The impact of the distance between patient residency and heart transplant center on outcomes after heart transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Heart transplant (HTx) recipients require continuous monitoring and care in order to prevent and treat possible complications related to the graft function or to the immunosuppressive treatment promptly. Since heart transplantation centers (HTC) are more experienced in managing HTx recipients than other healthcare facilities, the distance between patient residency and HTC could negatively affect the outcomes. METHODS: Data of patients discharged after receiving HTx between 2000 and 2021, collected into our institutional database, were retrospectively analyzed. The population was divided into three groups: A (n = 180), B (n = 157), and C (n = 134), according to the distance tertiles between patient residency and HTC. The primary end-point was survival, secondary end-points were incidences of complications. RESULTS: Recipient and donor characteristics did not differ between the three groups. Survival at 10 years was 66 ± 4%, 66 ± 4%, and 65 ± 5%, respectively, for groups A, B, and C (p = .34). Immunosuppressive regimen and rate of complications did not differ between groups. However, the rates of outpatient visits and of hospitalization performed at HTC were higher in group A than others. CONCLUSION: Distance from the HTC does not represent a barrier to a successful outcome for HTx recipients, as long as regular and continuous follow-up is provided.

Minimally Invasive Surgery for Simple Congenital Heart Defects: Preserving Aesthetics without Jeopardizing Patient Safety.

Minimally invasive surgeries for pediatric patients have been proposed for decades, with different approaches in mind. Minimal right axillary thoracotomy (MRAT), proposed two decades ago, allows the preservation of patients' safety alongside faster aesthetic and functional recovery. The MRAT did not become widely adopted due to the prejudice that to follow a minimally invasive approach, safety and efficacy must be compromised. With this study, we aim to compare MRAT to the standard median sternotomy approach with a focus on safety and clinical outcomes. Between January 2017 and April 2021, 216 patients diagnosed with ASD, pAVSD, or PAPVD underwent surgical repair with different approaches in the same period. MRAT was used for 78 patients, and median sternotomy was used for 138 patients. In this last group, standard median sternotomy (SMS) was used for 116 patients, while a minimal skin incision (SMS mini) was used for 22 patients. There were no major complications overall nor in each specific approach. MRAT enabled the successful repair of simple heart defects, providing similar post-operative and cardiological recovery. MRAT does not compromise patients' safety and does not prolong the duration of surgery once the learning curve is overcome, which is generally after 15-20 consecutive operations.