The Effect of Minimally Invasive Surgery and Sternotomy on Physical Activity and Quality of Life.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare minimally invasive surgery (MI) and median sternotomy (MS) in terms of post-procedure health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and functional outcome. METHOD: We conducted a multicentre prospective cohort study that enrolled patients from January 2015 until February 2017. Combined cardiac procedures were performed with MS and isolated valve procedures with either MS or MI, depending on patient preference and surgeon experience. HRQoL was measured using the five-level version of the EQ-5D (EQ-5D-5L) and physical activity before and after surgery was evaluated using a wearable accelerometer. Activity patterns and intensity recorded by the accelerometer in each period were classified as "sedentary", "light physical activity", "moderate physical activity", and "vigorous physical activity" for each patient. We also conducted a sub-analysis of frail patients in each group, as identified by the Reported Edmonton Frail Scale (>10 points). Patients were followed for 1 year. RESULTS: The study included 100 consecutive patients who underwent MI (n=50) or MS (n=50) during the study period. Patients in the MI group showed a faster recovery of physical activity in the immediate postoperative period and superior HRQoL in the first 3 months (both p<0.001) versus the MS group. Differences between the MI and MS group were indistinguishable over a longer follow-up. A similar correlation was observed in the frailty subanalysis. Overall, the MS group had a higher cumulative incidence of events than the MI group (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to conventional MS, MI was associated with better HRQoL and early functional outcome, even in frail patients.

Ten-year experience with sutureless Perceval bioprosthesis: single-centre analysis in 1157 implants.

AIMS: We describe long-term clinical and echocardiographic outcomes in the largest single-centre cohort of patients who underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with sutureless Perceval (CorCym, Italy) bioprosthesis. METHODS: Between March 2011 and March 2021, 1157 patients underwent AVR with Perceval bioprosthesis implantation. Mean age was 77 ±â€Š6 years (range: 46-89 years) and mean EuroSCORE II was 6.7 ±â€Š3.2% (range: 1.7-14.2%). Concomitant procedures were performed in 266 patients (23%). RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 1.38% (16/1157). Eight hundred and twenty of 891 (92%) isolated AVRs underwent minimally invasive surgery with a ministernotomy ( n  = 196) or right minithoracotomy ( n  = 624) approach. Cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp times were 81.1 ±â€Š24.3 and 50.6 ±â€Š11.7 min for isolated AVR and 144.5 ±â€Š34.7 and 96.4 ±â€Š21.6 min for combined procedures. At mean follow-up of 53.08 ±â€Š6.7 months (range: 1-120.5 months), survival was 96.5% and mean transvalvular pressure gradient was 13.7 ±â€Š5.8 mmHg. Left ventricular mass decreased from 152.8 to 116.1 g/m 2 ( P  < 0.001) and moderate paravalvular leakage occurred in three patients without haemolysis not requiring any treatment. Freedom from reoperation was 97.6%. Eight patients required surgical reintervention and 19 patients transcatheter valve-in-valve procedure for structural prosthesis degeneration at a mean of 5.6 years after first operation (range: 2-9 years). CONCLUSION: AVR with a Perceval bioprosthesis is associated with good clinical results and excellent haemodynamic performance in our 10-year experience. Structural degeneration rate of Perceval is comparable with other bioprosthetic aortic valves. Sutureless technology may reduce operative time especially in combined procedures and enable minimally invasive AVR.

Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Degenerated Perceval Bioprosthesis: Clinical and Technical Aspects in 32 Cases.

BACKGROUND: Sutureless aortic bioprostheses are increasingly being used to provide shorter cross-clamp time and facilitate minimally invasive aortic valve replacement. As the use of sutureless valves has increased over the past decade, we begin to encounter their degeneration. We describe clinical outcomes and technical aspects in patients with degenerated sutureless Perceval (CorCym, Italy) aortic bioprosthesis treated with valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (VIV-TAVR). METHODS: Between March 2011 and March 2023, 1310 patients underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR) with Perceval bioprosthesis implantation. Severe bioprosthesis degeneration treated with VIV-TAVR occurred in 32 patients with a mean of 6.4 ± 1.9 years (range: 2-10 years) after first implantation. Mean EuroSCORE II was 9.5 ± 6.4% (range: 1.9-35.1%). RESULTS: Thirty of thirty-two (94%) VIV-TAVR were performed via transfemoral and two (6%) via transapical approach. Vascular complications occurred in two patients (6%), and mean hospital stay was 4.6 ± 2.4 days. At mean follow-up of 16.7 ± 15.2 months (range: 1-50 months), survival was 100%, and mean transvalvular pressure gradient was 18.7 ± 5.3 mmHg. CONCLUSION: VIV-TAVR is a useful option for degenerated Perceval and appears safe and effective. This procedure is associated with good clinical results and excellent hemodynamic performance in our largest single-center experience.

Outcomes of Emergent Isolated Coronary Bypass Grafting in Heart Failure Patients.

Patients with previously diagnosed HF are at greater risk for subsequent morbidity and mortality when hospitalized for an Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). The purpose of our study was to describe the time trend of the incidence of emergent CABG in patients with and without HF, the clinical characteristics, outcomes, and the risk factors for mortality of surgical revascularization in the short and medium term. This was a single-center retrospective observational study of patients who underwent isolated emergency CABG from January 2009 to January 2020. A propensity-score matching analysis yielded two comparable groups (n = 430) of patients without (n = 215) and with (n = 215) heart failure. In-hospital mortality did not differ in the two groups (2.8%; p > 0.9); the patients with heart failure presented more frequently with cardiogenic shock, and there was an association with mortality and mechanical circulatory support (OR 16.7−95% CI 3.31−140; p = 0.002) and postoperative acute renal failure (OR 15.9−95% CI 0.66−203; p = 0.036). In the early- and mid-term, heart failure and NSTEMI were associated with mortality (HR 3.47−95% CI 1.15−10.5; p = 0.028), along with age (HR 1.28−95% CI 1.21−1.36; p < 0.001). Surgical revascularization offers an excellent solution for patients with acute coronary syndrome, leading to a good immediate prognosis even in those with chronic heart failure.

Resecting and nonresecting techniques for posterior mitral leaflet prolapse.

BACKGROUND: Posterior leaflet (PL) prolapse is commonly treated with quadrangular resection, but nonresecting techniques were proposed as an alternative. We evaluated our experience to identify specific indications to nonresecting techniques. METHODS: From March 2006 to February 2009, 60 patients were treated for PL prolapse, 21 using resecting (group R), and 39 nonresecting (group NR) techniques. Patients in group R had fibroelastic deficiency with isolated P2 prolapse and P1 or P3 (or both) thin or short (n = 15); need of excessive P2 resection (more than 1/3 of the posterior annulus) (n = 10); dominant or codominant circumflex artery (n = 10). Some of them were young and were operated on without preoperative coronary angiography (n = 4). RESULTS: One patient (1.7%) in group R died during the first 30 days after surgery. Three-year survival was 89.6 ± 4.5, similar in both groups. A postoperative echocardiogram was obtained 20 ± 6 months after surgery in every survivor. Mitral regurgitation decreased significantly soon after surgery without any significant modification at follow-up in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: nonresecting techniques provide good midterm results, similar to resecting ones. To resect or not resect part of the PL has, in our personal practice, its own indications and contraindications. Extensive use of artificial chords and reduction of PL height, when indicated, is able to provide other tools to safely expand mitral repair for PL prolapse.

The Use of Frailty Scoring to Predict Early Physical Activity Levels After Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Assessing patient fitness prior to high-risk operations is becoming increasingly vital in cardiothoracic surgery. Physical activity (PA) and frailty measures are powerful perioperative tools, albeit underused in clinical practice. This study aimed to assess the influence of patient frailty on PA postsurgery and other short-term outcomes. METHODS: Eighty patients undergoing a variety of cardiac surgical procedures (coronary revascularisation, valve repair/replacement, or combination) were recruited to participate. The Reported Edmonton Frailty Scale was used to measure preoperative frailty. As objective measures of PA, participants wore a wrist accelerometer device for 14 days prior to their operation and early in the postoperative period for 30 days. RESULTS: A global reduction in PA was observed in the early postoperative period. Frailty was a significant predictor of reduced light (coefficient -2.23, 95% CI -4.21 to -0.25, P = .028) and moderate activity (coefficient -1.85, 95% CI -2.99 to -0.70, P = .002) postoperatively. Neither frailty nor preoperative PA were predictors of postoperative composite complications. Both frailty (coefficient 0.134, 95% CI 0.106-0.162, P < .001) and PA scores (P < .05) were strong predictors of length of hospital stay (coefficient 1.76, 95% CI 0.003-3.524, P = .05). Furthermore, patients who stayed in hospital longer were more likely to suffer early postoperative complications (stroke, renal failure, reoperation, pacemaker) if they were frail (P < .0001) compared to non-frail patients (P = .607). CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the predictive ability of objective frailty scoring and PA measurement for outcomes after cardiac surgery. This has important implications for surgical risk stratification and personalized postoperative planning.

Relation of Prolonged Pacemaker Dependency After Cardiac Surgery to Mortality.

Permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) represents a rare complication after cardiac surgery, with no uniform agreement on timing and no information on follow-up. A multicenter retrospective study was designed to assess pacemaker dependency (PMD) and long-term mortality after cardiac surgery procedures. Between 2004 and 2016, PPI-patients from 18 centers were followed. Time-to-event data were evaluated with semiparametric regression Cox models and semiparametric Fine and Gray model for competing risk framework. Of 859 (0.90%) PPI-patients, 30% were pacemaker independent (PMI) at 6 months. PMD showed higher mortality compared with PMI (10-year survival 80.1% ± 2.6% and 92.2% +2.4%, respectively, log-rank p-value < 0.001) with an unadjusted hazard ratio for death of 0.36 (95% CI 0.20 to 0.65, p< 0.001 favoring PMI) and an adjusted hazard ratio of 0.19 (95% CI 0.08 to 0.45, p< 0.001 with PMD as reference). Crude cumulative incidence function of restored PMI rhythm at follow-up at 6 months, 1 year and 12 years were 30.5% (95% CI 27.3% to 33.7%), 33.7% (95% CI 30.4% to 36.9%) and 37.2% (95% CI 33.8% to 40.6%) respectively. PMI was favored by preoperative sinus rhythm with normal conduction (SR) (HR 2.37, 95% CI 1.65 to 3.40, p< 0.001), whereas coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement were independently associated with PMD (HR 0.63, 95% CI 0.45 to 0.88, p = 0.006 and HR 0.807, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.99, p = 0.047 respectively). Time-to-implantation was not associated with increased rate of PMI. Although 30% of PPI-patients are PMI after 6 months, PMD is associated with higher mortality at long term.

Distortion of the proximal circumflex artery during mitral valve repair.

A 74-year-old woman showed electrocardiographic signs of severe lateral ischemia with no hemodynamic consequence after mitral valve repair for severe mitral regurgitation. An angiogram showed interruption of the proximal circumflex artery. The patients then underwent an on-pump beating heart marginal branch revascularization. A new angiogram performed before discharge showed a widely patent graft.

Right anterior mini-thoracotomy and sutureless valves: the perfect marriage.

BACKGROUND: A minimally invasive approach (MIA) reduces mortality and morbidity in patients referred for aortic valve replacement (AVR). Sutureless technology facilitates a MIA. We describe our experience with the sutureless Perceval (LivaNova, Italy) aortic bioprosthesis through a right anterior mini-thoracotomy (RAMT) approach. METHODS: Between March 2011 and October 2019, 1,049 patients underwent AVR with Perceval bioprosthesis. Five hundred and three patients (48%) were operated through a RAMT approach in the second intercostal space. Considering only isolated AVR (881), 98% of patients were operated with MIA, and Perceval in RAMT approach was performed in 57% of these patients. Eight patients (1.6%) had previously undergone cardiac surgery. The prosthesis sizes implanted were: S (n=91), M (n=154), L (n=218) and XL (n=40). Concomitant procedures were mitral valve surgery (n=6), tricuspid valve repair (n=1), mitral valve repair and tricuspid valve repair (n=1) and miectomy (n=2). Mean age was 78±4 years (range, 65-89 years), 317 patients were female (63%) and EuroSCORE II was 5.9%±8.4%. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality was 0.8% (4/503). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and aortic cross-clamp times were 81.6±30.8 and 50.3±24.5 minutes respectively for stand-alone procedures. In two patients, early moderate paravalvular leakage appeared as a result of incomplete expansion of the sutureless valve due to oversizing of the bioprosthesis, requiring reoperations at two and nine postoperative days with sutured aortic bioprosthesis implantation. Permanent pacemaker implantation within the first thirty days was necessary in 26 (5.2%) patients. At the mean follow-up of 4.6 years (range, 1 month to 8.6 years), survival was 96%, freedom from reoperation was 99.2%, and mean transvalvular pressure gradient was 11.9±4.3 mmHg. CONCLUSIONS: AVR with the Perceval bioprosthesis in a RAMT approach is a safe and feasible procedure associated with low mortality and excellent hemodynamic performance. Sutureless technology facilitates a RAMT approach.

Mitral valve repair versus replacement in patients with ischaemic mitral regurgitation and depressed ejection fraction: risk factors for early and mid-term mortality†.

OBJECTIVES: Mitral valve (MV) surgery for ischaemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) in patients with depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) is associated with poor outcomes. The optimal surgical strategy for IMR in these patients remains controversial. The objective of this study was to compare the early mortality and mid-term survival of MV repair versus MV replacement in patients with IMR and depressed LVEF undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS: A retrospective, observational, cohort study was undertaken of prospectively collected data on 126 consecutive CABG patients with IMR and LVEF <40% undergoing either MV repair (n = 98, 78%) or MV replacement (n = 28, 22%) between July 2002 and February 2011. RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 7.9% (n = 10). MV replacement was associated with a 4-fold increase in the risk of death compared with MV repair [17.9%, n = 5 vs 5.1%, n = 5; odds ratio (OR) 4.04, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.08-15.1, P = 0.04]. However, after adjusting for preoperative risk factors, the type of surgical procedure was not an independent risk factor for early mortality (OR 0.1, 95% CI 0.01-31, P = 0.7). Multivariable analysis showed that preoperative LVEF (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-0.9, P = 0.018), preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1-1.02, P = 0.025), preoperative left ventricle end-systolic diameter (OR 0.8, 95% CI 0.7-1.0, P = 0.05) and preoperative left atrial diameter (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6, P = 0.015) were independent risk factors of early mortality. At the median follow-up of 45 months (interquartile range 20-68 months), the mid-term survival rate was 74% in the MV repair group and 70% in the MV replacement group (P = 0.08). At follow-up, predictors of worse survival were BNP levels [hazard ratio (HR) 1.0, 95% CI 1.0-1.01, P = 0.047], preoperative renal failure (HR 4.6, 95% CI 1.1-20.3, P = 0.039) and preoperative atrial fibrillation (HR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1-10, P = 0.032). CONCLUSIONS: MV repair in CABG patients with IMR and depressed LVEF is not superior to MV replacement with regard to operative early mortality and mid-term survival.

Mechanical properties and biological interaction of aortic clamps: are these all minimally invasive?

OBJECTIVE: Although specifically designed aortic clamps are mainstay of minimally invasive cardiac surgery, so far, no comparative reports about their mechanical properties and interaction with the aortic wall have been reported. In this study, the generated force in the clamps' jaws and the biological response of the aorta after clamping are evaluated. METHODS: The jaw force of five commercially available clamps [Geister, Cygnet, Cardiovision (CV) 195.10, CV 195.40, and CV 195.83] was assessed by clamping a 2.2-mm compression load cell with a dedicated computer universal serial bus interface at the proximal, the middle, and the distal site from the fulcrum. Biological response of the aortic wall was assessed in five minipigs (weight, 38-40 kg) that underwent thoracic aorta clamping and leakage point test. Immunohistochemistry and morphometric analysis were carried out for each aortic segment tested. RESULTS: Force generation pattern is peculiar of each clamp, being higher in the proximal and the middle portion and lower in the distal part. One clamp (Cygnet) exhibited homogeneous maximal force generation at all three sites. All clamps exhibited peculiar crushing artifacts. A variable degree of endothelial layer disruption occurred in all clamping tests; three clamps (CV 195.10, Cygnet, and Geister) had the lower amount of intact endothelium. The clamping force was not associated with the degree of endothelial disruption (P value was not significant). CONCLUSIONS: The choice of a clamp that is not only minimally invasive in design but also least traumatic will help avoid complications of aortic manipulation.

Cold reperfusion before rewarming reduces neurological events after deep hypothermic circulatory arrest.

OBJECTIVES: To identify a safety threshold of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) duration; to determine which protection offers the best outcome and whether a 10-min period of cold perfusion (20°C) preceding rewarming can reduce neurological events (NE). METHODS: From January 1988 to April 2009, 456 patients underwent aortic surgery using DHCA: for chronic disease in 239 and acute in 217. Cerebral protection was obtained by straight DHCA (sDHCA) in 69 cases, retrograde perfusion (RCP) in 198 and antegrade perfusion (ACP) in 189. In 247 subjects, a 10-min period of cold perfusion (20°C) preceded rewarming; in 209 rewarming was restarted without this preliminary. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (13%) experienced NE. Twenty-two (5%) suffered temporary neurological dysfunction (TND) and 36 (8%) suffered stroke. DHCA duration >30 min was predictive for higher rate of NE (25.2% vs. 2.0%, P 0.001); after this value, only ACP was able to reduce incidence of NE (16.5% vs. 30.5%, P = 0.035). Cold reperfusion before rewarming significantly reduced incidence of NE (7.7% vs. 18.7%, P < 0.001) and extended the safe period to 40 min. Thirty-day mortality was 16.0%. Predictors of higher early mortality were acute aortic disease, longer DHCA, lack of ACP or prompt rewarming when DHCA >30 min and postoperative stroke. CONCLUSIONS: sDHCA remains a safe and easy tool for cerebral protection when DHCA duration is expected to be less than 30 min. When aortic surgery requires a longer period, ACP should be instituted. Before rewarming, a 10-min period of cold perfusion significantly reduces incidence of NE.

Root replacement with stentless Freestyle bioprostheses for active endocarditis: a single centre experience.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have examined the use of stentless Freestyle bioprostheses in patients with active valve endocarditis (VE). The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes of stentless Freestyle bioprostheses in patients undergoing full-root replacement. METHODS: From February 2000 to June 2010, 180 patients with VE underwent cardiac surgery at our institution, of which 71 (39.5%) had prosthetic VE. Eighteen patients underwent full-root replacement with Freestyle bioprostheses: 3 patients (16%) had native aortic VE, 14 (78%) had aortic prosthetic VE and 1 (6%) had mitral and aortic prosthetic VE. Mean age was 66.7 ± 10.1, M/F: 6/12, mean logistic EuroSCORE 36.4 ± 21.6. Eight patients (42%) underwent concomitant procedures (two mitral valve replacements, three ascending aorta replacements, one coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), one ventricular septal disease (VSD) repair, one CABG + ascending aorta + VSD repair). RESULTS: Two patients (11%) died in-hospital. At the median follow-up of 24 months (range 1-113 months), no death occurred and freedom from reoperation was 87.5% (2 patients for aortic root pseudo-aneurysm at 1 and 23 months). All patients are in NYHA functional class I and have satisfactory echocardiographic data (EF 54.3 ± 8%, peak and mean trans-prosthetic gradients 12 ± 6.7 mmHg and 7.5 ± 3.6 mmHg) with 100% freedom recurrence of VE. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience shows that root replacement with Freestyle stentless bioprostheses in patient with VE, is associated with low rates of early and mid-term mortality, good haemodynamic performance and low rates of valve-related morbidity as well as low recurrence of infection.

Sutureless aortic valve implantation through an upper v-type ministernotomy: an innovative approach in high-risk patients.

OBJECTIVE: Aortic valve replacement in minimally invasive approach has shown to improve clinical outcomes even with a prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamp (ACC) time. Sutureless aortic valve implantation may ideally shorten operative time. We describe our initial experience with the sutureless 3f Enable (Medtronic, Inc, ATS Medical, Minneapolis, MN USA) aortic bioprosthesis implanted in minimally invasive approach in high-risk patients. METHODS: Between May 2010 and May 2011, thirteen patients with severe aortic stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement with the 3f Enable bioprosthesis through an upper V-type ministernotomy interrupted at the second intercostal space. The mean ± SD age was 77 ± 3.9 years (range, 72-83 years), 10 patients were women, and the mean ± SD logistic EuroSCORE was 15% ± 13.5%. Echocardiography was performed preoperatively, at postoperative day 1, at discharge, and at follow-up. Clinical data, adverse events, and patient outcomes were recorded retrospectively. The median follow-up time was 4 months (interquartile range, 2-10 months). RESULTS: Most of the implanted valves were 21 mm in diameter (19-25 mm). The CPB and ACC times were 100.2 ± 25.3 and 66.4 ± 18.6 minutes. At short-term follow-up, the mean ± SD pressure gradient was 14 ± 4.9 mm Hg; one patient showed trivial paravalvular leakage. No patients died during hospital stay or at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The 3f Enable sutureless bioprosthesis implanted in minimally invasive approach through an upper V-type ministernotomy is a feasible, safe, and reproducible procedure. Hemodynamic and clinical data are promising. This innovative approach might be considered as an alternative in high-risk patients. Reduction of CPB and ACC time is possible with increasing of experience and sutureless evolution of actual technology.

Impact of pulmonary hypertension on mortality after operation for isolated aortic valve stenosis.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a well-known independent risk factor for mortality and morbidity after cardiac surgery. However, no weight is given to PH in the current guidelines for the management of patients with aortic stenosis (AS) undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of preoperative PH on early and five-year survival in patients with severe AS undergoing isolated AVR. METHODS: From January 2005 to July 2010, 422 consecutive patients with severe AS underwent isolated AVR. According to systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP), PH was classified as none (sPAPS<35 mmHg, N=224), mild-moderate (35≤sPAP<50 mmHg, N=159) and severe (sPAP≥50 mmHg, N=39). RESULTS: Overall in-hospital mortality was 2.8%. Unadjusted mortality was 0.9%, 3.8% and 10.2% for patients with normal, mild-moderate and severe PH (p=0.003). In multivariable analysis, severe PH (OR 4.1, 95 CI 1.1-15.3, p=0.04) and New York Heart Association class III-IV (OR 14.9, 95% CI 1.8-117.8, p=0.01) were independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality. Multivariable predictors of five-year survival were extracardiac arteriopathy (HR 2.8, 95%CI 1.6-4.9, p<0.0001), severe PH (HR 2.4, 95%CI 1.2-4.6 p=0.01), NHYA III-IV class (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-4, p=0.003), preoperative serum creatinine (HR 2.2, 95%CI, 1.6-3.1,p<0.0001) and age (HR 1.08, 95%CI 1.03-1.13, p=0.01). Five-year survival was 86%±3% with normal sPAP, 81%±4% with mild-moderate PH and 63±10% with severe PH (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing isolated AVR with severe AS, severe PH is an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality and five-year survival.

Mitral valve repair or replacement for ischemic mitral regurgitation? The Italian Study on the Treatment of Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation (ISTIMIR).

OBJECTIVE: It is uncertain whether mitral valve replacement is really inferior to mitral valve repair for the treatment of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. This multicenter study aimed at providing a contribution to this issue. METHODS: Of 1006 patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and impaired left ventricular function (ejection fraction < 40%) operated on at 13 Italian institutions between 1996 and 2011, 298 (29.6%) underwent mitral valve replacement whereas 708 (70.4%) received mitral valve repair. Propensity scores were calculated by a nonparsimonious multivariable logistic regression, and 244 pairs of patients were matched successfully using calipers of width 0.2 standard deviation of the logit of the propensity scores. The postmatching median standardized difference was 0.024 (range, 0-0.037) and in none of the covariates did it exceed 10%. RESULTS: Early deaths were 3.3% (n = 8) in mitral valve repair versus 5.3% (n = 13) in mitral valve replacement (P = .32). Eight-year survival was 81.6% ± 2.8% and 79.6% ± 4.8% (P = .42), respectively. Actual freedom from all-cause reoperation and valve-related reoperation were 64.3% ± 4.3% versus 80% ± 4.1%, and 71.3% ± 3.5% versus 85.5% ± 3.9 in mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement, respectively (P < .001). Actual freedom from all valve-related complications was 68.3% ± 3.1% versus 69.9% ± 3.3% in mitral valve repair and mitral valve replacement, respectively (P = .78). Left ventricular function did not improved significantly, and it was comparable in the 2 groups postoperatively (36.9% vs 38.5%, P = .66). At competing regression analysis, mitral valve repair was a strong predictor of reoperation (hazard ratio, 2.84; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Mitral valve replacement is a suitable option for patients with chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and impaired left ventricular function. It provides better results in terms of freedom from reoperation with comparable valve-related complication rates.

Echocardiographically based treatment of chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated results of an echocardiographically based strategy combining mitral annuloplasty with other procedures to treat chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. METHODS: From March 2006 to February 2009, 147 patients underwent mitral valve surgery for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation. Mean effective regurgitant orifice was 36 ± 11 mm(2), and ejection fraction was 35% ± 9%. On the basis of echocardiographic findings, in 10 cases a prosthesis was inserted and mitral annuloplasty was performed in 137 cases, isolated in 83, associated with chordal cutting in 12 cases (in 5 anterior leaflet was augmented with pericardial patch), and with exclusion of anteroseptal (n = 35) or inferior (n = 7) scars in 42. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality was 4.8%; 3-year survival was 86% ± 3%. None of the 126 survivors were in New York Heart Association functional class III or IV. Among 117 survivors of mitral valve repair, after 18 ± 6 months mean effective regurgitant orifice reduced from 34.1 ± 10.2 mm(2) to 2.3 ± 0.4 mm(2) (P < .001). Nine patients showed residual effective regurgitant orifice 10 to 19 mm(2). Reverse remodeling was present in 69 patients (59.0%), no remodeling in 40 (34.1%), and continuous remodeling in 8 (6.9%). Ejection fraction changed from 37% ± 10% to 43% ± 10% (P < .001), improving in 47, remaining unchanged in 63, and worsening in 7. CONCLUSIONS: Echocardiographically based strategy contributed to reduced postoperative mitral regurgitation persistence (effective regurgitant orifice ≥ 10 mm(2) in 7.7% of cases, with no patients showing effective regurgitant orifice ≥ 20 mm(2)). All patients remained in New York Heart Association functional class I or II, but more than mitral annuloplasty was performed in close to 40%.

Echocardiographic-based treatment of functional tricuspid regurgitation.

OBJECTIVES: Functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) worsens over time, and its natural history is unfavorable. An aggressive surgical strategy, using the echocardiographic systolic dimensions of the tricuspid annulus (sysTA), can be helpful to reduce the detrimental late effects of FTR. METHODS: From March 2006 to February 2008, 298 patients, with at least FTR grade 1+, underwent mitral valve surgery. Of these 298 patients, 167 underwent tricuspid repair (treated group [T], moderate-or-greater FTR in 108 and mild in 59, with sysTA > 24 mm) and 137 did not (untreated group [UT], moderate-or-greater FTR in 16 and mild in 115; 81 with sysTA > 24 mm and 34 with sysTA of ≤ 24 mm). The 256 survivors underwent echocardiographic examination at a mean follow-up of 13 ± 8 months. RESULTS: Preoperatively, at discharge, and at the follow-up examination, the mean FTR grade was 1.11 ± 0.32, 0.87 ± 0.49, and 1.03 ± 0.57 (P = NS) in the UT group and 2.11 ± 0.92, 0.45 ± 0.36, and 0.48 ± 0.32 (P < .001) in the T group. A total of 24 patients had FTR grade 2 or greater, 16 (14.5%) in the UT group and 8 (5.5%) in the T group (P = .026). In the UT group, 10 of 16 patients had sysTA of 25 to 28 mm and 6 of 10 had sysTA greater than 28 mm. No patient with mild FTR and sysTA of 24 mm or less had an increased FTR grade. Globally, 12 patients (10.9%) had an increased FTR grade in the UT group versus none in the T group (P < .001). Patients with postoperative atrial fibrillation had less residual FTR if annuloplasty had been performed (1.6 ± 0.7 vs 0.91 ± 0.63, P = .005). CONCLUSIONS: An aggressive strategy for FTR correction, using the sysTA, was able to reduce the FTR grade 1 year after surgery, but mitral surgery alone could not.

Routine versus selective coronary artery bypass for left main coronary artery revascularization: the Appraise a Customized Strategy for Left Main Revascularization (CUSTOMIZE) study.

BACKGROUND: Current guidelines recommend coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) as the first choice of revascularization in patients with unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease. We tested the hypothesis that a non guideline-driven approach to ULMCA revascularization which uses percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) by default and CABG in selected patients may be as safe as the traditional guideline-driven approach. METHODS: Between March 2002 and December 2008, PCI has been used as a default strategy for ULMCA revascularization in Center 1 (non guideline-driven [NGD] group), whereas CABG has been used as a default strategy in Center 2 (guideline-driven [GD] group). RESULTS: A total of 838 patients with ULMCA disease were included. Of these 67.1% and 32.9% were treated in the NGD and GD groups, respectively. A significant higher risk of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (hazard ratio [HR] 1.60, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.10-2.33, p=0.014) and target vessel revascularization (HR 2.44, 95% CI 1.26-4.72, p=0.008) occurred at 24 months in the NGD group as compared with GD Group. Adjustment by means of propensity score did not result in substantial changes with regard to the subcomponent safety and efficacy endpoints. Conversely, the composite of MACE was no longer significant according to all types of statistical adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: In a large registry of patients with ULMCA disease undergoing revascularization in current clinical practice, an approach based on PCI and the selective use of CABG gives results which are not inferior to those of a traditional approach guided by the current guidelines.

Left ventricular surgical restoration for anteroseptal scars: volume versus shape.

OBJECTIVE: We report the long-term results of left ventricular surgical restoration in which 2 different strategies were used, which had restoration of ventricular volume or ventricular shape as their target. METHODS: From 1988 to 2008, 308 patients with anterior scars underwent elective left ventricular surgical restoration. Before 2002, a Dor procedure was performed in 107 cases to reduce left ventricular volume (group V); from 1998 to 2001, a Guilmet procedure was performed in 32 patients to rebuild a left ventricular conical shape (group S). From 2002, 169 patients (group S) underwent left ventricular surgical restoration to reshape a conical left ventricle by means of the Dor procedure (n = 29, septoapical scars) or septal reshaping (n = 140, when the septum was more involved than the anterior wall). The 2 groups were similar for all features but age, mitral regurgitation grade, mitral valve surgery rate (higher in group S), and ejection fraction (higher in group V). RESULTS: Early mortality was 7.8% (11.2% in group V vs 6.0% in group S, P = .102). Logistic regression showed that volume reduction was significantly related to higher early mortality. Five-year cardiac survival, cardiac event-free survival, and event-free survival were higher in group S. Cox analysis showed that the choice of volume reduction provided lower survival (hazard ratio, 2.1), cardiac survival (hazard ratio, 3.0), cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.7), and event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.2). When 30-day events were excluded, volume reduction was still a risk factor for cardiac event-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.2). CONCLUSIONS: When the main target of left ventricular surgical restoration is left ventricular reshaping rather than left ventricular volume reduction, early and late outcomes seem to improve.