Nonfatal Complications Research Articles

In-Hospital Outcomes in the Brazilian Registry of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation - 14-Year Analysis.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has had an exponential increase of its indication, being incorporated into the Brazilian Unified Public Health System in 2022, thus requiring assessment of its use in Brazil. To assess the factors associated with in-hospital mortality and non-fatal complications in both genders in the Brazilian Registry of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation and New Technologies (RIBAC-NT) population. Analysis of the RIBAC-NT database from 2008 to 2022 was performed. Logistic models and machine learning were used for statistical assessment of the association between variables and outcomes. The software R was used and a 5% significance level, adopted. Analysis of 2588 patients (women, 51.2%; in-hospital death, 8.2%). Mortality was associated with procedural complications, of which major vascular complication (VC) and acute kidney injury (AKI) stood out (p<0.001). Major VC occurred in 6% of the patients, with 34% mortality; AKI occurred in 8.8%, with 13% mortality, which increased up to 8 times when AKI coexisted with other complications. Non-fatal complications occurred in 50.5% of all patients, affecting 63% of those with 1st generation (1G) bioprosthesis and 39% of those with 2nd generation (2G) bioprosthesis (p<0,001). Non-femoral access and heart rhythm influenced non-fatal complications in patients with 1G prostheses, while complications in patients with 2G prosthesis associated with the female gender (39.6% vs. 30.4%, p=0.003). In-hospital mortality in the RIBAC-NT population was directly associated with procedural complications, mainly major VC and AKI. The occurrence of non-fatal complications differed according to gender and bioprosthesis type.

Characteristics of robotic urological surgeries at Hospital Eugenio Espejo (November 2021 to March 2023)

Introduction: Minimally invasive urologic surgery employs extracorporeal, endoscopic and laparoscopic techniques. Robotic assistance has significantly modified urologic laparoscopic surgery in the last decade. This technology is available at the Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo (HEEE) in the city of Quito - Ecuador, since November 2021, being one of the few public hospitals in Latin America that provides this service to the community. Methods: Observational, retrospective and descriptive study, with case series design. All patients undergoing robotic surgery in the Urology Department of the HEE between November 2021 and March 2023 were included. Results: In the 28 months of the study, 98 surgical procedures were performed. Of the 91 adult patients, 67% were men. The main preoperative diagnoses were malignant prostate tumor, malignant kidney tumor, hydronephrosis, adrenal tumor, malignant bladder tumor and lithiasis. The procedures performed were radical prostatectomy, nephrectomy, ureterolysis and adrenalectomy. The mean operative time was 169.2±3 min; with a Dokin time of 12.7±5.2 min. There were 1.1% of non-fatal complications. The median hospital stay was 4 days (range 2 to 18 days). In the 7 younger patients with a mean age of 8.3 years operated on, the most common procedure was ureteral reimplantation. There were two cases of non-fatal complications. Surgical time was 255.7±29.2 min and Dokin time was 9.5±5.3 min. Conclusion: In the Hospital de Especialidades Eugenio Espejo, urological robotic surgery has been used mainly for the surgical treatment of neoplasias in adults and urinary tract alterations in children, being the experience for other procedures still incipient. Surgical times have been longer in children due to the complexity of reconstructive surgeries, but with excellent results and early recovery.

Mitral Valve Replacement in Infants and Children: Five-Year Outcomes of the HALO Clinical Trial

BackgroundRepair is preferable for children with mitral valve disease, but mitral valve replacement (MVR) is occasionally necessary. This report presents the results of a multiinstitutional Investigational Device Exemption trial of the 15-mm St Jude (SJM) mechanical mitral valve (Abbott Structural Heart). MethodsFrom May 2015 to March 2017, 23 children aged 0.4 to 27.4 months (mean, 7.8 months; 85% <1 year) weighing 2.9 to 10.9 kg (mean, 5.5 kg) at 15 centers underwent MVR with a 15-mm SJM mechanical mitral valve (intraannular, 45%; supraannular, 55%). A total of 21 (91%) of the children had undergone previous cardiac operations. Follow-up until death, valve explantation, or 5 years postoperatively was 100% complete. ResultsThere were 6 deaths, all in the first 12 months; no death was valve related. Four patients required a pacemaker (2 supraannular, 2 intraannular). Three patients had thrombosis requiring valve explantation at 13, 21, and 35 days postoperatively. Two of these 3 patients were receiving low-molecular-weight heparin for anticoagulation, and the third had factor V Leiden deficiency. There were 5 nonfatal bleeding complications within 4 months of MVR (1-year freedom from bleeding, 71.0%). The 1- and 5-year freedom from death or valve explantation was 71.0%. ConclusionsIn small children with severe mitral valve disease requiring MVR, the 15-mm SJM mechanical mitral valve provides satisfactory hemodynamics. Mortality and complications in these patients are not trivial. Low-molecular-weight heparin likely should be avoided as primary anticoagulation. Eventual valve replacement is inevitable.

Features of geriatric status in patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease (review)

Background: Among the geriatric syndromes associated with the pathology of the cardiovascular system, in particular arterial hypertension (AH) and coronary heart disease as one of the causes of their occurrence, researchers call the syndrome of falls, senile asthenia syndrome (SAS), depression and cognitive impairment. The listed reasons indicate the relevance of their study and the implementation of preventive measures to reduce the prevalence in conceptual terms. The aim of the study: To analyze the geriatric status in patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease, which will allow creating a plan for preventive measures to reduce the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease. Materials and methods: The analysis of the literature data on the geriatric status of patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease published over the last decade was carried out: PubMed, Elibrary, Scopus. Results: Analysis of literature sources has shown that in the age cohort of senile persons, the prevalence of falls syndrome occurs in almost every second person, while 15-30% is in the group of 60-74 years. It has been shown that in predicting non-fatal complications with existing hypertension in geriatric patients with SAS, the pulse rate, systolic pressure, and laboratory parameters should be taken into account. The prevalence of depressive symptoms in patients with hypertension and coronary heart disease with various geriatric syndromes in different populations of countries ranges from 0.5 to 73.0% and its frequency depends on the diagnostic method used by the researchers. Despite the heterogeneity of the available information, it is indicated that depression occurs on average in 26.8% of AH patients with geriatric syndromes. Cognitive impairments were observed in 60.0% of AH and coronary heart disease patients with geriatric syndromes, and they develop due to the fact that in patients over 65 years of age, previous drug treatment has been ineffective for many years. Conclusion: The collected data may make it possible to create a plan for preventive measures to reduce the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in patients with arterial hypertension and coronary heart disease. Further research in this area will improve the quality of life of this population, which accounts for a significant proportion of hospitalizations and outpatient visits.

Increased prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorder among patients with Fabry disease

BackgroundAlthough peripheral vestibular disorder is a non-fatal complication of Fabry disease, fatalities have been reported in some case reports and case series. To date, no studies have examined the relative risk of peripheral vestibular disorder in patients with Fabry disease compared to the general population without the condition. Due to the high prevalence of Fabry disease in East Asia and the potential shared pathogenic pathways between Fabry disease and vasculopathy, we conducted a study using a nationwide population-based dataset to compare the prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorder between patients with Fabry disease and matched comparison patients.MethodsData was sourced from Taiwan’s Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2010. this study consists of 11,668 sampled patients, 2917 study patients with Fabry disease and 8751 propensity-score-matching comparison patients. We conducted multiple logistic regression analysis to study the association between peripheral vestibular disorder and Fabry disease.ResultsThe study identified notable differences in the prevalence of various vestibular disorders between the study and comparison groups. Specifically, there was a 7.2% increased prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorder in the study group (28.3%) compared to the comparison group (20.9%), Meniere’s disease (5.4% vs. 3.7%), benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (5.1% vs. 3.3%), and other/ unspecified peripheral vestibular dizziness (15.6% vs. 11.8%) (all p < 0.001). The odds ratios for PVD, MD, BPPV, and other PVD were 1.44 (95% CI = 1.29–1.60), 1.50 (95% CI = 1.23–1.83), 1.59 (95% CI = 1.30–1.95), and 1.40 (95% CI = 1.24–1.58), respectively, among the Fabry disease group relative to the comparison group after adjusting for age, monthly income, geographic location, urbanization level, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, coronary heart disease, and hypertension.ConclusionThis study found that patients with Fabry disease had increased prevalence of peripheral vestibular disorder.

The Complementary Roles of Open and Endovascular Repair of Extent I – III Thoraco-abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in a United Kingdom Aortic Centre

A multidisciplinary approach offering both open surgical (OSR) and complex endovascular repair (cEVAR) is essential if patients with thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) are to receive optimal care. This study reports early and mid-term outcomes of elective and non-elective OSR and cEVAR for extent I - III TAAA in a UK aortic centre. Retrospective study of consecutive patients treated between January 2009 and December 2021. Primary endpoint was 30 day/in hospital mortality. Secondary end point was Kaplan-Meier estimates of mid-term survival. Data are presented as median (IQR). In total, 296 patients (176 men; median age 71 years [IQR 65, 76]; aneurysm diameter 66 mm [61, 75]) underwent repair (222 elective, 74 non-elective). OSR patients (n = 66) were significantly younger with a higher incidence of heritable disease and chronic dissection, while cEVAR patients (n = 230) had a significantly higher prevalence of coronary, pulmonary, and renal disease. Overall, in hospital mortality after elective and non-elective repair was 3.2% (n = 7) and 23.0% (n = 17), respectively, with no significant difference between treatment modalities (elective OSR 6.5% vs. cEVAR 2.3%; p = .14; non-elective OSR 25.0% vs. cEVAR 20.3%; p = .80). Major non-fatal complications occurred in 15.3% (33/215) after elective repair (OSR 39.5%, 17/43, vs. cEVAR 9.3%, 16/172; p < .001) and 14% (8/57) after non-elective repair (OSR 26.7%, 4/15, vs. cEVAR 9.5%, 4/42; p = .19). Median follow up was 52 months (IQR 23, 78). Estimated survival ± standard error at one, three, and five years for the entire cohort was 89.6 ± 2.0%, 76.6 ± 2.9%, and 69.0% ± 3.2% after elective repair, and 67.6 ± 5.4%, 52.1 ± 6.0%, and 41.0 ± 6.2% after non-elective repair. There was no difference in five year survival comparing modalities after elective repair for patients less than 70 years, and those with post-dissection aneurysms. A multidisciplinary approach offering OSR and cEVAR can deliver comprehensive care for extent I - III TAAA with low early mortality and good mid-term survival. Further studies are required to determine the optimal complementary roles of each treatment modality.

Results of Surgical Treatment of Post-Tuberculous Constrictive Pericarditis

Objectives : To evaluate the results of surgical treatment of post-tuberculous constrictive pericarditis. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study of 08 cases of constrictive pericarditis of tuberculous origin observed between January 2015 and december 2019. These patients presented with right (3 cases) or bilateral (5 cases) adiastolism. All patients underwent subtotal pericardectomy by vertical median sternotomy. Results : There were no early deaths. Non-fatal complications included 3 cases of haemorrhage from a wound in the right atrium. The mean length of stay in intensive care was 2 +/- 0.5 days and the mean length of hospitalisation was 10 +/- 2 days. None of the 08 patients was lost to follow-up. After a mean follow-up of 28 +/- 6 months, 06 are currently at NYHA functional stage I (75%) and 02 at stage II (25%); the mean cardio thoracic ratio had become 0.58 +/- 0.2. Conclusion : Pericardectomy remains the only life-saving procedure for any patient at the stage of constrictive pericarditis.

Abstract 17780: Trends in Clinical Characteristics and Short-Term Mortality in STEMI Patients in Senegal

Introduction: The prevalence of in-hospital ACS has risen from 4% to 10% in Dakar cardiology departments over the past 15 years. Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological, clinical profile and short-term prognosis of patients with acute ST Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction (STEMI) treated by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This was a single-center descriptive study using prospective data collection from September 2020 to July 2022, including all patients with acute STEMI managed by PCI in with Hôpital Principal Dakar (HPD). The latter is the main military hospital of Senegal. Results: Among the 1146 patients admitted in HPD cardiology department, 156 (13.61%) had STEMI and 92 (58.97%) of them had undergone PCI. The mean age of the patients was 60.04 ± 11 years, with a male predominance (78.26%). Eighty-three patients (90.2%) were seen within the first 12 hours, with an average of 3.26 ± 3 hours. Regarding clinical presentation, almost all patients (98.9%) were in Killip I or II class. Seventy-eight patients (84.8%) had a diagnostic ECG within the first 12 hours of symptoms initiation, with a mean of 3.95 ± 2.95 hours. Thrombolysis was performed in 10.86% of the patients with a success rate of 70%. The radial approach predominated largely (89%) and primary PCI was performed in 71.73% of patients. Overall, PCI with stent implantation, exclusively drug eluting stent (DES), was done in 95.65% of cases with a success rate of 98.91%. Three non-fatal periprocedural complications were reported and in-hospital mortality rate was 4.34%. Conclusions: In Dakar, the prognosis of acute STEMI has been improved since the availability of PCI with routine primary PCI 24/7. However, the intervention delays need to be perfected.

Increasing severity of preoperative anemia is associated with higher postoperative medical and surgical complications after primary shoulder arthroplasty

Anemia is a major cause of morbidity worldwide and compounds numerous medical conditions. Studies have found associations between anemia and both medical and surgical complications after shoulder arthroplasty (SA); however, most of these studies have used commercially available national databases with limited information on outcomes and typically short-term follow-up. Our study sought to evaluate the midterm outcomes of primary SA at a single institution when stratified by the degree of preoperative anemia. Between 2000 and 2020, 5231 primary SA (477 hemiarthroplasties, 2091 anatomic total SA, and 2335 reverse SA) with preoperative hematocrit values available and a minimum follow-up of 2 years were collected from a single-institution joint registry database. The severity of anemia was subclassified as no anemia (hematocrit >39% for males, >36% for females; n=4194 [80.2%]), mild anemia (hematocrit 33%-39% for males, 33%-36% for females; n=742 [14.2%]), and moderate-to-severe anemia (hematocrit <33% for both males and females; n=295 [5.6%]). The mean follow-up time for the entire cohort was 5.9 years (range, 2-22 years). Medical and surgical complications, reoperations, revisions, and implant survivorship were assessed. SA with moderate-to-severe anemia had the highest rate of nonfatal and nontransfusion medical complications (5.1%) relative to the nonanemic (1.2%; P<.001) and mild anemic groups (1.5%; P<.001). Similarly, SA with moderate-to-severe anemia had the highest rate of surgical complications (19.3%) compared with mild anemia (14.3%; P=.044) and no anemia (11.6%; P<.001). Postoperative transfusion was most frequent in the moderate-to-severe anemia cohort (40.3%) compared with the mild anemia (14.2%; P<.001) and nonanemic groups (2.5%; P<.001). Furthermore, SA who received postoperative transfusions had a higher risk of nonfatal medical complications (8.2% vs. 1.0%; P<.001), 90-day mortality (1.5% vs. 0.03%; P=.001), and surgical complications (19.5% vs. 12.0%; P<.001) when compared with those without transfusion. Moderate-to-severe anemia (hematocrit <33% for both males and females) was identified in approximately 5.6% of patients who underwent SA at a single institution and was associated with increased medical and surgical complications. Patients who received postoperative transfusions presented elevated rates of medical complications, 90-day mortality, and surgical complications. Health care teams should be aware of these risks in order to provide more individualized medical optimization and postoperative monitoring.

Prolonged Door-to-Balloon Time Leads to Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage and Endothelial Dysfunction in Patients with ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction.

Damage to the endothelial glycocalyx (eGC) has been reported during acute ischemic events like ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). In STEMI, a door-to-balloon time (D2B) of <60 min was shown to reduce mortality and nonfatal complications. Here, we hypothesize that eGC condition is associated with D2B duration and endothelial function during STEMI. One hundred and twenty-six individuals were analyzed in this study (STEMI patients vs. age-/sex-matched healthy volunteers). After stimulating endothelial cells with patient/control sera, the eGC's nanomechanical properties (i.e., height/stiffness) were analyzed using the atomic force microscopy-based nanoindentation technique. eGC components were determined via ELISA, and measurements of nitric oxide levels (NO) were based on chemiluminescence. eGC height/stiffness (both p < 0.001), as well as NO concentration (p < 0.001), were reduced during STEMI. Notably, the D2B had a strong impact on the endothelial condition: a D2B > 60 min led to significantly higher serum concentrations of eGC components (syndecan-1: p < 0.001/heparan sulfate: p < 0.001/hyaluronic acid: p < 0.0001). A D2B > 60 min led to the pronounced loss of eGC height/stiffness (both, p < 0.001) with reduced NO concentrations (p < 0.01), activated the complement system (p < 0.001), and prolonged the hospital stay (p < 0.01). An increased D2B led to severe eGC shedding, with endothelial dysfunction in a temporal context. eGC components and pro-inflammatory mediators correlated with a prolonged D2B, indicating a time-dependent immune reaction during STEMI, with a decreased NO concentration. Thus, D2B is a crucial factor for eGC damage during STEMI. Clinical evaluation of the eGC condition might serve as an important predictor for the endothelial function of STEMI patients in the future.

The association of marital status with kidney cancer surgery morbidity - a retrospective cohort study.

To better understand whether the marital status impacts 90-day postoperative outcomes following kidney cancer surgery. We performed a retrospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing elective partial or radical nephrectomy to manage kidney masses from 2003 to 2017 using the Premier Hospital Database, a national hospital discharge dataset. Multinomial logistic regression models controlling for a wide range of clinicodemographic, surgical, and hospital characteristics were used to assess an association between marital status and postoperative complications. The primary outcome was 90-day complications, including minor complications (Clavien grades 1-2), non-fatal major complications (Clavien grades 3-4), and mortality (Clavien grade 5). Secondary outcomes included patient disposition and readmission rates. The study cohort comprised 106,752 patients, of which 61,188 (57.32%) were married. The overall incidence of minor complications, major complications, and death was 24.04%, 6.00%, and 0.71%, respectively. Marriage was associated with a significantly lower incidence of minor (RR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94-0.99) complications following open or radical nephrectomy and major complications (RR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.84-0.95) for all surgical types and approaches. There was no association between marital status and mortality (RR 0.94; 95% CI: 0.81-1.10). Marriage is associated with a significant reduction in major complications following kidney cancer surgery, likely because it is associated with greater social support, which is beneficial in the postoperative phase of care. Marital status and social support may play a role in the preoperative decision-making process and counseling for patients considering kidney cancer surgery.

Brazilian Registry of Interventional Cardiology during the COVID-19 Pandemic (RBCI-COVID19).

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with myocardial infarction (MI) took longer to present to hospitals because of fear of contamination and health care access difficulties. To assess interventional cardiology procedures performed during the COVID-19 pandemic and its implications for MI approach. Prospective registry of 24 cardiac catheterization laboratories in Brazil, with adult patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures between May 26 and November 30, 2020. The outcomes were cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV complications, death, and MI. Concomitant COVID-19 was confirmed using RT-PCR. Machine learning techniques were used with nonparametric Classification Trees models, and Simple Correspondence Analysis, with R statistical software package. Significance level adopted of 5%. This study included 1282 patients, 435 of whom (33.9%) had MI as follows: ST-segment elevation MI (STEMI), 239 (54.9%); and non-ST-segment elevation MI (NSTEMI), 196 (45.1%). Of the 1282 patients, 29 had CV complications, 47 had non-CV complications, and 31 died. The diagnosis of COVID-19 was confirmed in 77 patients (6%), with 15.58% mortality and non-CV complications in 6.49%. Most patients had significant coronary artery disease (63%), and an intracoronary thrombus was more often found in the presence of STEMI (3.4%) and COVID-19 (4%). A door-to-table time longer than 12 hours in NSTEMI was associated with 30.8% of complications, 25% in COVID-19 patients. All deaths were preceded by CV or non-CV complications. The presence of COVID-19 was associated with death and non-fatal complications of patients undergoing interventional cardiology procedures during the pandemic.

Drugs influencing on PCSK9 activity: modelling of efficacy in patients who had myocardial infarction with uncontrolled dyslipidemia

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide. It is possible to influence the development of these diseases by influencing their main pathogenetic link — dyslipidemia.Aim: to evaluate, using the example of alirocumab, the potential effect of drugs affecting the activity of PCSK9 on the achievement of goals for the prevention of the development of cardiovascular diseases and cardiovascular complications in patients of working age who had an acute myocardial infarction (MI) less than a year ago, with uncontrolled dyslipidemia.Materials and methods. The target group was created based on the Russian clinical guidelines; its number was calculated using Russian registry data. Based on the published results of the clinical trial of alirocumab ODYSSEY OUTCOMES in a group of patients with LDL cholesterol levels of more than 2.6 mmol/l (100 mg/dl), a model was built to estimate the number of fatal and non-fatal outcomes in the target group with standard therapy and with alirocumab.Results. The effect of alirocumab administration was modeled in patients of working age who had a myocardial infarction less than 12 months ago with an LDL cholesterol level of more than 5.0 mmol/l, the number of this group in the Russian Federation was estimated to be 3,029 people. It has been shown that with therapy in this group, mortality can be reduced by 29%, and the number of non-fatal cardiovascular events — by 22%, i. e. alirocumab therapy in this group for 2 years can prevent 29 deaths and 185 non-fatal events, with an increase in the duration of therapy to 5 years, the number of lives saved will be 117 and 401 non-fatal cardiovascular events will be prevented.Conclusion. Modeling has shown that alirocumab therapy in patients with recent myocardial infarction and LDL cholesterol levels above 5.0 mmol/L will significantly reduce mortality in this group and prevent the development of serious nonfatal cardiovascular complications, which will also reduce the burden on specialized hospitals, as well as prevent patients from becoming disabled. At the same time, decision making requires a balanced consideration of all ethical, clinical and economic aspects, including the assessment of costs and potential effects from the position of the of a willingness to pay and the formation of the budget of the health system.

Results of using transcatheter arterial embolization in gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding: a review of studies

The authors present the results of research comparing the efficacy and safety of different methods of hemostasis in patients with gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding. The work focuses on the possibilities of transcatheter arterial embolization (embolization of the syndrome-responsible arteries of the stomach and duodenum) in the treatment of this disorder. Objective. Based on information sources, to evaluate the potential of transcatheter arterial embolization in comparison with the results of surgical and endoscopic hemostasis in the management and prevention of recurrent gastroduodenal ulcer bleeding. Materials and methods. The authors analyzed data from 51 domestic and international information sources on the subject of this work. Results. Studies on the treatment of active ulcerative gastroduodenal bleeding refractory to endoscopic hemostasis, have demonstrated the advantage of transcatheter arterial embolization over surgical interventions in terms of the incidence of non-fatal surgical complications. Surgical interventions were associated with a lower incidence of recurrent bleeding compared to endovascular interventions. According to research results, there were no difference in overall mortality between the groups of endovascular and surgical hemostasis. The use of prophylactic transcatheter embolization of the syndrome-responsible artery in cases of ulcerative gastroduodenal bleeding in addition to effective primary endoscopic hemostasis showed promising results. In such cases, patients with initially high risk of hemorrhagic complications had significantly lower rate of recurrent bleeding, surgical complications, and mortality comparing to patients with effective primary endoscopic hemostasis but without subsequent transcatheter arterial embolization. Conclusion. Despite current advances in the field of surgery ulcerative gastroduodenal bleeding remains an acute medical and social problem that requires the search for new effective methods of hemostasis and prevention of recurrent hemorrhagic complications. In the majority of studies, transcatheter embolization of the syndrome-responsible arteries of the stomach and duodenum is used as such. Keywords: gastrointestinal ulcer bleeding, endoscopic hemostasis, transcatheter arterial embolization, prophylactic endovascular embolization

Trauma bypass performed by vascular surgeons demonstrate excellent long-term outcomes and limb preservation

ObjectiveLong-term outcomes in civilian trauma patients requiring upper or lower extremity revascularization is poorly studied secondary to limitations of certain large databases and the nature of the patients in this specific vascular subset. This study reports on the experience and outcomes of a Level 1 trauma center that serves both an urban and a large rural population over a 20-year period to identify bypass outcomes and surveillance protocols. MethodsDatabase of a single vascular group at an academic center was queried for trauma patients requiring upper or lower extremity revascularization between January 1, 2002, and June 30, 2022. Patient demographics, indications, operative details, operative mortality, 30-day nonoperative morbidity, revisions, subsequent major amputations, and follow-up data were analyzed. ResultsA total of 223 revascularizations were performed, 161 (72%) lower and 62 (28%) upper extremities. One hundred sixty-seven patients (74.9%) were male, with a mean age of 39 years (range, 3-89 years). Comorbidities included hypertension (n = 34; 15.3%), diabetes (n = 6; 2.7%), and tobacco use (n = 40; 17.9%). Mean follow-up time was 23 months (range, 1-234 months), with 90 patients (40.4%) lost to follow-up. Mechanisms included blunt trauma (n = 106; 47.5%), penetrating trauma (n = 83; 37.2%), and operative trauma (n = 34; 15.3%). Bypass conduit was reversed vein (n= 171; 76.7%), prosthetic (n = 34; 15.2%), and orthograde vein (n = 11; 4.9%). Bypass inflow artery was superficial femoral (n = 66; 41.0%), above-knee popliteal (n = 28; 17.4%), and common femoral (n = 20; 12.4%) in the lower extremity, and brachial (n = 41; 66.1%), axillary (n = 10; 16.1%), and radial (n = 6; 9.7%) in the upper extremity. Lower extremity outflow artery was posterior tibial (n = 47; 29.2%), below-knee popliteal (n = 41; 25.5%), superficial femoral (n = 16; 9.9%), dorsalis pedis (n = 10; 6.2%), common femoral (n = 9; 5.6%), and above-knee popliteal (n = 10; 6.2%). Upper extremity outflow artery was brachial (n = 34; 54.8%), radial (n = 13; 21.0%), and ulnar (n = 13; 21.0%). Total operative mortality was nine patients (4.0%), all involving lower extremity revascularization. Thirty-day non-fatal complications included immediate bypass occlusion (n = 11; 4.9%), wound infection (n = 8; 3.6%), graft infection (n = 4; 1.8%), and lymphocele/seroma (n = 7; 3.1%). All major amputations (n = 13; 5.8%) were early and in the lower extremity bypass group. Late revisions in the lower and upper extremity groups were 14 (8.7%) and four (6.4%), respectively. ConclusionsRevascularization for extremity trauma can be performed with excellent limb salvage rates and has demonstrated long-term durability with low limb loss and bypass revision rates. The poor compliance with long-term surveillance is concerning and may require adjustment in patient retention protocols; however, emergent returns for bypass failure are extremely low in our experience.

Impact of gender on the utilization of cardiac implantable devices and outcome: results from the German DEVICE registry

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: None. Background Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) are widely used in patients with life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias or systolic heart failure. Real world data regarding gender impact on ICD and CRT implantation and outcome is scarce. Purpose To investigate the impact of gender-specific differences on cardiac devices implantation and outcomes. Methods The German DEVICE registry is a nationwide prospective multicentre database of ICD and CRT devices implantation. A total of 5451 patients were prospectively enrolled in 44 centres between March 2007 and February 2014 and were monitored for a median of 17 months. Results A minority of patients in this registry was female 1050 (19.3%; mean age 64.4 ± 14.6 years; median BMI 27.2) while men represented 80.7% (mean age 65.5 ± 12.4 years; median BMI 26.8). Female patients were less likely to have a LVEF &amp;lt;35% (70.6% vs. 77.7%; p&amp;lt;0.0001) and more likely to have a LVEF &amp;gt;55% (13.3% vs. 6.6%; p&amp;lt;0.0001). Moreover, women were less likely to have coronary artery disease (42.3% vs. 64.7%; p&amp;lt;0.0001), history of myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, and coronary artery bypass graft (p&amp;lt;0.0001 for all). The rate of CRTs was significantly higher in women than in men (33.4% vs. 28.7%; p=0.0036). In terms of secondary prevention implantations, women were more likely to have history of ventricular fibrillation (VF; 50.7% vs. 37.2%; p&amp;lt;0.0001) but less likely to have history of ventricular tachycardia (VT; 34.5% vs. 47.5%; p&amp;lt;0.0001). The rates of major periprocedural complications and in-hospital complications were higher in women (3.3% vs. 1.7%; p=0.002 and 5.6% vs. 3.7%; p=0.0208). The Kaplan-Meier estimated 1-year all-cause mortality was 5.4% for women and 7.4% for men, while the overall mortality during follow-up was 10% for women and 14% for men (p=0.0004), with no gender differences in terms of death cause. Significantly less women received device shocks (14.2% vs. 17.5%; p=0.0260), while more women needed device revision during follow-up (10.9 % vs. 8.2%; p=0.0246). Similar rates of primary and secondary prevention indication were noted for female and male patients (p=0.9717). There was no difference between the groups regarding the need of postprocedural system revision (p=0.7884), as well as in-hospital death, cardiac death, or sudden cardiac death. The non-fatal complications during follow-up were comparable for men and women. Moreover, similar rates and durations of all cause and cardiac rehospitalizations were found (p=0.1644 and p= 0.1816). Conclusion In this real-life patient cohort only a minority of female patients were enrolled. Female patients were more likely to undergo CRT implantation and had a higher risk for acute major periprocedural complications and in-hospital complications but a lower overall mortality in 1-year follow-up. However, the differences in baseline characteristics should be considered as potential confounders.

Trauma Bypass Performed by Vascular Surgeons Demonstrate Excellent Long-term Outcomes and Limb Preservation

Long-term outcomes in civilian trauma patients requiring upper or lower extremity revascularization are poorly studied secondary to limitations of certain large databases and the nature of the patients in this specific vascular subset. This study reports on the experience and outcomes of a rural level one trauma center that provides virtually all follow-up care over a 20-year period to identify bypass failure modes and bypass surveillance protocols. Database of a single vascular group at an academic center was queried for trauma patients requiring upper or lower extremity revascularization between January 1, 2002, and June 30, 2022. Patient demographics, indications, operative details, operative mortality, 30-day nonoperative morbidity, revisions, subsequent major amputations, and follow-up data were analyzed. There were 223 revascularizations were performed—161 (72%) lower and 62 (28%) upper extremities. Of these patients. 167 (74.9%) were male with a mean age of 39 years (range, 3-89 years). Comorbidities included 34 (15.3%) with hypertension, 6 (2.7%) with diabetes, and 40 (17.9%) with tobacco use. Mean follow-up time was 23 months (range, 1-234 months), with 90 (40.4%) patients lost to follow-up. The mechanism of injury was blunt trauma in 106 (47.5%), penetrating trauma in 83 (37.2%), and operative trauma in 34 (15.3%). Bypass conduit was reversed vein in 170 (76.2%), prosthetic in 34 (15.3%), and orthograde vein in 14 (6.3%). Bypass inflow artery was the superficial femoral in 65 (40.4%), above-knee popliteal in 27 (16.8%), and common femoral in 22 (13.7%) in the lower extremity and brachial in 40 (64.5%), axillary in 10 (16.1%), and radial in 6 (9.7%) in the upper extremity. Lower extremity outflow artery was the posterior tibial in 47 (29.2%), below-knee popliteal in 41 (25.5%), superficial femoral in 15 (9.3%), dorsalis pedis in 11 (6.8%), common femoral in 10 (6.2%), and above-knee in popliteal 10 (6.2%). Upper extremity outflow artery was the brachial in 34 (54.8%), radial in 13 (20.9%), and ulnar in 13 (20.9%). Operative mortality was 10 (4.5%), all involving lower extremity revascularization. The 30-day nonfatal complications included immediate bypass occlusion in 11 (4.9%), wound infection in 7 (3.1%), graft infection in 6 (2.7%), and lymphocele/seroma in 5 (2.2%). All major amputations (13; 5.8%) were early and in the lower extremity bypass group. Late revisions in the lower and upper extremity groups were 14 (8.7%) and 2 (3.2%), respectively. Revascularization for extremity trauma can be performed with excellent limb salvage rates and have demonstrated long term durability with low limb loss and bypass revision rates. The poor compliance with long-term surveillance is concerning and may require adjustment in patient retention protocols, however emergent returns for bypass failure are extremely low in our experience.

Long-term outcomes following pipeline embolization of unruptured aneurysms.

Flow diversion using the pipeline embolization device (PED) for unruptured aneurysms is associated with high occlusion and low morbidity and mortality. However, most reports have limited follow-up of 1-2 years. Therefore, we sought to report our outcomes after PED for unruptured aneurysms in patients with at least 5-years of follow-up. Review of patients undergoing PED for unruptured aneurysms from 2009 to 2016. Overall, 135 patients with 138 aneurysms were included for analysis. Seventy-eight percent of aneurysms (n=107) over a median radiographic follow-up of 5.0 years underwent complete occlusion. Among aneurysms with at least 5-years of radiographic follow-up (n=71), 79% (n=56) achieved complete obliteration. No aneurysm recanalized after radiographic obliteration. Furthermore, over a median clinical follow-up period of 4.9 years, 84% of patients (n=115) self-reported mRS scores between 0 and 2. For patients with at least 5-years of clinical follow-up, 88% (n=61) reported mRS between 0 and 2. In total, 3% (n=4) of patients experienced a major, non-fatal neurologic complication related to the PED, 5% (n=7) of patients experienced a minor neurologic complication related to PED placement, and 2% (n=3) died from either delayed aneurysm rupture, delayed ipsilateral hemorrhage after PED placement, or delayed (9 months after treatment) neural compression after progressive thrombosis of a PED-treated dolichoectactic vertebrobasilar aneurysm. Treatment of unruptured aneurysms with the PED is associated with high rates of long-term angiographic occlusion and low, albeit clinically important, rates of major neurologic morbidity and mortality. Thus, flow diversion via PED placement is safe, effective, and durable.

Precision Medicine in Fatty Liver Disease/Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most prevalent chronic liver disease, and is related to fatal and non-fatal liver, metabolic, and cardiovascular complications. Its non-invasive diagnosis and effective treatment remain an unmet clinical need. NAFLD is a heterogeneous disease that is most commonly present in the context of metabolic syndrome and obesity, but not uncommonly, may also be present without metabolic abnormalities and in subjects with normal body mass index. Therefore, a more specific pathophysiology-based subcategorization of fatty liver disease (FLD) is needed to better understand, diagnose, and treat patients with FLD. A precision medicine approach for FLD is expected to improve patient care, decrease long-term disease outcomes, and develop better-targeted, more effective treatments. We present herein a precision medicine approach for FLD based on our recently proposed subcategorization, which includes the metabolic-associated FLD (MAFLD) (i.e., obesity-associated FLD (OAFLD), sarcopenia-associated FLD (SAFLD, and lipodystrophy-associated FLD (LAFLD)), genetics-associated FLD (GAFLD), FLD of multiple/unknown causes (XAFLD), and combined causes of FLD (CAFLD) as well as advanced stage fibrotic FLD (FAFLD) and end-stage FLD (ESFLD) subcategories. These and other related advances, as a whole, are expected to enable not only improved patient care, quality of life, and long-term disease outcomes, but also a considerable reduction in healthcare system costs associated with FLD, along with more options for better-targeted, more effective treatments in the near future.

Population-based assessment of cardiovascular complications of rheumatic heart disease in Fiji: a record-linkage analysis

ObjectiveTo determine population-based rates of non-fatal complications of rheumatic heart disease (RHD).DesignRetrospective cohort study based on multiple sources of routine clinical and administrative data amalgamated by probabilistic record-linkage.SettingFiji, an upper-middle-income...