Between 2003 and 2009, we retrospectively reviewed 685 cases of ascending aorta and transverse arch repair using PHCA. A total of 287 patients in which aPRP was used (aPRP group) were compared with 398 patients who did have aPRP (non-aPRP group). Perioperative transfusion requirements and clinical outcomes that included early mortality, postoperative stroke, renal dysfunction, prolonged ventilation, coagulopathy, and length of postoperative intensive care unit stay were analyzed. The data were analyzed by mean and frequency for continuous variables and qualitative variables. To account for potential selection bias, 2 types of propensity analysis were performed.

In both unadjusted and adjusted analysis, perioperative transfusions were fewer in the aPRP group compared with the non-aPRP group: (3.9 units fewer packed red blood cells, 4.5 units fewer fresh frozen plasma, 7.9 units fewer platelets, and 6.8 units fewer cryoprecipitate). In all analyses, postoperative morbidity (stroke, duration of mechanical ventilation, and intensive care unit stay) were significantly improved. Hospital mortality rate was not significantly decreased.

The utilization of aPRP was associated with a reduction in allogeneic blood transfusions as well as a decrease in early postoperative morbidity during repairs of the ascending and transverse arch aorta using PHCA.

Prospectively collected data for 2,630 consecutive patients who underwent isolated CABG surgery (2004 to 2006) with the exclusive use of microplegia was compared with an equivalent 3-year cohort (1998 to 2000) of 5,058 consecutive isolated CABG patients with the exclusive use of 8:1 diluted blood cardioplegia. Propensity score matching identified 1,980 matched pairs (in each group) for analysis.

In the matched groups, the hospital mortality was identical (1.2%). The prevalence of low cardiac output syndrome was significantly (p< 0.001) lower in the later period when microplegia was employed (2.7%) compared with the standard cardioplegia group (5.0%). Although these results may also reflect improvements in care with time, a multivariable logistic regression analysis of the entire cohort (not matched) also demonstrated a twofold independent reduction in low cardiac output syndrome in microplegia patients (odds ratio, 1.9; 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 2.5).

Compared with 8:1 blood cardioplegia, microplegia during isolated CABG surgery was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative low cardiac output syndrome. Microplegia may reduce postoperative cardiac edema, increase buffering, and permit more rapid recovery of ventricular function. Randomized trials are required to determine whether the relationship between microplegia and reduced low output syndrome is causal or is merely an association.

Data on 1,758 consecutive patients who underwent isolated aortic valve replacement in a 6-year period were retrieved from 3 prospective institutional databases. Discriminatory power was assessed using the c-index. Calibration was evaluated with calibration curves and associated statistics.

In-hospital mortality rate was 1.4%. The discriminatory power was similar in all algorithms (area under the curve 0.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72 to 0.88 for logistic EuroSCORE; 0.81, 95% CI 0.73 to –0.88 for EuroSCORE II; 0.78, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.88 for ACEF; 0.85, 95% CI 0.78–0.93 for STS score) and not significantly different (p values > 0.05 for all tests). The EuroSCORE II had a better calibration, being the only score with nonsignificant associated statistics (unreliability test, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and Spiegelhalter Z-test for calibration accuracy). Nonetheless, EuroSCORE II calibration plot highlighted a trend over under-prediction.

The EuroSCORE II is a good predictor of perioperative mortality in isolated aortic valve surgery, with lower discrimination if compared with STS and a better calibration when compared with logistic EuroSCORE, ACEF, and STS scores. Its performance is optimal in the lowest tertile of patients, whereas it under-predicts mortality afterward. None of these algorithms seems suitable for risk estimation in mid and high-risk patients that are the ones who might benefit most from transcatheter procedures.

Aortic valve function was studied at rest and during exercise in 28 patients after repair of UAV (group I, n = 8; group II, n = 20). There were no differences among the groups I and II with respect to gender, age, body size, or weight. All patients were in New York Heart Association class I. Six healthy adults served as control individuals. All patients were studied with transthoracic echocardiography between 4 and 65 months postoperatively. Systolic gradients were assessed by continuous wave Doppler while patients were at rest and exercising on a bicycle ergometer.

Aortic regurgitation was grade I or less in all patients. Resting gradients were significantly elevated in group I compared with group II and control individuals (group I, peak 33.8 ± 7.8 mm Hg; mean 19.1 ± 5.4 mm Hg; group II, peak 15.8 ± 5.4, mean 8.2 ± 2.8 mm Hg; control individuals, peak 6.0 ± 1.6, mean 3.2 ± 0.8 mm Hg; p < 0.001). At 100 W peak gradients were highest in group I (group I, 62.7 ± 16.7 mm Hg; group II, 28.1 ± 7.6 mm Hg; control individuals, 15.4 ± 4.6 mm Hg; p < 0.001).

Converting a UAV into a symmetric bicuspid design results in adequate valve competence. A symmetric repair design leads to improved systolic aortic valve function at rest and during exercise.

We conducted a population-based cohort study including all patients who underwent operations for IE between January 2002 and July 2012. The SWEDEHEART (Swedish Web-system for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-based care in Heart disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies) registry and patients records were used to acquire information about patient characteristics, preoperative comorbidities, and postoperative complications. Date of death was ascertained by using the Swedish personal identity number and the Total Population Register at Statistics Sweden. We used multivariable Cox regression to analyze the association between prosthetic valve IE and survival.

Of the 252 included patients, 22% underwent operations for prosthetic valve IE. There was no significant difference in unadjusted 5-year survival between patients who underwent operations for prosthetic valve IE compared with native valve IE (75% vs 65%; p = 0.34). We found no significant association between operations for prosthetic valve IE and death (multivariable adjusted hazard ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.46 to 1.49) compared with native valve IE. There was no significant difference in 30-day mortality between prosthetic and native valve IE (14% vs 12%; p = 0.61), with a multivariable adjusted odds ratio of 0.62 (95% confidence interval, 0.24 to 1.64).

We found no significant difference in long-term survival between patients who underwent operations for prosthetic valve IE compared with native valve IE. Early death and morbidity were also similar between the groups. These results are promising because an increasing amount of patients with IE have prosthetic valve infections.

From 1991 to 2012, 4 patients experienced LatD after surgery (1 of 6,302, or 0.02%, of isolated coronary artery bypass grafting patients and 3 of 1,895, or 0.16%, of mitral valve patients). Patient and perioperative data and management were reviewed.

Two patients were women, and ages ranged from 49 to 80 years. Three patients underwent mitral procedures (two replacements with coronary artery bypass grafting and one repair) for mitral regurgitation. One patient underwent emergent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting after cardiopulmonary resuscitation for a left main dissection during percutaneous coronary intervention. Three LatDs were found during surgery, and one LatD was found 12 days after mitral repair and was successfully treated nonoperatively. The LatD was located along the posterior atrial wall originating from the atrioventricular junction in all cases and obstructed mitral valve inflow. Operative repair focused on the evacuation of hematoma, obliteration of the false lumen, and repair of the entry injury. No mortality occurred.

Left atrial dissection is a rare complication of cardiac surgery, probably related to a contained atrioventricular separation allowing pressurized blood to separate the layers of the posterior left atrium. Prompt intraoperative diagnosis, obliterating the false cavity, and addressing the entry point are essential. In contrast, a nonoperative approach in a stable patient with a delayed LatD suggests healing of the dissection, and atrial remodeling occurs.

Outcomes of 5,184 patients (mean age, 60.3 years; 65.9% male) diagnosed with acute aortic dissection from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2008 were analyzed with risk-adjustment for preoperative comorbidity using multivariate logistic regression analysis.

Overall operative mortality was 21.6%, with similar preoperative patient risk profile across institutions and individual surgeons. A strong inverse relationship was observed between operative mortality and both institution and surgeon volume: surgeons who averaged less than 1 aortic dissection repair annually had a mean operative mortality of 27.5%, compared with 17.0% for those averaging 5 or more annually (odds ratio, 1.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.39 to 2.29; p < 0.001). This was similar to the relationship seen between institution volume and mortality: operative mortality was 27.4% in institutions performing 3 or fewer acute aortic dissections a year, compared with 16.4% in those performing more than 13 annually (p < 0.001). Nationally, operative mortality decreased steadily from 23% in 1998–2000 to 19% in 2005–2008, with no significant decrease in patient risk profile.

Patients undergoing emergency repair of acute aortic dissection by lower-volume surgeons and centers have approximately double the risk-adjusted mortality of patients undergoing repair by the highest volume care providers. Routine involvement, whenever feasible, of teams experienced in acute aortic dissection repair may be a strategy to reduce operative mortality and major morbidity.

We examined the 59 consecutive cases of type A aortic dissection treated surgically, including 17 cases (28.8%) with preoperative malperfusion. Whereas femoral arterial perfusion was used in 7 cases with profound shock, axillary arterial perfusion was employed in the remaining 52 cases. Organ perfusion was assessed with various modalities including transesophageal echocardiography, orbital Doppler, and near-infrared spectroscopy.

Although false lumen perfusion was not encountered, persistent or new malperfusion was detected in 5 cases (8.5%) with unrestored true lumen. Malperfusion remained in 3 cases. Of these, bilateral axillary arterial perfusion in 1 case and selective perfusion through the femoral artery in 1 case were effective; however, additional ascending aortic cannulation in 1 case was unsuccessful. In the remaining 2 cases, unilateral axillary arterial perfusion led to reduced oxygen saturation in the contralateral frontal lobe, which was restored by bilateral axillary arterial perfusion probably due to augmented collateral circulation. Subclavian steal due to occluded innominate artery was detected in 1 of them. Immediate decision making based on real-time information was beneficial.

Despite preferential axillary arterial perfusion, new or persistent malperfusion occurred in 5 cases (8.5%). There is no perfect perfusion route but real-time assessment and individualized navigation may be beneficial in further improving the outcomes.

From 1996 to 2010, 300 patients (80 female, 220 male, median age 67 years [20 to 88]) underwent TEVAR at our department. Among them were 137 descending thoracic aneurysms (DTA), 80 type B dissections (60 acute, 20 chronic), 59 perforating aortic ulcer (PAU), and 24 traumatic aortic transections (ATAT). Hospital mortality and mid-term survival among different indications for TEVAR were evaluated.

Overall hospital mortality in our series was 5% (n = 15). Seven patients with DTA (5%), 4 patients with type B dissections (5%), 2 patients with PAU (3.4%), and 2 ATAT (8%) patients died during their hospital stay. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed significant differences in survival rates according to the various indications for TEVAR (p < 0.001). Overall long-term mortality was 86%, 63%, and 44% at 1, 5, and 10 years. Early and late endoleak rate was 18% and 8%, respectively.

The TEVAR has evolved into a safe and effective therapy for different aortic pathology resulting in promising long-term results. Nevertheless, the indication for TEVAR has direct impact on the success of the procedure. Patients with acute type B aortic dissections and acute traumatic aortic lesions seem to benefit the most from TEVAR.

One hundred and forty-seven patients underwent TEVAR at our institution between 2000 and 2012. A total of 26 patients (19 male, mean age 68.4 ± 12.7 years), including 7 patients with primary TEVAR at other centers, underwent secondary interventions. The median interval to secondary intervention was 17.2 months (range, 0.22 to 36.1). The indications for secondary interventions included procedure-related dissection (n = 1), collapse of the endovascular device (n = 1), aortoesophageal fistula (n = 1), residual dissection (n = 3), and endoleaks causing dilation of the sac (n = 17) or aortic rupture (n = 3). Sixteen patients underwent open conversion including total arch replacement (n = 2), extensive replacement of the aortic arch or descending aorta (n = 10), and thoracoabdominal aortic replacement (n = 4). Second-time TEVAR was performed in the remaining 10 patients.

The in-hospital mortality rate was 11.5% (3 patients; 1 case of multiorgan failure after open conversion, and 1 case of mesenteric ischemia and 1 case of aortic rupture after second-time TEVAR). Postoperative stroke after second-time TEVAR occurred in 1 patient. The cumulative survival rate of the 26 patients was 80.0% ± 8.0% at 5 years after secondary intervention. Short proximal neck (p = 0.0036), steep angulation of landing zones (p = 0.033), and nonuse of commercially available devices (p = 0.011) were significantly correlated with incidence of TEVAR failure.

Secondary surgical procedures after TEVAR can be performed with low mortality and morbidity, despite the precarious preoperative conditions and complex aortic pathologies of patients.

Since 1992, delayed aortic repair has represented our first-line management for all blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injury (BTTAI) patients, except for those who presented with or became unstable due to impending aortic rupture. These patients were converted to urgent primary aortic repair. Thus, between 1992 and 2010, a total of 77 BTTAI patients were managed according to this policy. There were 57 (74%) men having a mean age of 33.4 years. Thirty-one (41.3%) patients underwent open surgical repair (SR), 44 (58.6%) underwent endovascular repair (ER), and 2 died while awaiting aortic repair. At admission, the clinical and trauma characteristics were similar in both groups. The trauma-to-repair time span (in days) was 200 (Q1-Q3: 27 to 340) and 10 (Q1-Q3: 2 to 79) for SR and ER patients, respectively (p = 0.001). Due to unpaired hemodynamic or imaging signs of impending aortic rupture, 15 patients required urgent repair, which was endovascular in 11 (25%) cases and surgical in 4 (12.9%).

Overall, hospital mortality was 3.9% (n = 3), being 0% in SR patients and 2.3% (n = 1) in ER patients (p = 0.398). No new postoperative paraplegia occurred; a cerebellar stroke occurred in 1 (2.3%) ER patient receiving intentional coverage of the left subclavian artery. During follow-up (96.1% complete at 95 ± 70 months), no late deaths occurred. At 15 years, the estimates of survival and freedom from secondary aortic procedures were 96% and 100%, respectively.

Delayed management of traumatic aortic injury was associated with satisfactory short- and long-term results without significant differences between open surgical and endovascular repair. However, the reduced invasiveness of endovascular repair can optimize operative timing allowing prompt aortic repair in unstable patients, earlier repair in stable patients, and, when indicated, easier concomitant non-aortic surgery.

From 1983 to 2011, patients with age 90 years or greater at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve surgery (aortic or mitral) were retrieved from a prospective institutional database. A Cox proportional hazard model was used to determine significant predictors of 5-year survival. In addition, a 12-month assessment of quality of life was conducted.

The CABG-only (n = 46), valve-only (n = 55), or CABG-valve (n = 53) surgery was conducted in 154 patients. Demographic characteristics were similar in all groups except for congestive heart failure, which was more prominent in the valve-only or CABG-valve groups (p < 0.0001). The 30-day mortality was 8.8%, 12.8%, and 18.9% in the CABG-only, valve-only, and CABG-valve groups, respectively, without significant difference among groups (p = 0.35). At 5-years follow-up, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves do not show a difference among groups (p = 0.62). Cox proportional hazard model for 5-year survival identified age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.25, confidence interval [CI] 1.09 to 1.43, p = 0.001, for 1-year increase), prior surgery (HR = 2.23, CI 1.23 to 4.64, p = 0.007), and prior stroke (HR = 2.39, CI 1.25 to 3.98, p = 0.01), as significant predictors of mortality. The 12-month quality of life questionnaire revealed an improvement in 83% of the patients, whereas only 4% reported a decline in cardiac status.

Survival in nonagenarians is comparable after CABG or valve surgery. Redo surgery, stroke, and increasing age are significant hazards for mortality. Nonagenarians can undergo cardiac surgery with acceptable mortality and quality of life.

From a prospective database of 1,093 consecutive adults who underwent reoperative cardiac surgery between 2000 and 2010, 363 patients undergoing isolated reoperative valve surgery were divided according to whether or not the previous surgery included CABG (group I, n = 133) or not (group II, n = 230). Propensity-adjusted multivariate analysis was performed in order to determine independent predictors of any morbidity or mortality, or decreased survival.

Patients in group I were more likely to be elderly (p < 0.001), and have greater body mass indexes (p = 0.04), low ejection fractions (p = 0.001), and comorbidities of cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.04), peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.003), and diabetes (p < 0.001) compared with group II. Patent grafts were present in 94% (n = 111). Although group I patients were significantly more likely to experience major postoperative complications and had worse survival, after propensity adjustment no significant difference was observed in either any morbidity or mortality (p = 0.4) or in survival (p = 0.4).

A history of CABG does not appear to present a unique risk in reoperative valve surgery. The major determinant of adverse outcomes is morbidity, not prior bypass grafts.

This double-blind trial was conducted at University Hospital, Besançon, France. Adult CABG patients were randomized (1:1) to receive escitalopram (10 mg daily) or placebo from 2 to 3 weeks before to 6 months after surgery, including 12 months post-surgery follow-up. The primary composite endpoint was the occurrence of mortality or predefined morbidity events. Secondary endpoints included measures of depression, mental and physical health using Beck Depression Inventory Short Form (BDI), and quality of life 36-Item Short Form (SF-36) self assessments.

The treated cohort contained 361 patients with mean age 67 years. At 12 months, the proportions of patients with the composite morbidity and mortality endpoint were not different between escitalopram and placebo (110 of 182 [60.4%] vs 108 of 179 [60.3%], p = 0.984). However, over the 6 months postoperative period, the BDI and SF-36 Mental Component Summary scores were better overall in the escitalopram group than in the placebo group for all patients (p = 0.015 and p = 0.014, respectively) and preoperatively depressed (BDI > 3) patients (p = 0.002 and p = 0.005, respectively). Moreover, the SF-36 Pain score was better overall in the escitalopram group than in the placebo group in the preoperatively-depressed subset (p = 0.026).

Antidepressant therapy had no effect on morbidity and mortality events up to 1 year after CABG. However, antidepressant therapy may provide faster improvements to mental health aspects of quality of life and reduce postoperative pain in patients with preoperative depression. Subject to contra-indications, we recommend antidepressant therapy in coronary revascularization patients who are preoperatively depressed.

Five sheep underwent posterolateral MI. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed 2 weeks before and 16 weeks after MI, and left ventricular (LV) volume and regional strain were measured. Finite element (FE) models were constructed, and the systolic material parameter, T _max , was calculated in the BZ and remote myocardium by minimizing the difference between experimentally measured and calculated LV strain and volume. Sheep were sacrificed 17 weeks after MI, and myocardial muscle fibers were taken from the BZ and remote myocardium. Fibers were chemically demembranated, and isometric developed force, F _max , was measured at supramaximal [Ca²⁺]. Routine light microscopy was also performed.

There was no difference in T _max in the remote myocardium before and 16 weeks after MI. However, there was a large decrease (63.3%, p = 0.005) in T _max in the BZ when compared with the remote myocardium 16 weeks after MI. In addition, there was a significant reduction of BZ F _max for all samples (18.9%, p = 0.0067). Myocyte cross-sectional area increased by 61% (p = 0.021) in the BZ, but there was no increase in fibrosis.

Contractility in the BZ is significantly depressed relative to the remote myocardium after posterolateral MI. The reduction in contractility is due at least in part to a decrease in contractile protein function.

Preoperative and early postoperative data were analyzed in 536 patients (male/female (425/111), mean age 57 ± 8.6 years), operated from 1994 to 2009 in 4 centers; 422 (79%) underwent stand-alone Cox-maze III. Atrial fibrillation was paroxysmal in 38% and non-paroxysmal in 62%, mean duration was 7.8 ± 6.3 years. Patients were followed for survival or death in a validated national Cause-of-Death registry. Risk factors associated with observed survival were identified in univariable and multivariable analyses in a standard Cox proportional hazards model.

Four early deaths (0.7%) occurred due to technical complications. At follow-up, 41 of 536 (7.6%) patients had died. Cause of death was cardiovascular in 19 of 536 (3.5%). No ischemic stroke-related death was registered. Univariable risk factors for all-cause mortality included hypertension (hazard ratio [HR] 2.8, confidence interval [CI] 1.5 to 5.3), heart failure (HR 2.4, CI 1.3 to 4.3), concomitant surgery (HR 2.2, CI 1.1 to 4.1), and postoperative complications (HR 2.5, CI 1.3 to 4.8). Gender, non-paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and long arrhythmia duration did not confer increased risk of death. Multivariable risk factors were hypertension (HR 2.9, CI 1.5 to 5.5) and postoperative complications (HR 2.4, CI 1.2 to 4.6). Survival for cardiovascular death at 5, 10, and 15 years was 98%, 96%, and 93%, respectively.

Registry-based follow-up showed low early and long-term cardiovascular mortality and no stroke-related mortality. This is important baseline information when evaluating current surgical and nonsurgical treatment of atrial fibrillation.

Data were collected prospectively for 250 consecutive patients undergoing concomitant cryosurgical CM. We examined baseline characteristics, perioperative and postoperative outcomes, health-related quality of life (Medical Outcomes Trust SF-12 Health Survey and AF Symptom Checklist) and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis.

Mean age was 64.3 ± 12.1 years, AF duration was 35.7 ± 54.2 months, left atrial size was 5.2 cm (range, 3.1 to 11.0 cm; 16.8% > 6 cm), 86% had nonparoxysmal AF, with history of cardioversion in 32% and catheter ablation in 8%. Concomitant procedures were mitral valve operation in 69.6%, coronary artery bypass graft in 29.2%, aortic valve replacement in 22.0%, with 46% multiple concomitant procedures and 16% with a previous cardiac operation. Perioperative outcomes were 5 deaths (2%), 3 strokes (1%), 1 transient ischemic attack (<1%), and 4 pacemakers for sinus node dysfunction (2%). There were no late thromboembolic events (mean follow-up, 28.2 ± 23.7 months), and 11% were taking warfarin for atrial arrhythmia at 1 year. Significant improvement in health-related quality of life (p < 0.001) was noted. At 24 months, 92.4% of patients were in sinus rhythm; with 82.8% in sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmic drugs. Two-year cumulative survival was 91%.

The cryosurgical CM procedure can be performed safely and effectively as defined by the low number of postoperative morbidities, high return to sinus rhythm off antiarrhythmic drugs, and low rate of thromboembolic events, with most patients off anticoagulation by 2 years.

We performed a retrospective analysis of demographics, clinical characteristics and survival of patients bridged to transplantation using the SynCardia t-TAH (SynCardia Systems Inc, Tucson, AZ).

From 2000 to 2010, the SynCardia t-TAH was implanted in 90 consecutive patients (80 males; mean age, 46 ± 13 years) suffering cardiogenic shock secondary to idiopathic (n = 40, 46%) or ischemic (n = 24, 27%) cardiomyopathy or other causes. Before implantation, 7 (9%) patients had cardiac arrest, 27 (33%) were on ventilator, and 18 (22%) were on extracorporeal life support. Pre-implant creatinine values were 1.7 ± 0.97 mg/dL and total bilirubin levels were 45 ± 32 μmol/L; mean duration of support was 84 ± 102 days. Thirty-five (39%) patients died while on support after a mean of 62 ± 107 days. Actuarial survival on device was 74% ± 5%, 63% ± 6%, and 47% ± 8% at 30, 60, and 180 days after implantation. While on support, 9 (10%) patients suffered stroke, 13 (14%) had mediastinitis, and 35 (39%) required surgical reexploration for bleeding, hematoma, or infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that older recipient age and preoperative mechanical ventilation were risk factors for death while on support. Fifty-five (61%) patients were transplanted after a mean of 97 ± 98 days of support. Actuarial survival rates were 78% ± 6%, 71% ± 6%, and 63% ± 8% at 1, 5, and 8 years after transplantation.

The SynCardia t-TAH provided acceptable survival to transplantation rates with a remarkably low incidence of neurologic events. Posttransplant survival was similar to that of patients undergoing primary heart transplantation in France.

Mature male C57Bl/6 mice underwent 4 minutes of thoracic aortic occlusion with reperfusion. Mice receiving minocycline 30 minutes before ischemia and daily thereafter (90 mg/kg and 45 mg/kg, respectively) were compared with mice receiving vehicle controls. Hind-limb motor function was measured at 12-hour intervals, with spinal cord harvest for histologic and immunologic comparison at 60 hours.

Minocycline treatment significantly preserved hind limb motor function in all mice (n = 7) compared with complete paralysis in all untreated mice (n = 8), reaching significance from 24 hours of reperfusion through 60 hours. Immunofluorescent staining for Iba-1 revealed significant inhibition of microglial activation by minocycline treatment. Vehicle control sections demonstrated a greater degree of apoptosis compared with minocycline-treated spinal cord sections.

Minocycline limits microglial activation, paralleling functional preservation after aortic cross-clamping. These data suggest functional microglia contribute to reperfusion injury after spinal cord ischemia. The effects of minocycline demonstrate a potential pharmacological therapy as well as demonstrating a potential cellular target in preventing paraplegia after aortic intervention.

Measurements of the neoaortic annulus, neoaortic root at the level of the sinuses of Valsalva, and the degree of neoaortic regurgitation were assessed by serial transthoracic echocardiograms on 124 patients with TGA at a median follow-up of 7.2 years (range, 1 to 23 years) after the ASO at our institution.

Neoaortic root dilation with z scores of 2.5 or greater was identified in 66%, and the root diameter z score increased at an average rate of 0.08 per year over time after ASO. Freedom from neoaortic root dilation at 1, 5, 10, and 15 years after ASO was 84%, 67%, 47%, and 32%, respectively. Risk factors for root dilation include history of double-outlet right ventricle (p = 0.003), previous pulmonary artery banding (p = 0.01), and length of follow-up (p = 0.04). Neoaortic valve regurgitation of at least moderate degree was present in 14%. Neoaortic root dilation was a significant risk factor for neoaortic valve regurgitation (p < 0.0001). No patient required reintervention on the neoaorta or neoaortic valve during follow-up.

Progressive neoaortic root dilation is common in patients with TGA after the ASO. Continued surveillance of this population is required.

We retrospectively reviewed 37 neonates with HLHS or its variants who underwent hybrid palliation between January 2004 and March 2010.

Forty-nine ductal stents were deployed in 37 neonates. A single stent was implanted in 26, 2 in 10, and 3 in 1 neonate at the index procedure. There were 5 neonates (13.5%) who required reintervention on the stent with an additional implant; 4 stents were placed proximally (PA-end) and 1 on the aorta side. No infant required reintervention on the stent if the implant covered from the PA junction to beyond the aortic isthmus. There were 2 infants (5.4%) who developed retrograde arch obstruction. Of the cohort, 9 died before stage II, 1 had a bidirectional cavopulmonary shunt after conversion to a Norwood circulation, and 27 underwent comprehensive stage II. In 24 infants who did not require an additional stent, duct velocity increased during follow-up (p < 0.001). Stent position was altered distally in relation to the anterior border of the trachea with child growth.

The stent should cover the full length of the duct from the PA junction to beyond the arch isthmus to reduce reintervention rates. Such stents tend to have progressive stenosis and move distally with child growth. However, lower body blood flow appears well maintained until the time of a comprehensive stage II repair.

Between 1977 and 2010, 28 patients with parachute LAVV associated with AVSD were reviewed. The median age at operation was 10 months (range, 36 days to 14 years). Sixteen (57%) patients had complete AVSD and 12 (43%) had partial AVSD. Thirteen (46%) patients had moderate to severe LAVV regurgitation.

The ZOA was managed with complete closure in 6 (22%), partial closure in 10 (36%), and no closure in 11 (39%) patients One patient underwent LAVV replacement for dysplastic leaflets. Dismissal echocardiogram demonstrated moderate LAVV regurgitation in 10 (36%) patients; 7 patients had no closure of ZOA, and 3 had partial closure. Mild or moderate LAVV stenosis was present in all 6 patients with complete closure of ZOA and 1 patient with partial closure. Median follow-up was 9 years (maximum, 22 years). Eight patients had progression of LAVV regurgitation through the unsutured ZOA; 6 patients subsequently underwent LAVV replacement. Of the 7 patients who had LAVV stenosis, 1 patient required opening of ZOA 1 month after surgery. The other 6 patients had a decrease in mean gradient. There was 1 late death after the fourth redo LAVV replacement.

Progression of LAVV regurgitation from the unsutured ZOA was the main indication for reoperation in parachute LAVV with AVSD. The ZOA in parachute LAVV should be partially or completely closed at the time of AVSD repair. Although mild LAVV stenosis appeared to improve with time, life-long surveillance is essential.

Ten neonates with PA-IVS, who underwent balloon valvuloplasty of the pulmonary valve through the RV at our institution from January 2008 to May 2010, were enrolled in this study. The oxygen saturation range was 60% to 83% (median 76%). The Z-value range of the tricuspid valve annulus was –2 to 2 (median 0.15), the diameter range of the pulmonary valve annulus was 4.6 to 8.6 mm (median 7.3), and the RV systolic pressure range was 88 to 124 mm Hg (median 106.5). A guidewire was used to perforate the pulmonary valve through the RV, followed by balloon dilation of the valve. The procedure was guided by transesophageal echocardiography.

The procedure was carried out successfully in all patients. The procedure time ranged from 64 to 110 minutes (median 82.5). Mechanical ventilation time ranged from 8 to 36 hours (median 11), and hospital stay ranged from 7 to 13 days (median 9). After the procedure, the median oxygen saturation increased to 89.5%, the median RV systolic pressure decreased to 45 mm Hg, and the gradient across the pulmonary valve ranged from 20 to 45 mm Hg (median 27.5). Minor complications included transient supraventricular tachycardia (n = 1), blood loss requiring transfusion (n = 2), moderate pulmonary regurgitation (n = 1), and mild pulmonary regurgitation (n = 3). There were no cases of cardiac perforation, main pulmonary artery aneurysm, or low output syndrome. Follow-up of patients ranged from 8 to 15 months (median 12.3). All patients remained clinically well.

Balloon valvuloplasty of the pulmonary valve through the RV is a safe and feasible alternative to surgical valvotomy or percutaneous balloon dilation. Early results are encouraging.

From 2000 to 2011, 209 patients were included: 50 with CHD, 23 with RCM, and 136 with DCM. Early survival was studied, as was the occurrence of acute rejection, donor-specific antibodies (DSAs) and nondonor-specific antibodies (NSDAs), incidence of pulmonary hypertension (PHT), right ventricular failure (RVF), and the need for mechanical circulatory support (MCS).

The incidence of preoperative PHT was greatest in the RCM group (² p = 0.0006); the requirement for mechanical support before OHT was greatest in patients with DCM. Thirty-day survival was 92.0%, 97.1%, and 100% for patients with CHD, DCM, and RCM respectively. The incidence of RVF was highest for patients with RCM (43.5%; versus CHD, 26.0%; versus DCM, 14.7%). One-year survival estimates for patients with CHD, DCM, and RCM were 92.0%, 97.8%, and 82.6%, respectively (log-rank p = 0.165). Multivariable analysis revealed 4 significant risk factors for mortality: age, incidence of acute rejection, preoperative PHT, and the presence of NDSAs. The occurrence of DSAs was similar, although there was a significantly higher incidence of NDSAs in the CHD and RCM groups (36.0% and 30.4%, respectively, versus 14.0% in the DCM group; ² p = 0.0024).

Equivalent outcomes are achievable in pediatric OHT despite marked heterogeneity in anatomic and physiologic complexity in recipients. Physiologic factors such as PHT are likely to be more important than anatomic complexities in determining survival. The potential relevance of NDSAs warrants further investigation.

A retrospective analysis was performed on 312 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for congenital heart disease. Twelve patients were treated with landiolol for critical tachyarrhythmia. The mean age of patients was 28.7 ± 10.6 months. Five junctional ectopic tachycardia, 2 atrial flutters, 1 paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia, 1 atrial fibrillation, 1 atrioventricular reciprocating tachycardia with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and 2 excessive sinus tachycardia were treated.

The mean loading and maintenance doses were 11.3 ± 4.0 and 6.8 ± 0.9 μg/kg per minute, respectively. Rate control was achieved in all patients. Landiolol reduced the heart rate from 169.7 ± 11.4 to 127.7 ± 7.5 beats per minute (p < 0.05) while blood pressure did not significantly change. Tachyarrhythmias were converted to sinus rhythm in 70.0% of the cases and the average time needed to achieve heart rate reduction was 2.3 ± 0.5 hours.

Landiolol was efficacious in treating tachyarrhythmia in pediatric cardiac surgery. The desired negative chronotropic effect was achieved without significant hemodynamic compromise. The ultra-short half-life of landiolol provided rapid dose manipulation. This study suggests that landiolol is a promising option for the management of postoperative tachyarrhythmias in pediatric patients.

We retrospectively analyzed our prospectively gathered database (January 2007 to November 2011) to include NSCLC patients who underwent EBUS-FNA for mediastinal staging. We excluded patients with metastatic NSCLC and other malignancies. We assessed FNAs with rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). The calculation of NPV is NPV = true negatives/true negatives + false negatives. However, this definition ignores nondiagnostic samples. Nondiagnostic samples should be added to the NPV denominator because decisions based on nondiagnostic samples could be flawed. We conservatively calculated NPV for EBUS-FNA as NPV = true negatives/true negatives + false negatives + nondiagnostic. We defined false negatives as negative FNAs but NSCLC-positive surgical biopsy of the same site. Nondiagnostic FNAs were nonrepresentative of lymphoid tissue. We compared diagnostic performance with the inclusion and exclusion of nondiagnostic procedures.

We studied 120 patients with NSCLC who underwent EBUS-FNA; 5 patients had false negative findings and 10 additional patients had nondiagnostic results. The NPV with and without inclusion of nondiagnostic samples was 65.9% and 85.3%, respectively.

The inclusion of nondiagnostic specimens into the conservative, worst-case-scenario calculation of NPV for EBUS-FNA in NSCLC lowers the NPV from 85.3% to 65.9%. The true NPV is likely higher than 65.9% as few nondiagnostic specimens are false negatives. Caution is imperative for the safe application of EBUS-FNA in NSCLC staging.

We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with suspected or diagnosed lung cancer who underwent EBUS-TBNA for lymph node staging. The slides were air-dried and Diff-Quik (American Scientific Products, McGaw Park, IL) staining was used for ROSE. Additional smears were prepared for Papanicolaou staining and any remaining sample was placed in 10% formalin for histologic evaluation. The results of ROSE were compared with the results of the final pathologic diagnosis.

EBUS-TBNA was performed in 438 patients on 965 lymph nodes. Eighty-four lymph nodes (8.7%) were determined insufficient for definitive diagnosis by final cytologic evaluation. However 45 of the 84 lymph nodes were able to be diagnosed by histologic examination. The non-diagnostic sampling rate was 4.0%. There were no false-positive results on ROSE; however 25 cases (5.7%) were falsely evaluated as negative on ROSE. The concordance rate for staging between ROSE and final pathologic diagnosis was 94.3%. The sensitivity, specificity, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy rate of EBUS-TBNA for correct lymph node staging was 96.5%, 100%, 89.8%, and 98.2%, respectively.

ROSE during EBUS-TBNA for material adequacy showed a low rate of non-diagnostic sampling. There was a high agreement between the on-site and final pathologic evaluation during EBUS-TBNA; however immediate diagnosis should be approached with caution.

All patients with stage IIIA NSCLC who had pneumonectomy at a single institution between 1999 and 2010 were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate long-term survival and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify clinical characteristics associated with survival.

During the study period, 324 patients had surgical resection of stage IIIA NSCLC. Pneumonectomy was performed in 55 patients, 23 (42%) of whom had N2 disease. Induction treatment was used in 17 patients (31%) overall and in 11 of the patients (48%) with N2 disease. Perioperative mortality was 9% (n = 5) overall and 18% (n = 3) in patients that had received induction therapy (p = 0.17). Complications occurred in 32 patients (58%). Three-year survival was 36% and 5-year survival was 29% for all patients. Three-year survival was 40% for N0-1 patients and 29% for N2 patients (p = 0.59). In multivariable analysis, age over 60 years (hazard ratio [HR] 3.65, p = 0.001), renal insufficiency (HR 5.80, p = 0.007), and induction therapy (HR 2.17, p = 0.05) predicted worse survival, and adjuvant therapy (HR 0.35, p = 0.007) predicted improved survival.

Long-term survival after pneumonectomy for stage IIIA NSCLC is within an acceptable range, but pneumonectomy may not be appropriate after induction therapy or in patients with renal insufficiency. Patient selection and operative technique that limit perioperative morbidity and facilitate the use of adjuvant chemotherapy are critical to optimizing outcomes.

Institutional databases identified patients with stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC who underwent concurrent platinum-based chemoradiotherapy with or without pulmonary resection between 1998 and 2011. Exclusion criteria included palliative regimens, sequential chemoradiotherapy, radiation-surgery interval greater than 12 weeks, superior sulcus tumors, or radiotherapy other than standard external beam radiation. Treatment-related morbidity and mortality were examined for the following treatment regimens: neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with 45 Gy followed by surgery (trimodality-45); neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy with 60 Gy or more followed by surgery (trimodality-60); and definitive chemoradiotherapy with 60 Gy or more without surgery (D-CRT).

During the study period, 144 patients met eligibility criteria including 27 trimodality-45, 29 trimodality-60, and 88 D-CRT patients. Treatment-related morbidity and mortality rates for D-CRT were 74% [65 of 88] and 2.3% [2 of 88], respectively. Postoperative morbidity and mortality rates for patients who proceeded to surgery were 48% [27 of 56] and 1.8% [1 of 56], respectively, and did not differ based on dose of neoadjuvant radiation. Despite varied anatomic resections and methods of bronchial closure and coverage, no bronchopleural fistulae were observed.

Chemoradiotherapy carries a significant morbidity profile. However, high-dose neoadjuvant radiation is not associated with increased postoperative morbidity or mortality relative to standard-dose radiation in patients selected for anatomic resection.

Between 1998 and 2010, 167 patients with involvement of one or more mediastinal organs underwent operations with the intent to perform ER. At thoracotomy, 42 patients (25%) were considered unresectable (explorative thoracotomy [ET]), and 125 (75%) underwent ER. The types of ER were superior vena cava in 43 patients (34.4%), carina in 33 (26.4%), combined with superior vena cava in 18 (14.4%), with the left atrium in 35 (28%), and with the aorta in 14 (11.2%). We excluded Pancoast tumors and vertebral resections. The minimum follow-up was 6 months. Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used for statistical analysis of survival.

There were 136 men (81.4%), with mean age of 63 years (range, 36 to 81 years). Of the 167 patients, induction chemotherapy was administered in 119 (71.3%), including 34 ET patients (81%) and 85 ER patients (68%). Complete resection was achieved in 106 patients (84.8%). The overall 5-year survival was 23% (27% in ER and 13% in ET, p = 0.41). Overall 30-day mortality was 4.8% and morbidity was 34.1%. Factors affecting survival were complete resection (p < 0.01), pStage 0-I-II disease (p < 0.0007), and age younger than 60 years (p < 0.01).

ER for lung cancer invading mediastinal organs could improve long-term survival (46% at 5-years in pN0). The best surgical candidates are young patients without lymph nodes involvement who undergo radical resection. Multimodality treatment is suggested in case of mediastinal lymph node involvement.

Retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with non-small cell lung cancer having undergone bilobectomy from January 1999 to June 2012 at our institution. Analysis aimed at determining perioperative mortality and morbidity, and at studying prognostic factors for long-term survival using the 7th TNM classification.

A total of 103 patients (85 males; mean age 62 years) underwent upper-middle bilobectomy (n = 54) or lower-middle bilobectomy (n = 49). Histologic examination revealed 51 adenocarcinomas, 43 squamous cell carcinomas and 9 other cell carcinomas. Perioperative mortality was 0.97%. The overall morbidity rate was 71%, whereas the rate of life-threatening complications was 9.6%. Complications were more frequent in men (p = 0.032), in patients with chronic pulmonary obstructive diseases (p = 0.030) and after lower-middle bilobectomy (p = 0.0016). The overall 5-year Kaplan-Meier survival rate was 57.8%. In univariate analysis, factors associated with increased survival were the following: pathologic stage (stage I 74.9%, stage II 64.1%, stage III 28.8%, p = 0.0018); nodal status (N0 vs N1, p = 0.011; N0 vs N2, p = 0.0015; N0 vs N+, p = 0.0008); R status (R0 vs R1, p = 0.0032), and smoking status (past smoker or nonsmoker vs active smoker, p = 0.00054). Multivariate analysis revealed that active smokers (RR = 3.87, CI 95% [1.83 to 8.21]; p = 0.00042) and increasing stage (stage 0: RR=1; stage I: RR = 1.98, CI 95% [1.38 to 2.83]; stage II: RR = 3.90, CI 95% [1.90 to 8.02]; stage III: RR=7.72, CI 95% [2.62 to 22.73]; stage IV: RR = 15.25, CI 95% [3.61 to 64.40]; p = 0.0042) were significantly associated with poorer survival.

Bilobectomy can be performed with low mortality, acceptable morbidity and long term survival in accordance with TNM staging.

We performed a single-institution retrospective review of patients treated with endotherapy from 2007 to 2012.

Thirty-eight patients underwent endotherapy: 28 had successful eradication of their disease and endotherapy failed in 10 patients. Patients in whom endotherapy failed were more likely to have high-grade dysplasia (HGD) on initial endoscopy, nodules or ulcers, multifocal dysplasia, and persistent nondysplastic Barrett's metaplasia. Patients in whom endotherapy failed also underwent significantly more endotherapy sessions. Seven patients had persistent dysplasia or progression to cancer, and 3 patients had complete eradication of HGD but presented with intramucosal carcinoma an average of 15 months after eradication. The 10 patients in whom endotherapy failed underwent salvage therapy with esophagectomy (7 patients), definitive chemoradiotherapy (1 patient), and endotherapy (2 patients). Patients treated with esophagectomy were disease free at a mean of 25 months postoperatively.

HGD on initial endoscopy, multifocal dysplasia, mucosal abnormalities, and failure to eradicate nondysplastic Barrett's metaplasia were associated with failure of endotherapy. Patients with these characteristics should be considered at higher risk for treatment failure, and earlier consideration should be given to esophagectomy if there is persistent, progressive, or recurrent neoplasia. Clinical outcomes are good, even after salvage therapy. Continued endoscopic surveillance is mandatory after successful endotherapy because of the risk of recurrent disease.

This study is a retrospective review of 474 patients undergoing esophagectomy for cancer during 2002 to 2011. A total of 334 (70.5%) patients were less than 70 years old (group A), 124 (26.2%) 70 to 79 years (group B), and 16 (3.4%) 80 years or greater (group C). We analyzed the effect of age on outcome variables including overall and disease specific survival.

Major morbidity was observed to occur in 115 (35.6%) patients of group A, 58 (47.9%) of group B, and 10 (62.5%) of group C (p = 0.010). Mortality, both 30-day and 90-day was observed in 2 (0.6%) and 7 (2.2%) of group A, 4 (3.2%) and 7 (6.1%) of group B, and 1 (6.3%) and 2 (14.3%) of group C, respectively (p = 0.032 and p = 0.013). Anastomotic leak was observed in 16 (4.8%) patients of group A, 6 (4.8%) of group B, and 0 (0%) of group C (p = 0.685). Anastomotic stricture (defined by the need for ≥ 2 dilations) was observed in 76 (22.8%) of group A, 13 (10.5%) of group B, and 1 (6.3%) of group C (p = 0.005). Five-year overall and disease specific survival was 64.8% and 72.4% for group A, 41.7% and 53.4% for group B, 49.2% and 49.2% for group C patients (p = 0.0006), respectively.

Esophagectomy should be carefully considered in patients 70 to 79 years old and can be justified with low mortality. Outcomes in octogenarians are worse suggesting esophagectomy be considered on a case by case basis. Stricture rate is inversely associated to age.

One hundred eighty-five consecutive patients with ESCC underwent radical esophagectomy less than 3 weeks after contrast-enhanced computed tomography. The degree of esophageal circumferential tumor involvement and tumor size of ESCC expressed as tumor length, maximal thickness, and gross tumor volume were evaluated on computed tomography. Statistical analyses were performed to identify whether degree of esophageal circumferential tumor involvement and tumor size could predict T category.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma with whole esophageal circumferential tumor involvement was more likely to be at T3 category, whereas tumor without this involvement was more likely to be at T1 or T2 category (p < 0.001). Degree of esophageal circumferential tumor involvement could distinguish ESCC at T1/T2 from ESCC at T3 category with a sensitivity of 77.4% and specificity of 74.8%. Tumor length, maximal thickness, and gross tumor volume increased with advancing T category (p < 0.001). Mann-Whitney tests showed that tumor size could distinguish T category (p < 0.001). Compared with degree of esophageal circumferential tumor involvement, tumor length, and maximal thickness, gross tumor volume could be a better differentiating indicator between T1 and T2 categories (cutoff, 5.15 cm³), between T1 and T3 categories (cutoff, 11.1 cm³), between T2 and T3 categories (cutoff, 17.75 cm³), and between T1/T2 and T3 categories (cutoff, 15.9 cm³), with sensitivity of 81.3%, 88.8%, 68.8%, and 78.8%, and specificity of 76%, 88%, 67.5%, and 75.4%, respectively.

Gross tumor volume of resectable ESCC measured with computed tomography could be a recommended indicator for predicting T category.

We studied nonemergent subtotal or total esophagectomies with reconstruction in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) database from 2005 to 2010. After excluding patients with disseminated disease and body mass index (BMI) less than 18.5, we compared outcomes of patients with normal BMI (18.5–25) to those of MO patients (BMI ≥ 35). Outcomes were mortality and morbidity. Multivariable regression controlled for age and comorbidities differing between groups.

Of 794 patients, 578 (73%) had a normal BMI and 216 (27%) patients were morbidly obese (MO). The population was 75% men, with a mean age of 62 years. Patients with a normal BMI were older and more likely to smoke (p < 0.001). MO patients had a higher incidence of hypertension (65% versus 41%) and diabetes (20% versus 10%), and fewer had preoperative weight loss greater than 10% (9% versus 31%) (p < 0.001). Overall, morbidity was 48.5% and mortality was 3%; there was no difference between the groups. On multivariable analysis, all outcomes were the same between groups except deep space infections and pulmonary embolism (PE), for which the obese were at 52% and 48% higher risk, respectively (p = 0.02).

In our study, postoperative mortality and pulmonary, cardiac, and thromboembolic morbidity were similar between MO patients and patients with a normal BMI. MO increased the odds of deep wound infections. Overall, BMI greater than 35 does not confer significant morbidity after esophagectomy. Patients with esophageal pathologic conditions should not be denied resection based on MO alone.

Wild-type and A₃R knockout (A₃R-/-) mice underwent 1-hour left lung ischemia followed by 2-hours reperfusion (IR). A selective A₃R agonist, Cl-IB-MECA, was administered (100 μg/kg intravenously) 5 minutes prior to ischemia. Study groups included sham, IR, and IR+Cl-IB-MECA (n = 6/group). Lung injury was assessed by measuring lung function, pulmonary edema, histopathology, and proinflammatory cytokines, and myeloperoxidase levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Parallel in vitro experiments were performed to evaluate neutrophil chemotaxis, and neutrophil activation was measured after exposure to acute hypoxia and reoxygenation.

Treatment of wild-type mice with Cl-IB-MECA significantly improved lung function and decreased edema, cytokine expression, and neutrophil infiltration after IR. The Cl-IB-MECA had no effects in A₃R-/- mice; Cl-IB-MECA significantly decreased activation of wild-type, but not A₃R-/-, neutrophils after acute hypoxia and reoxygenation and inhibited chemotaxis of wild-type neutrophils.

Exogenous activation of A₃R by Cl-IB-MECA attenuates lung dysfunction, inflammation, and neutrophil infiltration after IR in wild-type but not A₃R-/- mice. Results with isolated neutrophils suggest that the protective effects of Cl-IB-MECA are due, in part, to the prevention of neutrophil activation and chemotaxis. The use of A₃R agonists may be a novel therapeutic strategy to prevent lung IR injury and primary graft dysfunction after transplantation.

A total alloantigenic mismatch murine heterotopic tracheal transplant (HTT) model of BO was used. Animals were either treated with rapamycin or dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 14 days after tracheal transplantation. Fibrocyte levels were assessed by flow cytometry, and allograft neutrophil, CD3⁺ T-cell, macrophage, and smooth muscle actin (SMA) levels were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Tracheal luminal obliteration was assessed on hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stains.

Compared with DMSO-treated controls, rapamycin-treated mice showed a significant decrease in fibrocyte levels in tracheal allografts. Fibrocyte levels in recipient blood showed a similar pattern, although it was not statistically significant. Furthermore, animals treated with rapamycin showed a significant decrease in tracheal allograft luminal obliteration compared with controls. Based on immunohistochemical analyses, populations of α-SMA–positive (α-SMA⁺) cells, neutrophils, CD3⁺ T cells, and macrophages were all decreased in rapamycin-treated allografts versus DMSO controls.

Rapamycin effectively reduces recruitment of fibrocytes into tracheal allografts and mitigates development of tracheal luminal fibrosis. Further studies are needed to determine the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate the protective effect of rapamycin against BO.

From 1975 to 1991, 38 patients underwent surgical repair of a tracheoesophageal fistula. A retrospective study of 36 additional patients undergoing surgical repair from 1992 to 2010 was conducted.

The most common causes were postintubation injury (n = 17, 47%), trauma (n = 6, 17%), prior laryngectomy (n = 6, 17%), and prior esophagectomy (n = 4, 11%). Four patients presented after failing fistula control with an endoluminal stent. The tracheal defect was closed with resection and reconstruction (n = 17, 41%), laryngotracheal resection (n = 5, 12%), membranous tracheal repair (n = 17, 41%), or repair over a tracheal T tube (n = 2, 5%), while esophageal repair consisted of 2-layer closure (n = 31, 78%), 1-layer closure (n = 6, 15%), esophagostomy (n = 1, 3%), end-to-end esophageal anastomosis (n = 1, 3%), or full thickness skin graft reconstruction (n = 1, 3%). The esophageal and tracheal repairs were buttressed by interposing pedicled muscle or omental flaps in all patients. There was 1 postoperative death (3%). Recurrence after repair developed only in fistulas arising after esophagectomy or laryngectomy (n = 4, 11%). Fistula closure was ultimately successful in 34 patients (94%). Twenty-nine patients (83%) resumed oral intake and 25 patients (71%) were breathing without a tracheal appliance.

Successful closure of benign tracheoesophageal fistula is achieved with several surgical techniques based on buttressed repair and restoration of normal breathing and swallowing. Closure of complex postsurgical fistula may fail. Endoluminal stenting was not found useful.

The mucosa surrounding the adenocarcinoma and the gastric mucosa were analyzed. The BIM+ patients underwent subtotal esophagectomy and gastric pull up, and the BIM– patients underwent esophagectomy at the azygos vein, total gastrectomy, and esophagojejunostomy. The radical thoracic (station numbers 2, 3, 4R, 7, 8, and 9) and abdominal (station numbers 15 through 20) lymphadenectomy was identical in both procedures except for the greater curvature.

One hundred ninety-four consecutive patients were collected in three major groups: BIM+/GIM–, 52 patients (26.8%); BIM–/GIM–, 90 patients (46.4%); BIM–/GIM+, 50 patients (25.8%). Two patients (1%) were BIM+/GIM+. A total of 6,010 lymph nodes were resected: 1,515 were recovered in BIM+, 1,587 in BIM–/GIM+, and 2,908 in BIM–/GIM– patients. The percentage of patients with pN+ stations 8 and 9 was higher in BIM+ (p = 0.001), and the percentage of patients with pN+ perigastric stations was higher in BIM– (p = 0.001). The BIM–/GIM– patients had a number of abdominal metastatic lymph nodes higher than did the BIM–/GIM+ patients (p = 0.0001).

According to the presence or absence of BIM and GIM in the esophagus and cardia, adenocarcinoma correspond to three different patterns of lymphatic metastasization, which may reflect different biologic and carcinogenetic pathways.

From July 2004 through December 2008, all intrathoracic and cervical esophagogastric anastomoses at our institution were reviewed.

There were 432 patients (358 men, 74 women) who underwent primary esophagogastric operations. Median age was 64 years (range, 23–90 years). The approach was an Ivor Lewis esophagectomy in 254 patients (59%), transhiatal esophagectomy in 115 patients (27%), McKeown (3-hole) esophagectomy in 49 (11%) patients, minimally invasive esophagectomy in 9 (2.1%) patients, and thoracoabdominal esophagectomy in 6 (1.4%) patients. There were 268 intrathoracic (62%) and 164 cervical (38%) anastomoses. Anastomotic techniques included LS in 260 (60%) patients MC in 67 (16%) patients, HS in 57 (13%) patients, and CS in 48 (11%) patients. Operative mortality was 3.7%. Anastomotic leak occurred in 50 patients (11%). Grade III or IV leaks occurred in 21 patients (4.9%), including 13 in the chest (4.8%) and 8 in the neck (4.9%). Grade III or IV leaks occurred in 12 patients (4.6%) with LS anastomoses, in 4 (7.0%) patients with HS anastomoses, in 3 (6.2%) patients with CS anastomoses, and in 2 (3.0%) patients with MC anastomoses. HS anastomoses had the highest odds of leakage (p = 0.01) and LS anastomoses had the lowest risk of stricture (p = 0.006).

When performing an esophagogastric anastomosis, clinically significant leaks occur with similar frequency in both cervical and intrathoracic locations. The HS technique has the highest leak rate and the LS technique had the lowest rate of stricture formation.

An institutional database search of 449 patients who underwent esophagectomy from 2005 to 2012 identified 11 consecutive patients who underwent long-segment esophageal reconstruction using an isoperistaltic supercharged right (n = 9) or left (n = 2) colon conduit. All conduits were routed through the anterior mediastinum, maintaining the middle colic (right) or ascending left colic vessels (left) in situ, with reimplantation of the ileocolic vessels (right) or middle colic vessels (left) into the left internal thoracic artery and brachiocephalic vein to improve distal conduit blood flow.

Patients were a mean age of 64 years (range, 47 to 76 years). Seven patients had a history of malignancy and 4 had a benign process. The stomach was unavailable for reconstruction due to prior gastric operations (n = 9) or neoplastic involvement (n = 2). All reimplanted vessels demonstrated excellent flow by Doppler evaluation. Esophagocolonic healing was successful in all patients; however, 1 patient required a temporary stent.

Supercharged isoperistaltic colon interposition appears to be an excellent option for the challenging situation where long-segment esophageal reconstruction is needed and the stomach is not available. The additional effort required to reestablish a dual blood supply appears justified to minimize ischemic-related morbidity. Unlike long-segment small bowel "supercharged" techniques, adequate blood supply to the distal conduit may still be present in case thrombosis of the reimplanted vessels occurs.

We assessed the median OS of 81 women after resection of pulmonary primary BC metastases by means of Kaplan-Meier estimators. Statistical interferences regarding prognostic factors were based on univariate log-rank tests and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression. Matched patients who had not undergone resection from the Munich Tumor Registry served as controls.

Between 1982 and 2007, 81 patients were recruited prospectively. In 81.5% of the patients R0 resection was achieved, which was associated with significantly longer median OS than occurred after R1 or R2 resection (103.4 months versus 23.6 months versus 20.2 months, respectively; p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed R0 resection, number (n ≥ 2), size (≥ 3 cm), and estrogen receptor (ER) and/or progesterone receptor (PR) positivity of metastases as independent prognostic factors for long-term survival. Presence of metastases in mediastinal and hilar lymph nodes correlated with decreased survival only in the univariate analysis (32.1 versus 103.4 months; p = 0.095). Matched pair analysis confirmed that pulmonary metastasectomy significantly improved survival.

OS in patients with isolated pulmonary primary BC metastasis is prolonged by metastasectomy. Patients with multiple pulmonary lesions or metastases with negative hormone receptor (HR) status are at greater risk of disease relapse and should be followed closely. Moreover, additive treatment tailored to the biological subtype defined by HR expression should be considered for this group.

One hundred nine patients with MPMs were investigated. Among these patients, there were 61 epithelioid tumors, 21 sarcomatoid tumors, 20 biphasic tumors, and 7 desmoplastic tumors. Immunohistochemical analyses were performed to evaluate the expressions of Snail, ZEB1, Twist, E-cadherin, and the Ki-67 proliferation index.

The expressions of Snail and ZEB1 were significantly higher in the nonepithelioid tumors than in the epithelioid tumors (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.0051, respectively). Furthermore, the E-cadherin expression was significantly lower in the Snail-high tumors than in the Snail-low tumors (p = 0.0423). The E-cadherin expression was significantly lower in the nonepithelioid tumors than in the epithelioid tumors (p = 0.0126). The Ki-67 proliferation index was significantly higher in the nonepithelioid tumors than in the epithelioid tumors (p = 0.025). Patient survival was significantly lower in patients with Snail-high MPMs than in those with Snail-low MPMs (p = 0.0016), especially in patients with nonepithelioid tumors (p = 0.0089). The multivariate analysis also demonstrated that nuclear Snail expression was a significant predictor of poor prognosis in patients with MPMs (p = 0.0142).

The Snail expression is associated with EMT and a poor prognosis in MPMs. Snail could be a potential molecular target for the treatment of patients with MPMs.

Patients who underwent surgical resection of non–small cell lung cancer in two French centers were retrospectively reviewed. Patients presenting with ASC (n = 141) were compared to those with adenocarcinomas (AC, n = 2415) and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC, n = 2662) regarding preoperative data, histologic characteristics, and outcome.

The frequency of ASC and SCC decreased over time. ASC patients were similar to AC patients regarding age, sex, and smoking habits. The type of resections performed in ASC patients was intermediary between SCC (more pneumonectomy) and AC (more lobectomy) patients. ASC was associated with larger size, more frequent visceral pleura invasion, microinvasion of the lymphatic vessels, and ipsilateral second nodules, compared with SCC and AC. Among the 135 patients with documented ASC, 48% presented with a combination of AC and SCC tumor cells ranging between 40% and 60% of each component, and 55% of cases were associated with undifferentiated large cells. ASC was associated with a lower 5-year survival rate (37%) than SCC and AC (43.4% and 42.8%, respectively, p = 0.017). For ASC patients, survival was better during the last decade or in cases of balanced AC/SCC components.

ASC is characterized by both histologic aggressiveness and adverse prognosis. In this setting, the impact of adjuvant therapies needs to be reevaluated.

We examined whether p53 codon 72 polymorphism and HPV oncoprotein expression could be associated with patients' outcome by collecting 319 lung tumors from patients with non-small cell lung cancer to determine p53 codon 72 polymorphisms, HPV 16/18 infection, and HPV 16/18 E6 and p53 protein expression by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism, nested-PCR, and immunohistochemical analysis.

The presence of HPV 16/18 DNA and E6 protein was inversely associated with p53 expression. The frequency of p53 protein degradation was also much higher in HPV 16/18 E6-positive/Arg/Arg lung tumors than in the other 3 groups. After adjusting gender and tumor type, the major contributors to p53 degradation in lung cancer patients were determined to be p53 codon72 polymorphism and HPV 16/18 E6 oncoprotein expression. This association was not found for HPV 16/18 DNA infection. Survival was significantly longer in patients with HPV 16/18 E6-negative/Arg/Arg tumors (median 32.7 months) than in patients with HPV-positive and p53 genetic variant tumors (p = 0.008).

The HPV 16/18 E6 protein, which is involved in the p53 inactivation that contributes to HPV-infected lung tumorigenesis, is associated with the p53 codon 72 genotype. The combination of HPV 16/18 E6 status and p53 codon72 polymorphism in lung tumors is an important biologic and prognostic parameter.

Clinical and pathology records of all patients treated by lobectomy or pneumonectomy and nodal dissection for pulmonary adenocarcinoma between June 2001 and June 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Impact on survival of age, sex, tobacco use, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, extent of resection, pathologic stage, and presence of vascular and lymphatic emboli was studied by univariate analysis and multivariate analysis (for factors significantly associated with survival at univariate analysis).

Five hundred three patients underwent lobectomy or pneumonectomy with nodal dissection for pathologically proven lung adenocarcinoma. There were 355 men and 148 women; mean age was 61.1 years, and 181 patients were 65 years old or older; 87% were current or former smokers; 90.3% had pulmonary lobectomy; and 9.7% had pneumonectomy. Pathologic stages were I, II, and III/IV in 45%, 17.9%, and 37.1%, respectively. Vascular emboli and lymphatic emboli were found in 183 of 503 patients (36.4%) and 149 of 503 (29.6%), respectively. Overall 5-year survival for the whole population was 50.7%. At univariate analysis, age more than 65 years (p = 0.0019), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (p = 0.042), extent of resection (p = 0.047), pathologic stage (p < 0.0000001), T size (p = 0.0020), T and N variables (p = 0.0000016 and p < 0.0000001, respectively), presence of vascular emboli (p = 0.026), and presence of lymphatic emboli (p = 0.000021) were associated with worse prognosis. At multivariate analysis, age more than 65 years (p = 0.0047, relative risk 1.5), stage I versus II versus III versus IV (p = 0.00000032), and presence of lymphatic emboli (p = 0.05, relative risk 1.34) were identified as independent negative prognostic factors.

In an unselected population of patients with pulmonary adenocarcinoma treated by lobectomy or pneumonectomy, the presence of lymphatic emboli is an independent negative prognostic factor.

This study uses Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare data (1998 to 2005). Patients undergoing lung cancer resection within 1 year after coronary stenting were compared with patients without preoperative coronary intervention. The incidence and predictors of MACE within 30 days after surgery were determined.

Five hundred nineteen patients underwent lung cancer resection after coronary stenting (stent), and 21,892 patients underwent lung cancer resection without a preceding coronary intervention (no stent). The stent group had higher comorbidity scores (p < 0.0001) and more males (66% versus 50%; p < 0.0001). There were no differences in age (74 versus 74 years), tumor size (33.7 versus 33.6 mm), stage (53% versus 54% stage I), and resections of lobectomy or greater (83% versus 80%) between stent and no-stent groups (all p > 0.05). Thirty-day MACE and mortality rates were 9.3% and 7.7% in the stent group and 4.9% and 4.6% in the no-stent group (both p < 0.0001). Multivariable predictors of MACE were coronary stent, age, male sex, comorbidity score, tumor size, and stage.

Patients undergoing lung cancer surgery within 1 year of coronary stenting are at high risk for perioperative MACE. The presence of a coronary stent should be an important component of risk assessment before resection for lung cancer.

We used the California Cancer Registry (1996 through 2008) to identify patients 50 to 94 years old with early-stage NSCLC. We used logistic regression models to assess whether or not insurance status (private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, no insurance, and unknown) had an effect on whether or not a lobectomy (or bilobectomy) is performed.

A total of 10,854 patients met our inclusion criteria. Compared with patients with private insurance, we found that patients with Medicare (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.79 to 0.95), Medicaid (aOR 0.45; 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.57), or no insurance (aOR 0.45; 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.70) were significantly less likely to undergo lobectomy, even after adjusting for patient factors (age, race, and gender) and tumor characteristics (histology and tumor size). Increasing age, African American race, squamous cell carcinoma, and increasing tumor size were significant independent negative predictors of whether or not a lobectomy was performed.

Patients without private insurance were significantly less likely than patients with private insurance to undergo a lobectomy for early-stage NSCLC. The variables(s) contributing to this disparity have yet to be elucidated.

We reviewed the literature on the right top PV, right PV passing behind the intermediate bronchus (BIB), and related PV anomalies. We also reviewed our anomalous PV cases, which were analyzed using 3-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT).

Authors of the previous reports were radiologists, surgeons, and cardiologists. The terminologies used in the literature included PV branch crossing BIB, right upper lobe vein posterior to the bronchus intermedius, and right isolated superior posterior branch. The frequency of the anomaly in the literature ranged from 0.3% to 9.3%. Anomalous PVs originated from either the right upper lobe or the lower lobe. We found the following among 303 patients with chest disorders at our hospital: 10 (3.3%) of these PV anomalies were observed—4 drained directly into the LA and the other 4 drained into the right superior PV. Among 9 patients who were analyzed and had complete interlobar fissures between the upper and lower lobes, 4 patients had drainage from both the right upper and the lower lobes. Eight PVs passed BIB, 1 passed behind the main bronchus (BMB), and the other passed both BIB and BMB.

We propose that the term right top PV should be used in a broad sense, being defined as "an anomalous branch of PV draining directly into the left atrium (LA)," and that it be classified into 6 types.

United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) provided deidentified patient-level data. The study population included all locally allocated organs for double-lung transplants (DLTs) performed in 2009 in the United States (n = 580). All occurrences of an ABO blood group–matched, height-matched (± 10 cm), double-lung candidate in the same region, with a higher LAS than the local candidate who actually received the organs, were calculated; these occurrences were termed events.

In 2009, 3,454 events occurred when a local DLT recipient candidate received a DLT while a DLT candidate in the same region had a higher LAS. With a mean of 5.96 events per transplant, this impacted 480 (82.8%) of the 580 DLTs. Further, 555 (16.1%) of these events involved 1 (or more) of the 185 regional candidates who ultimately did not receive transplants and died while on the waiting list.

This analysis suggests that the locally based lung allocation system results in a high frequency of events whereby an organ is allocated to a lower-priority candidate while an appropriately matched higher priority candidate exists regionally.

From 2005 to 2011, thoracoscopic lobectomy was tried in 50 consecutive pediatric patients. The median age was 3.2 years and the median body weight was 16 kg. Congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) (78%) and pulmonary sequestration (18%) were the most common diagnoses. Prenatal diagnosis by ultrasonography was made in 34% of patients (17 of 50), and a previous history of pneumonia was present in 46% (23 of 50). The most commonly used single-lung ventilation modality was endobronchial blocking by balloon catheter through a single-lumen endotracheal tube. The use of a stapler was minimized, with endoscopic clipping devices and energy-based cutting instruments used instead.

Thoracoscopic lobectomy without conversion was accomplished in 82% of patients (41 of 50). There was no in-hospital mortality and 1 major morbidity (2%) with postoperative bleeding. Comparison with a group from an earlier period (~2009) and a group from a later period (2010–2011) determined that thoracotomy conversion rates, mean operation times, and mean hospital days were 27% and 8%, 190 ± 85 and 133 ± 40 minutes, and 11.0 ± 6.7 and 5.2 ± 2.2 days, respectively. In univariate analysis, lower body weight (p = 0.010), operations in the earlier period (p = 0.040), single-lung ventilation failure (p = 0.004), and a previous history of pneumonia (p < 0.001) were related to conversion to thoracotomy. Multivariate analysis revealed a previous history of pneumonia to be the only independent risk factor for conversion to thoracotomy (p = 0.0179).

Thoracoscopic lobectomy in small children is a safe and effective treatment modality. Close cooperation with the anesthesiologist, use of adequate instruments, and selection of proper patients are important for the success of thoracoscopic lobectomy in small children. A previous history of pneumonia was an independent risk factor for conversion to thoracotomy.

We report on a series of 16 patients with high comorbidity and evidence of continuous air leak flow in whom chest tubes remained in place for at least 7 days. After identification of the source of the air leak by use of the balloon occlusion technique, endobronchial one-way valves were implanted. Digital chest tube monitoring was used to assess air leak flow before, during, and after valve implantation until chest tube removal.

The source of the air leak was endoscopically identified in 13 patients (81%). After valve implantation, air leak flow decreased significantly from 871 ± 551 mL/min to 61 ± 72 mL/min immediately after the intervention (p < 0.001). The mean duration of chest tube drainage was 18 ± 8 days before and 9 ± 6 days after the intervention (p < 0.01). Ten patients were considered responders, and 3 patients were nonresponders. Responders demonstrated consistent air leak flow levels below 100 mL/min until chest tube removal. Long-term follow-up was available for 9 patients. No adverse events related to the valve implants were reported at follow-up. Seven patients underwent valve removal without any further complications.

Endoscopic implantation of one-way valves leads to a significant reduction in air leakage flow and may thus be a valuable treatment option in patients with prolonged air leakage.

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all adult OHT in the United Network for Organ Sharing database from 2005 to 2011. Primary stratification was by age 70 years or older. Subgroup analysis evaluated patients who received BTT. The primary outcome was survival as determined by the Kaplan-Meier method.

From January 2005 to December 2011, 12,274 adults underwent OHT, including 3,243 (26.4%) who received BTT. In the entire cohort, 11,996 (97.7%) recipients were aged 18 to 70 years, and 277 (2.3%) were 70 years of age or older. Overall, patients 70 years or older who underwent OHT had decreased 90-day survival (93.6% versus 88.8%; p < 0.01), 1-year survival (89.0% versus 81.6%; p < 0.01), and 2-year survival (85.4% versus 79.9%; p < 0.01) compared with recipients of other ages. However in the BTT subgroup, recipients 70 years and older (n = 43) had similar 90-day (91.2% versus 84.7%; p = 0.2), 1-year (86.1% versus 81.7%; p = 0.4), and 2-year (82.8% versus 81.7%; p = 0.6) survival compared with recipients of other ages (n = 3,200). After adjusting for multiple recipient and donor factors, age greater than or equal to 70 years was still not associated with an increased hazard of mortality at 90 days, 1 year, or 2 years. These results were verified by analysis of a propensity-matched cohort.

Although patients older than the age of 70 years undergoing OHT have decreased survival, among patients who received BTT, septuagenarians have outcomes similar to those of younger recipients. In carefully selected patients dependent on left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), recipient age greater than or equal to 70 years should not be viewed as a contraindication to OHT.

Between August 1998 and January 2012, 45 patients (34 men) underwent 57 device exchanges after primary pulsatile or continuous-flow LVAD implantation. The median age at the initial LVAD implantation was 58 years (range, 28–78 years) and the median time to first device exchange was 15 months (range, immediate–56 months). Indications for primary LVAD included bridge to transplantation in all but 10 patients, and devices included the HeartMate I (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA) in 16 patients, the HeartMate II (Thoratec) in 21 patients, the HeartWare HVAD (HeartWare, Framingham, MA) in 2 patients, the DuraHeart I (Terumo Heart, Ann Arbor, MI) in 1 patient, and other devices in 5 patients. Indications for reoperation included device/component failure (n = 24), major driveline infection (n = 15), pump thrombus (n = 15), and other indications (n = 2).

Pumps implanted in 57 reoperations included the HeartMate I in 15 patients, the HeartMate II in 35 patients, the HeartWare HVAD in 2 patients, the DuraHeart I in 2 patients, and other devices in 3 patients. Early mortality occurred in 2/57 (3.5%) patients. Median follow-up was 18 months (range, 1–113 months); median length of LVAD therapy after the first device exchange was 13 months (range, 1–59 months). Actuarial 1-year survival and freedom from repeated device exchange after the first exchange was 89% and 79%, respectively.

Device exchange may be required after LVAD implantation. This can be performed with low early mortality and no adverse effect on late survival. Multiple reoperations may be required in some patients.

Blood transfusion data for coronary artery bypass graft operations at 12 Providence Health & Services facilities between January 2008 and June 2011 were reviewed. Frequency of perioperative blood transfusion, amount of transfusion, components transfused, and timing of transfusions were compared. Variation among surgeons at the same institution vs between institutions was computed based on multilevel mixed-effect logistic and linear regression models. Intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated.

A total of 5,744 nonemergency first-time coronary artery bypass graft procedures were performed by 42 not-low volume (n > 30 in 2.5 years) surgeons at 12 Providence Health & Services hospitals during the 3.5-year study period. Frequency, amount, timing, and blood component usage were different among facilities but relatively similar for surgeons within a facility. The variance of red blood cell transfusion rate among hospitals (.82) is more than two times that among surgeons practicing within the same hospital (.35). Thus, surgeons contribute 30% to the variation, and 70% of the total variation can be explained by the hospital effect.

In our multihospital system, the hospital that a surgeon practices at plays a larger role in determining blood utilization than the individual surgeon's preference.

Frequency, reason, urgency, and duration of readmission as well as freedom from readmission were examined in a retrospective review of our institutional experience. As an indirect means of quality of life, the ratio of days out of hospital (OOH)/days alive with device was calculated.

From 2006 to 2011, 71 adult patients implanted with a CF device were included. Indication for device implantation was bridge to transplant (n = 19), potential bridge to transplant (n = 25), or destination therapy (n = 27). Length of support averaged 359 days. Total support time was 69.7 patient years. One hundred fifty-five readmissions accounted for a total of 1,659 hospital days. Fifty-six patients were readmitted during the study period. Median time to first readmission was 48 days (range 2 to 663 days). Median length of stay was 5 days. The single most common etiology for readmission was gastrointestinal bleeding accounting for 14% of readmissions. Readmissions were urgent (87%), elective (10%), or life-threatening (3%). Patients on the average enjoyed 92% of their time OOH.

Patients undergoing CF-LVAD support are often readmitted within 6 months of discharge. Readmissions tend to be of short duration and the most common reason is for gastrointestinal bleeding. Importantly, following discharge after implant procedure, 51 patients spent at least 90% of days OOH.

New York's Cardiac Surgery Reporting System 2007 to 2009 data were matched to vital statistics data to identify valve surgery with and without concomitant coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery deaths occurring in the index admission or within 30 days after the procedure in any location. Risk scores were created to easily predict these outcomes by modifying more complicated logistic regression models.

There were 13,455 isolated valve surgery patients and 8,373 valve/CABG surgery patients in the study. The respective in-hospital/30-day mortality rates were 4.03% and 6.60%. There are 11 risk factors comprising the isolated valve surgery score, with risk factor scores ranging from 1 to 8, and the highest observed total score is 28. There are 14 risk factors comprising the valve/CABG surgery score, with risk factor scores ranging from 1 to 6, and the highest observed total score is 19. The scores accurately predicted mortality in 2007 to 2009 as well as in 2004 to 2006, and were strongly correlated with complications and length of stay.

The risk scores that were developed provide quick and accurate estimates of patients' chances of short-term mortality after cardiac valve surgery.

The PH&S-SHS validation data set contained 4,021 isolated valve and 2,406 valve/CABG operations, performed from 2008 to 2012. The risk models (NY logistic and score models and the STS models) were recalibrated to equalize the expected and observed number of deaths. Discrimination was tested by C statistics and calibration by Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics.

PH&S-SHS operative mortality rates were 2.6% and 5.5% in the valve and valve/CABG operations, respectively, and were lower than the NY rates. The C statistics for the NY logistic valve and valve/CABG models were 0.777 and 0.727, respectively, and were very similar for the NY score models. Calibration was good for the NY valve model (p = 0.85), but not for the NY valve/CABG model (p = 0.01). The STS models had better discrimination than NY models and good calibration.

The NY logistic and score models for valve operations fit the PH&S-SHS data well with acceptable discrimination and good calibration. The NY models for valve/CABG operations fit the PH&S-SHS data with acceptable discrimination and poor calibration. STS logistic regression models fit the PH&S-SHS data somewhat better.

Patients who underwent isolated bypass surgery (n = 13,212) and stenting with DES (n = 20,161) between October 2003 and December 2005 in New York State were followed for their vital status through 2008. To control for treatment selection bias, bypass and stenting patients were matched on age, number of diseased coronary vessels, presence of proximal or nonproximal left anterior descending (LAD) artery disease, and propensity of undergoing bypass surgery. Five-year survival rates for the 2 procedures were compared and hazard ratios for death of bypass surgery compared with stenting were obtained.

The respective 5-year survival rates in the 8,121 pairs of matched bypass and stenting patients were 80.4% and 73.6% (p < 0.001), and the risk of death after bypass surgery was 29% lower than for stenting (hazard ratio = 0.71, 95% confidence interval: 0.67 to 0.77, p < 0.001). Significantly lower risks of death for bypass surgery were observed in patients with LAD artery disease but not in patients without LAD artery disease. Significantly lower risks of death for bypass surgery were also found in all patient subgroups defined by the presence of selected baseline risk factors.

Bypass surgery is associated with lower risk of death than stenting with DES for multivessel disease without left main stenosis.

On-pump CABG patients (n = 16), thoracic surgical patients (n = 15), and a nonsurgical control group (n = 15) were tested preoperatively, and at 1 and 8 weeks postoperatively, using a battery of cognitive tests and an emotional state assessment. Patient groups were similar in age, sex, level of education, and premorbid intelligence quotient score. Surgical group data were normalized against data from the nonsurgical control group before statistical analysis.

CABG patients performed worse on every subtest before the operation, and this disadvantage persisted after the operation. Anxiety, depression, and stress were associated with impaired cognitive performance in the surgical groups 1 week after the operation: 44% of CABG patients and 33% of surgical control patients were significantly impaired; yet, by 8 weeks, nearly all patients had recovered to preoperative levels, with 25% of CABG and 13% of surgical control patients improving beyond their preoperative performance.

Stress, anxiety, and depression impair cognitive performance in association with CABG and thoracic operations. Most patients recover to, or exceed, preoperative levels of cognition within 8 weeks. Thus, after controlling for nonsurgical factors, the prospects of a tangible improvement in cognition after CABG are high.

A case-control study was conducted on 221 patients with ejection fraction (EF) ≤0.35 and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV, who received CABG + SVR or CABG alone from 1998 to 2008. Comparisons were made between CABG + SVR and CABG alone within two groups of patients: group 1 (preoperative left ventricular end-systolic volume index [LVESVI] <80 mL/m², n = 127) and group 2 (preoperative LVESVI ≥80 mL/m², n = 94). Outcomes included improvement in EF, NYHA class, readmissions, and survival.

Patients in either group receiving SVR achieved significant LVESVI reduction postoperatively (p < 0.001). In group 1, EF improvement (defined as over .05 improvement in EF) was observed in 53.7% of CABG + SVR patients compared with 48.5% for CABG patients (p 0.570). A similar percentage of patients improved to NYHA class I or II (63.0% for CABG + SVR versus 55.9% for CABG, p = 0.430). Readmissions after CABG + SVR were 27.8% compared with 38.2% after CABG (p = 0.225). There was no difference in survival between CABG + SVR and CABG (p = 0.709). In group 2, the CABG + SVR patients showed greater EF improvement (55.6% versus 30.8%, p = 0.020) and were more likely to improve to NYHA class I or II (58.3% versus 36.5%, p = 0.044). Readmissions were fewer for the CABG + SVR patients than for the CABG patients (30.6% versus 57.7%, p = 0.012). CABG + SVR yielded better survival than did CABG (p = 0.031).

Patients with much advanced LVESVI are more likely to benefit from surgical ventricular restoration, and this surgical procedure still holds its ground in the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Eight patients undergoing skeletonized left mammary artery harvesting for CABG were included. Standard antibiotic prophylaxis was administered: 4 g of cefazolin before skin incision and an additional 2 g during skin closure. Concentrations of cefazolin were measured in subcutaneous tissue on the presternal right and left sides (surgically affected) after sternotomy and additionally in subcutaneous tissue on the thigh (surgically unaffected) by microdialysis over a 10-hour period.

Mean peak tissue concentration and the area under the curve (AUC) on the left sternal side were significantly reduced compared with the right side and compared with the thigh (mean peak concentration, 13.1 ± 5.8 versus 24.1 ± 4.7 and 27.8 ± 9.7 μg/mL; p = 0.005 and p = 0.013; AUC 74.2 ± 31.0 versus 110.4 ± 25.0 and 140.3 ± 46.3 μg x hours per milliliter; p = 0.004 and p = 0.002). Mean subcutaneous concentrations of cefazolin on the left sternal side exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC₉₀) of Staphylococcus epidermidis of 4 μg/mL in only 5 of 8 (37.5%) patients after 5 hours.

IMA harvesting significantly impairs local antibiotic penetration during CABG. Common antibiotic dosing schemas should be reevaluated in this cardiac surgical setting.

Segments of saphenous vein from pigs and from patients with diabetes or patients without diabetes, as well as human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs), were used. The changes of BMP4 expression in veins from patients and in HUVECs cultured under hyperglycemic conditions were evaluated by Western blot assay. The effects of BMP4 on the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endothelium-dependent venous relaxation were assessed by using dihydroethidium fluorescence and isometric tension measurements, respectively.

The impaired venous endothelium–dependent relaxations (2.9% ± 4.8% versus control group 74.1% ± 10%; p < 0.01) accompanied by markedly increased BMP4 expression were observed in the diabetic group. The level of BMP4 expression in HUVECs treated with high levels of glucose were elevated in a glucose concentration–dependent manner. Ex vivo treatment with the BMP4 antagonist noggin significantly improved endothelium-dependent relaxations and inhibited accumulation of ROS in saphenous veins from patients with diabetes. Noggin treatment had no effect on the venous endothelium–dependent relaxations in individuals without diabetes. Meanwhile, BMP4 inhibited acetylcholine-induced relaxation (control group, 90% ± 7.1% versus BMP4-treated group, 52% ± 12.6%; p < 0.05) and enhanced ROS production in porcine saphenous veins. Such harmful effects were again reversed by noggin.

The increased BMP4 expression and related ROS overproduction may play an important role in the development of hyperglycemia-induced venous endothelial dysfunction.

There were 1,018 patients with suspected coronary artery disease who underwent 64-slice multidetector CCTA between July 2009 and January 2010. Of them, we excluded 324 patients who denied further treatment (n = 7), who were lost for unidentified reasons (n = 107), or who were transferred to local clinics (n = 210). The total analysis cohort consisted of 694 patients. We established eligible CABG criteria defined as three-vessel disease, left main coronary disease, and left main coronary artery equivalent disease. Diagnostic performance was determined using conventional coronary angiography as the reference standard. For assessment of the prognostic utility of CCTA, electronic medical records were reviewed to screen for the occurrence of a major adverse cardiac event, defined as cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or revascularization.

The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CCTA for the selection of CABG candidates were 83.3%, 96.2%, 90.9%, and 92.7%, respectively. The presence of CABG criteria on CCTA was an independent prognostic factor for predicting a major adverse cardiac event (hazard ratio, 12.508; 95% confidence interval, 7.353 to 21.278; p < 0.0001).

We found CCTA had a high diagnostic performance for selecting CABG candidates and predicted major adverse cardiac events in CABG candidates referred for CCTA owing to suspected coronary artery disease.

Records of all patients undergoing edge-to-edge MVR through minithoracotomy at a single institution over a 7-year period were retrospectively reviewed.

A total of 186 patients underwent edge-to-edge MVR through minithoracotomy. Disease etiology was posterior prolapse in 73 (39%) and bileaflet prolapse in 77 (41%). Edge-to-edge sutures were used at A1-P1 in 20 patients (11%), A2-P2 in 136 (73%), and A3-P3 in 30 (16%). Annuloplasty rings were placed in 184 patients (99%), with a mean size of 36 ± 5 mm. Mean follow-up was 2 years (range, 0 to 6), with mean mitral gradient 4 ± 2 mm Hg, MR mild or less in 179 of 186 (96%), 4 (2%) late reoperations, and 1 (0.5%) late death. The CHORD patients (n = 71) were more likely than the noCHORD patients (n = 115) to have extensive posterior leaflet pathology (p < 0.01), had longer clamp and pump times (p < 0.01) and were less likely to need leaflet resection (p = 0.002), but had similar postoperative courses. At 3 years, freedom from moderate MR was less in CHORD versus noCHORD patients (88 ± 6 versus 100%, p = 0.001), but freedom from reoperation was similar (96% ± 3% versus 99% ± 1%, p = not significant).

Early results suggest that edge-to-edge MVR can be safe and effective in patients with mitral regurgitation. Edge-to-edge MVR combined with artificial chordae may be useful in selected patients, but with some risk of recurrent moderate MR.

One hundred and ninety consecutive patients undergoing robotic repair of degenerative mitral leaflet prolapse were eligible for preoperative CT evaluation; retrospective electrocardiogram-gated CTA of the chest to assess the coronary arteries, followed by contrast-enhanced CT of the abdomen and pelvis to assess the systemic arterial and vascular anatomy. If coronary CTA identified coronary artery stenosis 50% or greater, CCA was performed for further assessment.

Computed tomography evaluation was performed in 178 patients (94%). Six patients (3%) had coronary artery stenosis 50% or greater identified on coronary CTA and underwent CCA. In each of these cases, CCA revealed no significant obstructive lesion. On a per patient basis, coronary CTA had an accuracy of 91% (95% confidence interval 0.81 to 0.96) for excluding obstructive coronary disease. The CT also demonstrated significant noncoronary vascular findings in 6 patients (3%). These findings included iliac artery dissection and aneurysm (n = 4), and pulmonary embolism (n = 2). Mitral repair rate was 100% and no patients underwent conversion to sternotomy. Median hospital stay was 3 days and there were no deaths.

In patients at low-to-intermediate risk of coronary artery disease, CT is useful as a single screening modality of the coronary arteries and peripheral vasculature to determine candidacy for minimally invasive robotic mitral valve repair.

Between 2000 and 2011, 41 patients (80.5% men; aged 64.2 ± 13.8 years) underwent transvenous CS lead extraction procedures. Reasons for lead extraction were infection in 9, CS lead dislodgement in 15, lead malfunction, including manufacturer-initiated product recall in 6, phrenic nerve stimulation in 5, combinations of causes in 5, and elective extraction concomitant with generator replacement for battery depletion in 1.

In addition to 24 isolated CS lead extractions, we performed 17 multiple lead extractions (2 to 4 leads) after a mean of 30.6 ± 32.5 months. The time elapsed from implantation was 4.6 ± 9.1 months for isolated CS and 42.6 ± 32.4 months for multiple lead extractions. Extraction by direct manual traction was feasible in 13 patients by locking stylets in 6. Escalation to mechanical sheaths was required in 17 patients and to electrosurgical sheaths in 5. More aggressive methods were associated with longer implantation times and positive infection status. No deaths or major periprocedural complications occurred. Six minor postprocedural complications, of which three were surgically related, occurred in 5 patients.

Closed chest CS lead extraction can be safely performed with excellent results. We recommend an escalating approach from isolated manual traction over locking stylets to mechanical sheaths and, eventually, electrosurgical dissection devices. The application in mainly high-risk patients demands an interdisciplinary approach to enhance safety and limit morbidity and death.

The medical records of 37 patients (27 male, 73%) who underwent 38 mechanical pulmonary valve replacements between October 1988 and February 2011 were reviewed, retrospectively. The median age of patients was 13.5 years (range, 7 months to 23 years), and the median number of prior operations per patient was 2 (range, 0 to 5). Tetralogy of Fallot was the most common diagnosis (n = 23). The median valve size was 23 mm (range, 17 to 27 mm), and the median follow-up duration after pulmonary valve replacement was 24.6 months (range, 1.3 months to 22.5 years). Events were defined as the following: valve failure, thrombosis, embolism, bleeding, reoperation, and death.

There was no in-hospital mortality, but there were 2 late deaths (1 heart failure and 1 traffic accident at 10.8 months and 8.7 years postoperatively, respectively). Excluding the traffic accident death, survival rates were 97%, 97%, and 97%, at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Freedom from thromboembolism or bleeding events was 92%, 92%, and 78.8%, at 1, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Two reoperations were performed at 6.8 and 10.2 years postoperatively. Freedom from reoperation was 100%, 100%, and 85.7%, at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively.

Durability of mechanical valve in pulmonic position was excellent. Thromboembolism or bleeding events due to anticoagulation therapy were rare. In growing patients who have undergone prior sternotomies requiring a pulmonary valve replacement, a mechanical valve could be an attractive option.

To examine outcomes of children with CDH with CHD supported with ECMO, Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) registry was queried from 1998 to May 2010. There were a total of 3,342 deployments for CDH and 316 (9.5%) neonates with associated CHD. The median values are as follows: age at presentation, 1 (0 to 52) days; gestational age, 38 (29 to 42) weeks; birth weight, 3 (1.35 to 4.7) kg; admission to time to ECMO, 16 (0 to 1,220) hours; duration of ECMO, 194 (3 to 823) hours; time off of ECMO to extubation, 366 (0 to 7,934) hours; and time off of ECMO to death was 114 (0 to 7,272) hours.

Initially, ECMO support was venoarterial in 91% (283 of 316), 5 were converted from venovenous to venoarterial ECMO. Overall survival to hospital discharge for all patients with CDH and CHD was 47% (148 of 316). Survival to hospital discharge for hypoplastic left heart syndrome and single-ventricle physiology was 55% (33 of 60), 48% (43 of 89) for ventricular septal defect, and 40% (24 of 60) for coarctation of the aorta patients.

Patients with CDH and CHD supported with ECMO have had better than predicted short-term outcomes. In this cohort, overall survival of patient's with CDH with or without CHD was similar. Patients with single-ventricle physiology had similar short-term outcome to those with 2 ventricle physiology.

We retrospectively studied 458 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery for congenital heart disease between 2000 and 2010. We constructed logistic models to assess risk factors for mortality, major adverse event (stroke, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, prolonged coma, deep sternal infection, reoperation, and operative mortality), and prolonged length of stay (>7 days). Long-term, all-cause mortality was also measured.

Sixteen patients died (3.49%). Risk factors for mortality included a history of cerebrovascular disease (odds ratio [OR]: 4.51), New York Heart Association (NYHA) class 3 or 4 (OR: 8.88), and surgery on the aorta or the aortic valve (OR: 5.74). Ninety-four patients suffered a major adverse event (20.5%). Significant risk factors were male gender (OR: 2.28), NYHA class of 3 or 4 (OR 2.58), 2 concomitant major operations (OR: 2.15), and cardiopulmonary bypass time of greater than100 minutes (OR: 3.18). Last, 90 patients (19.7%) remained in the hospital longer than 7 days. Significant risk factors for a prolonged length of stay included chronic lung disease (OR: 3.05), NYHA class of 3 or 4 (OR: 3.69), surgery by an adult cardiac surgeon (OR 2.58), 2 concomitant major operations (OR: 3.28), and cardiopulmonary bypass time of greater than 100 minutes (OR: 2.41). Survival at 1, 5, and 10 years was 97.6%, 95.2%, and 93.4%, respectively.

Surgery in adults with congenital heart disease can be performed with low morbidity and mortality. Nonetheless, there remain important risk factors for adverse events. Awareness and modification of risk factors may help improve outcomes.

Data from the most recent repeat median sternotomy of 254 consecutive ACHD patients with simultaneous intervention on 2 or more valves were analyzed. Mean age of 136 (54%) female and 118 (46%) male patients was 37.9 years (range, 18 to 83). Diagnoses were conotruncal anomaly 132 (52%), Ebstein-tricuspid valve 41(16%), pulmonary stenosis and right ventricular outflow tract obstruction 37 (14%), atrioventricular septal defect 22 (9%), and other 22 (9%). It was the second sternotomy in 130 (51%) patients, third in 80 (31%), fourth in 34 (13%), and fifth in 10 (4%).

Intervention was on 2 valves in 219 patients (86.2%), 3 in 34 patients (13.4%), and 4 in 1 patient (0.4%). The most common valve combination was tricuspid and pulmonary (117, 43%). Early mortality overall was 4.7% (12 of 254) and 2.9% (7 of 239) after elective operation. Potentially modifiable risk factors identified for early mortality were preoperative hematocrit less than 35 (p = 0.01), cross-clamp time (p < 0.001), and cardiopulmonary bypass time (p < 0.001). Late survival was 96%, 89%, and 77% at 1, 5, and 10 years, respectively. Independent risk factors for late mortality were prolonged ventilation (p = 0.002), coronary artery disease (p = 0.005), and cardiac injury (p = 0.018).

The need for simultaneous intervention on multiple valves is relatively common in ACHD, particularly with conotruncal anomalies. Prolonged bypass and cross-clamp times, lower hematocrit, and acquired coronary artery disease are significant predictors of adverse outcome. The number or position of valves requiring intervention did not affect early or late survival.

A total of 218 neonates were enrolled retrospectively from February 2007 through February 2011. All analyses were stratified on the type of procedure (ASO ± ventricular septal defect closure ± aortic arch repair). Troponin concentrations within the first week of surgery were analyzed using mixed models for repeated measurements. To counteract the confounding effect of the coronary anatomy, a sensitivity analysis was conducted after 1:1 matching.

Overall 30 patients had Custodiol cardioplegia, and 188 had warm blood cardioplegia. High-risk coronary anatomy (single right coronary artery giving rise to the left, intramural course) was associated with higher troponin concentrations and a higher 30-day mortality rate postoperatively, and was more prevalent in the Custodiol group when compared with the warm blood cardioplegia group. Postoperative troponin concentrations were higher in the Custodiol group both before (p < 0.001) and after matching on the coronary anatomy (p = 0.03). The 30-day mortality rate was higher in the Custodiol group, 10% versus 1.1% (p = 0.009), but only a nonsignificant trend was noted after matching.

The use of Custodiol cardioplegia in neonates undergoing ASO was associated with a larger troponin release when compared with warm blood cardioplegia, suggesting poor myocardial protection. The difference noted in 30-day mortality was not due to the use of Custodiol.

This was a retrospective review of 80 children undergoing a right ventricle (RV)-to-pulmonary artery conduit replacement after complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. All patients underwent preoperative cardiac catheterization to define the cardiac physiology. Patients were an average age of 6.5 ± 1.2 years, and the average interval between complete repair and conduit change was 4.5 ± 1.1 years.

The preoperative cardiac catheterization demonstrated an average RV right peak systolic pressure of 70 ± 22 mm Hg and pulmonary artery pressure of 38 ± 14 mm Hg. This pressure gradient of 32 mm Hg reflects the presence of conduit obstruction. After conduit change, the intraoperative RV systolic pressure was 34 ± 8 mm Hg, similar to 36 ± 9 mm Hg at the conclusion of the previous complete repair. The corresponding RV/aortic pressure ratios were 0.36 ± 0.07 and 0.39 ± 0.09, respectively.

The data demonstrate that patients who underwent complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs had nearly identical pulmonary artery pressures when they returned for conduit change some 4.5 years later. This finding indicates that the growth and development of the unifocalized pulmonary vascular bed is commensurate with visceral growth. We would hypothesize that complete repair, along with low RV pressures, will confer a long-term survival advantage.

A retrospective chart review (2005 to 2010) from our institutional database identified patients with heterotaxy syndrome who underwent a Ladd's procedure.

Nine patients (3 boys and 6 girls) underwent Ladd's procedure. Patient demographics were as follows: median gestational age, 38 weeks (range, 37 to 39); median birth weight, 2.7 kg (range, 2 to 3.4 kg); and median age at Ladd's procedure, 180 days (range, 7 to 1,080). Four patients (44%) exhibited feeding intolerance with documented intestinal rotation and fixation abnormalities. Two of these patients underwent Ladd's procedure before cardiac surgery, 1 of whom had subsequent pulmonary artery banding, had recurrent necrotizing enterocolitis, and died. Two children had Ladd's procedure after initial cardiac palliation; both had shunt thrombosis during abdominal surgery, with a mortality of 50%. Five patients who were asymptomatic underwent Ladd's procedure after second-stage palliation. Mortality in this group was 0%.

Ladd's procedure in single ventricle heterotaxy patients who are tolerating enteral feeding should be performed after physiologic palliation to a more balanced circulation, ideally after cavopulmonary connection. Symptomatic neonates pose management challenges. Timing of abdominal surgery should be carefully considered, given the significant risk of mortality in these patients.

Between November 1995 and May 2011, 140 patients (median age, 3.8 years) underwent extracardiac Fontan operation. We assumed as preoperative risk factors systemic right ventricle (n = 51), heterotaxia (n = 25), arterial oxygen saturation less than 75% (n = 22), and adult age (>16 years, n = 20) at time of surgery. Prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time of longer than 120 minutes (n = 30) and use of cardioplegia (n = 26) were analyzed as intraoperative risks.

Heterotaxia was revealed as a risk factor for postoperative prolonged inotropic support, acute renal failure, prolonged mechanical ventilation, prolonged pleural effusions, and tachyarrhythmias. With the exception of pleural effusions, the same held true for right ventricle morphology. Low preoperative arterial oxygen saturation was found to be associated with an increased risk of prolonged inotropic support, acute renal failure, and prolonged mechanical ventilation. Adult age was identified as a risk factor for acute renal failure. Of the intraoperative factors, prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass time longer than 120 minutes was a risk factor for acute renal failure and prolonged pleural effusions, whereas use of cardioplegia was associated with an increased risk of prolonged inotropic support, prolonged mechanical ventilation, acute renal failure, and tachyarrhythmias. Multivariate analysis demonstrated heterotaxia, right ventricular morphology, and low preoperative arterial oxygen saturation to be independent risk factors for postoperative prolonged inotropic support and prolonged mechanical ventilation.

Patients with heterotaxia, systemic right ventricle, and low preoperative arterial oxygen saturation are still at high risk for early Fontan failure after extracardiac Fontan operation and require special management for optimal outcome.

This was a retrospective review of 25 patients (14 boys, 11 girls) who were born with PS/VSD/MAPCA and underwent surgical reconstruction. Preoperative pulmonary angiography was used to define the central branch pulmonary arteries and MAPCA. Patients were a median age of 4 months at the first operation.

There was one operative death (4%) in this cohort of 25 patients, and complete repair was achieved in the 24 survivors (96%). There were two distinct subgroups of patients: 11 demonstrated cyanosis in the neonatal timeframe and underwent an initial procedure to augment pulmonary blood flow (+PBF). The remaining 14 patients formed the second group (–PBF). The median age at the first operation was 0.8 months in the +PBF group and 5.2 months in the –PBF group (p < 0.005). Complete repair was achieved in 91% of patients in the +PBF group and in 100% in the –PBF group; however, the average number of procedures to achieve complete repair was 2.8 in the +PBF group vs 1.0 in the –PBF group (p < 0.005).

Outcomes for PS/VSD/MAPCAs as a whole were excellent, with a low surgical mortality and high rate of complete repair. There were two identifiable subgroups with distinctive differences required in their surgical management. These results provide a prognostic outlook for patients with PS/VSD/MAPCAs that can be compared and contrasted with PA/VSD/MAPCAs.

Eighteen adult goats were distributed into three groups: sham (no systolic overload), traditional (continuous systolic overload), and intermittent (daily 12-hour systolic overload). Systolic overload was adjusted to achieve a 0.7 RV-to-aortic pressure ratio. All animals underwent weekly echocardiographic studies, and hemodynamic evaluations were performed 3 times a week. After 4 weeks, the animals were humanely killed for morphologic assessment.

A 37.2% increase was observed in the RV wall thickness of the intermittent group (p < 0.05), but no significant echocardiographic changes were observed in the other two groups. The intermittent and traditional groups had a 55.7% and 36.7% increase in RV mass, respectively, compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). No differences were observed in myocardial water content of the three groups (p = 0.27). RV myocardial fiber and nuclei diameters were increased in the intermittent group compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). The area of collagen deposition in the RV interstitium was increased 98% in traditional group compared with the sham group (p < 0.05). No significant cellular proliferation occurred in any group.

This study suggests that a more effective and harmless hypertrophy can be achieved in adult animals using intermittent PAB compared with the traditional approach.

Data were obtained from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database for 50,231 patients undergoing combinations of aortic (A), mitral (M), and tricuspid (T) surgery between January 1, 2004, and December 31, 2010, divided into developmental (2004 to 2009) and validation (2010) samples. Pulmonary valve operations, aortic root replacements, and dissection procedures were excluded, and insufficient AT procedures were available to model. Using stepwise logistic regression, the risk of operative mortality was estimated for each valve surgery type: AM, n = 27,035; MT, n = 18,686; and AMT, n = 4,510. Two separate models were estimated, one that included only patient characteristics and status at presentation, and thereby would be suitable for performance profiling; and another that added discretionary operative variables such as arrhythmia ablation or valve repair.

Unadjusted operative mortality was 7.6% for MT, 9.4% for AM, and 13.1% for AMT procedures. Significant risk factors for mortality included emergency presentation, advanced age, renal failure, reoperation, endocarditis, diabetes mellitus, severe chronic lung disease, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, and female sex. In models containing intraoperative variables, performance of arrhythmia ablation and atrioventricular valve repair were protective for mortality. In the validation sample, the model exhibited acceptable discrimination in each of the three procedural subgroups (C = 0.711 to 0.727).

Risk models were developed to predict operative mortality for patients having multiple valve procedures. These models may be useful for outcome assessment, quality improvement, patient counseling, shared decision making, and research.

From December 2007 to July 2010, 334 patients underwent robotic posterior mitral leaflet repair for degenerative disease by a resectional (n = 248) or neochordal (n = 86) technique. Outcomes were compared both unadjusted and after propensity score matching.

Neochordae were more likely to be used than resection in patients with two (28% versus 13%; p = 0.002) or three (3.7% versus 0.87%; p = 0.08) diseased posterior leaflet segments. Three resection patients (0.98%) but no neochordal patient required reoperation for hemodynamically significant systolic anterior motion. Residual mitral regurgitation (MR) at hospital discharge was similar for matched neochordal versus resection patients (MR 0+, 82% versus 89%; MR 1+, 14% versus 8.2%; MR 2+, 2.3% versus 2.6%; 1 neochordal patient had 4+ MR and underwent reoperation; p = 0.14). Among matched patients, postoperative mortality and morbidity were similarly low.

Compared with a resectional technique, robotic posterior mitral leaflet repair with neochordae is associated with shorter operative times and no occurrence of systolic anterior motion. The versatility, effectiveness, and safety of this repair make it a good choice for patients with advanced multisegment disease.

The study was a prospective, randomized, double-blinded and placebo-controlled trial. Patients undergoing primary and isolated on-pump CABG with their last dose of clopidogrel and aspirin less than 7 days preoperatively were randomly assigned to receive tranexamic acid (15 mg/kg before surgical incision and 15 mg/kg after protamine neutralization) or a corresponding volume of saline solution. The primary outcome was allogeneic erythrocyte transfusion.

Randomly assigned participants were 120 adults among whom 117 were analyzed, 58 in the tranexamic acid group and 59 in the placebo group. As compared with placebo, tranexamic acid reduced allogeneic erythrocyte requirement—both the volume transfused (4.84 ± 5.85 versus 9.36 ± 11.41 units; mean difference –4.52 units; 95% interval confidence [CI], –7.85 to –1.19 units; p < 0.001) and the ratio exposed (72.4% versus 91.5%; risk difference in percentage point, –19.1; 95% CI, –32.6 to –5.59; relative risk, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.94; p = 0.007)—blood loss (1069.1 ± 565.5 mL versus 1449.8 ± 899.8 mL; mean difference, –380.7 mL; 95% CI, –656.4 to –104.9 mL; p = 0.005), major bleeding (50.0% versus 78.0%; risk difference, –28.0; 95% CI, –44.6 to –11.3; relative risk, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.48 to 0.86; p = 0.002), and reoperation (0.0% versus 10.2%; risk difference, –10.2; 95% CI, –17.9 to –2.46; relative risk, 0.08; 95% CI, 0.00 to 1.36; p = 0.01).

Tranexamic acid significantly reduced blood loss, major bleeding, reoperation, and allogeneic transfusion in patients undergoing primary and isolated on-pump CABG without clopidogrel and aspirin cessation.

Between 2001 and 2011, 500 patients (364 [73%] men; 136 [27%] women; median age [minimum-maximum] 60 years [31–90 years], median EuroSCORE 2 [0–13]), underwent TECAB. Single, double, triple, and quadruple TECAB was performed in 334, 150, 15, and 1 patient, respectively. Univariate analysis and binary regression models were used to identify predictors of success and safety. Success was defined as freedom from any adverse event and conversion procedure, safety was defined as freedom from major adverse cardiac and cerebral events, major vascular injury, and long-term ventilation.

Success and safety rates were 80% (400 cases) and 95% (474 cases), respectively. Intraoperative conversions to larger thoracic incisions were required in 49 (10%) patients. The median operative time was 305 minutes (112–1,050 minutes), and the mean lengths of stay in the intensive unit (ICU) and in hospital were 23 hours (11–1,048 hours) and 6 days (2–4 days), respectively. Independent predictors of success were single-vessel TECAB (p = 0.004), arrested-heart (AH)-TECAB (p = 0.027), non–learning curve case (p = 0.049), and transthoracic assistance (p = 0.035). The only independent predictor of safety was EuroSCORE (p = 0.002).

Single-vessel and multivessel TECAB procedures can be safely performed with good reproducible results. Predictors of success include procedure simplicity and non–learning curve cases, whereas predictors of safety are mainly associated with patient selection.

From 2001 to 2011, 541 patients, aged 60 years (range, 26 to 90 years), 394 (72.8%) male, 147 (27.1%) female, underwent TECAB using the daVinci telemanipulation system at one European and one American institution. Three hundred forty-six (63.9%) single-, 171 (31.6%) double-, 23 (4.2%) triple-, and 1 (0.2%) quadruple-vessel TECABs were carried out with an overall LOS of 6 days (range, 2 to 54 days) and 30-day mortality of 0.9% (5 of 541); 44.5% of patients (241 of 541) were hybrid intent-to-treat candidates.

The following variables showed significant positive correlation with LOS: age, r = 0.188 (p < 0.001); Society of Thoracic Surgeons risk score, r = 0.263 (p < 0.001); EuroSCORE, r = 0.191 (p < 0.001); creatinine, r = 0.135 (p = 0.002); and operative time, r = 0.216 (p < 0.001). Other factors that had significant influence on LOS were hemodialysis (p = 0.037), cerebrovascular disease (p = 0.002), learning curve case (p < 0.001), intraoperative surgical problem (p < 0.001), conversion or on-table revision (p < 0.001), revision for bleeding (p < 0.001), postoperative stroke (p < 0.001), intraaortic balloon pump (p < 0.001), hemodialysis (p < 0.001), and atrial fibrillation (p < 0.001). By multivariate analysis, learning curve case, conversion or on-table revision, and revision for bleeding were independent predictors for prolonged LOS (defined as LOS > 6 days).

Multiple variables affect LOS after TECAB. Older patients, patients on hemodialysis, patients with cerebrovascular disease, and those with higher general risk scores should expect prolonged LOS. Intraoperative surgical difficulties and conversion to open coronary artery bypass grafting also lead to extended LOS. Postoperative events that are known to prolong LOS in open coronary artery bypass grafting also prolong LOS after TECAB.

We retrospectively analyzed 28 patients who underwent mitral valve surgery for ischemic papillary muscle rupture.

The 30-day mortality rate was 39.3% (11 of 28). There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics, and concomitant coronary artery bypass (CABG) was performed in 66.7% of the survivor group and in 61.5% of the nonsurvivor group (p = 0.245). Mortality predictors included low cardiac output (p = 0.05), renal failure (p = 0.005), and implementation of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy (p = 0.005). The time between myocardial infarction and surgery showed no significant effects on survival.

Papillary muscle rupture with severe mitral regurgitation carries a high operative mortality. Additional CABG does not influence the acute postoperative course. Postoperative development of low cardiac output with a need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation therapy and renal failure with hemodialysis substantially reduces survival.

Mitral valve size and geometry of both healthy ovine animals and those with chronic IMR were used to recreate systolic MV function in vitro. A2-P2 coaptation length, coaptation depth, tenting area, anterior leaflet strain, and MR were compared between the animal groups and valves simulated in the bench-top model.

For the control conditions, no differences were observed between the healthy animals and simulator in coaptation length (p = 0.681), coaptation depth (p = 0.559), tenting area (p = 0.199), and anterior leaflet strain in the radial (p = 0.230) and circumferential (p = 0.364) directions. For the chronic IMR conditions, no differences were observed between the models in coaptation length (p = 0.596), coaptation depth (p = 0.621), tenting area (p = 0.879), and anterior leaflet strain in the radial (p = 0.151) and circumferential (p = 0.586) directions. MR was similar between IMR models, with an asymmetrical jet originating from the tethered A3-P3 leaflets.

This study is the first to demonstrate the effectiveness of an in vitro simulator to emulate the systolic valvular function and mechanics of a healthy ovine model and one with chronic IMR. The in vitro IMR model provides the capability to recreate intermediary and exacerbated levels of annular and subvalvular distortion for which IMR repairs can be simulated. This system provides a realistic and controllable test platform for the development and evaluation of current and future IMR repairs.

Four hundred three patients undergoing bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR) between January 2001 and March 2005 were prospectively randomized to receive either the CE-SAV (n = 197) or the Mosaic (n = 206) prosthesis. All patients are being followed annually.

The patients in the 2 groups were comparable with respect to their preoperative demographics, EuroSCORE, and their intraoperative characteristics concerning cardiopulmonary bypass. The mean follow-up period was 6 ± 0.25 years, with a total follow-up of 2,418 patient-years. There have been a total of 64 (32.5%) deaths in the group receiving CE-SAV valves and 85 (41.3%) deaths in the group receiving Mosaic valves. The 5-year survival in the 2 groups was 77.7 % and 73.3%, respectively (p = 0.36). There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of structural valve deterioration (SVD) (p = 0.16), paraprosthetic leak (p = 0.13), thromboembolism (p = 0.25), endocarditis (p = 0.68), and freedom from reoperation at 5 years (p = 0.27). Echocardiographic data suggests a trend for lower valve gradients across the 23-mm CE-SAV prostheses compared with similar-sized Mosaic prostheses.

There were no statistically significant differences in the clinical performance between CE-SAV and Mosaic aortic prostheses at 6 years after implantation.

A total of 1,759 aortic valve replacement cases with and without coronary artery bypass grafting performed from January 2002 to June 2010 at Emory University are the basis for this retrospective analysis. Patients were classified by the presence or absence of preoperative OD: (1) cardiac: congestive heart failure (ejection fraction <0.35), (2) pulmonary: forced expiratory volume in 1 second less than 50% predicted, (3) neurologic (prior stroke), and (4) renal: chronic renal failure. The impact of individual and combined OD on outcomes was evaluated. Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox regression models were used to assess the relationship between OD and long-term survival.

A total of 513 patients (29.2%) had at least one OD, including 95 patients (5.4%) with more than one OD. Organ dysfunction in each organ system was associated with poorer survival. Renal (hazard ratio, 3.90) and pulmonary (hazard ratio, 2.40) OD patients had poorer long-term survival, including 30-day mortality. Seven-year survival for OD patients is as follows: prior stroke, 48.6%; severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 30.8%; congestive heart failure, 55.9%; and chronic renal failure, 11.7%. The sequential addition of OD systems was a powerful predictor of poorer long-term survival.

The presence of chronic renal failure most profoundly decreases survival, followed by severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and prior stroke. Furthermore, multiple OD systems significantly decrease short- and long-term survival.

Multivessel OPCAB without aortic manipulation was performed in 564 patients between February 2002 and October 2010. Patients receiving a LITA-vein composite graft (n = 62) were older and had more emergency procedures, renal insufficiency, peripheral vascular disease and therefore a higher logistic EuroSCORE predicted risk of mortality (all p < 0.001) than did patients who underwent BITA and LITA-RA grafts.

Overall 30-day mortality was 1.1%: 6.5% in patients who received LITA-vein grafts and 0.5% in both total arterial groups (p = 0.001). Neurologic events occurred in 3.2%, 0.7%, and 0.5% of patients, respectively (p = 0.3). No patient who received a LITA-vein graft experienced perioperative myocardial infarction (MI). Patients in the total arterial graft groups had better 5-year survival (> 90%) and freedom from major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (≥ 80%) than did patients who received LITA-vein grafts (74 ± 7.8% and 62.5 ± 8.1%, respectively). However there was no difference in the 3 groups with respect to freedom from MI and repeat revascularization.

LITA-vein composite graft use is associated with a lower survival and higher complication rate, probably because of the higher patient risk profile. LITA-vein composite grafts may be used as a last resort in selected patients undergoing OPCAB operations without manipulation of the aorta when arterial grafts are not available or recommended.

A total of 1,123 patients who underwent isolated off-pump CABG between September 2004 and December 2010 were enrolled. Perioperative outcomes were compared between 254 patients with preoperative anemia (hemoglobin level: males, <12 g/dL; females, <11 g/dL) and 869 patients without preoperative anemia.

Patients with preoperative anemia were significantly older and more likely to be female than patients without preoperative anemia. Patients with preoperative anemia had higher rates of diabetes mellitus, acute coronary syndrome, and history of congestive heart failure, and had lower ejection fraction and estimated glomerular filtration rate. Patients with preoperative anemia had a higher operative death rate than patients without preoperative anemia, but this difference was not statistically significant (1.6% versus 0.3%; p = 0.0501). Univariate analysis showed that postoperative low cardiac output syndrome, hemodialysis requirement, and the composite adverse outcome were significantly higher in patients with preoperative anemia than in patients without preoperative anemia. However, multivariate analysis showed that preoperative anemia was not an independent predictor of operative death, low cardiac output, hemodialysis requirement, or the composite adverse outcome.

In patients undergoing isolated off-pump CABG, preoperative anemia was not an independent predictor of postoperative adverse events.

MEDLINE, EMBASE, World of Science, and the Cochrane library were searched for randomized controlled trials and observational studies comparing the incidence of deep sternal wound infection in diabetic patients undergoing either left internal thoracic artery (LITA) or BITA harvest. We used random effect models to compare risk ratios within groups.

One randomized controlled trial and 10 observational studies (126,235 diabetic patients: 122,465 LITA, 3,770 BITA) met inclusion criteria. Deep sternal wound infection occurred in 3.1% and 1.6% for the BITA and LITA cohorts, respectively. The risk ratio for deep sternal wound infection development was 1.71 (1.37 to 2.14) for BITA compared with LITA. Patients who underwent skeletonized BITA harvest had a similar risk of deep sternal wound infection compared with LITA (0.9 [0.42 to 2.09]), although pedicled harvest demonstrated increased risk (1.77 [1.4 to 2.23]). Early mortality was comparable in the LITA cohort (2.5%) and the BITA cohort (2.3%; p = 0.8).

The risk of deep sternal wound infection can be minimized in diabetic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery by performing ITA harvested in a skeletonized manner with meticulous attention to preserving sternal blood flow. Pedicled harvest is to be discouraged when utilizing both ITA owing to a significant increase in the risk of postoperative deep sternal wound infection.

The United Network of Organ Sharing database was retrospectively analyzed for 15,253 patients who were listed status 1A from 1998 to 2008. Survival after transplant survival was compared between patients who were and were not listed for LVAD-related complications. Standard statistical analysis was applied.

No survival difference was identified at 1 and 10 years after transplant in patients who had device complications compared with those without complications. Of the five complication entries (thromboembolism, infection, malfunction, malignant arrhythmia, and other), only device infection increased mortality risk compared with noncomplicated patients (39% at 1 year, 30% at 10 years, p < 0.01).

Long-term outcomes are generally not affected by the status 1A listing criteria for patients bridged to transplant with LVADs. However, the subset of patients with device infection had worse 1-year and 10-year posttransplant survival. Bridge to transplant patients, despite serious device-related complications, still have excellent transplant outcomes.

All 555 participants completed a self-report quality of life instrument. Of these patients, 55 (10%) died 5 to 10 years after heart transplantation. Statistical analyses included frequencies, means, Pearson correlation coefficients, and Cox proportional hazard modeling.

Educational level and higher levels of social and economic satisfaction were predictive of improved survival. Conversely, married status, more cumulative infections, the presence of hematologic disorders, higher New York Heart Association (NYHA) class, and poor adherence to medical care predicted worse survival.

Demographic, clinical, psychosocial, and behavioral factors were important predictors of long-term survival after heart transplantation. These findings have important implications for patient selection for heart transplantation, as well as for posttransplantation care.

We followed 71 patients who underwent cardiac operations; recovered their ability to respond to verbal commands after coma associated with postoperative stroke, encephalopathy, and/or seizures; and were discharged from the hospital. The Glasgow Outcome Scale Extended (GOSE) was used to assess functional disability 2 to 4 years after discharge. Outcomes were classified as favorable (GOSE scores 7 and 8) and unfavorable (GOSE scores 1–6).

Of 71 patients identified, 39 were interviewed, 15 died, 1 refused to be interviewed, and 16 were lost to follow-up. Of the 54 patients with completed GOSE evaluations, only 15 (28%) had favorable outcomes. Among patients with unfavorable outcomes, 15 (28%) died, 14 (26%) survived with moderate disabilities, and 10 (18%) had severe disabilities. Factors associated with unfavorable outcomes were increases in duration of coma (p = 0.007), time in intensive care (p = 0.006), length of hospitalization (p = 0.004), and postoperative serum creatine kinase levels (p = 0.006). Only duration of coma was an independent predictor of unfavorable outcome (odds ratio [OR], 1.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.008–1.537; p = 0.042). Patients with durations of coma greater than 4 days were more likely to have unfavorable outcomes (OR, 5.1; 95% CI, 1.3–21.3; p = 0.02).

Two thirds of comatose patients who survived to discharge after cardiac operations had unfavorable long-term functional outcomes. A longer duration of unconsciousness is a predictor of unfavorable outcome.

From January 2005 to January 2011, 12,741 patients underwent cardiac operations. Endpoints were (1) postoperative infections and (2) mortality after an infectious complication. A propensity score was developed on the probability of patients receiving statin therapy; patients were matched in part on this score. A multivariable logistic model was developed to examine mortality. Survival of infected patients was estimated using Kaplan-Meier and multiphase hazard function methodology.

A total of 6,113 patients (48%) were receiving statins and 6,628 (52%) were not. Five hundred fifteen patients had postoperative infections—260 (4.3%) in the statin group and 255 (3.8%) in the no-statin group. However, patients receiving statins were older with more comorbidities and less favorable operative characteristics. Among propensity-matched groups, postoperative infections were significantly lower in patients receiving statins (n = 102 [3.1%]) than in those who were not (n = 147 [4.5%]; p = 0.004). Among patients in whom infections developed, there was no significant difference in hospital mortality between the statin and no-statin groups either before or after propensity-score matching (odds ratio, 1.38; confidence limit [CL], 0.59, 3.22; p = 0.5).

We observed a protective effect of statin therapy against the development of infections after cardiac operations, but not on mortality from these infections. Prospective investigations are needed to determine optimal dose and duration of statin therapy and their relationship to infectious complications.

Twenty-three thoracic surgery residents from unique residency programs participated in an ECMO course involving didactic lectures and hands-on simulation. A current postcardiotomy ECMO circuit was used in a simulation center to give residents training with basic operations and crisis management. Pretraining and posttraining assessments concerning confidence and knowledge were administered. Before and after the training, residents were asked to identify components of the ECMO circuit and manage crisis scenarios, including venous line collapse, arterial hypertension, and arterial desaturation.

In the hands-on portion, residents had difficulty identifying the gas source and flow rate, centrifugal pump head inlet, and oxygenator outflow line. Timely and accurate ECMO component identification improved significantly after training. The arterial desaturation crisis scenario gave the residents difficulty, with only 22% providing the appropriate treatment recommendations in a timely and accurate fashion. At the end of the simulation training, most residents were able to manage the crises correctly in a timely manner. Posttraining confidence-related scores increased significantly. Most of the residents strongly recommended the course to their peers and reported simulation-based training was helpful in their postcardiotomy ECMO education.

We developed a simulation-based postcardiotomy ECMO training program that resulted in improved ECMO confidence in thoracic surgery residents. Crisis management in a simulated environment enabled residents to acquire technical and behavioral skills that are important in managing critical ECMO-related problems.

This was a retrospective review of consecutive patients undergoing VAT lead implantation for CRT in a single center between 2004 and 2011. All patients fulfilled conventional criteria for CRT and were followed up at 4 to 6 weeks and then at 3-month intervals. Clinical and pacing parameters were compared at baseline and at the latest review.

Thirty-two patients (27 men; mean age, 67 ± 9 years) underwent VAT left ventricular lead implantation. Mean follow-up duration was 704 ± 450 days. Ten patients (31%) had undergone previous sternotomy. Thoracoscopic lead implantation was successful in 31 patients (97%): 1 patient with two previous sternotomies required conversion to open thoracotomy due to bleeding with multiple adhesions. Satisfactory implantation pacing thresholds of 2 volts or less at 0.5 ms were achieved in all patients. Despite a longer operative time in those with previous sternotomy, all clinical and pacing outcomes, including complications, clinical response to CRT, and long-term pacing variables were similar between the groups.

VAT left ventricular lead placement appears safe and effective in selected patients with previous sternotomy, including coronary artery bypass operations, with postoperative outcomes comparable with those patients without previous sternotomy.

From 2005 to 2012, 58 patients underwent open aortic replacement (open) and 31 patients underwent endovascular therapy (TEVAR) for the treatment of CD3 aneurysms. The TEVAR patients were divided into CD3a (n = 12) or CD3b (n = 19) subgroups based upon the DeBakey classification of aortic dissection. Total aortic, true and false lumen diameters were measured at different anatomic locations. True lumen and false lumen indices were calculated to evaluate the impact of TEVAR on remodeling.

In the open group, operative mortality was 10.3% and the incidence of pulmonary failure, renal failure, and paraplegia was 13.8%, 10.3%, and 12.1%, respectively. There were no operative mortalities in TEVAR patients, and no cases of pulmonary failure, renal failure, or paraplegia. Endovascular therapy stabilized aneurysm size and remodeled the thoracic aorta in 87% of patients. The TEVAR significantly expanded the true lumen and reduced the false lumen within the stent graft in CD3a and CD3b patients (p < 0.001). Thoracic false lumen thrombosis was achieved in 100% of CD3a and in 68% of CD3b patients.

In these early results, TEVAR reduces operative morbidity and mortality compared with open aortic replacement in the treatment of CD3 aneurysms. The TEVAR is effective in remodeling the chronically dissected thoracic aorta. Abdominal false lumen patency is maintained in patients with thoracoabdominal dissection-related aneurysms.

One hundred and four consecutive patients underwent a reoperation after previous type A aortic dissection repair (1972 to 2008). Supracoronary ascending aorta replacement (SCAR) was commonly performed during primary repair and it was associated with aortic root replacement in 13 cases and with hemiarch replacement in 26 patients. Progression of aortic dilatation was seen in 91 patients (87%), aortic regurgitation in 21 (20%), and false aneurysm in 15 patients (14%). A redo Bentall procedure was performed in 34 cases, arch replacement in 42 patients, and thoracoabdominal aorta replacement in 20 patients. The median follow-up was 6.5 years (range 0.3 to 23.8 years).

The in-hospital mortality after redo surgery was 7.7%. The global survival rate at 1, 5, and 10 years was 92%, 82%, and 58%, respectively. Proximal reoperations were more frequent in patients who had SCAR and flap extension into the aortic root. Patients with an unresected intimal tear and distal extension of dissection flap experienced a higher rate of aortic arch and thoracoabdominal aorta redo procedures.

More extensive acute dissection repair results in a lower rate of reoperation. Mortality for redo surgery after type A acute dissection repair is acceptable. This finding should be taken into account in proposing a widespread of more complex and extensive surgery for type A acute dissection.

Data from all CDH neonates with congenital heart disease managed at a single pediatric tertiary care referral center between 1997 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed.

Forty (18%) of 216 CDH patients had a cardiac anomaly. This group was associated with a significant decrease in overall survival when compared with patients without cardiac anomaly (55% versus 81%; p = 0.001). There was no association between type of cardiac anomaly and mortality based on risk stratification according to the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons–European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery scoring systems (p = 0.86 and p = 0.87, respectively). Birth weight was similarly no different between survivors and nonsurvivors (2.8 ± 0.6 kg versus 2.8 ± 0.9 kg, respectively; p = 0.98). There was a trend toward increased extracorporeal membrane oxygenation use among nonsurvivors (p = 0.13). Infants with hemodynamic stability enabling subsequent cardiac repair were associated with lower mortality (p = 0.04). Survivors had a wide spectrum of long-term morbidity, but most had some evidence of neurodevelopmental impairment.

This large single-institution series suggests that the overall prognosis of infants with concomitant CDH and congenital heart disease can be quite variable, regardless of the type of heart anomaly. Hemodynamic instability and need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation correlate with higher mortality. Although some long-term survivors have excellent outcomes, most suffer from chronic, long-term morbidities.

We reviewed the medical records of 124 consecutive patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) who underwent the Norwood I procedure. Reconstruction of the aortic arch was performed in a standardized manner, removing all visible ductal tissue and enlarging the distal anastomosis with a Y incision into the descending aorta. Angiographic assessment with measurement of the peak gradient across the aortic arch was performed before the second stage was performed.

Recoarctation of the aorta was documented in 13 patients (13.4%) at a mean time of 6.4 ± 5 months after the Norwood procedure. One patient died before the recoarctation could be treated. Right ventricular function was good in all except 1 patient at the time of diagnosis. Ten patients underwent 16 percutaneous balloon angioplasties, and 2 patients underwent operative enlargement of the neoaorta. The pretreatment peak gradient of 24.1 ± 16 mm Hg (10–64 mm Hg) across the aortic arch was significantly reduced to 6.3 ± 4 mm Hg (0–14 mm Hg) after angioplasty or operation (p = 0.003). There were no procedure-related deaths. No risk factor for recoarctation could be identified.

A standardized surgical technique for reconstruction of the aorta leads to a low recoarctation rate. Balloon angioplasty can be performed in the majority of patients before the second-stage procedure.

Between June 1994 and October 2010, 30 adults (21.3 ± 5.5 years) underwent TCPC (extracardiac conduit). Twenty-two patients who had palliated single ventricles underwent TCPC completions and 8 patients underwent TCPC conversions. Preoperative and perioperative data were reviewed retrospectively.

Six of 9 patients with preoperative atrial flutter or fibrillation or intraatrial reentry tachycardia were treated in the catheterization room. An aortic cross-clamp was necessary in 12 patients, and 16 TCPCs were fenestrated. Mean follow-up was 51 months (range, 4–198 months). Early mortality was 10%: 2 of 8 conversions and 1 of 22 completions. There was 1 late conversion death (at 56 months postoperatively). Postoperatively, 4 patients required pacemakers and 1 patient required long-term antiarrhythmic medication, but no heart transplantations were necessary. Risk factors for early mortality were arrhythmia (p = 0.02), aortic cross-clamp (p = 0.054), and extracorporeal circulation in hypothermia (p = 0.03). Risk factors for overall mortality were conversion (p = 0.047), absence of fenestration (p = 0.036), surgery before January 2006 (p = 0.036), aortic cross-clamp (p = 0.018), extracorporeal circulation in hypothermia (p = 0.008), and arrhythmia (p = 0.005). New York Heart Association functional class had improved at the last follow-up: preoperatively, 17 patients were in class II and 12 patients were in class III versus 18 patients in class I and 9 patients in class II postoperatively (p < 0.001). At the last clinical visit, systemic ventricular function was maintained, and no late supraventricular arrhythmia was found.

Early and midterm TCPC results for adults are encouraging for completion but are disappointing for conversion. Identified risk factors for mortality should improve patient selection for TCPC.

In the last 25 years, 45 children, mean age 5.16 ± 5.0 years (median, 3.9; range, 2 months–16.8 years), underwent surgical correction of Shone's anomaly. Coarctation of the aorta was found in 40%, subaortic stenosis due to fibromuscular hypertrophy was found in 55%, and subvalvar membrane was found in 66% of these patients. Left ventricular inflow tract obstruction was brought about by fused commissures with dysplastic and shortened chordae in 53.3%, valve hypoplasia in 11.1%, supravalvar mitral ring in 100%, and parachute valve in 17.8 of patients%.

Various repair strategies were performed according to the presenting morphologic characteristics in patients with either previously corrected or concomitant correction of the left-sided obstructive lesions. Mean duration of follow-up was 17.5 ± 1.5 years. Freedom from reoperation was 52.8% ± 11.8%, wherein 23 patients underwent repeated MV repair and 1 patient underwent MV replacement after failed attempts at repair. The cumulative survival rate was 70.3% ± 8.9% at 15 years. Severity and type of mitral abnormalities, left ventricular outflow tract lesions, and pulmonary hypertension are risk factors for reoperation and mortality (p < 0.05).

Repair allowed growth of the MV. Long-term outcome of MV repair in Shone's anomaly is related to the degree that the obstructive lesions can be relieved.

This was a retrospective chart review of consecutive neonates who underwent ACP from January 2007 to December 2010. Patient characteristics, surgical and hemodynamic measurements, and postoperative neurologic findings were recorded.

Seventy neonates underwent ACP during the study period (46 using DC and 24 using IC). The groups were similar in age and weight. Operative variables were similar regarding cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), cross-clamp times, maximal flow at full CPB, minimal temperature, ACP time, flow and flow index, and upper extremity blood pressure and proximal cannula pressure during ACP. There was a significantly higher flow index at full CPB in the DC group (217 ± 40 mL/kg/min versus 190 ± 46 mL/kg/min; p = 0.013), which correlated with higher proximal cannula pressures at full CPB (172 ± 27 mm Hg versus 158 ± 26 mm Hg; p = 0.04). Sixty-two of the 65 survivors (95%) had normal neurologic evaluations on discharge.

ACP using DC is comparable to that using IC, with appropriate pressures in the proximal aortic line at full CPB and adequate upper extremity pressures during ACP, reflecting suitable flows in the cerebral circulation.

We retrospectively analyzed a collected database of 168 pediatric patients who underwent biventricular (BV) and univentricular (UV) cardiac operations from 2006 to 2010. Patients were grouped into no blood conservation (n = 86 [BV = 74, UV = 12]) and blood conservation (n = 82 [BV = 68, UV = 14]) cohorts. There were no statistical differences in age, sex, weight, and preoperative or postoperative hemoglobin levels in the BV groups.

Even though the blood conservation group had longer cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) (p < 0.0001) and cross-clamp times (p < 0.002) with lower hemoglobin levels (p < 0.0001), there was a decreased need for intraoperative (p < 0.0001) and postoperative blood transfusions (p < 0.018), lower inotropic scores (p < 0.0001), a decrease in ventilator days (p < 0.0009), and a shorter length of hospital stay (p < 0.0008). In the UV blood conservation group, there were no statistical differences in age, sex, weight, CPB and cross-clamp times, preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin levels, and red blood cell transfusions despite lower intraoperative hemoglobin levels (p < 0.0009) and blood transfusion (p < 0.01) requirements. There were significantly lower inotropic scores (p < 0.001) and a trend toward a shorter duration of time on the ventilator (p < 0.07) in the blood conservation group. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant correlation between intraoperative blood transfusion and increased inotropic score, longer duration on the ventilator, and increased length of hospitalization.

Blood conservation in pediatric cardiac operations is associated with fewer ventilator days, lower inotropic scores, and shorter lengths of stay. These findings, in addition to attendant risks and side effects of blood transfusion and the rising cost of safer blood products, justify blood conservation in pediatric cardiac operations.

A prospective, multiinstitutional United States study comparing VRI with perfusion in patient assessment for lung resection enrolled 163 patients, with 135 currently available for analysis. PPO values were calculated by subtracting the fraction of segments to be resected in a lung (113 lobectomies, 20 pneumonectomies) multiplied by the percentage of acoustic energy (VRI) or perfusion of that lung. We compared the two methods with each other, with actual postoperative pulmonary function tests, and the rate of complications as predicted by PPO values above or below 40%.

Good agreement was found between calculated estimations of postoperative lung function using VRI and perfusion measurements (PPO-FEV₁%: r = 0.95; –8% to 11.5%; PPO-Dlco: r = 0.97; –6.6% to 9.5%), although larger discrepancies were noted between the actual VRI and perfusion measurements (–17 to 24). The VRI and perfusion methods provided excellent agreement in categorization of patients into low or elevated risk based on PPO values of above or below 40% (95% for PPO-FEV₁%; 94% for PPO-Dlco) and similar correlations with actual postoperative values (r = 0.74 and r = 0.67 for FEV₁; r = 0.72 and r = 0.67 for Dlco).

VRI may offer a simple, noninvasive, and radiation-free alternative to lung scintigraphy for predicting postoperative lung function in patients with lung malignancies.

We evaluated 177 consecutive patients with mediastinal abnormalities. An interventional pulmonologist or thoracic surgeon performed endobronchial ultrasound. We compared diagnostic yields of two specimen processing techniques, fixed slides (cytology) and formalin-fixed core samples (histology). Results were categorized as malignant, benign (infectious, inflammatory), normal nodal tissue, or inadequate sampling (nondiagnostic). Malignancy, a defined benign process, and normal lymph node were considered diagnostic.

The diagnostic yield for benign processes was higher by histologic examination (n = 37) than in cytologic preparations (n = 22; p = 0.0064). The diagnostic yield was comparable in malignancy ( p = 0.7530). The combination of both techniques provided a higher overall diagnostic rate: 84% (n = 148) by histology, 82% (n = 146) by cytology, and 89% (n = 158) using both. Using two techniques revealed discordance in 23% (n = 40), demonstrating that the use of one technique alone would have resulted in missed diagnoses.

Adding histologic analysis of tissue cores obtained by endobronchial ultrasound offers higher diagnostic accuracy than only cytologic preparation of needle aspirates. Histologic and cytologic methods offer comparable diagnostic rates for malignancy. However, diagnostic yield for benign conditions is higher using histologic examination. Together, histology and cytology provide fewer missed diagnoses than either individually. When using endobronchial ultrasound, it is ideal to routinely use both needle aspirate cytology and core biopsy histology.

All endobronchial masses were sampled for pathologic diagnosis by forceps biopsy and cryotechnology, performed during flexible bronchoscopy. The diagnostic accuracy of forceps biopsy and that of cryotherapy were compared by the ² test, and the obtained specimen sizes were compared by the t test.

Between 2007 and 2011, 75 patients with a median age of 64 years (interquartile range [IQR], 49–76; 48 men; 27 women; and 52 smokers [69.3%]) were diagnosed with endobronchial masses. The sites of these masses included the trachea (n = 17), left main bronchus (n = 16), right main bronchus (n = 11), right upper lobe bronchus (n = 11), right intermediate bronchus (n = 8), right lower lobe bronchus (n = 4), left upper lobe bronchus (n = 3), left lower lobe bronchus (n = 3), and right middle lobe bronchus (n = 2).

Fifty-nine lesions were malignant, and 16 were benign. Lung squamous cell carcinoma (n = 23) was the leading cause of malignancy, and endobronchial tuberculosis (n = 9) was the most common benign disease. The diagnostic accuracy of cryotechnology was significantly higher than that of forceps biopsy (100% vs 69.3%, p < 0.0001). The specimen size obtained by cryotechnology was also significantly larger than that obtained by forceps biopsy (13.8 ± vs 1.9 ± 0.6 mm, p < 0.0001).

The current study supports the view that cryotechnology is a good tool for diagnosing endobronchial masses. Cryotechnology also provides a better diagnostic specimen and has greater diagnostic accuracy than traditional forceps biopsy.

Between March 2006 and August 2011, 1,456 patients with clinical N0 NSCLC disease underwent lobectomy with systematic node dissection (SND) at Shanghai Chest Hospital. Of those patients, 157 were shown to have cN0-pN2 NSCLC. Of those, 67 patients underwent VATS lobectomy, and 90 patients underwent open lobectomy. SND was performed in all 157 patients. Clinicopathologic factors, local recurrence rates, and survival rates were compared.

The two groups were similar in age, sex, and pulmonary function. The VATS approach was associated with significantly shorter chest tube duration and postoperative stay than was the thoracotomy approach. Operative mortality, morbidity, and recurrence did not differ between the two groups. There was no significant difference between the two types of operation in numbers of total lymph nodes removed (17.4 ± 6.1 in the VATS group vs 18.1 ± 7.2 in the open group, p = 0.78) and mediastinal lymph nodes removed (11.7 ± 5.6 in the VATS group vs 12.0 ± 5.1 in the open group, p = 0.84). Similarly, the two groups were not significantly different with regard to stations of total lymph nodes removed (7.6 ± 1.9 in the VATS group vs 7.8 ± 2.3 in the open group, p = 0.81) and mediastinal lymph nodes removed (4.5 ± 1.1 in the VATS group vs 4.7 ± 1.3 in the open group, p = 0.71). The rates of overall survival and disease-free 5-year survival were not significantly different between the two groups.

The clinical outcomes of thoracoscopic lobectomy were comparable to those of thoracotomy for patients with cN0-pN2 NSCLC. Single-station N2 is a good prognostic factor for disease-free survival in these patients.

Twenty-six of 557 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent thoracoscopic anatomic lung resection were identified as having intraoperative vessel injury between January 2004 and December 2011. The injured portion, devices used, recovery approach, and hemostatic procedure were analyzed. The perioperative outcomes in patients with and without vessel injury were compared.

The most commonly used devices were ultrasonic coagulation shears in 9 cases, followed by scissors in 5 and an endostapler in 4. Seventeen of the 26 cases were injured at the branches of the pulmonary artery, and the others were at major vessels. Half of the patients were converted to thoracotomy, and 6 were treated by minithoracotomy. Hemostatic procedures were primary closure in 17 and sealant in 7. The perioperative outcomes, including operative time and blood loss, were significantly different between the two groups, but duration of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, and morbidity rate were not. No mortality was identified in the patients with vessel injury.

Video-assisted thoracic surgery anatomic resection was feasible and safe, regardless of the intraoperative vessel injury. Although surgeons should pay attention to avoid unexpected bleeding, the magnitude of injury and effectual step-by-step management should lead to a safe operation.

We performed a retrospective study including all patients undergoing resection for NSCLC from January 1980 to December 2009 at 2 French centers. We then compared the survival of patients without a history of another cancer (group 1), those with a history of a single malignancy (group 2), and those with a history of 2 or more previous malignancies (group 3).

There were 5,846 patients: 4,603 (78%) in group 1, 1,147 (20%) in group 2, and 96 (2%) in group 3. The proportion of patients included in group 3 increased from 0.3% to 3% over 3 decades. Compared with groups 1 and 2, group 3 was associated with older age, a larger proportion of women, earlier tumor stage, less induction therapy, and fewer pneumonectomies. Despite this, postoperative complications and mortality were similar in groups 2 and 3, and higher than in group 1. Five-year survival rates were 44.6%, 35.1%, and 23.6% in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively (p < 0.000001 for comparison between 3 groups; p = 0.18 for comparison between groups 2 and 3). In multivariate analysis, male sex, higher T stage, higher N stage, incomplete resection, and study group were significant predictors of adverse prognosis.

Despite earlier diagnosis and acceptable long-term survival, patients operated on for NSCLC after 2 or 3 previous malignancies carried a worse prognosis than did those undergoing operation after 1 malignancy or if there was no previous diagnosis of cancer.

From 2008 to 2010, patients scheduled for metastasectomy were prospectively evaluated using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the lung cancer module (LC13) questionnaire and again 3 months later. We analyzed QoL changes over time and looked for sex-specific and age-specific (<70 versus >70 years) differences.

A total of 126 cases were analyzed. The median age of the 73 male and 53 female patients was 59.2 years (range, 24.2 to 83.9). There was no significant change between preoperative and postoperative QoL values for emotional, cognitive, and social functioning. Significant deterioration of QoL items was found for physical functioning (–11.0; p < 0.001), role functioning (–16.4; p < 0.001), fatigue (11.1; p < 0.001), pain (15.0; p < 0.001), and dyspnea (16.9; p < 0.001). There were no differences between sexes concerning preoperative and postoperative scores. Younger patients (<70 years) had more preoperative symptoms (1.9; p = 0.03) and a worse function (2.2; p = 0.04). A tendency was found for decreased global QoL (–6.0; p = 0.08) in the older age group (>70 years) after metastasectomy.

Pulmonary metastasectomy can be offered every patient with a chance of cure or prolongation of life because the anticipated midterm changes in QoL are of moderate clinical importance, and the change in global health-related QoL is trivial.

Left lung injury was induced by intrabronchial administration of 1 mL/kg betaine HCl and pepsin mixture. The animals were subsequently ventilated for 24 hours. After organ retrieval, the donor lungs were stored at 4°C for 4 hours. In the control group, left lung transplantation was performed without any surfactant treatment. In the surfactant group, the recipients received intratracheal diluted surfactant lavage just before reperfusion and ventilation. During 7 hours of reperfusion, the hemodynamic and respiratory variables were recorded on an hourly basis.

Surfactant lavage resulted in lower mean pulmonary artery pressure, higher mixed venous oxygen saturation, and better oxygenation compared with the control group (p = 0.001). Bronchoalveolar lavage interleukin-6 level, protein, and neutrophil percentage at the end of the experiment were significantly higher in the control group compared with the surfactant group (p = 0.03). Minimal surface tension was significantly lower in the surfactant group compared with controls (p = 0.03).

These results demonstrate that application of diluted surfactant before reperfusion can be used effectively to improve the graft function from donor lungs injured by gastric acid aspiration.

Rat single-lung transplantation was performed in four groups (n = 7 per group). In NAC groups, donors and recipients received NAC 150 mg/kg per day intraperitoneally before transplantation and recipients thereafter until euthanasia. Control groups (CON) received 0.5 mL of 0.9% saline solution intraperitoneally instead of NAC. Animals were euthanized on day 1 (CON1, NAC1) or day 5 (CON5, NAC5) after transplantation. Lung tissue was assessed by histology, immunohistochemistry for CD68+/CD163+ macrophages and CD3+ T cells, immunofluorescence for interleukin 4 and interleukin 12, concentration of reduced glutathione, and activated nuclear factor-kappa B.

CD68+ macrophages in CON5 accumulated significantly compared with NAC5 grafts (p < 0.001). No significant difference was observed for CD163+ macrophages on day 5. T cells were significantly more frequent in NAC1 (p < 0.001), but significantly less in NAC5 (p < 0.001) compared with control groups, respectively. Interleukin 4 and interleukin 12 expression did not differ between groups. Treatment with NAC significantly influenced glutathione levels (p = 0.019) and reduced nuclear factor-kappa B activation (p = 0.034) in transplanted lungs.

N-Acetylcysteine has the potential to attenuate acute pulmonary rejection by reduction of macrophage and T-cell infiltration, which is intimately linked to a reduced action of the nuclear factor-kappa B proinflammatory signaling pathway. In view of these observations, NAC should be considered a promising substance that could play a role in strategies for the prevention of acute rejection.

Bβ15-42 was administered to donors before lung retrieval and to recipients by continuous intravenous infusion, or just to recipients, or neither. Recipients were monitored, anesthetized and ventilated, for 6 hours. Outcome measures were indices of lung function (edema [wet-to-dry weight ratio], oxygenation, dynamic compliance) and bronchoalveolar fluid measures of inflammation (protein, cell count, differential, and cytokines).

Bβ15-42 therapy was associated with improved graft lung function, including less edema, and improved oxygenation and airway pressure, particularly if Bβ15-42 was administered to both the donor and recipient. However, Bβ15-42 had little or no effect on bronchoalveolar fluid measures of inflammation. Analysis of bronchoalveolar fluid protein concentration showed Bβ15-42 may enhance alveolar fluid clearance.

Bβ15-42 may be a useful therapy to reduce edema and improve graft function after lung transplant, alone or as an adjunct to other therapies.

A total of 141 consecutive juvenile MG patients underwent extended transsternal thymectomy at an academic hospital over a 20-year period were reviewed. Thymectomy was performed in patients resistant to pyridostigmine therapy, with generalized symptoms or ocular MG with partial response to pyridostigmine for more than 2 years. Variables potentially affecting responses to extended transsternal thymectomy were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression modeling. Complete stable remission (CSR) is defined as asymptomatic without medication for more than 12 months.

There were 96 patients with ocular MG and 45 generalized MG, the median age at disease onset was 6 years and that at operation was 12 years. Among 135 patients with complete postoperative follow-up, 34 (25.2%) achieved CSR, 28 (20.7%) experienced pharmacologic remission, 61 (45.2%) improved, 5 (3.7%) remained stable, and 7 (5.2%) deteriorated. The results indicated the disease-onset age greater than 6 years and age at operation greater than 12 years were both positively associated with CSR responses. Postoperative steroid treatments in ocular MG and preoperative disease duration in generalized MG (>12 months) were negatively associated with CSR responses.

Extended transsternal thymectomy for Chinese juvenile MG patients has an efficacy comparable with reports from other ethnicities. Juvenile patients with disease-onset age greater than 6 years, age at operation greater than 12 years, and shorter disease duration of generalized MG are associated with favorable clinical outcomes.

A retrospective case review was conducted of all patients who presented for repair of PE deformity while undergoing concurrent open heart surgery from 1998 through 2011.

A total of 9 patients met inclusion criteria. All patients had a connective tissue disorder. Repair of PE was performed by modified Nuss technique after completion of the cardiac procedure, performed through a median sternotomy. Open heart procedures were either aortic root replacement or mitral valvuloplasty. Eight patients had bar removal after an average period of 30.3 months. No PE recurrence, bar displacement, or upper sternal depression was reported in 7 patients. Postoperatively, 1 patient exhibited pectus carinatum after a separate spinal fusion surgery for scoliosis. One patient died of unrelated cardiac complications before bar removal.

Simultaneous repair of PE and open heart surgery is safe and effective. We recommend that the decision to perform a single-stage versus a multistage procedure should be reserved until after the cardiac procedure has been completed. In such cases, the Nuss technique allows for correction of the pectus deformity with good long-term cosmetic and functional results.

We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent chest wall stabilization or reconstruction between July 1, 2009, and March 31, 2011.

Biomaterials were used in 25 of 112 patients (22%) who underwent chest wall stabilization or reconstruction, and they form the basis of this review. Indication for reconstruction was malignant disease in 17 patients (68%). Overall, 10 (40%) resection sites were infected preoperatively. Reconstruction was performed with a combination of bovine pericardium and PLA bars in 11 patients (44%), bovine pericardium alone in 10, and PLA bars alone in 4; muscle flaps were interposed in 7 patients (28%). There were no operative deaths. Complications occurred in 6 patients (24%). Median follow-up was 12 months (range, 6 to 27 months). Three patients required removal of their biomaterials. Two bovine pericardial patches were removed prophylactically at the time of debridement of a partially necrotic muscle flap, and 1 PLA bar was removed because of an inflammatory reaction. None of the patients with an infected resection site required removal of their biomaterial.

Chest wall reconstruction with biomaterials is a valuable option in the management of patients with chest wall abnormalities. Early results are promising. Biomaterials may be the preferred method of reconstruction for infected chest wall sites.

We retrospectively evaluated 44 patients with limited-stage PSCCE who received esophagectomy with lymphadenectomy in our center between 1994 and 2011. The clinical and pathologic characteristics, median survival time (MST), overall survival (OS), and relevant prognostic factors were analyzed.

The MST in our cohort was 18.0 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.6–26.4 months), and the 6-, 12-, 24-, 36-, and 60-month OS rates were 73%, 58%, 39%, 30%, and 18%, respectively. The MST of patients with positive lymph nodes was significantly shorter than that of those with negative lymph nodes (14 months versus 47 months; p = 0.031). Survival analysis confirmed that regional lymph node involvement (relative risk [RR], 5.287; 95% CI, 1.036–26.978; p = 0.045) was an independent prognostic factor.

Although the standard treatment protocol for PSCCE has not been established, the results of our study indicated that radical esophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy should be considered as the primary treatment for patients with limited-stage PSCCE, particularly for those without regional lymph node involvement.

Esophagectomies performed between 1998 and 2008 were identified in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Surgeons were classified as thoracic, cardiac, or general surgeons if greater than 65% of their operative case mix was representative of their specialty. Surgeons with less than 65% of a specialty-specific case mix served as controls. Regression equations calculated the independent effect of surgeon specialty, surgeon volume, and operative approach (transhiatal versus transthoracic) on outcomes.

Of the 40,589 patients who underwent esophagectomies, surgeon identifiers were available for 23,529 patients. Based on case mix, thoracic, cardiac, and general surgeons performed 3,027 (12.9%), 688 (2.9%), and 4,086 (17.4%) esophagectomies, respectively. Operative technique did not independently affect risk-adjusted outcomes—mortality, morbidity, and failure to rescue (defined as death after a complication). Surgeon volume independently lowered mortality and failure to rescue by 4% (p ≤ 0.002 for both), but not complications (p = 0.6). High-volume hospitals (>12 procedures/year) independently lowered mortality (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.67, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46–0.96), and failure to rescue (AOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.44–0.94). Esophageal resections performed by general surgeons were associated with higher mortality (AOR, 1.87; 95% CI 1.02–3.45) and failure to rescue (AOR, 1.95; 95% CI, 1.06–3.61) but not complications (AOR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.64–1.49).

General surgeons perform the major proportion of esophagectomies in the United States. Surgeon subspecialty is not associated with the risk of complications developing but instead is associated with mortality and failure to rescue from complications. Surgeon subspecialty case mix is an important determinant of outcomes for patients undergoing esophagectomy.