Minithoracotomy for mitral valve repair improves inpatient and postdischarge economic savings

ObjectiveSmall series of thoracotomy for mitral valve repair have demonstrated clinical benefit. This multi-institutional administrative database analysis compares outcomes of thoracotomy and sternotomy approaches for mitral repair.MethodsThe Premier database was queried from 2007 to 2011 for mitral repair hospitalizations. Premier contains billing, cost, and coding data from more than 600 US hospitals, totaling 25 million discharges. Thoracotomy and sternotomy approaches were identified through expert rules; robotics were excluded. Propensity matching on baseline characteristics was performed. Regression analysis of surgical approach on outcomes and costs was modeled.ResultsExpert rule analysis positively identified thoracotomy in 847 and sternotomy in 566. Propensity matching created 2 groups of 367. Mortalities were similar (thoracotomy 1.1% vs sternotomy 1.9%). Sepsis and other infections were significantly lower with thoracotomy (1.1% vs 4.4%). After adjustment for hospital differences, thoracotomy carried a 17.2% lower hospitalization cost (−$8289) with a 2-day stay reduction. Readmission rates were significantly lower with thoracotomy (26.2% vs 35.7% at 30 days and 31.6% vs 44.1% at 90 days). Thoracotomy was more common in southern and northeastern hospitals (63% vs 37% and 64% vs 36%, respectively), teaching hospitals (64% vs 36%) and larger hospitals (>600 beds, 78% vs 22%).ConclusionsRelative to sternotomy, thoracotomy for mitral repairs provides similar mortality, less morbidity, fewer infections, shorter stay, and significant cost savings during primary admission. The markedly lower readmission rates for thoracotomy will translate into additional institutional cost savings when a penalty on hospitals begins under the Affordable Care Act's Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program

Lower survival after coronary artery bypass in patients who had atrial fibrillation missed by widely used definitions

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of limiting the definition of post-coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) atrial fibrillation (AF) to AF/flutter requiring treatment-as in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons\u27 (STS) database- on the association with survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed in-hospital incidence of post-CABG AF in 7110 consecutive isolated patients with CABG without preoperative AF at 4 hospitals (January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2010). Patients with ≥1 episode of post-CABG AF detected via continuous in-hospital electrocardiogram (ECG)/telemetry monitoring documented by physicians were assigned to the following: Group 1, identified as having post-CABG AF in STS data and Group 2, not identified as having post-CABG AF in STS data. Patients without documented post-CABG AF constituted Group 3. Survival was compared via a Cox model, adjusted for STS risk of mortality and accounting for site differences. RESULTS: Over 7 years\u27 follow-up, 16.0% (295 of 1841) of Group 1, 18.7% (79 of 422) of Group 2, and 7.9% (382 of 4847) of Group 3 died. Group 2 had a significantly greater adjusted risk of death than both Group 1 (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.33) and Group 3 (HR: 1.94; 95% CI, 1.69 to 2.22). CONCLUSIONS: The statistically significant 16% higher risk of death for patients with AF post-CABG missed vs captured in STS data suggests treatment and postdischarge management should be investigated for differences. The historical misclassification of missed patients as experiencing no AF in the STS data weakens the ability to observe differences in risk between patients with and without post-CABG AF. Therefore, STS data should not be used for research examining post-CABG AF

Ramping up Delivery of Cardiac Surgery During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Guidance Statement from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons COVID-19 Task Force

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

Does reperfusion injury still cause significant mortality after lung transplantation?

ObjectivesSevere reperfusion injury after lung transplantation has mortality rates approaching 40%. The purpose of this investigation was to identify whether our improved 1-year survival after lung transplantation is related to a change in reperfusion injury.MethodsWe reported in March 2000 that early institution of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation can improve lung transplantation survival. The records of consecutive lung transplant recipients from 1990 to March 2000 (early era, n = 136) were compared with those of recipients from March 2000 to August 2006 (current era, n = 155). Reperfusion injury was defined by an oxygenation index of greater than 7 (where oxygenation index = [Percentage inspired oxygen] × [Mean airway pressure]/[Partial pressure of oxygen]). Risk factors for reperfusion injury, treatment of reperfusion injury, and 30-day mortality were compared between eras by using χ2, Fisher's, or Student's t tests where appropriate.ResultsAlthough the incidence of reperfusion injury did not change between the eras, 30-day mortality after lung transplantation improved from 11.8% in the early era to 3.9% in the current era (P = .003). In patients without reperfusion injury, mortality was low in both eras. Patients with reperfusion injury had less severe reperfusion injury (P = .01) and less mortality in the current era (11.4% vs 38.2%, P = .01). Primary pulmonary hypertension was more common in the early era (10% [14/136] vs 3.2% [5/155], P = .02). Graft ischemic time increased from 223.3 ± 78.5 to 286.32 ± 88.3 minutes in the current era (P = .0001). The mortality of patients with reperfusion injury requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation improved in the current era (80.0% [8/10] vs 25.0% [3/12], P = .01).ConclusionImproved early survival after lung transplantation is due to less severe reperfusion injury, as well as improvements in survival with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

The Nitric Oxide Donor DETA-NONOate Decreases Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression and Activity in Rat Aortic Smooth Muscle and Abdominal Aortic Explants

Our objective was to examine the role of an exogenous nitric oxide (NO) donor, DETA-NONOate (DETA), on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, MMP-2, and tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP)-1 expression and activity in interleukin (IL)-1β-induced rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RA-SMCs) and rat aortic explants (RAEs). RA-SMCs were incubated with IL-1β (2 ng/ml), an inflammatory cytokine known to induce MMP-9 expression, and increasing concentrations of DETA (0, 1.0, 10, 100 μM; n = 3/group) for 48 hr. RAEs were incubated with IL-1β (2 ng/mL) and increasing concentrations of DETA (0, 5.0, 50, 100, and 500 μM; n = 3/group) for 48 hr. Media were collected and assayed for NO x by the Griess reaction and MMP-9 activity by zymography. Messenger RNA (mRNA) was extracted from cells and analyzed for MMP-9, MMP-2, and TIMP-1 expression levels by quantitative real-time reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. All statistical analyses were performed by analysis of variance. In RA-SMCs and RAEs, DETA administration resulted in a dose-dependent increase in media NO x concentration (RA-SCM p < 0.01, RAE p < 0.01) and a concurrent decrease in both MMP-9 expression (RASMC p = 0.01, RAE p = 0.01) and activity (RASMC p = 0.04, RAE p = 0.006). There were no significant differences seen in MMP-2 and TIMP-1 expression or activity in response to DETA exposure. DETA decreased IL-1β-induced MMP-9 expression and activity in both RA-SMCs and RAEs in a dose-dependent fashion. In addition, DETA administration had no effect on MMP-2 or TIMP-1 expression or activity in vitro. These data suggest that NO donors may be beneficial in decreasing MMP-9 levels and might serve to inhibit MMP-9-dependent vessel wall remodeling seen during abdominal aortic aneurysm formation.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/41371/1/10016_2005_Article_9429.pd

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery III: Training and Robotic-Assisted Approaches.

Minimally invasive mitral valve operations are increasingly common in the United States, but robotic-assisted approaches have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons. This expert opinion reviews the state of the art and defines best practices, training, and techniques for developing a successful robotics program

Designing comparative effectiveness trials of surgical ablation for atrial fibrillation: Experience of the Cardiothoracic Surgical Trials Network

ObjectiveSince the introduction of the cut-and-sew Cox maze procedure for atrial fibrillation, there has been substantial innovation in techniques for ablation. Use of alternative energy sources for ablation simplified the procedure and has resulted in dramatic increase in the number of patients with atrial fibrillation treated by surgical ablation. Despite its increasingly widespread adoption, there is lack of rigorous clinical evidence to establish this procedure as an effective clinical therapy.MethodsThis article describes a comparative effectiveness randomized trial, supported by the Cardiothoracic Surgical Clinical Trials Network, of surgical ablation with left atrial appendage closure versus left atrial appendage closure alone in patients with persistent and long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation undergoing mitral valve surgery. Nested within this trial is a further randomized comparison of 2 different lesions sets: pulmonary vein isolation and the full maze lesion set.ResultsThis article addresses trial design challenges, including how best to characterize the target population, operationalize freedom from atrial fibrillation as a primary end point, account for the impact of antiarrhythmic drugs, and measure and analyze secondary end points, such as postoperative atrial fibrillation load.ConclusionsThis article concludes by discussing how insights that emerge from this trial may affect surgical practice and guide future research in this area

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery I: Patient Selection, Evaluation, and Planning.

Widespread adoption of minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement may be fostered by practice consensus and standardization. This expert opinion, first of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices in patient evaluation and selection for minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and discusses preoperative planning for cannulation and myocardial protection

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery II: Surgical Technique and Postoperative Management.

Techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement continue to evolve. This expert opinion, the second of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices for nonrobotic, minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and for postoperative care after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery