2021 CSANZ and ANZSCTS Position Statement on the Operator and Institutional Requirements for a Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Program in Australia.

This document establishes the minimum standard for accreditation of institutions and operators as endorsed by the Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) and the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiac and Thoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS). The original Joint Society Position Statement was ratified in August 2014. This 2021 update replaces the original and serves as a consensus within which the Conjoint Committee for Trancatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Accreditation will function, as recommended by Medical Services Advisory Committee (MSAC) Determination for TAVI. This is not a Guideline Statement but takes into consideration regional, legislative, and health system factors important to establishing requirements for TAVI accreditation in Australia.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery III: Training and Robotic-Assisted Approaches.

Minimally invasive mitral valve operations are increasingly common in the United States, but robotic-assisted approaches have not been widely adopted for a variety of reasons. This expert opinion reviews the state of the art and defines best practices, training, and techniques for developing a successful robotics program.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery I: Patient Selection, Evaluation, and Planning.

Widespread adoption of minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement may be fostered by practice consensus and standardization. This expert opinion, first of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices in patient evaluation and selection for minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and discusses preoperative planning for cannulation and myocardial protection.

Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery II: Surgical Technique and Postoperative Management.

Techniques for minimally invasive mitral valve repair and replacement continue to evolve. This expert opinion, the second of a 3-part series, outlines current best practices for nonrobotic, minimally invasive mitral valve procedures, and for postoperative care after minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.

Long-term outcomes following Medtronic Open Pivot valved conduit.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: Aortic root replacement is a complex procedure, though subsequent modifications of the original Bentall procedure have made surgery more reproducible. The study aim was to examine the outcomes of a modified Bentall procedure, using the Medtronic Open PivotTM valved conduit. Whilst short-term data on the conduit and long-term data on the valve itself are available, little is known of the long-term results with the valved conduit. METHODS: Patients undergoing aortic root replacement between February 1999 and February 2010, using the Medtronic Open Pivot valved conduit were identified from the prospectively collected Cardiothoracic Register at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. All patients were followed up echocardiographically and clinically. The primary end-point was death, and a Cox proportional model was used to identify factors associated.with survival. Secondary end-points were valve-related morbidity (as defined by STS guidelines) and postoperative morbidity. Predictors of morbidity were identified using logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 246 patients (mean age 50 years) was included in the study. The overall mortality was 12%, with actuarial 10-year survival 79% and a 10-year estimate of valve-related death of 0.04 (95% CI: 0.004, 0.07). Preoperative myocardial infarction (p = 0.004, HR 4.74), urgency of operation (p = 0.038, HR 2.8) and 10% incremental decreases in ejection fraction (p = 0.046, HR 0.69) were predictive of mortality. Survival was also affected by the valve gradients, with a unit increase in peak gradient reducing mortality (p = 0.021, HR 0.93). Valve-related morbidity occurred in 11 patients. Urgent surgery (p <0.001, OR 4.12), aortic dissection (p = 0.015, OR 3.35), calcific aortic stenosis (p = 0.016, OR 2.35) and Marfan syndrome (p 0.009, OR 3.75) were predictive of postoperative morbidity. The reoperation rate was 1.2%. CONCLUSION: The Medtronic Open Pivot valved conduit is a safe and durable option for aortic root replacement, and is associated with low morbidity and 10-year survival of 79%. However, further studies are required to determine the effect of valve gradient on survival.

Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography for surgical repair of mitral regurgitation.

Surgical repair of the mitral valve is being increasingly performed to treat severe mitral regurgitation. Transesophageal echocardiography is an essential tool for assessing valvular function and guiding surgical decision making during the perioperative period. A careful and systematic transesophageal echocardiographic examination is necessary to ensure that appropriate information is obtained and that the correct diagnoses are obtained before and after repair. The purpose of this article is to provide a practical guide for perioperative echocardiographers caring for patients undergoing surgical repair of mitral regurgitation. A guide to performing a systematic transesophageal echocardiographic examination of the mitral valve is provided, along with an approach to prerepair and postrepair assessment. Additionally, the anatomy and function of normal and regurgitant mitral valves are reviewed.

Valvular and aortic diseases in osteogenesis imperfecta.

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is an inheritable connective tissue disorder caused by defective collagen synthesis with the principal manifestations of bone fragility. OI has been associated with left sided valvular regurgitation and aortic dilation. Valve and aortic surgery are technically feasible in patients with OI but are inherently high risk due to the underlying connective tissue defect. This report reviews the valvular and aortic pathology associated with OI and their management. We describe two cases of patients with OI who have significant aortic and mitral valve regurgitation, one of whom has been managed conservatively and the other who has undergone successful mitral valve repair and aortic valve replacement. The latter case represents the fifth case of mitral valve repair in a patient with OI reported in the medical literature.

The association between preoperative eGFR and outcomes in cardiac surgical patients.

AIM: To study the relationship between preoperative renal function and outcomes in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A retrospective descriptive study was performed on all patients who had coronary artery bypass, cardiac valve surgery and/or aortic arch surgery at a tertiary-referral hospital between January 2002 and December 2007. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical and demographic variables were compared across renal dysfunction categories, defined by glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated using the modified Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between eGFR and outcomes, primarily in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: 7440 patients were included, with a mean age of 64 years and overall mortality of 1.6%. Across worsening renal function states, excluding patients receiving dialysis, patients were older, more likely to be women and to have comorbidities (particularly diabetes and vascular disease), as well as ventricular dysfunction, and to require emergency or more complex surgery. Unadjusted outcomes, as well as univariate and multivariate analysis, consistently demonstrated that odds ratios for adverse events increased with worsening renal function, even at moderate levels of dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative renal dysfunction is independently associated with mortality after cardiac surgery. This is consistent with the accumulating evidence supporting preoperative renal dysfunction as a powerful predictor of adverse outcomes.