8%) were completely revascularized. Following risk adjustment with inverse probability treatment weighting, all baseline characteristics were balanced (standardized mean difference, ≤ 0.10). On Kaplan-Meier estimates, survival at 1 year (94.6% vs 92.5%) and 5 years (86.5% vs 82.1%) (P = .05) was significantly better for patients who received complete revascularization. Freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events was significantly higher for the complete revascularization cohort at both 1 year (89.2% vs 84.2%) and 5 years (72.5% vs 66.7%) (P < .001). Complete revascularization (hazard ratio, 0.82; 95% confidence interval, 0.70-0.95; P = .01) was independently associated with a significant reduction in major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events. Incomplete revascularization of nonmain-branch vessels was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.74-1.8; P = .55) or major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (hazard ratio, 0.90; 95% confidence interval, 0.66-1.24; P = .52)., Conclusions: Complete surgical revascularization of all angiographically stenotic vessels in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease is associated with fewer major adverse events. Incomplete revascularization of nonmain-branch vessels is not associated with survival or major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events., (Copyright © 2021 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Founded in 2020, the Thoracic Surgery Medical Student Association is the first national organization dedicated to supporting medical students interested in pursuing cardiothoracic surgery. Our inaugural survey aimed to describe their basic characteristics and needs., Methods: An Institutional Review Board-approved, nonincentivized, anonymous electronic survey was distributed to any medical students enrolled in Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools through social media such as Twitter, national organizations (Association of Women Surgeons, Thoracic Surgery Resident Association), and medical school cardiothoracic surgery interest groups. Their basic characteristics, attitudes, and preferences regarding cardiothoracic surgery were recorded., Results: Of the 167 students from 117 unique schools who completed the survey, 53% identified as White and 57% identified as female. Stages of training were well distributed: 16% first-year medical students, 33% second-year medical students, 16% third-year medical students, 21% fourth-year medical students, and 14% dual degree/research students. Most participants (57%) did not have (32%) or were not aware of having (25%) a thoracic surgery training program at their home institution. The majority (72%) of students reported not having a cardiothoracic surgery interest group at their home institution. The most desired areas of cardiothoracic were networking (31%) and mentorship (28%)., Conclusions: There is a significant need to directly engage medical students who are interested in cardiothoracic surgery considering limited exposure at home institutions through a lack of cardiothoracic surgery interest groups and cardiothoracic residency programs. The Thoracic Surgery Medical Student Association is poised to address these areas with directed networking by connecting cardiothoracic surgery faculty and residents from other institutions with medical students interested in pursuing cardiothoracic surgery., (Copyright © 2022 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the impact of diastolic dysfunction (DD) on survival after routine cardiac surgery., Design: This was an observational study of consecutive cardiac surgeries from 2010 to 2021., Setting: At a single institution., Participants: Patients undergoing isolated coronary, isolated valvular, and concomitant coronary and valvular surgery were included. Patients with a transthoracic echocardiogram (TTE) longer than 6 months prior to their index surgery were excluded from the analysis., Interventions: Patients were categorized via preoperative TTE as having no DD, grade I DD, grade II DD, or grade III DD., Measurements and Main Results: A total of 8,682 patients undergoing a coronary and/or valvular surgery were identified, of whom 4,375 (50.4%) had no DD, 3,034 (34.9%) had grade I DD, 1,066 (12.3%) had grade II DD, and 207 (2.4%) had grade III DD. The median (IQR) time of the TTE prior to the index surgery was 6 (2-29) days. Operative mortality was 5.8% in the grade III DD group v 2.4% for grade II DD, 1.9% for grade I DD, and 2.1% for no DD (p = 0.001). Atrial fibrillation, prolonged mechanical ventilation (>24 hours), acute kidney injury, any packed red blood cell transfusion, reexploration for bleeding, and length of stay were higher in the grade III DD group compared to the rest of the cohort. The median follow-up was 4.0 (IQR: 1.7-6.5) years. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were lower in the grade III DD group than in the rest of the cohort., Conclusions: These findings suggested that DD may be associated with poor short-term and long-term outcomes., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest I.S. receives institutional research support from Medtronic and Atricure and consults for Medtronic Vascular. None of these are related to this manuscript., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background Because thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become the standard of care for complicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD) and descending thoracic aortic (DTA) aneurysm, it is important to understand outcomes and use of TEVAR across thoracic aortic pathologies. Methods and Results This was an observational study of patients with TBAD or DTA undergoing TEVAR from 2010 to 2018, using the Nationwide Readmissions Database. In-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, admission costs, and 30- and 90-day readmissions were compared between the groups. Mixed model logistic regression was used to identify variables associated with mortality. An estimated total of 12 824 patients underwent TEVAR nationally, of which 6043 had an indication of TBAD and 6781 of DTA. Patients with aneurysms were more likely to be older, women, have cardiovascular disease, and have chronic pulmonary disease compared with patients with TBAD. Weighted in-hospital mortality was higher for TBAD (8% [1054/12 711] versus 3% [433/14 407], P <0.001), compared with DTA, as were all postoperative complications. Patients with TBAD had a higher cost of care during their index admission (57.3 versus 38.8 × $1000, P <0.001), compared with DTA. The 30-day and 90-day weighted readmissions were more frequent for the TBAD group compared with DTA (20% [1867/12 711] and 30% [2924/12 711] versus 15% [1603/14 407] and 25% [2695/14 407], respectively, P <0.001). On multivariable adjustment, TBAD was independently associated with mortality (odds ratio, 2.06 [95% CI, 1.68-2.52]; P <0.001). Conclusions After TEVAR, patients who presented with TBAD had higher rates of postoperative complications, in-hospital mortality, and cost compared with DTA. The incidence of early readmission was substantial for patients undergoing TEVAR, faring worse for those undergoing TEVAR for TBAD as compared with DTA.

Background Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has been increasingly used for the treatment of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms and dissections. This study sought to evaluate the influence of sex on outcomes after TEVAR. Methods and Results This was an observational study from the Nationwide Readmissions Database analyzing all patients who underwent TEVAR from 2010 to 2018. Sampling weights were used to generate national estimates. International Classification of Diseases-Clinical Modification codes were used to identify patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms or dissections who underwent TEVAR. Patients were dichotomized according to sex, and 1:1 propensity score matching was applied. Mixed model regression for in-hospital mortality and weighted logistic regression with bootstrapping for 30-day readmissions were performed. A supplemental analysis was performed according to pathology (aneurysm or dissection). A weighted total of 27 118 patients were identified. Propensity-matching yielded 5026 risk-adjusted pairs. Men were more likely to undergo TEVAR for type B aortic dissection, whereas women were more likely to undergo TEVAR for aneurysm. In-hospital mortality was roughly 5% and was equivalent in the matched groups. Men were more likely to have paraplegia, acute kidney injury, and arrhythmias, while women were more likely to require transfusions after TEVAR. There were no significant differences in myocardial infarction, heart failure, respiratory failure, spinal cord ischemia, mesenteric ischemia, stroke, or 30-day readmission between the matched groups. On regression analysis, sex was not an independent risk factor for in-hospital mortality. Female sex was, however, significantly associated with a decreased odds of 30-day readmission (odds ratio, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.87-0.92]; P <0.001). Conclusions Women are more likely to undergo TEVAR for aneurysms, while men are more likely to undergo TEVAR for type B aortic dissection. In-hospital mortality after TEVAR is comparable among men and women irrespective of indication. Female sex is independently associated with a reduced odds of 30-day readmission after TEVAR.

Objective: To report long-term outcomes after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) with or without perioperative blood or blood products., Methods: All patients who underwent proximal aortic surgery with DHCA from 2011 to 2018 were propensity matched according to baseline characteristics. Primary outcomes included short- and long-term mortality. Stratified Cox regression analysis was performed for significant associations with survival., Results: A total of 824 patients underwent aortic replacement requiring circulatory arrest. After matching, there were 224 patients in each arm (transfusion and no transfusion). All baseline characteristics were well matched, with a standardized mean difference (SMD) <0.1. Preoperative hematocrit (41.0 vs 40.6; SMD = 0.05) and ejection fraction (57.5% vs 57.0%; SMD = 0.08) were similar between the no transfusion and blood product transfusion cohorts. Rate of aortic dissection (42.9% vs 45.1%; SMD = 0.05), hemiarch replacement (70.1% vs 70.1%; SMD = 0.00), and total arch replacement (21.9% vs 23.2%; SMD = 0.03) were not statistically different. Cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp time were higher in the blood product transfusion cohort (P < .001). Operative mortality (9.4% vs 2.7%; P = .003), stroke (7.6% vs 1.3%; P = .001), reoperation rate, pneumonia, prolonged ventilation, and dialysis requirements were significantly higher in the transfusion cohort (P < .001). In stratified Cox regression, transfusion was an independent predictor of mortality (hazard ratio, 2.62 [confidence interval, 1.47-4.67]; P = .001). One- and 5-year survival were significantly reduced for the transfusion cohort (P < .001)., Conclusions: In patients who underwent aortic surgery with DHCA, perioperative transfusions were associated with poor outcomes despite matching for preoperative baseline characteristics., (Copyright © 2021 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Data comparing patients who undergo multiarterial grafting during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) vs percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with multivessel coronary disease are scarce. This study addresses the relevance of using multiple arterial conduits vs PCI for appropriate patients., Methods: This retrospective study included all patients with coronary artery disease who underwent CABG with multiple arterial conduits or PCI. Propensity score matching was performed for baseline characteristics. Kaplan-Meier estimates, cumulative incidence, and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) curves were performed., Results: The total patient population consisted of 3648 patients from 2011 to 2018 divided into 902 CABG patients and 2746 PCI patients. Patients were propensity matched (PCI, n = 838; CABG, n = 838). In the CABG cohort the left internal mammary artery was used in 837 patients (99.9%), the right internal mammary artery in 770 patients (92%), and radial arteries in 108 patients (12.9%). Patients in the PCI cohort had significantly higher 30-day mortality (24 [2.9%] vs 7 [0.8%], P < .01). Survival over follow-up (median, 4.9 years; range, 3.3-6.8) was better for the CABG cohort (730 [87.1%] vs 625 [74.6%], P < .01). Patients in the CABG cohort had greater freedom from MACCE (607 [72.4%] vs 339 [40.5%], P < .01). Cox multivariable regression showed that patients who underwent CABG had a significantly reduced risk of mortality (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.61; P < .01) and of MACCE (hazard ratio, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.38; P < .01)., Conclusions: Patients with coronary artery disease who undergo CABG with multiple arterial conduits have significantly fewer major adverse events, improved survival, and reduced hospital readmissions., (Copyright © 2023 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Program directors are tasked with selecting whom they think will be the best fit for residency and the next leaders of the field. While numerical metrics have played a vital role in this process, recent changes to student evaluation are reducing the availability of these metrics. This poses unique challenges for both applicants and program directors. Here we discuss how this will likely shift the focus on other parts of the application and the consequences (good and bad) of doing so., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: While prior data have suggested worse outcomes in women after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair when compared to men, results have been inconsistent across studies over time. This study sought to evaluate the impact of sex on short- and long-term outcomes after ATAAD repair., Methods: This was a retrospective study utilizing an institutional database of ATAAD repairs from 2007 to 2021. Patients were stratified according to sex. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression were performed. Supplementary analysis using propensity score matching was also performed., Results: Of the 601 patients who underwent ATAAD repair, 361 were males (60.1%) and 240 (39.9%) were females. Females were significantly older, more likely to have hypertension, and more likely to have chronic lung disease. Females were also significantly more likely than males to undergo hemiarch replacement, while males were significantly more likely than females to undergo total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk. Operative mortality was 9.4% among males and 13.8% among females, though this was not a statistically significant difference (p = .098). Postoperative complications were comparable between groups. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were similar for men and women, and, on multivariable Cox regression, sex was not significantly associated with long-term survival (hazard ratio: 1.00, 95% confidence interval: 0.73, 1.37, p = .986). Outcomes remained comparable after supplementary propensity score matched analysis., Conclusion: ATAAD repair can be performed with comparable short-term and long-term outcomes in both men and women., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: To determine the impact of reoperative versus first-time sternotomy for emergent open repair of acute Type A aortic dissection (ATAAD)., Methods: This was an observational study of consecutive aortic surgeries from 2007 to 2021. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the impact of reoperative versus first-time sternotomy upon survival after ATAAD repair., Results: A total of 601 patients with ATAAD were identified, of which 72 (12%) underwent reoperative sternotomy. The reoperative group had a higher prevalence of baseline comorbidities, including hypertension, diabetes, peripheral vascular disease, atrial fibrillation, and coronary artery disease. Central cannulation of the aorta was achieved at a similar rate across each group (81.9% vs. 81.5%, p = .923), and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was similar across each group (204 ± 84.8 vs. 203 ± 72.4 min, p = .923). Postoperative outcomes were similar across both groups, including in-hospital mortality, stroke, pulmonary complications, renal failure, and reexploration for excessive bleeding. Five-year survival was 74.5% (70.5, 78.3) for the first-time group and was 71.6% (60.0, 81.9) for the reoperative group. After multivariable Cox regression, reoperative sternotomy was not significantly associated with an increased hazard of death compared to first-time sternotomy (hazards ratio: 0.90, 95% confidence interval: 0.56, 1.43, p = .642)., Conclusions: These findings suggest that re-sternotomy can be safely performed with similar outcomes as first-time sternotomy. Central initiation of CPB after sternal reentry limits CPB time and may therefore represent a protective strategy that enhances outcomes for patients presenting with ATAAD and prior cardiac surgery., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: There are no guidelines regarding the use of bovine pericardial or porcine valves for aortic valve replacement, and prior studies have yielded conflicting results. The current study sought to compare short- and long-term outcomes in propensity-matched cohorts of patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR) with bovine versus porcine valves., Methods: This was a retrospective study utilizing an institutional database of all isolated bioprosthetic surgical aortic valve replacements performed at our center from 2010 to 2020. Patients were stratified according to type of bioprosthetic valve (bovine pericardial or porcine), and 1:1 propensity-score matching was applied. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression for mortality were performed. Cumulative incidence functions were generated for all-cause readmissions and aortic valve reinterventions., Results: A total of 1502 patients were identified, 1090 (72.6%) of whom received a bovine prosthesis and 412 (27.4%) of whom received a porcine prosthesis. Propensity-score matching resulted in 412 risk-adjusted pairs. There were no significant differences in clinical or echocardiographic postoperative outcomes in the matched cohorts. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were comparable, and, on multivariable Cox regression, valve type was not significantly associated with long-term mortality (hazard ratio: 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 0.74, 1.40, p = .924). Additionally, there were no significant differences in competing-risk cumulative incidence estimates for all-cause readmissions (p = .68) or aortic valve reinterventions (p = .25) in the matched cohorts., Conclusion: The use of either bovine or porcine bioprosthetic aortic valves yields comparable postoperative outcomes, long-term survival, freedom from reintervention, and freedom from readmission., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objective: Pulmonary artery catheterization provides continuous monitoring of hemodynamic parameters that may aid in the perioperative management of patients undergoing cardiac surgery. However, prior data suggest that pulmonary artery catheterization has limited benefit in intensive care and surgical settings. Thus, this study sought to determine the impact of pulmonary artery catheter insertion on short-term postoperative outcomes in a large, contemporaneous cohort of patients undergoing open cardiac surgery compared with standard central venous pressure monitoring., Methods: This was an observational study of open cardiac surgeries from 2010 to 2018. Patients with pulmonary artery catheter insertion were identified and matched against patients without pulmonary artery catheter insertion via 1:1 nearest neighbor propensity matching. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess the impact of pulmonary artery catheterization on operative mortality in the overall cohort, as well as recent heart failure, mitral valve disease, and tricuspid insufficiency subgroups., Results: Of the 11,820 patients undergoing (Society of Thoracic Surgeons indexed) coronary or valvular surgery, 4605 (39.0%) had pulmonary artery catheter insertion. Propensity score matching yielded 3519 evenly balanced pairs. Compared with central venous pressure monitoring, pulmonary artery catheter use was not associated with improved operative mortality in the overall cohort or in the recent heart failure, mitral valve disease, or tricuspid insufficiency subgroups. Intensive care unit length of stay was longer (P &lt; .001), and there were more packed red blood cell transfusions in the pulmonary artery catheterization group (P &lt; .001); however, postoperative outcomes were otherwise similar, including stroke, sepsis, and new renal failure (P &gt; .05)., Conclusions: These findings suggest that pulmonary artery catheterization may have limited benefit in cardiac surgery., (Copyright © 2021 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Prior studies have demonstrated that outcomes of invasive cardiac interventions may vary by hospital teaching status and volume. As transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) rapidly expands from teaching to nonteaching hospitals across the country, the clinical impact of hospital teaching status has not been clearly established. This study aimed to compare TAVR outcomes between nonteaching and teaching hospitals., Methods: An observational study was conducted using the Nationwide Readmission Database (NRD). Patients undergoing TAVR from 2011 to 2018 were included. Data was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to determine outcomes of 30-day mortality and readmission between nonteaching and teaching hospitals., Results: A total of 235,321 patients underwent TAVR during the study period. Patients undergoing TAVR at teaching hospitals presented with a higher frequency of baseline comorbidities compared to nonteaching hospitals. Postprocedure complications such as myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, pneumonia, acute kidney injury, sepsis, stroke, and hemorrhage occurred more often at teaching centers (p < 0.001); translating to a higher rate of in-hospital mortality (2.27% vs. 1.99%, p = 0.006) and hospital cost ($48,300 vs. $44,900, p < 0.001) in teaching versus nonteaching hospitals. After adjusting for baseline characteristics and postoperative morbidity, in-hospital mortality (p = 0.095) and readmission rate (p = 0.420) on multivariable analysis were not statistically different between centers., Conclusion: With the evolution and expansion of TAVR to nonteaching centers, mortality, and readmission rates are not significantly different between nonteaching and teaching hospitals. Higher unadjusted in-hospital mortality at teaching centers suggest these centers more often treat high risk patients with associated increased complications., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Connective tissue disorders predispose patients to earlier aortic dissections and aneurysms. However, there is limited large cohort data given its low incidence., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was searched for all adults with Marfans (MFS) and Ehlers Danlos (EDS) disease between 2010 and 2017. ICD codes were used to select those with a type A aortic dissection or aneurysm., Results: There was a total of 19,567 cases, giving the estimated incidence of MFS and EDS of 18 and 22.4 per 100k people, respectively. After inclusion criteria, there were 2553 MF and 180 EDS patients. There was no statistical difference in mortality between the MFS and EDS cohorts (4.6% vs. 2.8%, p = .26). EDS patients were more likely to undergo a TEVAR procedure (2.8% vs. 1.0%, p = .03). MF patients were more likely to have a complication of acute kidney injury (p = .02). EDS patients were more likely older (50 vs. 42, p < .001) and female (47% vs. 33%, p < .001). MFS patients were more likely to have a type A aortic dissection (44% vs. 31%, p < .001). The majority (89%) of patients were treated at urban teaching hospitals. On univariable logistic regression, aortic dissection was a predictor for mortality (odds ratio 7.31, p < .001). The type of connective tissue disease was not a significant predictor., Conclusions: National level estimates show low mortality for patients with MF or ED presenting to the hospital with aortic dissection or aneurysm. The differences in age and gender can guide surveillance for these patient populations, leading to more elective admissions and reduced hospital mortality., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Although randomized trial data exist for 2-y outcomes comparing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus CABG with concomitant mitral valve repair (CABG + MVr) for the treatment of moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR), longer term outcomes are unclear. This study evaluated the longitudinal outcomes of isolated CABG for moderate IMR., Methods: Patients with moderate IMR undergoing isolated CABG from January 2010 to February 2018 at a single institution were included. Outcomes included longitudinal freedom from heart failure readmission, survival, rates of persistent mitral regurgitation (MR), and freedom from mitral valve reinterventions. A subanalysis was conducted comparing CABG versus CABG + MVr. Multivariable Cox regression was used for risk adjustment., Results: A total of 528 patients with moderate IMR underwent isolated CABG. Postoperatively, 26% of patients had at least moderate MR at 1-mo follow-up, although at 5 y progression to severe MR was rare (2.2%) as were mitral valve reinterventions (0.2%). Survival at 30 d (95.8%), 1 y (89.6%), and 5 y (76.6%) was acceptable. Furthermore, the freedom from readmission for heart failure was also acceptable at 30 d (92.6%), 1 y (79.9%), and 5 y (65.0%) postoperatively. In a subanalysis comparing CABG versus CABG + MVr, unadjusted and risk-adjusted survival, freedom from heart failure readmissions, mitral valve reinterventions, and degrees of MR were comparable between the groups at all intervals (all P > 0.05)., Conclusions: The majority of patients with moderate IMR can undergo isolated CABG with acceptable rates of heart failure readmissions, survival, progression to severe MR, and the need for subsequent mitral interventions. These data support the use of isolated CABG in patients with moderate IMR., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine the long-term impact of developing acute renal failure (ARF) on survival after open aortic arch reconstruction for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD)., Methods: This was an observational study of consecutive aortic surgeries from 2007 to 2021. Patients with ATAAD were identified via a prospectively maintained institutional database and were stratified by the presence or absence of postoperative ARF (by RIFLE criteria). Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed., Results: A total of 601 patients undergoing open surgery for ATAAD were identified, of which 516 (85.9%) did not develop postoperative ARF, while 85 (14.1%) developed ARF, with a median follow-up time of 4.6 years (1.6, 7.9). Baseline characteristics were similar across each group, except for higher rates of branch vessel malperfusion and lower preoperative ejection fraction in the ARF group. Patients with ARF underwent more total arch replacement and elephant trunk procedures, with longer cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest times than patients without ARF. ARF was associated with worse short-term outcomes, including increased in-hospital mortality, prolonged mechanical ventilation, higher rates of sepsis, more blood transfusions, and longer length of hospital stay. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier survival estimates were significantly lower in the ARF group, compared to the group without ARF (p < .001, log-rank test). After multivariable adjustment, the development of postoperative ARF was significantly associated with an increased hazard of death over the study's follow-up time-period (hazard ratio: 2.74, 95% confidence interval: 1.95, 3.86, p < .001)., Conclusions: ARF is a highly morbid postoperative event that may adversely impact long-term survival after aortic surgery., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) became the standard of care for treating Type B aortic dissections and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. We aimed to describe the racial/ethnic differences in TEVAR utilization and outcomes., Methods: The National Inpatient Sample was reviewed for all TEVARs performed between 2010 and 2017 for Type B aortic dissection and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA). We compared groups stratifying by their racial/ethnicity background in White, Black, Hispanic, and others. Mixed-effects logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between race/ethnicity and the primary outcome, in-hospital mortality., Results: A total of 25,260 admissions for TEVAR during 2010-2017 were identified. Of those, 52.74% (n = 13,322) were performed for aneurysm and 47.2% (n = 11,938) were performed for Type B dissection. 68.1% were White, 19.6% were Black, 5.7% Hispanic, and 6.5% were classified as others. White patients were the oldest (median age 71 years; p < .001), with TEVAR being performed electively more often for aortic aneurysm (58.8% vs. 34% vs. 48.3% vs. 48.2%; p < .001). In contrast, TEVAR was more likely urgent or emergent for Type B dissection in Black patients (65.6% vs. 41.1% vs. 51.6% vs. 51.7%; p < .001). Finally, the Black population showed a relative increase in the incidence rate of TEVAR over time. The adjusted multivariable model showed that race/ethnicity was not associated with in-hospital mortality., Conclusion: Although there is a differential distribution of thoracic indication and comorbidities between race/ethnicity in TEVAR, racial disparities do not appear to be associated with in-hospital mortality after adjusting for covariates., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background Acute aortic syndromes may be prone to misdiagnosis by nonreferral aortic centers with less diagnostic experience. We evaluated regional variability in these misdiagnosis trends among patients transferred to different regional quaternary care centers with presumed acute aortic syndromes. Methods and Results Two institutional aortic center databases were retrospectively reviewed for emergency transfers in patients diagnosed with acute aortic dissection, intramural hematoma, penetrating aortic ulcer, thoracic aortic aneurysm, or aortic pseudoaneurysm between 2008 and 2020. Transferring diagnoses versus actual diagnoses were reviewed using physician notes and radiology reports. Misdiagnoses were confirmed by a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon. A total of 3772 inpatient transfers were identified, of which 1762 patients were classified as emergency transfers. The mean age was 64 years (58% male). Patients were transferred from 203 medical centers by ground (51%) or air (49%). Differences in transfer diagnosis and actual diagnosis were identified in 188 (10.7%) patients. Of those, incorrect classification of Type A versus B dissections was identified among 23%, and 30% of patients with a referring diagnosis of an acute aortic dissection did not have one. In addition, 14% transferred for contained/impending rupture did not have signs of rupture. All misdiagnoses were secondary to misinterpretation of imaging, with motion artifacts (n=32, 17%) and postsurgical changes (n=44, 23%) being common sources of diagnostic error. Conclusions Misdiagnosis of acute aortic syndromes commonly occurred in patients transferred to 2 separate large aortic referral centers. Although diagnostic accuracy may be improving, there are opportunities for improved physician awareness through standardized web-based imaging education.

Background: We evaluated the impact of valve type (mechanical vs. bioprosthetic) on survival after aortic root replacement (ARR)., Methods: In a propensity-matched analysis, we evaluated consecutive operations from 2010 to 2018. Patients were identified using a prospectively maintained institutional database. Patients with infective endocarditis were excluded. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed. Cox regression adjusted for age, sex, baseline comorbidities, and operative variables. Propensity score matching yielded 153 pairs of patients., Results: A total of 893 patients were identified. We excluded 192 patients with endocarditis and evaluated 701 patients. Of these patients, 455 (64.9%) received a bioprosthetic valve, 246 (35.1%) received a mechanical valve. Median follow-up was 4.06 years. The proportion of aortic dissections and circulatory arrest as well as cardiopulmonary bypass and ischemic times were similar across groups (p = .207, p = .086, p = .668, p = .454, respectively). Operative mortality was significantly higher in the bioprosthetic valve group (7.9% vs. 2.4%, p = .004). Total length of hospital stay was longer (11.4 ± 11.0 vs. 9.5 ± 10.1, p < .001) and there was a higher proportion of prolonged postoperative ventilation >24 h (21.3% vs. 13.0%, p = .007) in the bioprosthetic group. Postoperative outcomes were similar, regarding stroke (p = .077), re-exploration for bleeding (p = .211), new dialysis requirement (p = .077), long-term bleeding complications (p = .561), and reoperations (p = .755). Mechanical valve replacement was associated with improved long-term survival (adjusted HR 0.42, 95% CI: 0.23-0.77, p = .005)., Conclusions: These findings suggest that mechanical valves for ARRs may confer a survival benefit over bioprosthetic valves. Surgeon bias was likely to account for this survival advantage., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: This study evaluates the clinical and renal-related outcomes in patients with acute renal failure (ARF) following cardiac surgery., Methods: Index adult cardiac operations at a single institution from 2010-2018 were reviewed. Patients requiring dialysis pre-operatively were excluded. ARF was stratified as either creatinine rise (≥3-times baseline or ≥4.0 mg/dL) or post-operative dialysis. Outcomes included mortality, rates of progression to dialysis, and renal recovery. Multivariable Cox regression was used for risk-adjustment., Results: A total of 10,037 patients, including 6,275 (62.5%) isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 2,243 (22.3%) isolated valve, and 1,519 (15.1%) CABG plus valve cases, were included. Post-operative ARF occurred in 346 (3.5%) patients, with 230 (66.5%) requiring dialysis. Survival was significantly reduced in patients with ARF at 30-days (97.9 versus 70.8%, P <0.001), 1-year (94.9 versus 48.0%, P <0.001), and 5-years (86.2 versus 38.2%, P <0.001) with more profound reductions in those requiring dialysis, findings which persisted after risk-adjustment. Progression to subsequent dialysis in the creatinine rise group was rare (n = 1). The median time to dialysis initiation in the dialysis group was 5 days (IQR 2-12 days) with a median time of dialysis dependence of 72 days (IQR 38-1229 days). Of those patients requiring postoperative dialysis, 30.9% demonstrated renal recovery., Conclusions: Post-operative ARF and in particular the need for dialysis are associated with substantial reductions in survival that persist during longitudinal follow-up. This occurs despite the finding that patients experiencing creatinine rise only rarely progress to dialysis, and that nearly one-third of patients requiring post-operative dialysis recover renal function., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

BACKGROUND Patients with a prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) may have a need for repeat revascularization, which is typically attempted first via percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of either a bypass graft or native vessel. Long-term outcomes of native vessel compared to graft PCI after CABG have not yet been explored in a large institution study. METHODS Patients with history of prior CABG who underwent PCI at our institution during 2010-2018 were included. Baseline characteristics and long-term outcomes of up to 5 years were compared between native vessel and bypass graft PCI groups. Cox regression was used to adjust for significant covariates in estimation of risk and calculation of hazard ratios. RESULTS During the study, 4,251 patients with a prior CABG underwent PCI. Native vessel PCI represented 67.1% (n=2,851) of the cohort. After adjusting for significant covariates, bypass graft PCI compared to native vessel PCI had a higher risk of overall mortality (HR 1.15; 95% CI, 1.04-1.29; p<0.05), all-cause readmission (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.1-1.3; p<0.05), readmission for PCI (HR 1.25; 95% CI, 1.13-1.38; p<0.05), readmission for heart failure (HR 1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26; p<0.05), and composite of myocardial infarction and revascularization (HR 1.23; 95% CI, 1.12-1.35; p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Among patients with prior CABG, bypass graft PCI compared to native vessel PCI was associated with higher risk of adverse long-term outcomes.

Background: Combining clinical and research excellence has become an increasingly difficult endeavor for thoracic surgeons, with typical success rates for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute being 25.1% and 11.3%, respectively. The Thoracic Surgery Foundation (TSF), which is an arm of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, provides research awards and grants aimed at early career faculty to assist in securing federal peer-reviewed funding. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of these awards., Methods: Faculty awardees of the TSF research awards from 1995 to 2019 were included in the study. The scholarly work of awardees was assessed by using Scopus , MEDLINE, and Google Scholar for publications, citations, and h-index. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePorter and the Federal RePorter were used to search for any grants awarded to these individuals. For publications and citations associated with a TSF grant, a 4-year window from the time of the research award was used., Results: Fifty-two research awards were given to early career faculty during this study period, and 8 (15%) were awarded to MD PhDs. Six (12%) of awardees were female. Cardiac faculty members were awarded 27 (52%) awards, and general thoracic faculty members were awarded 25 (48%); of the cardiac faculty, 4 (17.4%) were congenital cardiac faculty. In the 4-year period after the TSF grant award, the mean number of published articles per awardee was 23 (interquartile range [IQR], 12 to 36), with a median citation count of 147 (IQR, 32 to 327). The current median h-index was 26 (IQR, 15 to 36), with 2323 (IQR, 1173 to 4568) median citations. Forty-eight percent of all awardees received at least 1 subsequent grant; 40.4% of these awardees received grants from the NIH, and 25% had 2 or more NIH grants. Comparing academic position at the time of the award with current position, 54% of awardees had an advancement in their professional rank. On analyzing leadership positions, 42% of awardees were division chiefs, 21% were associate clinical directors, and 28% were clinical directors., Conclusions: Being a recipient of the TSF award may position an individual to excel in academic medicine, with a large portion of awardees improving their academic standing with time. The rate of successful NIH grant funding after being a TSF awardee is higher than typical institutional success rates., (Copyright © 2022 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Prior thoracic radiation has been associated with worse outcomes after cardiac surgery. This study sought to report long-term outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for radiation-associated heart disease. This was an observational study of open cardiac surgeries from 2011 and 2018. Patients with a history of malignancy that required thoracic radiation were identified, and this cohort was matched against a non-irradiated comparison group via Mahalanobis distance matching. Kaplan-Meier survival estimation and multivariable Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the long-term impact of thoracic radiation in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Of the 15,284 patients receiving cardiac surgery in this time-frame, 269 were identified with a history of thoracic radiation for prior malignancy. Patients with prior radiation had increased 1-year and 5-year mortality (P < 0.001), despite no difference for 30-day mortality (P = 0.719), compared to non-irradiated patients. Mahalanobis distance matching yielded 269 equitably matched pairs. On multivariable analysis, patients with prior radiation demonstrated significantly increased hazard of death, as compared to the non-irradiated group (hazard ratio 1.40, 95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.94, P = 0.038). Patients with radiation for breast cancer demonstrated a non-significant trend toward reduced hazard of death, as compared to patients with more extensive radiation exposure. There was an increase in long-term mortality in patients with prior radiation undergoing cardiac surgery, however open cardiac surgery can safely be performed in these patients with similar operative mortality. These findings may serve as a useful adjunct in shared decision-making for patients and surgeons alike., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study's objective was to evaluate the scholastic and career effects of receiving either the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Foundation research scholarship or surgical investigator program., Methods: AATS annual reports and recipient listings were used to generate the awardees. MEDLINE and SCOPUS were used to assess publications, citations, and H-Index for awardees. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePorter was used to collate NIH grant awarding to awardees. Publicly available institutional profiles were used to assess promotion status and leadership positions., Results: Awardees of the research scholarship had a median of 4733 citations and a median H-Index of 33. The surgical investigator program recipients had a median of 1346 citations with a median H-Index of 17. Across both funding mechanisms, 45% secured subsequent NIH funding. Most awardees received an academic promotion, with 62% of the research scholarship awardees promoted to full professor and 37% of the surgical investigator program to associate professor. Approximately half (48%) of all awardees hold leadership positions, with most being a clinical director or division chief., Conclusions: Receiving the AATS Foundation research scholarship or surgical investigator program positions early-career cardiothoracic surgeons for a promising future in academic surgery., (© 2022 The Author(s).)