Carlos Porras

Incidence, associated factors and evolution of non-severe functional mitral regurgitation in patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing aortic valve replacement

INTRODUCTION In order to improve the prognosis, repair of severe mitral regurgitation should be undertaken at the same time as aortic valve replacement in patients with severe aortic valve stenosis. However, mitral regurgitation may be secondary to pressure overload or ventricular dysfunction and improve after surgery. AIM To assess the incidence of non-severe functional mitral regurgitation before and after isolated aortic valve replacement and determine its influence on the postoperative course. METHODS The clinical and surgical characteristics were compared in a cohort of 577 consecutive patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement. RESULTS The mean age was 68.4+/-9.2 years (44% women). Non-severe functional mitral valve regurgitation was detected prior to surgery in 26.5% of the patients. These patients were older (p=0.009), more often had ventricular dysfunction (p=0.005) and pulmonary hypertension (0.002), and had been admitted more frequently for heart failure (0.002), with fewer of them conserving sinus rhythm (p<0.001). Additionally, the pre-surgery existence of mitral regurgitation was associated with greater morbidity and mortality (10.5% vs 5.6%; p=0.025). The mitral regurgitation disappeared or improved prior to hospital discharge in 56.2% and 15.6%, respectively. Independent factors predicting this improvement were the presence of coronary lesions (OR 3.7, p=0.038), and the absence of diabetes (OR 0.28, p=0.011) and pulmonary hypertension (0.33, p=0.046). CONCLUSIONS The presence of intermediate degree mitral regurgitation in patients undergoing isolated aortic valve replacement increases morbidity and mortality. However, a high percentage of those who do survive experience disappearance or improvement of the mitral regurgitation.

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction with mitral mechanical prosthesis

Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction after mitral valve replacement may occur when the native mitral apparatus is preserved intact. Although it has usually been reported using bioprostheses, we present one case using a low-profile mechanical prosthesis. The reduction of left ventricular dimensions and valvular redundancy contributed to this complication. We obtained definitive relief of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction by transaortic exposure and partial resection of the obstructing tissue with the help of video-assisted cardioscopy.

Influence of Sex on Perioperative Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES The influence of sex on the prognosis of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for severe stenosis is unclear. Nevertheless, a number of studies have regarded sex as an independent risk factor. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of sex on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing valve replacement for severe aortic stenosis. METHODS This retrospective study involved 577 consecutive patients who underwent aortic valve replacement surgery for severe aortic stenosis between 1996 and April 2007. RESULTS Women (44% of patients) were older than men (70.3+/-7.9 years vs. 66.8+/-9.8 years; P< .001), had a smaller body surface area (1.68+/-0.15 m(2) vs. 1.83+/-0.16 m(2); P< .001), more often had arterial hypertension (73% vs. 49%; P< .001), diabetes mellitus (33.5% vs. 24.5%; P=.001) and ventricular hypertrophy (89.1% vs. 83.1%; P< .001), and less often had coronary artery disease (19.1% vs. 31.8%; P< .001) and severe ventricular dysfunction (7.9% vs. 17.4%; P< .001). Nevertheless, women more often suffered acute myocardial infarction perioperatively (3.9% vs. 0.9%; P=.016), had a low cardiac output in the postoperative period (30.3% vs. 22.3%; P=.016) and experienced greater perioperative mortality (13% vs. 7.4%; P=.019) than men. However, after adjustment for various confounding factors, female sex was not a significant independent risk factor for mortality (odds ratio = 2.40; 95% confidence interval, 0.79-7.26; P=.119). CONCLUSIONS Perioperative mortality in women with severe aortic stenosis who underwent valve replacement was high. However, after adjustment for potential confounding factors, particularly body surface area, female sex was not an independent risk factor for mortality.

Long-Term Predictors of Mortality and Functional Recovery After Aortic Valve Replacement for Severe Aortic Stenosis With Left Ventricular Dysfunction

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES At present, surgery is the only recommended effective treatment for severe aortic stenosis. However, the surgical risk is increased when left ventricular dysfunction is present. The aim of this study was to identify predictors of postoperative and long-term mortality and functional improvement after valve replacement in patients with severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction. METHODS Between 1996 and 2008, 635 consecutive patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent surgery. Early postoperative mortality in the 82 with an ejection fraction <40% was 19.5%. The following independent predictors of early postoperative mortality were identified: female sex (odds ratio [OR]=2.60; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.20-89.0; P=.004), mild mitral regurgitation (OR=2.38; 95% CI, 1.40-80.0; P=.020) and coronary artery disease (OR=2.09; 95% CI, 1.26-51.0; P=.027). RESULTS During the mean follow-up period of 42.59+/-40.83 months, overall mortality was 18.8% and cardiovascular mortality was 11.3%. The only factor associated with increased mortality during follow-up was a low postoperative cardiac output (OR=4.40; 95% CI, 1.20-15.5; P=.02). In total, 70.5% showed early improvement in ventricular function, the predictors of which were: no improvement following a previous myocardial infarction (P=.04), no revascularized coronary lesions (P=.04), and a low aortic valve pressure gradient (P=.02). Functional class improved significantly during follow-up in 93.4% of patients. CONCLUSIONS Despite considerable early postoperative mortality in patients with aortic stenosis and left ventricular dysfunction, over the long term there was evidence of better survival coupled to improved ventricular function and functional class.

Off-pump surgery in preventing perioperative stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting: a retrospective multicentre study

OBJECTIVES To determine the effect of the off-pump technique in preventing stroke development during the early perioperative period after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). METHODS Patients undergoing isolated CABG surgery were enrolled from 21 Spanish cardiac-surgery centres. Baseline variables related to perioperative stroke risk were recorded in the preoperative (age, gender, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, prior stroke, cardiac failure: preoperative New York Heart Association class III-IV and/or left ventricular ejection fraction <40%, non-elective priority of surgery, peripheral arteriopathy, chronic renal failure) and intraoperative periods (on/off-pump performance). The Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group (NNECDSG) stroke risk schema was used to stratify stroke risk and compare observed neurological outcomes in this study. RESULTS A total of 26 347 patients were included in the study. Global perioperative stroke incidence was 1.38%. Non-elective priority of surgery (OR = 2.37), peripheral arteriopathy (OR = 1.62), cardiac failure (OR = 2.98), prior stroke (OR = 1.57) and chronic renal failure (OR = 6.16) were found to be independent risk factors for perioperative stroke in uni- and multivariate models; Hosmer-Lemeshow test: χ(2) = 4.62, P = 0.59. Perioperative stroke incidence increased whenever NNECDSG score or the number of preoperative risk factors increased. However, on- vs off-pump surgery did not show statistical differences in NNECDSG strata. For patients with two or more preoperative independent risk factors, off-pump surgery showed a significant reduction in perioperative stroke incidence (4.29 vs 6.76%, P < 0.05), particularly when one of these factors was chronic renal failure or preoperative cardiac failure. However, when both factors were present concomitantly there was no difference between on and off-pump techniques, P < 0.0001. CONCLUSIONS Off-pump surgery has a lower perioperative stroke incidence than on-pump only in cases associated with cardiovascular stroke-risk factors, in particular, with chronic renal failure and preoperative cardiac failure, but also with peripheral arteriopathy, prior stroke and non-elective surgery. The perioperative stroke rate remains high in cases with two or more preoperative stroke risk factors, even when using the off-pump technique, particularly when chronic renal failure is present.

Mixoma de gran tamaño en la aurícula derecha

Describimos el caso de un paciente en el que la ecocardiografia bidimensional, realizada en estudio por colestasis disociada, demostro la existencia de una gran masa en la auricula derecha que prolapsaba en ventriculo el derecho. Se realizo ecocardiografia transesofagica intraoperatoria para delimitar las dimensiones y caracteristicas de la masa con lo que se descarto la afectacion de estructuras asociadas. El paciente fue intervenido bajo circulacion extracorporea, extirpandose una gran masa de 12 × 5 cm, sin ninguna complicacion posterior. El estudio histologico demostro que se trataba de un mixoma. El interes del caso se centra en el diagnostico tras la sospecha del medico por el patron de colestasis disociada e ingurgitacion yugular y la reseccion quirurgica, que evito posibles complicaciones embolicas que por el tamano de la masa pudieron ser fatales.

Coronary Bypass Grafting to a “Full-Metal Jacket” Left Anterior Descending Artery

An increasing number of patients are being referred for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) after several previous percutaneous coronary interventions. We report a 70-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, diabetes, and chronic ischemic heart disease, who had undergone several previous percutaneous procedures and multiple stenting of the left anterior descending artery (LAD). She was admitted with unstable angina. Coronary angiogram revealed a proximally occluded LAD covered with multiple patent stents extending to its distal portion (Fig 1, arrows). After a failed attempt at angioplasty, she was referred for urgent CABG.

Minimally Invasive Approach for Valvular Surgery and Atrial Septal Defect

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A multicentre Spanish study for multivariate prediction of perioperative in-hospital cerebrovascular accident after coronary bypass surgery: the PACK2 score

OBJECTIVES To develop a multivariate predictive risk score of perioperative in-hospital stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. METHOD A total of 26 347 patients were enrolled from 21 Spanish hospital databases. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the risk of perioperative stroke (ictus or transient ischaemic attack). The predictive scale was developed from a training set of data and validated by an independent test set, both selected randomly. The assessment of the accuracy of prediction was related to the area under the ROC curve. The variables considered were: preoperative (age, gender, diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, previous stroke, cardiac failure and/or left ventricular ejection fraction<40%, non-elective priority of surgery, extracardiac arteriopathy, chronic kidney failure and/or creatininemia≥2 mg/dl and atrial fibrillation) and intraoperative (on/off-pump). RESULTS Global perioperative stroke incidence was 1.38%. Non-elective priority of surgery (priority; OR=2.32), vascular disease (arteriopathy; OR=1.37), cardiac failure (cardiac; OR=3.64) and chronic kidney failure (kidney; OR=6.78) were found to be independent risk factors for perioperative stroke in uni- and multivariate models in the training set of data; P<0.0001; AUC=0.77, 95% CI 0.73-0.82. The PACK2 stroke CABG score was established with 1 point for each item, except for chronic kidney failure with 2 points (range 0-5 points); AUC=0.76, 95% CI 0.72-0.80. In patients with PACK2 score≥2 points, off-pump reduced perioperative stoke incidence by 2.3% when compared with on-pump CABG. CONCLUSIONS PACK2 risk scale shows good predictive accuracy in the data analysed and could be useful in clinical practice for decision making and patient selection.

Increased blood levels of transforming growth factor β in patients with aortic dilatation

OBJECTIVES Recent studies have shown that patients with syndromic thoracic aortic aneurysm, particularly patients with bicuspid aortic valve, have increased blood levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), indicating this molecule as a prognostic biomarker. However, it is not known whether TGF-β1 is also elevated in the blood of patients with tricuspid aortic valve and aortic dilatation. METHODS We analysed the plasma levels of TGF-β1 in 52 patients with tricuspid or bicuspid aortic valve and with normal or dilated ascending aorta who underwent cardiac surgery in our hospital. RESULTS TGF-β1 blood level was significantly increased two-fold in patients with tricuspid aortic valve and dilated aorta compared to patients with tricuspid aortic valve and normal aorta. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that TGF-β1 blood levels may serve as a prognostic biomarker for patients with syndromic and non-syndromic thoracic aortic aneurysm. Further studies with larger cohorts of patients should be performed to confirm these results.