Marci S. Bailey

Improvement in Staging of Esophageal Cancer With the Addition of Positron Emission Tomography

BACKGROUND Positron emission tomography with the glucose analogue 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) has been used to detect and stage a variety of malignancies. We hypothesized that FDG-positron emission tomography would improve staging of patients with esophageal cancer and thereby facilitate selection of candidates for resection. METHODS Fifty-eight patients (42 men and 16 women) with biopsy-proven esophageal cancer were evaluated with both FDG-positron emission tomography and computed tomography. RESULTS In all but 2 patients, increased FDG uptake was identified at the site of the primary tumor. Six patients were not operative candidates. Seventeen patients were not candidates for resection because of metastatic disease. Positron emission tomography identified the metastatic disease in all 17 (12 of whom underwent confirmatory biopsy), whereas computed tomography was positive for metastases in only 5. The remaining 35 patients underwent surgical exploration, were judged to have resectable disease and had esophagectomy. Pathologic examination of resected specimens identified lymph node metastases in 21 patients. These nodes were detected by positron emission tomography in 11 patients and by computed tomography in 6. CONCLUSIONS Positron emission tomography improved staging and facilitated selection of patients for operation by detecting distant disease not identified by computed tomography alone.

The cox-maze procedure for lone atrial fibrillation: a single-center experience over 2 decades.

Background— The Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) has achieved high success rates in the therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) while becoming progressively less invasive. This report evaluates our experience with the CMP in the treatment of lone AF over 2 decades and compares the original cut-and-sew CMP-III to the ablation-assisted CMP-IV, which uses bipolar radiofrequency and cryoenergy to create the original lesion pattern. Methods and Results— Data were collected prospectively on 212 consecutive patients (mean age, 53.5±10.4 years; 78% male) who underwent a stand-alone CMP from 1992 through 2010. The median duration of preoperative AF was 6 (interquartile range, 2.9–11.5) years, with 48% paroxysmal and 52% persistent or long-standing persistent AF. Univariate analysis with preoperative and perioperative variables used as covariates for the CMP-III (n=112) and the CMP-IV (n=100) was performed. Overall, 30-day mortality was 1.4%, with no intraoperative deaths. Freedom from AF was 93%, and freedom from AF off antiarrhythmics was 82%, at a mean follow-up time of 3.6±3.1 years. Freedom from symptomatic AF at 10 years was 85%. Only 1 late stroke occurred, with 80% of patients not receiving anticoagulation therapy. The less invasive CMP-IV had significantly shorter cross-clamp times (41±13 versus 92±26 minutes; P<0.001) while achieving high success rates, with 90% freedom from AF and 84% freedom from AF off antiarrhythmics at 2 years. Conclusions— The CMP, although simplified and shortened by alternative energy sources, has excellent results, even with improved follow-up and stricter definition of failure.Background— The Cox-Maze procedure (CMP) has achieved high success rates in the therapy of atrial fibrillation (AF) while becoming progressively less invasive. This report evaluates our experience with the CMP in the treatment of lone AF over 2 decades and compares the original cut-and-sew CMP-III to the ablation-assisted CMP-IV, which uses bipolar radiofrequency and cryoenergy to create the original lesion pattern. Methods and Results— Data were collected prospectively on 212 consecutive patients (mean age, 53.5±10.4 years; 78% male) who underwent a stand-alone CMP from 1992 through 2010. The median duration of preoperative AF was 6 (interquartile range, 2.9–11.5) years, with 48% paroxysmal and 52% persistent or long-standing persistent AF. Univariate analysis with preoperative and perioperative variables used as covariates for the CMP-III (n=112) and the CMP-IV (n=100) was performed. Overall, 30-day mortality was 1.4%, with no intraoperative deaths. Freedom from AF was 93%, and freedom from AF off antiarrhythmics was 82%, at a mean follow-up time of 3.6±3.1 years. Freedom from symptomatic AF at 10 years was 85%. Only 1 late stroke occurred, with 80% of patients not receiving anticoagulation therapy. The less invasive CMP-IV had significantly shorter cross-clamp times (41±13 versus 92±26 minutes; P <0.001) while achieving high success rates, with 90% freedom from AF and 84% freedom from AF off antiarrhythmics at 2 years. Conclusions— The CMP, although simplified and shortened by alternative energy sources, has excellent results, even with improved follow-up and stricter definition of failure.

The Cox maze IV procedure: predictors of late recurrence.

OBJECTIVES The Cox maze III procedure achieved high cure rates and became the surgical gold standard for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Because of its invasiveness, a more simplified ablation-assisted procedure, the Cox maze IV procedure, has been performed at our institution since January 2002. The study examined multiple preoperative and perioperative variables to determine predictors of late recurrence. METHODS Data were collected prospectively on 282 patients who underwent the Cox maze IV procedure from January 2002 through December 2009. Forty-two percent of patients had paroxysmal and 58% had either persistent or long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation. All patients were available for follow-up. Follow-up included electrocardiograms in all patients. Since 2006, 24-hour Holter monitoring was obtained in 94% of patients at 3, 6, and 12 months. Data were analyzed by means of logistic regression analysis at 12 months, with 13 preoperative and perioperative variables used as covariates. RESULTS Sixty-six percent of patients had a concomitant procedure. After an ablation-assisted Cox maze procedure, the freedom from atrial fibrillation was 89%, 93%, and 89% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The freedom from both atrial fibrillation and antiarrhythmic drugs was 63%, 79%, and 78% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The risk factors for atrial fibrillation recurrence at 1 year were enlarged left atrial diameter (P = .027), failure to isolate the entire posterior left atrium (P = .022), and early atrial tachyarrhythmias (P = .010). CONCLUSIONS The Cox maze IV procedure has a high success rate at 1 year, even with improved follow-up and stricter definitions of failure. In patients with large left atria, there might be a need for more extensive size reduction or expanded lesion sets.

Recurrent Mitral Regurgitation and Risk Factors for Early and Late Mortality After Mitral Valve Repair for Functional Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation

BACKGROUND Mortality for patients with coronary artery disease and functional ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) remains high regardless of the treatment strategy. Data regarding risk factors, progression of MR, and cause of death in this subgroup are limited. METHODS A retrospective study was performed on 257 consecutive patients undergoing mitral valve repair exclusively for IMR from 1996 to 2005. Potential preoperative and perioperative risk factors for death and postoperative echocardiographic data were recorded. RESULTS Preoperative echocardiography demonstrated 3+ to 4+ MR in 98.4% (252 of 257). Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 80.9% (208 of 257). Operative mortality was 10.1% (26 of 257). Overall survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 68.3% at 3 years and 52.0% at 5 years. Factors associated with late mortality by multivariate analysis include advanced age (relative risk [RR], 1.037; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.016 to 1.059; p < or = 0.001), preoperative dialysis (RR, 3.504; 95% CI, 1.590 to 7.720; p = 0.008), and diabetes (RR, 2.047; 95% CI, 1.319 to 3.177; p = 0.001). Echocardiographic data at 20 +/- 25 months were available in 57% (147 of 257). Their survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 76.4% at 3 years and 65.1% at 5 years with 0 to 2+ MR postoperatively (n = 106) vs 61.3% and 35.8% with 3+ to 4+ MR (n = 41; p = 0.003). Cause of death was available in 72.3% (60 of 83) of late deaths, with 42.2% (35 of 83) attributed to cardiac causes and 30.1% (25 of 83) noncardiac. CONCLUSIONS Mortality for IMR remains high despite surgical management and may be related to risk factors for progression of coronary artery disease. Despite repair, MR progresses in many patients and is associated with poor survival, although more detailed prospective data are needed to characterize this relationship.

A New Era in the Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation: The Impact of Ablation Technology and Lesion Set on Procedural Efficacy

Background/Objective:While the Cox-Maze procedure remains the gold standard for the surgical treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF), the use of ablation technology has revolutionized the field. To simplify the procedure, our group has replaced most of the incisions with bipolar radiofrequency ablation lines. The purpose of this study was to examine results using bipolar radiofrequency in 130 patients undergoing a full Cox-Maze procedure, a limited Cox-Maze procedure, or pulmonary vein isolation alone. Methods:A retrospective review was performed of patients who underwent a Cox-Maze procedure (n = 100), utilizing bipolar radiofrequency ablation, a limited Cox-Maze procedure (n = 7), or pulmonary vein isolation alone (n = 23). Follow-up was available on 129 of 130 patients (99%). Results:Pulmonary vein isolation was confirmed by intraoperative pacing in all patients. Cross-clamp time in the lone Cox-Maze procedure patients was 44 ± 21 minutes, and 104 ± 42 minutes for the Cox-Maze procedure with a concomitant procedure, which was shortened considerably from our traditional cut-and-sew Cox-Maze procedure times (P < 0.05). There were 4 postoperative deaths in the Cox-Maze procedure group and 1 in the pulmonary vein isolation group. The mean follow-up was 13 ± 10, 23 ± 15, and 9 ± 10 months for the Cox-Maze IV, the pulmonary vein isolation, and the limited Cox-Maze procedure groups, respectively. At last follow-up, freedom from AF was 90% (85 of 94), 86% (6 of 7), and 59% (10 of 17) in the in the Cox-Maze procedure group, limited Cox-Maze procedure group, and pulmonary vein isolation alone group, respectively. Conclusions:The use of bipolar radiofrequency ablation to replace Cox-Maze incisions was safe and effective at controlling AF. Pulmonary vein isolation alone was much less effective, and should be used cautiously in this population.

Isolating the entire posterior left atrium improves surgical outcomes after the Cox maze procedure.

OBJECTIVES The importance of each ablation line in the Cox maze procedure for treatment of atrial fibrillation remains poorly defined. This study evaluated differences in surgical outcomes of the procedure performed either with a single connecting lesion between the right and left pulmonary vein isolations versus 2 connecting lesions (the box lesion), which isolated the entire posterior left atrium. METHODS Data were collected prospectively on 137 patients who underwent the Cox maze procedure from April 2002 through September 2006. Before May 2004, the pulmonary veins were connected with a single bipolar radiofrequency ablation lesion (n = 56), whereas after this time, a box lesion was routinely performed (n = 81). The mean follow-up was 11.8 +/- 9.6 months. RESULTS The incidence of early atrial tachyarrhythmia was significantly higher in the single connecting lesion group compared with that in the box lesion group (71% vs 37%, P < .001). The overall freedom from atrial fibrillation recurrence was significantly higher in the box lesion group at 1 (87% vs 69%, P = .015) and 3 (96% vs 85%, P = .028) months. The use of antiarrhythmic drugs was significantly lower in the box lesion group at 3 (35% vs 58%, P = .018) and 6 (15% vs 44%, P = .002) months. CONCLUSIONS Isolating the entire posterior left atrium by creating a box lesion instead of a single connecting lesion between the pulmonary veins showed a significantly lower incidence of early atrial tachyarrhythmias, higher freedom from atrial fibrillation recurrence at 1 and 3 months, and lower use of antiarrhythmic drugs at 3 and 6 months. A complete box lesion should be included in all patients undergoing the Cox maze procedure.

Radial artery patency: are aortocoronary conduits superior to composite grafting?

BACKGROUND The radial artery (RA) can be used as either an aortocoronary (RA-Ao) or composite graft (T graft). Optimum use for the RA has yet to be established. We compared RA patency with these two techniques. METHODS Between October 1993 and June 2001, 1505 patients underwent coronary artery bypass grafting using the RA as either a composite (n = 1022) or RA-Ao graft (n = 483). Angiograms performed on 203 (13.5%) patients with signs or symptoms of ischemia at an average of 26.1 +/- 18.5 months postoperatively were reviewed. RESULTS Patients with RA-Ao grafts had a greater incidence of postoperative angiography versus patients with composite grafts (19% versus 11%; p < 0.01). Patients receiving T grafts had a greater number of anastomoses per patient (4.1 +/- 0.6 versus 3.0 +/- 1.0; p < 0.01) and a higher incidence of total arterial revascularization (100% versus 41%; p < 0.01). Regardless of grafting strategy, patency was significantly worse for targets of the right coronary artery (58% T graft; 67% RA-Ao; p < 0.01 for both) and for targets with less than or equal to 70% stenosis (59% T graft; 57% RA-Ao; p < 0.01 for both). The site of proximal anastomosis failed to effect RA patency (relative risk, 1.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.7 to 1.8; p = 0.50). CONCLUSIONS The site of the proximal anastomosis does not appear to influence patency. Both RA-Ao and composite conduits are sensitive to target location and stenosis. Advantages of composite grafting include greater conduit length and minimizing aortic manipulation at the expense of increased complexity and the potential for hypoperfusion. These factors should be considered when choosing an RA grafting strategy.

Cox-Maze IV Results for Patients With Lone Atrial Fibrillation Versus Concomitant Mitral Disease

BACKGROUND This study compared Cox-Maze IV (CMIV) outcomes for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with lone AF vs those with AF and mitral valve (MV) disease. METHODS Since 2002, 200 patients have undergone a CMIV procedure for lone AF (n=101) or concomitantly with MV operations (n=99). Preoperative, perioperative, and late outcomes between these groups were compared. Data were collected prospectively and reported at 3, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS Lone AF patients had AF of longer duration; patients with AF and MV disease were older, with larger left atria and worse New York Heart Association classification (p<0.05). Operative mortality (1% vs 4%, p>0.05, respectively) was similar between both groups. Perioperative atrial tachyarrhythmias were more prevalent in patients with concomitant MV operations (57% vs 41%, p=0.03); however, freedom from AF and antiarrhythmics was similar for both groups at 12 months (76% and 77%). The only predictor for atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrence or arrhythmic drug dependence was failure to isolate the posterior left atrium (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Patients with AF and MV disease have distinct comorbidities compared with patients with lone AF. However, the CMIV is safe and effective in both groups and should be considered for patients with AF undergoing MV operations. Patients with MV disease had more atrial tachyarrhythmias at 3 months, but freedom from AF and antiarrhythmics was similar to patients with lone AF at 1 year. The posterior left atrium should be isolated in every patient, because this was the only predictor for failure of the CMIV for either group.

Options for repair of a bicuspid aortic valve and ascending aortic aneurysm

BACKGROUND Intrinsic abnormality of the aortic wall may explain the association of bicuspid aortic valves with ascending aortic aneurysms. Separate valve and graft repair of such lesions, rather than composite valve graft replacement, is more straightforward but leaves potentially abnormal sinuses behind. METHODS Between January 1985 and January 1998, 45 patients underwent separate valve and graft (n = 27) or composite valve graft (n = 18) for an ascending aortic aneurysm and bicuspid aortic valve. Perioperative events and late results were compared. RESULTS Patients undergoing separate valve and graft were older (mean age, 60 +/- 13 vs 42 +/- 12 years, p < 0.001) and were more likely to have purely stenotic (48% vs 6%, p = 0.003) than purely regurgitant (11% vs 72%, p < 0.001) disease. They were also more likely to require concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (56% vs 6%, p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in operative risk and no known late complications related to recurrent aneurysms. CONCLUSIONS Root replacement with a composite valve graft can be accomplished with low operative risk and is the first choice for repair of this lesion. Separate valve and graft repair, however, yields satisfactory early and late results and remains an acceptable option, especially when the coronary ostea are not displaced or when concomitant procedures must be performed.

Atrial Tachyarrhythmias After the Maze Procedure Incidence and Prognosis

Background—The Maze procedure restores normal sinus rhythm in the majority of patients. However, atrial tachyarrhythmias (ATA) are a common early complication after the operation. The purpose of this study was to define the incidence and natural history of ATA after the Maze procedure. Methods—Complete medical records from 200 patients who underwent the Maze procedures (I, II, and III) from 1987 to 2002 were examined for all episodes of early postoperative ATA that occurred during the first 30 days after the procedure. Two electrophysiologists independently reviewed all postoperative 12-lead electrocardiograms. Results—ATA occurred in 86 patients (43%) after the Maze procedure. Of the patients with ATA, 59% had atrial fibrillation (AF), 14% had atrial flutter (AFL), and 27% had both AF and AFL. Of the patients with AF or AFL, 20% and 5%, respectively, also had episodes of atrial tachycardia and supraventricular tachyarrhythmia. The peak incidence of early postoperative ATA was on postoperative day 8. The average duration of ATA was 5.7±5.0 days. Late recurrence of AF (>1 year postoperatively) occurred in 7.0% of patients who had early postoperative ATA and 8.8% of patients without early postoperative ATA (P=0.8). Conclusions—ATA occurred in 43% of patients after the Maze procedure. The tachyarrhythmias occurred primarily within 8 days after surgery and resolved within 3 weeks in almost all patients. There was no relationship between the incidence of early postoperative ATA and the late recurrence of AF.