James M. Brown

Isolated aortic valve replacement in North America comprising 108,687 patients in 10 years: changes in risks, valve types, and outcomes in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database.

OBJECTIVEnMore than 200,000 aortic valve replacements are performed annually worldwide. We describe changes in the aortic valve replacement population during 10 years in a large registry and analyze outcomes.nnnMETHODSnThe Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database was queried for all isolated aortic valve replacements between January 1, 1997, and December 31, 2006. After exclusion for endocarditis and missing age or sex data, 108,687 isolated aortic valve replacements were analyzed. Time-related trends were assessed by comparing distributions of risk factors, valve types, and outcomes in 1997 versus 2006. Differences in case mix were summarized by comparing average predicted mortality risks with a logistic regression model. Differences across subgroups and time were assessed.nnnRESULTSnThere was a dramatic shift toward use of bioprosthetic valves. Aortic valve replacement recipients in 2006 were older (mean age 65.9 vs 67.9 years, P < .001) with higher predicted operative mortality risk (2.75 vs 3.25, P < .001); however, observed mortality and permanent stroke rate fell (by 24% and 27%, respectively). Female sex, age older than 70 years, and ejection fraction less than 30% were all related to higher mortality, higher stroke rate and longer postoperative stay. There was a 39% reduction in mortality with preoperative renal failure.nnnCONCLUSIONSnMorbidity and mortality of isolated aortic valve replacement have fallen, despite gradual increases in patient age and overall risk profile. There has been a shift toward bioprostheses. Women, patients older than 70 years, and patients with ejection fraction less than 30% have worse outcomes for mortality, stroke, and postoperative stay.

Trends in Mitral Valve Surgery in the United States: Results From The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Database

BACKGROUNDnThe purpose of this study is to examine trends in mitral valve (MV) repair and replacement surgery using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (STS ACSD).nnnMETHODSnThe study population included isolated mitral valve operations performed between January 2000 and December 2007 at 910 hospitals participating in the STS ACSD. Patients with endocarditis, prior cardiac operation, shock, emergency operation, and concomitant coronary artery bypass graft or aortic valve surgery were excluded.nnnRESULTSnDuring the 8-year study period, 58,370 patients underwent isolated primary MV operations. For patients with isolated mitral regurgitation (n = 47,126), the rate of MV repair (versus replacement) increased from 51% to 69% (p < 0.0001). Among patients having replacement (n = 24,404), there has been a pronounced decline in the use of mechanical valves: 68% to 37% (p < 0.0001). The operative mortality for MV replacement was consistently higher than that for repair (3.8% versus 1.4%), a finding that persisted after risk-adjustment (adjusted odds ratio 0.52, 95% confidence interval: 0.45 to 0.59; p < 0.0001). Among patients having elective isolated MV repair (n = 28,140), the operative mortality was 1.2%. For asymptomatic (class I) patients, operative mortality was 0.6%.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis study documents several important trends in MV surgery, including the progressive adoption of mitral valve repair and increasing use of bioprosthetic replacement valves. Operative risks of MV repair are significantly lower than those for MV replacement. Operative mortality for isolated elective mitral valve repair is 1% in contemporary clinical practice.

Aortic Valve Bypass Surgery Midterm Clinical Outcomes in a High-Risk Aortic Stenosis Population

Background— Aortic valve bypass (AVB; apicoaortic conduit) surgery relieves aortic stenosis (AS) by shunting blood from the apex of the left ventricle to the descending thoracic aorta through a valved conduit. We have performed AVB surgery as an alternative to conventional aortic valve replacement for high-risk AS patients. Methods and Results— Between 2003 and 2007, 31 high-risk AS patients were treated with AVB surgery. Twenty-two patients (71%) were undergoing reoperation with patent coronary bypass grafts, and 5 (16%) had a porcelain ascending aorta. The average age was 81 years. Cardiopulmonary bypass was used for 19 of 31 patients (61%); the median duration of cardiopulmonary bypass was 19 minutes. Cross-clamp time for all patients was 0 minutes. Perioperative mortality was 13% (4 of 31 patients); no perioperative deaths occurred in the last 16 consecutive patients. One patient experienced a stroke related to intraoperative hypotension. No strokes have occurred during follow-up. Renal function was unchanged after AVB (preoperative creatinine, 1.3±0.5 mg/dL; postoperative creatinine, 1.2±0.5 mg/dL). The mean gradient across the native aortic valve decreased from 43.5±15 to 10.4±5.4 mm Hg. Echocardiographically determined conduit flow expressed as a percentage of total cardiac output was 72±12%. Conclusions— AVB surgery is an important therapeutic option for high-risk patients with symptomatic AS. Ventricular outflow is distributed in a predictable fashion between the conduit and the left ventricular outflow tract, and AVB surgery reliably relieves AS. Stroke and renal dysfunction were uncommon.

Management of traumatic aortic rupture: a 30-year experience.

ObjectiveTo present the authors’ 30-year experience with traumatic aortic rupture (TAR). Summary Background DataTAR is a highly lethal injury. Most institutions manage a small number of cases, and most surgeons receive only modest exposure during training. MethodsBetween 1971 and 2001, the authors operated on 219 patients with a diagnosis of TAR. Diagnosis of TAR since 1994 has been based exclusively on the use of contrast-enhanced spiral computed tomography, with angiography reserved for equivocal cases (periaortic mediastinal hematoma without aortic wall abnormalities). Patients were divided according to surgical technique. Eighty-two patients (group A) were operated on with a clamp-and-sew technique. Sixty-four patients (group B) underwent surgery with the use of a passive shunt, and 73 patients (group C) were treated using heparin-less partial cardiopulmonary bypass. ResultsMortality was 18 patients for group A (21.9%), 23 patients for group B (35.9%), and 13 patients for group C (17.8%) (P = .03). Paraplegia occurred in 15 of 64 survivors in group A (23.4%), 7 of 41 survivors in group B (17%), and 0 of 60 survivors in group C (P = .0005). Aortic occlusion without lower body perfusion for longer than 30 minutes (P = .004) and surgical technique without lower body bypass support (P = .0005) were associated with paraplegia. ConclusionsSurgery for TAR based on spiral computed tomography screening and diagnosis is reliable. The use of heparin-less distal cardiopulmonary bypass in the authors’ hands is safe and is associated with a reduced incidence of paraplegia.

Endovascular stenting for traumatic aortic injury: an emerging new standard of care.

BACKGROUNDnThoracic aortic injury remains a leading cause of death after blunt trauma. Thoracic aortic stents have the potential to treat aortic tears using a less invasive approach. We have accumulated the largest series of patients treated with blunt thoracic aortic injury over a 2-year period.nnnMETHODSnFrom July 2005 to present, 26 patients presenting with blunt aortic injury were treated with thoracic aortic endografting; these patients were retrospectively compared with the prior 26 patients presenting with similar aortic injury who were treated by open surgical repair. A Severity Characterization of Trauma score calculated for each patient predicts mortality based on severity of injury and degree of physiologic derangement on presentation.nnnRESULTSnPatients treated with endografting had a significantly shorter length of stay, less intraoperative blood loss, decreased 24-hour blood transfusion, and lower incidence of postoperative tracheostomy compared with patients undergoing open repair. Survival in both groups was similar despite a trend toward higher injury severity among patients treated with endografting.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThis early experience suggests that aortic endografting may provide a safe and efficient treatment of aortic tears that cardiac surgeons can be successful in employing.

Mitral Valve Infective Endocarditis: Benefit of Early Operation and Aggressive Use of Repair

BACKGROUNDnIn-hospital mortality rates for left-sided infective endocarditis (IE) exceed 20%. We investigated the outcomes of an aggressive approach to mitral valve IE that emphasizes early surgical intervention and preferential performance of mitral valve repair.nnnMETHODSnWe reviewed 89 consecutive operations in 87 patients for native mitral valve IE at a single institution from 2002 to 2007. Operations occurred promptly after completion of preoperative studies. Independent risk factors for death were investigated using multivariable logistic regression.nnnRESULTSnMitral valve repair was accomplished in 56 of 89 patients (63%). Perioperative mortality was 4.4% (n = 4). Survival rates at 1 and 5 years were 89.9% (80 of 89) and 82.0% (73 of 90). There was a survival benefit for repair vs replacement at 1 (p = 0.03) and 5 years (p = 0.0017). Repair vs replacement (odds ratio [OR], 0.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.72), diabetes (OR, 4.43; 95% CI, 1.18 to 16.66), and renal failure (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 1.3 to 12.91) were independent risk factors for late mortality. Among 59 patients with active IE, preoperative head computed tomography (CT) showed 29 (49%) had abnormalities, including 12 (41%) with intracerebral hemorrhage. The median interval was 4 days from admission to operation. The rate of permanent postoperative stroke was 1.1% (1 of 89).nnnCONCLUSIONSnThese results support early surgical therapy for mitral valve IE. Head CT abnormalities do not warrant delay of operation. Mitral valve repair was associated with a long-term survival advantage compared with valve replacement.

Perioperative management of aspirin resistance after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting: possible role for aprotinin

BACKGROUND: Aspirin is the only drug proven to reduce saphenous vein graft (SVG) failure, but aspirin resistance (ASA‐R) frequently occurs after off‐pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB). The factors, mechanism, and best means for preventing and/or treating ASA‐R have not been established. This study hypothesizes that thrombin production during OPCAB stimulates this acquired ASA‐R.

Military ethics and professionalism: a collection of essays

Abstract : Contents: Moral and ethical foundations of military professionalism; Ethics in the military profession: The continuing tension; Competence as ethical imperative: Issues of professionalism; Modernism vs Pre-modernism: The need to rethink the basis of military organizational forms; and The six-million dollar G-3: Army professionalism in the computer age.

Variation In Red Blood Cell Transfusion Practices During Cardiac Operations Among Centers In Maryland: Results From a State Quality-Improvement Collaborative.

BACKGROUNDnVariation in red blood cell (RBC) transfusion practices exists at cardiac surgery centers across the nation. We tested the hypothesis that significant variation in RBC transfusion practices between centers in our states cardiac surgery quality collaborative remains even after risk adjustment.nnnMETHODSnUsing a multiinstitutional statewide database created by the Maryland Cardiac Surgery Quality Initiative (MCSQI), we included patient-level data from 8,141 patients undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass (CAB) or aortic valve replacement at 1 of 10 centers. Risk-adjusted multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to predict the need for any intraoperative RBC transfusion, as well as for any postoperative RBC transfusion, with anonymized center number included as a factor variable.nnnRESULTSnUnadjusted intraoperative RBC transfusion probabilities at the 10 centers ranged from 13% to 60%; postoperative RBC transfusion probabilities ranged from 16% to 41%. After risk adjustment with demographic, comorbidity, and operative data, significant intercenter variability was documented (intraoperative probability range, 4% -59%; postoperative probability range, 13%-39%). When stratifying patients by preoperative hematocrit quartiles, significant variability in intraoperative transfusion probability was seen among all quartiles (lowest quartile: mean hematocrit value, 30.5% ± 4.1%, probability range, 17%-89%; highest quartile: mean hematocrit value, 44.8% ± 2.5%; probability range, 1%-35%).nnnCONCLUSIONSnSignificant variation in intercenter RBC transfusion practices exists for both intraoperative and postoperative transfusions, even after risk adjustment, among our states centers. Variability in intraoperative RBC transfusion persisted across quartiles of preoperative hematocrit values.

Aortic valve bypass for aortic stenosis: imaging appearances on multidetector CT

ObjectAortic valve bypass is a technique used in high-risk patients with critical aortic stenosis that consists of placement of a conduit from the left ventricular apex to descending aorta. We describe the imaging appearances of this apicoaortic conduit on multidetector CT (MDCT).MethodsEach patient underwent retrospective ECG-gated MDCT using a 16-detector-row scanner several days after placement of an apicoaortic conduit. All images were assessed by two radiologists who reviewed the appearance of the apicoaortic conduit and any post-operative complications. Follow-up studies were available for several patients.ResultsTwelve patients (9 men, 3 women, mean age - 78xa0years) underwent evaluation and the conduit was visible in each. The valve within the conduit was visible in ten (91%) of the 11 patients who received intravenous contrast material. Common findings were periconduit outpouching and hypoperfusion involving the left ventricle. Complications included pericardial hemorrhage, hemothorax and ventricular pseudoaneurysm. Mild to moderate increase in wall thinning was identified in the three patients who underwent follow-up imaging.ConclusionAortic valve bypass with an apicoaortic conduit appears to be a feasible alternative to aortic valve replacement in high-risk patients. MDCT is an excellent method to assess the imaging features of such conduits.