Origins and Evolution of Extracorporeal Circulation: JACC Historical Breakthroughs in Perspective.

Midway through the 20th century, direct open-heart operations were not yet a reality, awaiting safe methods to support the cardiopulmonary circulation during cardiac surgery. The scientific advancements collectively leading to safe cardiopulmonary bypass are considered some of the most impactful advances of modern medicine. Stimulated by the work of physiologists and engineers in the late 19th century, primitive pump and oxygenator designs were the forerunners of major work by DeBakey and others in roller pump design and by Gibbon in oxygenator development. Following Gibbon's historic successful closure of an atrial septal defect in 1953 with his heart-lung machine, it was left to Lillehei and Kirklin to first successfully repair large series of cardiac malformations. The history leading to these historic events and the subsequent evolution of cardiopulmonary bypass machines for short- and longer-term support is filled with engineering and surgical brilliance, daring innovations, and serendipity.

Pedicle flap coverage for infected ventricular assist device augmented with dissolving antibiotic beads: Creation of an antibacterial pocket.

Infectious complications following left ventricular assist device implantation can carry significant morbidity and mortality. The main tenet of treatment is source control which entails local wound care, intravenous antimicrobial therapy, surgical debridement, and at times, soft tissue flap coverage. The mode of therapy depends on the severity, etiology, and location of infection as well as the clinical status of the patient. We describe a case of a 46-year-old male who underwent left ventricular assist device placement complicated by pump thrombosis, recurrent infection, and hardware exposure who was successfully treated with a novel method of staged, soft tissue reconstruction.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB): A Legacy of Innovation, Education, and Contributions.

Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) represents a transformative enterprise whose origins lie in local practice and education in a Southern state with a challenging history, transformed by the visions of a few to become a dominant force in the historical fabric of regional, national, and international cardiothoracic surgery. Throughout its history, numerous individuals have participated in important innovations, education, and contributions to a consistent theme of surgical excellence. This review will recapitulate a sample of relevant historical events and the impact of the leaders of cardiothoracic surgery at UAB.

Utility of nuclear stress imaging in predicting long-term outcomes one-year post CABG Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Early MPI after CABG is currently considered rarely appropriate in asymptomatic patients. This study aimed to identify prognostic value of nuclear stress-imaging post-CABG. METHODS: This was a single center prospective study looking at long-term outcomes post-CABG. Per protocol participants underwent SPECT-MPI stress testing and coronary angiogram on the same day, 1-year following CABG. Defect size was semi-quantified. The primary outcomes were the composite of death and congestive heart failure. RESULTS: Eighty-four participants underwent nuclear stress-imaging and angiography, with a median follow-up of 11.1 years. Three separate stress findings predicted the primary outcome: inability to reach stage 3 of a Bruce protocol (OR 7.3, CI 2.4-22.1, P < 0.001), LVEF < 45% (OR 4.0, CI 1.1-15.3, P = 0.041) and a moderate-large stress defect size (HR 2.31, CI 1.1-1.5, P = 0.04). These findings appear to be additive and strongest among patients who underwent exercise stress testing (HR 10.6, CI 3.6-30.6, P < 0.001). Graft disease was identified in 39 (46%) patients and compared to those individuals with no graft disease, did not predict long-term adverse outcomes (P = 0.29). CONCLUSION: In clinically stable patients early after revascularization with CABG, SPECT-MPI can identify patients at higher risk of heart failure and death.

Use of Computed Tomography in Preoperative Planning for Heartware Left Ventricular Assist Device Placement.

Optimal left ventricular assist device (LVAD) cannula position is important for adequate ventricular unloading and LVAD function. Poor inflow cannula position predisposes to pump thrombosis, inotrope dependence, and mortality. We describe a novel technique of preoperative left ventricular apex marking using CT guidance and demonstrate in three cases the use of this method to achieve optimal inflow cannula positioning for lateral thoracotomy Heartware LVAD implantation.

Changes over time in risk profiles of patients who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery: the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP).

IMPORTANCE: Today's coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) population appears to comprise sicker patients than in the past; however, little is known about the change in the risk profile. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the change with time in the risk profile of patients who undergo CABG. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Retrospective review of records from the Veterans Affairs (VA) Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP); 65,097 patients who underwent isolated primary CABG from October 1, 1997, to April 30, 2011, were evaluated. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Trends in risk profiles, surgical volume, and modern outcomes in the VA system. We determined the significance of changes in age and major comorbidities across time with simple linear regression analysis and evaluated the rates of perioperative mortality (30-day or in-hospital) and VASQIP predicted risk of mortality trends over time. RESULTS: From 1997 to 2011, there were increases in mean (SD) patient age (63.1 [9.4] vs 64.3 [7. 8] years; R² = 0.34; P = .02) and body mass index (28.3 [5.1] vs 30.1 [5.8]; R² = 0.95). There were also increases in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (32.8% vs 41.3%; R² = 0.82), preoperative New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III or IV heart failure status (14.3% vs 34.2%; R² = 0.74), and left main coronary artery disease (26.0% vs 32.8%; R² = 0.82) (all P < .001). There was a decrease in the prevalence of advanced angina severity (Canadian Cardiovascular Society class III or IV) (R² = 0.95), previous myocardial infarction (R² = 0.82), and low ejection fraction (≤34%) (R² = 0.88) (all P < .05). There was no significant change in the prevalence of cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or 3-vessel coronary artery disease. Perioperative mortality rates and the VASQIP predicted risk of mortality, respectively, decreased with time (3.2% and 3.1% vs 1.7% and 1.6%). From 2004 to 2011, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of previous percutaneous coronary intervention (18.6% to 29.2%; R² = 0.82; P = .002). Overall CABG volume decreased (5551 in 1998 vs 3857 in 2012; R² = 0.95; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: From 1997 to 2011, there was a progressive increase in the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, left main coronary artery disease, and advanced NYHA heart failure class among VA patients undergoing CABG. The prevalence of previous myocardial infarction, low ejection fraction, and advanced angina decreased, perhaps because of earlier surgical referral, improvement in medical management, or a shift in patient selection for CABG. Operative mortality also decreased with time. These trends confirm the general perception of significant, ongoing improvement in the care of patients who undergo CABG in the VA, despite an older, sicker population.

Octreotide in the management of recurrent gastrointestinal bleed in patients supported by continuous flow left ventricular assist devices.

Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is the most common cause of readmission in patients supported by continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF-LVAD). We describe our experience in the off-label use of octreotide in the management of recurrent GI bleed in this population. Of 116 patients implanted with a CF-LVAD at our institution, seven had recurrent GI bleeding unresponsive to conventional management and were started in chronic octreotide injections. Hospitalizations due to GI bleeding, number of packed red blood cells transfused, and number of endoscopic procedures were compared 3 months before and after octreotide treatment. In the overall cohort, there were no differences in these three endpoints. When one patient with differing characteristics was excluded from the analysis there was a trend (p = 0.06) to a reduction of hospitalizations due to GI bleeding, number of blood transfusions, and number of endoscopic procedures. Octreotide exhibit a favorable trend in the frequency of admissions, blood transfusions, and endoscopic procedures in most patients with recurrent GI bleed. Further prospective studies are needed to clarify its benefits in this population.

Perioperative outcomes after on- and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

Although numerous reports describe the results of off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at specialized centers and in select patient populations, it remains unclear how off-pump CABG affects real-world patient outcomes. We conducted a large, multicenter observational cohort study of perioperative death and morbidity in on-pump (ON) versus off-pump (OFF) CABG. We reviewed Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program data for all patients (N=65,097) who underwent isolated CABG from October 1997 through April 2011 (intention-to-treat data were available from 2005 onward). The primary outcome was perioperative (30-day or in-hospital) death; the secondary outcomes were perioperative stroke, dialysis dependence, reoperation for bleeding, mechanical circulatory support, myocardial infarction, ventilator support ≥ 48 hr, and mediastinitis. Propensity scores calculated from age, 17 preoperative risk factors, and year of surgery were used to match 8,911 OFF with 26,733 ON patients. In the complete cohort, compared with the ON patients (n=53,468), the OFF patients (n=11,629) had less perioperative death (2.02% vs 2.53%, P=0.0012) and lower incidences of all morbidities except perioperative myocardial infarction. In the matched cohort, perioperative death did not differ significantly between OFF and ON patients (1.94% vs 2.28%, P=0.06), but the OFF group had lower incidences of all morbidities except for perioperative myocardial infarction and mediastinitis. A subgroup intention-to-treat analysis yielded similar but smaller outcome differences between the ON and OFF groups. Off-pump CABG might be associated with decreased operative morbidity but did not affect operative death, compared with on-pump CABG. Future studies should examine the effect of off-pump CABG on long-term outcomes.

Completeness of coronary revascularization and survival: Impact of age and off-pump surgery.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted a multicenter observational cohort study of the effect of completeness of revascularization on long-term survival after coronary artery bypass grafting. We also investigated the impact of age and off-pump surgery. METHODS: The Veterans Affairs Continuous Improvement in Cardiac Surgery Program was used to identify all patients (N=41,139) with left main and 3-vessel coronary artery disease who underwent nonemergency coronary artery bypass grafting from October 1997 to April 2011. The primary outcome measure, all-cause mortality, was compared between patients with complete revascularization and patients with incomplete revascularization. Survival functions were estimated with the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by using the log-rank test. Propensity scores calculated for each patient were used to match 5509 patients undergoing complete revascularization to 5509 patients undergoing incomplete revascularization. A subgroup analysis was performed in patients aged at least 70 years and patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. RESULTS: In the unmatched groups, several risk factors were more common in the incomplete revascularization group, as was off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting. In the matched groups, risk-adjusted mortality was higher in the incomplete revascularization group than in the complete revascularization group at 1 year (6.96% vs 5.97%; risk ratio [RR], 1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.34), 5 years (18.50% vs 15.96%; RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 1.07-1.26), and 10 years (32.12% vs 27.40%; RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11-1.24), with an overall hazard ratio of 1.18 (95% CI, 1.09-1.28; P<.0001). The hazard ratio for patients aged 70 years or more was 1.125 (95% CI, 1.001-1.263; P=.048). The hazard ratio was 1.47 (95% CI, 1.303-1.655) for the unmatched off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting group and 1.156 (95% CI, 1.000-1.335) for the matched off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting group. CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete revascularization is associated with decreased long-term survival, even in elderly patients. Surgeons should consider these findings when choosing a revascularization strategy, particularly if off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting is contemplated.

Trends over time in the relative use and associated mortality of on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting in the Veterans Affairs system.

IMPORTANCE: Numerous studies have compared the results of on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), but little is known about how either the relative use of these procedures or their associated perioperative mortality have changed with time. OBJECTIVE: To examine trends in off- and on-pump CABG use and outcomes over time. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of data from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP). SETTING: Data were collected from 42 Veterans Affairs cardiac surgery centers. PARTICIPANTS: All Veterans Affairs patients (n = 65,097) who underwent isolated primary CABG from October 1997 to April 2011. INTERVENTIONS: Patients underwent either on-pump (ON) or off-pump (OFF) CABG. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The percentages of ON vs OFF cases as a function of time. We also evaluated trends over time in rates of conversion from OFF to ON CABG, perioperative mortality (30-day or in-hospital), and VASQIP predicted risk of mortality. RESULTS: The relative use of OFF CABG peaked at 24% in 2003, followed by a slow and mostly consistent decline to stabilize at about 19%. The conversion rate decreased with time and has stayed less than 3.5% since 2007 (P < .001). Perioperative mortality rates decreased over time for both ON and OFF CABG (P < .001) and have stayed less than 2% for the entire cohort since 2006. The mortality associated with converted cases was high regardless of the surgery year and exceeded the VASQIP predicted risk of mortality. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: There has been a decline in the relative use of OFF CABG in the Veterans Affairs system since 2003. This trend may affect the training of future generations in OFF surgery and influence conversion rates and outcomes.