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Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) aggravates the pre-existing dismal prognosis of patients suffering from acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). We aimed to identify factors affecting survival and outcome in ATAAD patients requiring CPR at presentation at 2 European aortic centres. METHODS Data on 112 surgical candidates and undergoing preoperative CPR were retrospectively evaluated. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to 30-day mortality. A multivariable model identified predictors for 30-day mortality. RESULTS Preoperative death occurred in 23 patients (20.5%). In the remaining 89 surgical patients (79.5%) circulatory arrest time (41 ± 20 min in 30-day non-survivors vs 30 ± 13 min in 30-day survivor, P  = 0.003) as well as cardiopulmonary bypass time (320 ± 132 min in 30-day non-survivors vs 252 ± 140 min in 30-day survivor, P  = 0.020) time was significantly longer in patients with worse outcome. Thirty-day mortality of the total cohort was 61.6% (n  = 69) with cardiac failure in 48% and aortic rupture or haemorrhagic shock (28%) as predominant reasons of death. Age [odds ratio (OR) 1.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01–1.09, P  = 0.034], preoperative coronary (OR 3.42, 95% CI 1.34–9.26, p = 0.012) and spinal malperfusion (OR 12.49, 95% CI 1.83–225.02, P  = 0.028) emerged as independent predictors for 30-day mortality while CPR due to tamponade was associated with improved early survival (OR 0.29, 95% CI 0.091–0.81, P  = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS Assessment of underlying cause for CPR is mandatory. Pericardial tamponade, rapidly resolved with pericardial drainage, is a predictor for improved survival, while age and presence of coronary and spinal malperfusion are associated with dismal outcome in this high-risk patient group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to externally validate a lab-based risk score (lactate, creatinine, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase or bilirubin) by Ghoreishi et al. to predict perioperative mortality in patients undergoing surgical repair for acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS The risk score to predict operative mortality was applied to a large and homogenous validation cohort that consisted of 632 patients undergoing surgery for acute type A aortic dissection in 2 centres. Multivariable regression analysis was performed to determine the impact on survival. Receiver operating characteristics with deduced area under the curve were used to assess the ability to predict perioperative mortality. RESULTS A total of 632 patients (54% male, mean age 62 ± 14 years) were assigned to 3 different risk groups according to the calculated mortality score [low risk <7 (31.2%), moderate risk 7–20 (36.1%) and high >20 (32.7%)]. Perioperative mortality was 8% in the low-risk group, 10% in the moderate-risk group and 24% in the high-risk group (P  < 0.0001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis of this new score revealed an area under the curve of 0.69 with adequate calibration. In addition, multivariable analysis revealed an independet assocation with perioperative mortality (odds ratio 1.509; 95% confidence interval 1.042–2.185). While overall survival differed between the risk groups (P  < 0.0001), the score does not serve as an independent predictor of long-term mortality when adjusted for relevant covariates. CONCLUSIONS The external validation process confirmed that a newly proposed risk score offers clinicians a helpful and reliable tool to improve the preoperative risk assessment of acute type A aortic dissection patients based on easily accessible and broadly available laboratory parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: There is no quality of life tool specifically developed for patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS) to assess how this chronic condition and its treatment affect patients. The Toronto Aortic Stenosis Quality of Life Questionnaire (TASQ) has been developed to overcome this gap. The results of the validation of the TASQ in patients undergoing treatment for severe AS are presented. Methods and results: Prospective study at 10 centres in Europe and Canada, which enrolled 274 patients with severe symptomatic AS undergoing surgical or transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Mean TASQ score at baseline was 71.2 points and increased to 88.9 three months after aortic valve implantation (P < 0.001). Increases were seen for the emotional impact (32.0 to 39.0; P < 0.001), physical limitations (14.8 to 22.0; P < 0.001), and physical symptoms (8.5 vs. 11.0; P < 0.001) domains. Internal consistency was good/excellent for overall TASQ score (α = 0.891) and for the physical limitation, emotional impact, and social limitation domains (α = 0.815–0.950). Test–retest reliability was excellent or strong for the overall TASQ (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.883) and for the physical symptoms, physical limitation, emotional impact, and social limitation domains (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.791–0.895). Responsiveness was medium overall (Cohen's d = 0.637) and medium/large for physical symptoms, emotional impact, and physical limitations (0.661–0.812). Sensitivity to change was significant for physical symptoms, physical limitations (both P < 0.001), emotional impact (P = 0.003), and social limitations (P = 0.038). Conclusions: The TASQ is a new, brief, self‐administered, and clinically relevant health‐specific tool to measure changes in quality of life in patients with AS undergoing an intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim of the Study The objective was to evaluate whether there is a decisive time interval for patients to undergo surgery and to analyze if a rapid response in acute aortic dissection type A (AADA) affects patient selection. Methods In 283 patients undergoing surgery for AADA, median time from onset of initial symptoms to skin incision was 6.9 hours (interquartile range [IQR], 5.0–11.7 hours). Patients were divided into three groups according to median time point of surgery (median ± 3 hours, i.e., 4–10; < 4; and >10 hours). Results Almost 50% of patients presented in a critical preoperative state at hospital admission. Subanalysis identified patients being operated within 4 hours as an exclusive high-risk cohort (higher rates of preoperative neurologic dysfunction, tamponade, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation). Patients undergoing surgery between 4 and 10 hours showed a significantly better long-term survival (p = 0.021). Surgery within this time interval had a clear protective effect on 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 0.448. 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.219–0.915). High age (OR: 1.037; 95% CI: 1.008–1.067), preoperative malperfusion syndrome (OR: 2.802; 95% CI: 1.351–5.811), and preoperative tamponade (OR: 2.621; 95% CI: 1.171–5.866) were factors predicting 30-day mortality. Conclusion Rapid response in AADA interacts with the natural course of the disease resulting in an overrepresentation of critical patients. While the cohort below 4 hours represents the high-risk patients, time from symptom onset to initiation of surgery should not exceed 10 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

View large Download slide View large Download slide OBJECTIVES This study sought to assess the incremental prognostic value of the psoas muscle area in patients scheduled for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). METHODS A total of 1076 consecutive patients undergoing TAVI at 2 centres between 2010 and 2017 were prospectively included in this study. Computed tomography-derived cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle was measured at the superior border of the third (L3) and fourth (L4) lumbar vertebra and indexed to body surface area (PMAi) as well as stratified into tertiles. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox regression analyses were performed to investigate the value of PMAi as a predictor of 30-day and cumulative mortality. The incremental prognostic value of PMAi over the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was assessed using a net reclassification analysis. RESULTS The rate of 30-day mortality was 5.8% (n  = 62). PMAi at the level of L3 [odds ratio 0.082, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.011–0.589; P  = 0.013] and L4 (odds ratio 0.049, 95% CI 0.005–0.536; P  = 0.013) was independently associated with 30-day mortality. During a median follow-up of 435 days (interquartile range 139–904), 292 patients (27.1%) died. PMAi of L3 (hazard ratio 0.200, 95% CI 0.083–0.482; P  < 0.001) and L4 (hazard ratio 0.083, 95% CI 0.029–0.235; P  < 0.001) was independently associated with mortality during follow-up. The addition of PMAi to the STS score led to a net reclassification improvement for 30-day and cumulative mortality. CONCLUSIONS PMAi emerged as a valuable outcome predictor in patients undergoing TAVI. The addition of PMAi to the established STS score led to an increase in its prognostic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systolic anterior motion is characterized by the displacement of the anterior mitral leaflet towards the left ventricle outflow tract. Iatrogenic systolic anterior motion occurs after mitral valve repair as a result of mitral annuloplasty. Possible causes include excess height of a redundant posterior mitral leaflet and/or the use of an undersized ring. The condition is usually diagnosed after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass by transoesophageal echocardiography. Apart from conservative measures, the treatment of systolic anterior motion may require the restoration of cardiopulmonary bypass and further surgical valve repair. Strategies for systolic anterior motion correction include an edge-to-edge repair or the use of a larger annuloplasty ring. In this tutorial, we present two ways of reducing posterior leaflet height as a simple option to move the leaflet coaptation more posteriorly., (© The Author 2024. Published by MMCTS on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting was shown to be feasible and safe, with excellent clinical and angiographic mid-term results. Data on long-term outcome are lacking. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the long-term rate of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events and left internal mammary artery patency rate in patients undergoing arrested heart totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting., Methods: From 2001 to 2012, a total of 208 arrested heart-totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting patients were prospectively included. Mean ± SD age was 58.8 ± 9.4 years, and mean ± SD Society of Thoracic Surgeons score was 0.5 ± 0.5%. Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, re-percutaneous coronary intervention, re-coronary artery bypass graft, and target vessel revascularization. Left internal mammary artery patency was assessed using cardiac computed tomography and depicted according to the established Fitzgibbon classification. Mean ± SD follow-up was 6.9 ± 2.3 years., Results: At 1, 5, and 10 years, survival rate was 100%, 98.3%, and 95.8%, respectively. The freedom from clinical events at 1, 5, and 10 years were major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (93.5%, 85.9%, and 83.0%), myocardial infarction (99.0%, 97.4%, and 95.9%), target vessel revascularization (96.0%, 94.3%, and 91.7%), re-percutaneous coronary intervention (94.5%, 91.6%, and 84.2%), and re-coronary artery bypass graft (100%, 99.5%, and 99.5%), respectively. Left internal mammary artery patency rate at 1, 5, and 10 years was 100%, 94.9%, and 88.1%, respectively., Conclusions: Arrested heart-totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass grafting shows excellent clinical long-term results with a left internal mammary artery patency rate comparable with conventional coronary artery bypass graft at 10 years after surgery.

Objective: Robotic coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was shown to be a safe and feasible method for the treatment of coronary artery disease in highly selected patients. However, long-term outcome data comparing robotic CABG with conventional CABG are still missing. Therefore, we aimed to compare robotic with conventional CABG in terms of perioperative and long-term outcomes., Methods: Of 2947 consecutive elective patients with coronary artery disease operated at a single center between 2001 and 2013, 280 underwent robotic CABG. After propensity score matching, 134 pairs of robotic versus conventional CABG (age = 62 ± 10 years, log EuroScore = 2.4 ± 2.4% vs. mean ± SD age = 63 ± 10 years, log EuroScore 2.5 ± 1.7%, respectively; all P > 0.05) were formed. The mean ± SD follow-up was 6.6 ± 3.2 years., Results: There was no difference in perioperative mortality (robotic = 0% vs. conventional = 1.5%, P = 0.154), myocardial infarction (robotic = 0% vs. conventional = 2.2%, P = 0.08), and stroke rate (robotic = 0% vs. conventional = 0.7%, P = 0.318) between the groups. Longer cardiopulmonary bypass (robotic = 112 ± 100 minutes vs. conventional = 67 ± 48 minutes, P < 0.0001) and cross-clamp times (robotic = 68 ± 54 minutes vs. conventional = 38 ± 27 minutes, P < 0.0001) were observed in robotic patients. Long-term follow-up yielded equivalent results in terms of survival (1, 5, and 10 years: robotic = 99.3%, 96.9%, and 81.3% vs. conventional = 96.3%, 92.2%, and 82.6%, respectively; log-rank P = 0.187) and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebral events at 1, 5, and 10 years after procedure (robotic = 90.6%, 77.7%, 70.1% vs. conventional = 94.1%, 82.2%, 66.6%; log-rank P = 0.790)., Conclusions: Long-term outcomes of robotic CABG are comparable with conventional CABG for selected patients. Longer operative times of robotic CABG do not influence the excellent long-term outcomes.

Objective: Totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (TECAB) and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB) grafting through minithoracotomy are currently the two minimally invasive surgical techniques of left ventricular anterior wall revascularization. We aimed to compare both techniques in terms of perioperative and mid-term results., Methods: Arrested heart TECAB was carried out in 204 patients with a median (range) age of 60 (53-76) years and a median (range) EuroSCORE I of 2 (0-3). Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass was performed in 60 patients with a median (range) age of 66 (54-75) years and a median (range) EuroSCORE I of 2 (1-5). Both techniques were used for single or sequential internal mammary artery grafts to the anterior wall. Operative times, conversion rates, and surgical complications as well as mid-term results were compared between the groups after a median follow-up of 36 months., Results: No perioperative deaths were noted. Rates of myocardial infarction (TECAB: 1.5% vs MIDCAB: 0%, P = 0.463) and stroke (TECAB: 1.5% vs MIDCAB: 0%, P = 0.454) were not significantly different between the groups. Total operative times were longer in the TECAB compared with the MIDCAB group [292 (250-345) minutes in TECAB versus 201 (173-289) minutes in MIDCAB (P < 0.001)]. Intensive care unit stay and total length of stay were similar between the groups. There was no difference in mid-term survival (TECAB: 1.5% vs MIDCAB: 1.7%, P = 0.298) and freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (TECAB: 12.4% vs MIDCAB: 5.1%, P = 0.358)., Conclusions: Robotically assisted arrested heart TECAB and robotic MIDCAB perform equally in terms of perioperative results and mid-term follow-up in this single-center patient cohort.