Luca Salvi

Cardiopulmonary bypass duration is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine if there is a direct relationship between the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB time [CPBT]) and postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN Retrospective study. SETTING Cardiac surgery unit, university hospital. PARTICIPANTS Five thousand six patients, New York Heart Association classes 1 through 4, who underwent cardiac surgery between January 2002 and March 2008. INTERVENTIONS All patients were subjected to CPB. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The mean CPBT was 115 minutes (median 106). One hundred thirty-one patients (2.6%) died during the same hospitalization. The postoperative median blood loss was 600 mL. Reoperations for bleeding occurred in 193 patients (3.9%), and 1,001 patients received 3 or more units of red blood cells. There were 108 patients (2.2%) with neurologic sequelae, 391 patients (7.8%) with renal complications, 37 patients (0.7%) with abdominal complications, and 184 patients (3.7%) with respiratory complications. Seventy-two patients (1.4%) had an infective complication, and 80 patients (1.6%) had a postoperative multiorgan failure. The multivariate analysis confirmed the role of CPBT, considered in 30-minute increments, as an independent risk factor for postoperative death (odds ratio [OR] = 1.57, p < 0.0001), pulmonary (OR = 1.17, p < 0.0001), renal (OR 1.31, p < 0.0001), and neurologic complications (OR = 1.28, p < 0.0001), multiorgan failure (OR = 1.21, p < 0.0001), reoperation for bleeding (OR = 1.1, p = 0.0165), and multiple blood transfusions (OR = 1.58, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Prolonged CPB duration independently predicts postoperative morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery.

N-acetylcysteine for prevention of acute renal failure in patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing cardiac surgery: a prospective, randomized, clinical trial.

Objective:To assess the preventive effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine on postoperative acute renal failure in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing cardiac surgery. Design:Randomized, placebo-controlled, prospective study. Setting:University cardiology center. Patients:Two hundred fifty-four consecutive patients with chronic renal insufficiency (estimated creatinine clearance ≤60 mL/min) undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Interventions:Patients were randomized to receive N-acetylcysteine (n = 129) or placebo (n = 125). Patients of the N-acetylcysteine group received four boluses of intravenous N-acetylcysteine (1200 mg every 12 hrs, starting immediately before cardiac surgery). Measurements and Main Results:The incidence of postoperative acute renal failure (>25% increase in serum creatinine from baseline) and the in-hospital clinical course were evaluated. Acute renal failure occurred in 46% of patients and was associated with increased in-hospital mortality (7% vs. 0.7%; p = .024). It occurred in 52% of control patients and 40% of N-acetylcysteine-treated patients (p = .06). In-hospital mortality and need for renal replacement therapy were not affected by N-acetylcysteine, but a lower percentage of N-acetylcysteine-treated patients required mechanical ventilation prolonged for >48 hrs (3% vs. 18%; p < .001) and had an intensive care unit stay >4 days (13% vs. 33%; p < .001). Conclusions:Intravenous administration of N-acetylcysteine does not clearly prevent postoperative acute renal failure in patients with renal insufficiency undergoing cardiac surgery.

Percutaneous pericardiocentesis versus subxiphoid pericardiotomy in cardiac tamponade due to postoperative pericardial effusion

In a retrospective study, 42 patients with acute cardiac tamponade due to pericardial effusion were evaluated following cardiac surgery, and the pericardial fluid was drained by one of two alternative methods: two-dimensional echocardiographic-guided pericardiocentesis (2D-echo) or subxiphoid surgical pericardiotomy. During the first period (from 1982 to 1986), one of the two methods was chosen by the treating physicians, whereas in the second period (from 1986 to 1991), 2D-echo-guided pericardiocentesis was the treatment of choice. Percutaneous pericardiocentesis was performed using local anesthesia in 29 patients. A Tuohy needle was inserted at the left xipho-costal junction and, when fluid was obtained, 6 mL of saline solution was injected during 2D-echo contrast monitoring, and a multiple-hole, 6F, 30-cm catheter was inserted by means of a guidewire and positioned into the posterior pericardium, as near as possible to the atrioventricular groove. Complete drainage of pericardial fluid by percutaneous pericardiocentesis was obtained in 26 patients (89%). This procedure also allowed the evacuation of posterior and loculated effusions. Complications included two right ventricular punctures, which were immediately recognized by 2D-echo contrast and produced no serious consequences. Sixteen patients who underwent surgical pericardiotomy had complete evacuation of pericardial fluid without major complications (two of them suffered atrial arrhythmias during the procedure). The average amount of fluid drained, as well as the localization of the effusions, were the same for both groups. 2D-echo-guided pericardiocentesis was found to be a useful, safe, and simple technique. It can be used as an alternative treatment to subxiphoid pericardiotomy for cardiac tamponade due to postoperative pericardial effusions.

Pre-operative transthoracic real-time three-dimensional echocardiography in patients undergoing mitral valve repair: accuracy in cases with simple vs. complex prolapse lesions

AIMS The aim of this study, undertaken in patients who underwent mitral valve (MV) repair surgery, was to evaluate the accuracy of pre-operative three-dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) in the evaluation of MV pathology in cases with simple or complex lesions. METHODS AND RESULTS Two hundred consecutive patients with severe mitral regurgitation due to degenerative MV prolapse underwent a complete 3DTTE the day before surgery. Three-dimensional TTE data were compared with MV surgical inspection. Three-dimensional echocardiography was feasible in a relatively short time (5 ± 3 min) with good (67%) and optimal (21%) imaging quality in the majority of cases. Three-dimensional TTE allowed an accurate identification (95% accuracy) of all MV lesions. Seventy-three (36.5%) patients had simple lesions at 3DTTE and 71 of them (97.2%) underwent a simple surgical procedure; 127 (63.5%) had complex lesions at 3DTTE and, in these cases, surgeons performed either simple procedures (48%) or complex procedures (47.2%) or valve replacement in 4.7% (after a first attempt for repair). CONCLUSION Three-dimensional TTE is feasible, not time-consuming, and accurate in identifying cases with simple vs. complex MV lesions.

Isolated ultrafiltration in cardiogenic pulmonary edema

Twenty patients (ten with mitral and/or aortic valve disease and ten with ischemic heart disease, all in the New York Heart Association class IV, aged between 18 and 74 yr, with cardiogenic pulmonary edema unresponsive to drug treatment) were treated with polysulphone membrane ultrafiltration (UF) in a veno-venous circuit. All patients had dyspnea, pulmonary rales, hypoxemia, tachycardia, hypotension, overhydration, radiologic evidence of engorged pulmonary vasculature, and Kerley-B lines.Systemic and pulmonary arterial pressures, cardiac output (by thermodilution), and intrapulmonary shunt fraction (Qsp/Qt) were determined and chest x-ray was obtained at the beginning and the end of UF. Average duration of the treatment was 150 ± 28 min; UF volume averaged 3000 ± 170 ml. UF reduced the Qsp/Qt by 58% from control condition, and did not significantly affect hemodynamic variables. Chest x-rays documented clearing of alveolar edema and venous congestion. These changes were associated with unequivocal clinical improvement and no mechanical ventilation was necessary to improve gas exchange. Short-term fluid subtraction did not result in undesired circulatory alterations. Because the ultrafiltrate composition is similar to plasmatic fluid, no modification in the plasma osmolarity was detected.In conclusion, UF may be considered an effective tool for the treatment of acute pulmonary edema refractory to drug therapy, as an alternative to mechanical ventilation, and as a remedy for excessive extravascular lung water.

Transcatheter vs. surgical aortic valve replacement: A retrospective analysis assessing clinical effectiveness and safety

Objective To compare, in terms of clinical effectiveness and safety, patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with those who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement (S-AVR) for the treatment of severe aortic stenosis during the same period. Methods One hundred and eighty-seven consecutive patients were included: 81 with S-AVR and 106 with TAVI. Primary and secondary outcomes were reported in accordance with published reporting guidelines for valve surgery. A propensity matching model was computed in the attempt to reduce confounding effects of covariates. Results Thirty-day mortality and morbidity, as well as follow-up events, did not differ between the two therapeutic options, except for ICU stay, in favor of TAVI, and occurrence of pleural effusions, in favor of S-AVR. TAVI accomplished significant mean aortic gradient reduction (better than S-AVR in the immediate postoperative and at least comparable at follow-up) and improvement in valve area and functional class (always higher than S-AVR). Although for the first year, survival was at least comparable between TAVI and S-AVR (both whole and matched groups); at later times, TAVI all-cause and noncardiac mortality was higher in the whole sample, as expected from age and comorbidities of TAVI patients. At later follow-up, in the matched subsamples, 1-year mortality rates were replicated, with a significantly higher incidence of cardiac deaths in S-AVR patients. Conclusion TAVI morbidity and mortality registered in this series are lower than those estimated for conventional surgery in high-risk patients and compare to those associated with S-AVR in good surgical candidates.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the operating room: early experience

Objective Aortic stenosis is the most common valvular heart disease in the Western world and the proportion of patients unsuitable for conventional surgery is increasing as a result of aging and comorbidities. We report our early experience with transcatheter aortic valve implantation in high-risk patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis. Methods Transcatheter Edwards-SAPIEN valve implantation was attempted in 22 patients (80 ± 5 years) in whom surgical risk was deemed excessive because of older age, poor left ventricular function, comorbidities, or all. A retrograde transarterial approach was used in 15 cases. In seven cases, valve implantation was performed by transapical approach because of aortic or iliac artery tortuosity, or both, and stenosis. All procedures were performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. Rapid ventricular pacing was used to reduce cardiac output while delivering balloon-expandable prosthesis. Results One patient died because of aortic dissection during early catheterization maneuvers. In the remaining patients, procedural success was achieved in all cases. Successful valve replacement was associated with an increase in transthoracic echocardiographic valve area from 0.65 ± 0.14 to 2.2 ± 0.4 cm2 and significant improvement in clinical condition. During the course of this experience, we encountered three (13.6%) cases of vascular complications related to transcatheter aortic valve implantation procedures. Conclusion The present study confirms the excellent hemodynamic performances of the transcatheter-implanted aortic prosthesis, with both transarterial and transapical approaches, in inoperable candidates with end-stage aortic stenosis. With progressive improvement in patient selection, techniques, equipment, and operator endovascular skills, vascular complications can decline further.

Lowering of blood pressure and coronary blood flow in isolated systolic hypertension.

BackgroundIn essential hypertension, the lower limit of autoregulation of coronary flow shifts to higher perfusion and the hypertensive ventricle is at a higher than normal risk of ischemia, and less able to tolerate acute reduction of coronary perfusion pressure. Little is known about pattern of coronary flow in isolated systolic hypertension, a pathologic condition in which the elevated systolic blood pressure is associated with a lower than normal vascular compliance and normal or slightly greater than normal mean arterial pressure and vascular resistance. ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of rapid normalization of blood pressure on coronary blood flow in isolated systolic hypertension. MethodsWe subjected 20 patients with isolated systolic hypertension to intraoperative hemodynamic and transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring during peripheral vascular surgery. Coronary flow velocity integrals and diameters in the left anterior descending coronary artery were evaluated under baseline conditions and after normalization of blood pressure, which occurred spontaneously during anesthesia (10 cases; group 1A) or was induced by infusion of nitrate (10 cases, group 1B). ResultsAfter normalization of systolic blood pressure integrals decreased significantly only for patients in group 1A; percentage changes of diameter were significantly greater for patients in group 1B. Therefore, coronary blood flow after normalization of systolic blood pressure increased for patients in group 1B (by 28 ± 25%) and decreased for patients in group 1A (by 30 ± 21%). Changes in integrals were inversely related to those in diameter (r  = −0.72, P  < 0.001); for patients in group 1A changes in coronary perfusion pressure and diameter were related to those of integrals (r  = 0.94;P  < 0.0005). ConclusionsIn isolated systolic hypertension, despite there being similar changes of the systolic blood pressure, administration of nitrates caused a marked increase of coronary flow through direct effects on coronary circulation, whereas spontaneous normotension was associated with a significant reduction of coronary flow.

TCT-695 Comparison of in-hospital and 1-year TAVR results between Sapien XT and Sapien 3 prosthetic valves

Transcatheter aortic valves are rapidly evolving in order to reduce procedural complications and to improve acute and long-term outcomes of aortic stenosis (AS) treatment. Aim of the study was to compare in a single-center experience in-hospital and 1-year results of severe AS treatment with Sapien

Diagnostic pitfalls with the combination of a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and aortic valvular stenosis

T HE DIFFERENTIAL diagnosis of primary or secondary hypertrophy may be complicated by the combination of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and left ventricle (LV) myocardial thickening. This association has important surgical implications, because the presence of combined AVS and a primary hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) make aortic valve replacement together with a myomectomy mandatory. This report describes a case of a severe aortic valve stenosis that masked the obstructive character of LV hypertrophy due to a HCM.