Aortic Clamp Time Research Articles

Explainable machine learning model for predicting the occurrence of postoperative malnutrition in children with congenital heart disease

Malnutrition is persistent in 50%-75% of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) after surgery, and early prediction is crucial for nutritional intervention. The aim of this study was to develop and validate machine learning (ML) models to predict the malnutrition status of children with CHD. We used explainable ML methods to provide insight into the model's predictions and outcomes. This prospective cohort study included consecutive children with CHD admitted to the hospital from December 2017 to May 2020. The cohort data were divided into the training and test data sets based on the follow-up time. The outcome of the study was CHD child malnutrition 1 year after surgery, the primary outcome was an underweight status, and the secondary outcomes were stunted and wasting status. We used five ML algorithms with multiple features to construct prediction models, and the performance of these ML models was measured by an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis. We also used the permutation importance and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) to determine the importance of the selected features and interpret the ML models. We enrolled 536 children with CHD who underwent complete repair. The proportions of children with an underweight, stunted, or wasting status 1 year after surgery were 18.1% (97/536), 12.1% (65/536), and 17.5% (94/536), respectively. All patients contributed to the generation of 115 useable features, which allowed us to build models to predict malnutrition. Five prediction algorithms were used, and the XGBoost model achieved the greatest AUC in all outcomes. The results obtained from the permutation importance and SHAP analyses showed that the 1-month postoperative WAZ-score, discharge WAZ score and preoperative WAZ score were the top 3 important features in predicting an underweight status in the XGBoost algorithm. Regarding the stunted status, the top 3 important features were the 1-month postoperative HAZ score, discharge HAZ score, and aortic clamping time. Regarding the wasting status, the top 3 important features were the hospital length of stay, formula intake, and discharge WHZ-score. We also used a narrative case report as an example to describe the clinical manifestations and predicted the primary outcomes of two children. We developed an ML model (XGBoost) that provides accurate early predictions of malnutrition 1-year postoperatively in children with CHD. Because the ML model is explainable, it may better enable clinicians to better understand the reasoning underlying the outcome. Our study could aid in determining individual treatment and nutritional follow-up strategies for children with CHD.

Postoperative Stroke After Type A Aortic Dissection Repair: Hemorrhage Versus Ischemia.

Postoperative stroke is a severe and potentially disabling complication following surgical intervention for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD). This retrospective study aims to compare the early and late outcomes between patients who had hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke after undergoing ATAAD repair surgery. Between January 2007 and June 2020, a total of 685 consecutive patients underwent ATAAD repair at our institution. Patients who had a preoperative stroke or were unconscious at presentation were excluded from this study. Of the 656 included for analysis, 102 (15.5%) patients had a postoperative stroke confirmed by computed tomography angiography. The strokes were classified into the ischemia group (n = 83, 12.7%) and hemorrhage group (n = 19, 2.9%). Clinical features, surgical information, postoperative complications, modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores after discharge, and 5-year cumulative survival rates were compared. Demographics, comorbidities, and presentations of ATAAD were similar between the two groups, except a higher rate of preoperative antithrombotic medication was found in the hemorrhage group. The hemorrhage group was associated with a higher complexity of aortic arch replacement, longer cardiopulmonary bypass, and aortic clamping times than the ischemia group. A higher in-hospital mortality rate (42.1% versus 20.5%; p = 0.048) and a higher median mRS score at the 3-month follow-up after discharge (6[3-6] versus 4[2-6]; p = 0.027) were found in the hemorrhage group. The hemorrhage group showed a lower 5-year cumulative survival rate (23.4% versus 57.8%; p = 0.003) compared with the ischemia group. Postoperative hemorrhagic stroke was associated with poorer neurological outcomes and lower survival rates than those with ischemic stroke. Patients who have complex arch replacement, long cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamping times are at risk for postoperative hemorrhagic stroke and should have intensive neurological surveillance for early diagnosis and treatment after ATAAD repair surgery.

Predictors of aortic clamp time duration and intensive care unit length of stay in elective adult cardiac surgery

BackgroundAortic cross-clamp utilized during cardiac surgery facilitates motionless and bloodless surgical field. However, the duration of clamp time has an inverse effect on early post-operative recovery period. In this study, we sought to examine the predictors of aortic clamp duration and intensive care unit length of stay.ResultsSix hundred and nine adult patients presented for elective cardiac surgery between December 2019 and December 2020 were enrolled. The age of patients ranged from 18 to 82 years (mean 55.62 years, SD ± 12.3 years). Male/female ratio is 4.6:1. Most patients (87.2%) were planned for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and 78 patients (12.8%) for single heart valve procedure. Operative time (OT) ranged from 120 to 402 min and averaged 259.4 min (SD ± 45.9 min). ACC time ranged from 15 to 159 min and averaged 50.56 min (SD ± 19.4 min). Factors associated with significantly longer ACCT were: smoking (OR = 1.89 (95% CI 1.3–2.74), p value = 0.01), respiratory disease (OR = 0.48 (95% CI 0.24–0.96), p value = 0.039), obesity (OR = 1.76 (95% CI 1.18–2.63), p value = 0.005) and AVR (OR = 2.11 (95% CI 1.17–3.83), p value = 0.013). Low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS) was observed in 19.2% of patients. Longer than average ACCT was associated with increased use of inotropes (p value < 0.001), intra-aortic balloon pump (p value < 0.001) and first 24 h post-operative blood loss (p value < 0.001). The average intensive care unit length of stay (ICULOS) was 1.64 days (SD ± 1.1 days). Patients' ACCT converged positively and significantly on ICULOS (Beta coefficient = 1.013 (95% CI 1.01–1.015), p value < 0.001).ConclusionAortic cross-clamping is a crucial method in cardiac surgery to achieve motionless field; however, prolongation of this method had an incremental risks for the development of low cardiac output syndrome, increased first 24 h post-operative blood loss and longer stay in the intensive care unit.

Minimally invasive aortic valve repair using geometric ring annuloplasty.

As aortic valve repair (AVr) for aortic insufficiency (AI) expands, minimally invasive (Mi) approaches are increasingly being applied. Cardiac surgical techniques can be more difficult through small incisions, and this report analyzes medium-term outcomes for MiAVr facilitated by geometric ring annuloplasty. Since 2013, 58 patients were selected for AVr through upper sternotomy third-interspace incisions. The average age was 58.9 ± 15.4 (mean ± SD) years, 71% were male, and preoperative AI grade was 3.6 ± 0.8. Sixty-two percent (36/58) had a proximal aortic replacement for ascending aortic aneurysms (n = 26) and/or remodeling grafts for aortic root aneurysms (n = 10). Annuloplasty rings were placed subannularly (69% trileaflet; 31% bicuspid), and leaflet procedures were performed in 70%. The average ring diameter was 21.6 ± 1.4 mm, and the average aortic clamp time was 113 ± 35 min. After repair, AI grade fell to an average of 0.5 ± 0.6 (p < .0001), with a mean valve gradient of 12.5 ± 7.1 mmHg. No operative mortalities or major complications occurred. Three patients required reoperations for bleeding, and two had pacemakers. At an average follow-up of 38 months (maximal 88 months), three late deaths and no valve-related complications were observed. Four patients required reoperative aortic valve replacement over follow-up, and Kaplan-Meier survival and freedom from reoperation both exceeded 80% at 88 months. At the last follow-up, the average AI grade was 0.7 ± 0.7, and the mean valve gradient was 12.7 ± 6.3 mmHg. Geometric ring annuloplasty was safe and seemed to facilitate performing AVr ± proximal aortic replacement through Mi incisions. Hemodynamic improvements were significant, medium-term clinical outcomes were acceptable, and results could improve further with experience.

Sutureless bioprosthesis as an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement surgery

Abstract Background Aortic valve stenosis is the most common adult valve disease in industrialized countries. The ageing population and the rising in comorbidities have urged the development of safer alternatives to the current gold standard surgical treatment. Sutureless bioprosthesis have shown promising results, especially in technically difficult procedures and as more and more patients need concomitant surgeries. Purpose Assess clinical and haemodynamic performance, safety and durability of the sutureless bioprosthesis implanted in patients with aortic valve disease, over a period of 5 years, both in isolated aortic valve replacement surgeries as well as in concomitant procedures. Methods Single centre retrospective longitudinal cohort study collected data of all adult patients with aortic valve disease who underwent valve replacement with a sutureless bioprosthesis between February 2015 and October 2020. Of the 196 patients analysed (mean age 77.20±5.08 years; 45.40% were female; mean logistic EuroSCORE 2.91±2.20%), the majority had aortic stenosis. To assess the comparative risk of adding concomitant procedures, patients were divided into two groups and compared: one comprised patients who underwent isolated valve implantation (n=132) and the other patients who had concomitant coronary artery bypass graftings (n=49). 15 patients had other heterogeneous concomitant procedures and were therefore not considered in this comparison. Results Overall mean cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 45.50±19.04 and 36.50±11.40 minutes, respectively. 4 valves were reimplanted due to misplacement. Mean transvalvular gradients were 7.82±3.62 mmHg. Mean ICU and total hospital stay were 3.32±3.20 and 7.70±5.82 days, respectively. Procedural success was 99%, as two explantations occurred. Pacemaker implantation occurred in 12.8% of patients, atrial fibrillation de novo in 21.9% and renal replacement support was necessary in 3.1%. Early mortality was 0.51%. We report no structural valve deterioration, strokes or endocarditis and one successfully treated valve thrombosis. By comparison, patients with concomitant procedures had worse left ventricular function (40.8 vs 79.5%; p=0.030), longer aortic clamping (43.33±11.60 vs 27.30±8.10 minutes; p&amp;lt;0.001) and cardiopulmonary bypass times (59.98±17.60 vs 37.45±11.30 minutes; p&amp;lt;0.001), as expected. ICU stay after surgery was also longer (3.96±3.20 vs 2.80±2.70 days; p=0.016). Apart from this, there were no other significant differences in postoperative complications and survival, even up to 5 years. Conclusion Our study confirms the excellent clinical and haemodynamic performance and safety of a truly sutureless aortic valve, even up to the 5-year follow-up. These results were consistent both in isolated and concomitant interventions, solidifying this device as a viable treatment of isolated aortic valve disease, and now also in patients needing concomitant procedures. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: None.

Impact of concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement on operative morbidity and mortality.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of concomitant ascending aortic replacement on operative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). We retrospectively analysed our institutional database for all patients undergoing elective isolated AVR and AVR with concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta between January 2009 and May 2020. Patients undergoing surgery for infective endocarditis or requiring hypothermic circulatory arrest were excluded. A 3:1 propensity matching was performed for 688 patients to compare isolated AVR (120 patients) with AVR + ascending aortic replacement (40 patients). There were significant differences in median cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time [92.5 (75-114) vs 118.5 (104-131) min; P < 0.001], median aortic cross-clamp time [65.0 (51.5-78.5) vs 84.5 (77-94) min; P < 0.001] and median intensive care unit stay [1 (1-3) vs 2 (1-6) days; P < 0.01]. There was no significant difference in the use of intraoperative and postoperative blood products, re-exploration for bleeding, postoperative atrial fibrillation, acute renal failure, incidence of stroke, perioperative myocardial infarction and 30-day mortality. Concomitant replacement of the ascending aorta significantly prolongs CPB and aortic clamp times but does not increase operative morbidity and mortality. Therefore, replacement of a dilated ascending aorta appears to be the most durable and safest treatment option in patients undergoing AVR with an aneurysmatic ascending aorta.

Peri-operative outcomes of mitral valve surgery at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital

Background: The distribution and determinants of heart disease vary greatly between high-income countries and sub-Saharan Africa where rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a major public health challenge. Studies from Africa report that RHD is the main cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the young. Data on mitral valve surgery outcomes in South Africa are limited. The aim of this study was to describe the peri-operative outcomes of patients that have undergone mitral valve surgery at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital (CMJAH). Methods: All patients older than 18 years who underwent mitral valve surgery at CMJAH between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018 were retrospectively included. Cardiac intensive care records including anaesthesia charts were assessed to describe preoperative, intra-operative and post-operative data of each patient. Pre-operative data included patient demographics and comorbidities. Intra-operative data included aortic clamp and bypass times. Post-operative variables included outcomes such as sepsis, bleeding, re-operation, and the development of acute kidney injury (AKI). The pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative outcomes were compared to determine the effect each variable had on post-operative mortality. Results: Two hundred and seventeen patients underwent mitral valve surgery at CMJAH between 1 January 2015 and 31 December 2018. Four patients’ records were incomplete. RHD was found to be the primary aetiology for mitral valve surgery at CMJAH with a mortality rate of 6.1%. Pre-operative findings that contributed to mortality were: EuroSCORE&gt;2%, preoperative ventilation, dialysis dependence, pre-operative inotropic support, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, congestive cardiac failure, renal insufficiency, low ejection fraction and New York Heart Association functional class ≥III. Post-operative findings that contributed to increased mortality were prolonged mechanical ventilation, pneumonia, re-operation, AKI, sepsis, bleeding, and transfusion. Increased aortic clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass times increased the risk of prolonged mechanical ventilation, re-operations, pacemaker implantations, AKI, and bleeding. Conclusions: RHD was found to be the primary aetiology for mitral valve surgery at CMJAH with a mortality of 6.1%. Pre-operative, intra-operative and post-operative predictors of outcomes in this study confirm observations made in other parts of the world.

Preoperative Ozaki technique measures on tridimensional engineered root

BackgroundThe aortic valve neocuspidalization (AVNeo) is an innovative surgical technique aiming at the reconstruction of the aortic valve using autologous pericardium. One of the main criticisms to AVNeo is the longer duration of the aortic clamping time (ACT) as compared to standard aortic valve replacement due to the sizing of the valve neocusps. MethodsWe retrospectively enrolled 30 consecutives patients underwent AVNeo. For each patient we developed a 3D aortic root model (ARM) based on CT-scan datasets. We retrospectively compared the leaflets measurements performed during surgery with those obtained on the corresponding ARMs. ResultsIn 100% of cases no difference between the in vitro and in vivo measurements exceeded the acceptable error limit of 2 ​mm. The correlation of each single in vitro versus in vivo measurements demonstrates a strong coincidence between the two different methods of sizing (r ​> ​0,9, p ​< ​.0001). By analyzing the data considering the annulus perimeter and not the single cusp size, the perfect coincidence was to be found in 89.9% with a slight acceptable discrepancy (2 ​mm on total) in the remaining 10.1%. Conclusions3D-ARMs, printed from CT-scan, represent a reproducible process to obtain overlapping cusp sizes compared to those measured in-vivo, possibly reducing the ACT.

Partial open conversion with proximal aortic banding and endograft preservation is a safe option for the treatment of persistent type II endoleaks.

We have described our technique of open partial conversion (OPC; n = 5) with aortic banding and endograft preservation for the treatment of type II endoleaks. OPC significantly reduced the aortic clamping time (5.0 vs 32.5 minutes; P = .01) relative to endograft explantation (n = 2). Cross-clamping was avoided entirely in three of the procedures. The patients treated with OPC showed a trend toward a decreased operative time (4.8 vs 5.9 hours) and shorter hospital stay (5.7 vs 7.4 days). Follow-up computed tomography scans were available for three of the five OPC patients, which showed resolution of the type II endoleak. The findings from the present study have further demonstrated the safety of OPC for the treatment of type II endoleaks.

Screening for Glucose Metabolism Disorders, Assessment the Disse Insulin Resistance Index and Hospital Prognosis of Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

Objective: To study insulin resistance markers and their relationship with preoperative status and hospital complications of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and normoglycemia. Methods: We included 383 consecutive patients who underwent CABG. Patients were divided into two groups—with carbohydrate metabolism disorders (CMD, n = 192) and without CMD (n = 191). Free fatty acids and fasting insulin in plasma were determined, and the Disse, QUICKI and revised QUICKI indices were calculated in all patients. Perioperative characteristics and postoperative complications were analyzed in these groups, and their relations with markers of insulin resistance. Results: Screening before CABG increased the number of patients with CMD from 25.3% to 50.1%. Incidence of postoperative stroke (p = 0.044), and hospital stay after CABG > 30 days (p = 0.014) was greater in CMD patients. Logistic regression analysis revealed that an increase in left atrial size, age, aortic clamping time, and decrease in Disse index were independently associated with hospital stay >10 days and/or perioperative complications. Conclusions: Screening for CMD before CABG increased the patient number with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. In the CMD group, there were more frequent hospital complications. The Disse index was an independent predictor of long hospital stay and/or poor outcomes.

Risk factors of cerebral complications after Stanford type A aortic dissection undergoing arch surgery

To explore the risk factors of cerebral neurological complications after surgery for Stanford type A aortic arch surgery. One hundred sixteen patients who received Stanford type A aortic dissection from January 2012 to December 2019 were recruited. All patients received surgery under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) and general anesthesia. They were grouped by degree of postoperative cerebral neurological complication. The related factors of cerebral neurological complications were analyzed by single-factor analysis and multi-factor logistic regression. Postoperative neurological complications were observed in 31 cases (26.72%). Two groups were identified: permanent neurological dysfunction (PND) was observed in seven cases, and temporary neurological dysfunction (TND) was observed in 24 cases. In-hospital mortality was 9.48% (11/116), with six in the cerebral complication groups and five in the non-complication group. Single-factor analysis showed the associated factors were age, stroke history, carotid plaque or stenosis, emergency surgery, renal dysfunction, hypotension, aortic clamping time, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest time, postoperative hypoxemia, postoperative low cardiac output and plasma transfusion >800ml, and erythrocyte suspension transfusion >6 U. Multi-factor logistic analysis showed the independent predictive factors were DHCA time >40min, plasma transfusion >800ml, erythrocyte suspension transfusion >6 U, history of stroke, and carotid plaque or stenosis. The factors independently associated with neurological complications are DHCA time >40min, plasma transfusion >800ml, erythrocyte suspension transfusion >6 U, history of stroke, and carotid plaque or stenosis. Our findings suggest that patients with these risk factors should receive intervention during treatment to reduce cerebral neurological complications.

Effects of Pulsatile and Non-Pulsatile Perfusion On Oxygenator Fibers During Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass

In cardiopulmoner operations patients can be perfused with a pulsatile or nonpulsatile pump mode. The extra energy maintained by the pulsatile perfusion may have different effects on the patient and the oxygenator fiber rather than nonpulsatile perfusion. Especially the effect of pulsatile perfusion on the fibers isn’t clearly known. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of pulsatile and non-pulsatile blood flows on oxygenator fibers. 18 out of 32 patients that had an pediatric open heart surgery was chosen according to their aortic clamp times. 9 of 18 patients were perfused in a pulsatile mode, other 9 patients were perfused in a nonpulsatile mode. The patient blood was collected before the open heart surgery (T1), before aortic clamp (T2), after aortic clamp (T3), after 1st intensive care hour (T4) and after the 1st intensive care day (T5) in order to compare the results of whole blood and plasma proteins. At the end of the open heart operation 10 cm of oxygenator fiber was removed from the fiber bundle and taken into the phosfate buffer saline (PBS) solution after the patient had a stabile outcome. Whole blood and micro protein measurements were applied in both first fiber solution and sonicated solution. No harmful effect of pulsatile perfusion on blood cells and proteins was observed according to patient results. More blood cell aggregation and total protein adsorption was observed in nonpulsatile mode fibers results. In this study pulsatile perfusion maintained better blood compability over nonpulsatile perfusion and the extra energy in pulsatile perfusion caused better microcirculation.

Undifferentiated Chordae Tendineae of the Mitral Valve: Large Cohort Study of a Rare Mitral Malformation.

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the pathology, classification, diagnosis, and surgical prognosis of UCMV.Methods and Results: Consecutive paediatric patients with ≥ moderate-severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and mitral stenosis (MS) were recruited between October 2016 and July 2020. UCMV was diagnosed and classified into three grades according to the involvement of chorda groups and MS presence or absence; other mitral lesions were included as controls. Of 207 eligible patients, 75 with UCMV (10.0 m [interquartile range (IQR): 6.0–21.5]) and 110 with other mitral lesions (16.0 m [IQR: 5.0–43.5]) were diagnosed using echocardiography and surgical exploration. The associated chorda groups of UCMV were confirmed to show high agreement between echocardiography and surgery (kappa = 0.857, p < 0.001). At baseline surgery assessment, the UCMV group exhibited worse New York Heart Association functional class, more severe MR and MS grades, and fewer associated complex anomalies (all, p < 0.05) than the control group. After a mean follow-up of 8.3 (IQR:2.7–14.4) months and adjustment for covariates, the UCMV group required longer cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic clamp times, but there were no differences in the incidence of adverse events (p = 0.584). Class III was associated with higher risk of adverse events than classes I and II (p = 0.002).Conclusions: The UCMV spectrum constitutes a primary pathogenesis of paediatric MV dysfunction, which can be optimally diagnosed using echocardiography. Classification based on mitral anatomy and dysfunction can predict the risk of postoperative adverse events.

Totally Endoscopic Ventricular Septal Defect Closed: How to do it?

Objectives: To describe the procedure of totally endoscopic closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) without robotic assistance. Methods: Totally endoscopic VSD closure was performed in 17 patiens (12 childrens and 5adults). The age was 8,5 year olds ( from 3 to 46), and the body weight was 31,2 kg (from 10 to 57). 16 patients were diagnosed with peri-membranous VSD and 1 infundibular VSD, in which 5 patients had right ventricular outflow tract stenosis. We used three 5mm-trocarts and one 12mm-trocart in the right chest. Using pperipheral cannulation for ccardiopulmonary bypass, superior vena caval occlusion, Chitwood aortic clamp, right atriotomy and closing VSD by totally endoscopy without a robotically assisted surgical system. Results: There were no postoperative complications and deaths. cardiopulmonary bypass time and Aortic clamping time were 120 mins and 70 mins respectively. The mean mechanical ventilation time was 1.5 hours. Patients was hospitalized for 5.4 days and could resume normal daily activitive after 1 week. Conclusions: Totally endoscopic closure of ventricular septal defect without robotic assistance is safe and feasible leaving only a small surgical scar with good aesthetics.

Spinal Cord Protection of Aorto-Iliac Bypass in Open Repair of Extent II and III Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is one of the serious complications of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and left heart bypass (LHB) are well-established extracorporeal circulatory assistance methods to increase distal aortic perfusion and prevent spinal cord ischaemia in TAAA repair. Aorto-iliac bypass, a new surgical adjunct offering distal aortic perfusion without the need of complex perfusion skills, was developed as a substitute for CPB and LHB. However, its spinal cord protective effect is unknown. The perioperative data of 183 patients who had elective open Crawford extent II and III TAAA repair at our aortic centre from July 2011 to May 2019 were retrospectively analysed. Spinal cord protection was compared between the aorto-iliac bypass group (n=106) and the extracorporeal circulatory assistance group (n=77 [65 CPB, 12 LHB]), and the risk factors for SCI in these patients were explored. Eleven (11) patients had postoperative SCI: five (6.5%) in the extracorporeal circulatory assistance group (four with CPB and one with LHB), and six (5.7%) in the aorto-iliac bypass group. The incidence of SCI was 6.0% (11/183 cases). There was no difference between the aorto-iliac bypass group and the extracorporeal circulatory assistance group (p=1.0), while operation time, proximal aortic clamp time, intercostal artery clamp time, and length of intensive care unit stay were all increased in the latter group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that cerebrospinal fluid pressure (odds ratio [OR] 1.270; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.092-1.478 [p=0.002]) and lowest haemoglobin on the first postoperative day (OR 0.610; 95% CI 0.416-0.895 [p=0.011]) were the independent predictors of SCI in TAAA repair. Spinal cord protection of aorto-iliac bypass is comparable to that of CPB and LHB in open TAAA repair.

Outcome of Unilateral Pulmonary Edema after Minimal-Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: 10-Year Follow-Up

The study was approved by the institutional review board (IRB) at the University Medical Center Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany (reference number: AZ D 559/18) and registered at the German Clinical Trials Register (reference number: DRKS00022222). Objective. Unilateral pulmonary edema (UPE) is a complication after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS). We analyzed the impact of this complication on the short- and long-term outcome over a 10-year period. Methods. We retrospectively observed 393 MIMVS patients between 01/2009 and 12/2019. The primary endpoint was a radiographically and clinically defined UPE within the first postoperative 24 h, secondary endpoints were 30-day and long-term mortality and the percentage of patients requiring ECLS. Risk factors for UPE incidence were evaluated by logistic regression, and risk factors for mortality in the follow-up period were assessed by Cox regression. Results. Median EuroSCORE II reached 0.98% in the complete MIMVS group. Combined 30-day and in-hospital mortality after MIMVS was 2.0% with a 95, 93 and 77% survival rate after 1, 3 and 10 years. Seventy-two (18.3%) of 393 patients developed a UPE 24 h after surgery. Six patients (8.3%) with UPE required an extracorporeal life-support system. Logistic regression analysis identified a higher creatinine level, a worse LV function, pulmonary hypertension, intraoperative transfusion and a longer aortic clamp time as predictors for UPE. Combined in hospital mortality and 30-day mortality was slightly but not significantly higher in the UPE group (4.2 vs. 1.6%; p = 0.17). Predictors for mortality during follow-up were age ≥ 70 years, impaired RVF, COPD, drainage loss ≥ 800 mL and length of ventilation ≥ 48 h. During a median follow-up of 4.6 years, comparable survival between UPE and non-UPE patients was seen in our analysis after 5 years (89 vs. 88%; p = 0.98). Conclusions. In-hospital outcome with UPE after MIMVS was not significantly worse compared to non-UPE patients, and no differences were observed in the long-term follow-up. However, prolonged aortic clamp time, worse renal and left ventricular function, pulmonary hypertension and transfusion are associated with UPE.

Hospital outcome of concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty during totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery: a propensity matched study

BackgroundThis study aimed to determine how concomitant tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) affects the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery.MethodsThis was a single-centre, retrospective study. Between January 2019 and June 2020, 143 patients who underwent totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery in our institution were enrolled. Ninety-two patients who underwent isolated mitral valve surgery were categorized into the minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) group (n=92), and patients who underwent mitral valve surgery with concomitant TAP were categorized into the MIMVS-TAP (n=51) group. Clinical data were collected from all patients, including demographic and perioperative data. We conducted propensity score matching (PSM) by using one-to-one ratio nearest-neighbour matching for baseline demographic data and tricuspid valve-related parameters. Forty patients in each group were matched in this way. Parametric and nonparametric tests were performed for data analysis.ResultsStatistically, postoperative mortality within 30 days was not significantly different between the two groups (P=1). No differences were found in serious adverse events, such as stroke or third-degree conduction block, between the two groups after 1:1 PSM (P=1 and P=0.480, respectively). The mean operation time for the MIMVS+TAP group was longer (232.13±36.05 min) than that for the MIMVS group (204.25±28.49 min; P<0.001). The same was true for the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (169.48±25.96 vs. 153.10±23.00 min; P=0.004) and aortic clamp time (110.80±17.37 vs. 101.00±14.38 min; P=0.005). The duration of the intensive care unit stay and the overall postoperative length of stay were not different between the two groups (P=0.734 and P=0.472, respectively). The postoperative systolic pulmonary artery pressure differed between the two groups [38.00±8.45 (MIMVS); 33.65±7.34 (MIMVS + TAP), P=0.022].ConclusionsOur study showed that totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery with concomitant TAP is just as safe and effective as isolated totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery, even with a long surgery duration. Our study also suggested that totally endoscopic mitral valve surgery with concomitant TAP can improve tricuspid function in patients.

Biventricular surgical repair of \u201cSwiss Cheese\u201d ventricular septal defects with two-patch and right ventricle apex excluding technique: preliminary experience and clinical results

Background“Swiss Cheese” ventricular septal defects (VSDs) is a kind of rare and complex congenital heart defects and the surgical management remains controversial and a challenge. We reviewed our preliminary clinical experience on biventricular surgical repair of “Swiss Cheese” VSDs with two-patch and right ventricle apex excluding technique in 10 cases.MethodsFrom May 2014 to December 2019, a series of 10 patients (M/F = 3/7) were admitted in our center. Nine cases underwent one-stage surgical repair with two-patch and right ventricle apex excluding technique and 1 case received two-stage surgical repair with the same technique. Surgical repair was done with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in all cases. Two fresh autologous pericardium patches were used to close defects of the outflow tract area and the apex trabecular area respectively and as a result, the right ventricular apex was excluded from the right ventricular inflow tract.ResultsAll operations were successful. Median CPB time and aortic clamping time were 96 min and 68 min respectively. Delayed chest closure was performed in 2 cases within 48–72 h postoperatively. The Median time of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay were 131.3 h and 8 days respectively. Median length of hospital stay after operation was 11 (9–42) days. There was no mortality and major complication except for 2 cases of ventilator associated pneumonia. There was no death and major complication during a median follow-up time of 3.2 years.. The latest echocardiography results showed the left and right heart function was normal in all the cases.ConclusionsBiventricular surgical repair of “Swiss Cheese” VSDs with two-patch of fresh autologous pericardium and right ventricle apex excluding technique in infants is safe and feasible with favorable early and mid-term results. Long term results need to be evaluated with more cases.

Using Machine Learning to Predict Postoperative Liver Dysfunction After Aortic Arch Surgery

The study compared machine-learning models with traditional logistic regression to predicting liver outcomes after aortic arch surgery. Retrospective review from January 2013 to May 2017. Fuwai Hospital. The study comprised 672 consecutive patients who had undergone aortic arch surgery. Three machine-learning methods were compared with logistic regression with regard to the prediction of postoperative liver dysfunction (PLD) after aortic arch surgery. The perioperative characteristics, including the patients' baseline medical condition and intraoperative data, were analyzed. The performance of the models was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Naïve Bayes had the best discriminative ability for the prediction of PLD (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = 0.77) compared with random forest (0.76), support vector machine (0.73), and logistic regression (0.72). The primary endpoint of PLD was observed in 185 patients (27.5%). The cardiopulmonary bypass time, long surgery time, long aortic clamp time, high preoperative bilirubin value, and low rectal temperature were strongly associated with the development of PLD after aortic arch surgery. The machine-learning method of naïve Bayes predicts PLD after aortic arch surgery significantly better than traditional logistic regression.

Risk factors for acute kidney injury in postoperative cardiac surgery

Objective: To evaluate the perioperative risk factors associated with postoperative AKI in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Methodology: Between January 2011 and December 2017, we analyzed prospectively 544 patients, who were divided into two groups: patients with acute kidney injury associated with cardiac surgery (AKI-ACS) defined as an increase of 0.3 mg/dL or 1.5 times the baseline serum creatinine value and control group formed by patients without AKI-ACS. We compared patients and surgical variables using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and mann-Whitney test and logistic regression. Results: AKI-ACS occurred in 29.8% of the patients. In the univariate analysis, the following variables presented a statistically significant difference: male gender (p=0.0087), age (p&lt;0.0001), body mass (p=0.035), BMI (p=0.001), thoracic aortic surgery (p=0.029), use of extracorporeal circulation (p=0.012), CPB time (p=0.0001), aortic clamping time (p=0.0029), use of vasoactive drugs in post-operative period (p=0.017), preoperative kidney function (p&lt;0.0001), presence of diabetes mellitus (p=0.008) and NYHA functional class (p=0.041). In the multivariate analysis, the following variables presented a statistical difference: male gender (OR 2.11), higher BMI (OR 2.11), worse preoperative renal function, demonstrated by creatinine clearance (OR 0.13), longer cardiopulmonary bypass (OR 1.008). Conclusion: The independent predictors for LRA-ACC were male gender, higher body mass index, worse preoperative renal function, and more complex surgeries associated with longer cardiopulmonary bypass.