Forty-Year Trends in Cardiac Implantable Electronic Device Infective Endocarditis.

Background: Studies investigating cardiac implantable electronic device infective endocarditis (CIED-IE) epidemiological changes and prognosis over long periods of time are lacking. Methods: Retrospective single cardiovascular surgery center cohort study of definite CIED-IE episodes between 1981-2020. A comparative analysis of two periods (1981-2000 vs 2001-2020) was conducted to analyze changes in epidemiology and outcome over time. Results: One-hundred and thirty-eight CIED-IE episodes were diagnosed: 25 (18%) first period and 113 (82%) second. CIED-IE was 4.5 times more frequent in the second period, especially in implantable cardiac defibrillators. Age (63 [53-70] vs 71 [63-76] years, P < .01), comorbidities (CCI 3.0 [2-4] vs 4.5 [3-6], P > .01), nosocomial infections (4% vs 15.9%, P = .02) and transfers from other centers (8% vs 41.6%, P < .01) were significantly more frequent in the second period, as were methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococcal (MR-CoNS) (0% vs 13.3%, P < .01) and Enterococcus spp. (0% vs 5.3%, P = .01) infections, pulmonary embolism (0% vs 10.6%, P < .01) and heart failure (12% vs 28.3%, p < .01). Second period surgery rates were lower (96% vs 87.6%, P = .09), and there were no differences in in-hospital (20% vs 11.5%, P = .11) and one-year mortalities (24% vs 15%, P = .33), or relapses (8% vs 5.3%, P = 0.65). Multivariate analysis showed Charlson index (hazard ratios [95% confidence intervals]; 1.5 [1.16-1.94]) and septic shock (23.09 [4.57-116.67]) were associated with a worse prognosis, whereas device removal (0.11 [.02-.57]), transfers (0.13 [.02-0.95]), and second-period diagnosis (0.13 [.02-.71]) were associated with better one-year outcomes. Conclusions: CIED-IE episodes increased more than four-fold during last 40 years. Despite CIED-IE involved an older population with more comorbidities, antibiotic-resistant MR-CoNS, and complex devices, one-year survival improved.

Twenty-year experience with cryopreserved arterial allografts for vascular infections.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyse outcomes over 2 decades using cryopreserved vascular allografts to treat vascular infection. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients identified from our institutional database who were treated for primary or secondary vascular infection using implanted allografts. RESULTS: Between October 1992 and May 2014, 54 patients underwent surgery for vascular infection out of 118 patients implanted with cryopreserved vascular allografts. The 52 patients for whom we had full information form the basis of the study with a 96% follow-up. The average age was 64 ± 11 years; 87% were men; 65% had previous vascular surgery; 19% had emergency operations. A total of 75% of the patients had aortoiliofemoral infections. Five patients underwent surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. Fifty percent required more than 1 allograft and 15% had concomitant procedures. Seventy-three percent (38/52) of specimen cultures yielded positive results with polymicrobial flora in 29%. Surgical specimens most frequently grew coagulase-negative staphylococci. The early postoperative reoperation rate was 15% for allograft-related complications. There were 20 (38%) early deaths, including deaths of acute myocardial infarction, anastomosis rupture and persistent sepsis and shock. Uncontrolled infection leading to septic shock and multiple organ failure was the cause of death in 50% of the cases. The mean duration of freedom from allograft reintervention was 12.2 years. The mean duration of freedom from allograft occlusion or limb loss was 12.1 years [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.9-14.4]. Of the 32 surviving patients, we had patency information for 66% obtained by angiography or computed tomography. The mean survival for the cohort was 5.9 years (95% CI 3.9-7.8). Mean freedom from cardiovascular infection-related death was 9.3 years (95% CI 7.2-11.4). CONCLUSIONS: Allografts can be indicated for treatment of primary/secondary infection and have remarkable results in multimorbid patients. Patients with vascular infection have a high-risk profile, around 40% mortality during the first 6 months, with reduction in overall mortality thereafter. We believe that allografts may play a role in the surgical treatment of vascular infection.

Diagnostic Accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT in Infective Endocarditis and Implantable Cardiac Electronic Device Infection: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Early diagnosis of infective endocarditis (IE) is based on the yielding of blood cultures and echocardiographic findings. However, they have limitations and sometimes the diagnosis is inconclusive, particularly in patients with prosthetic valves (PVs) and implantable cardiac electronic devices (ICEDs). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of 18F-FDG PET/CT in patients with suspected IE and ICED infection. METHODS: A prospective study with 80 consecutive patients with suspected IE and ICED infection (65 men and 15 women with a mean age of 68 ± 13 y) between June 2013 and May 2015 was performed in our hospital. The inclusion criteria were clinically suspected IE and ICED infection at the following locations: native valve (NV) (n = 21), PV (n = 29), or ICED (n = 30) (automatic implantable defibrillator [n = 11] or pacemaker [n = 19]). Whole-body 18F-FDG PET/CT with a myocardial uptake suppression protocol with unfractionated heparin was performed in all patients. The final diagnosis of infection was established by the IE Study Group according to the clinical, echocardiographic, and microbiologic findings. RESULTS: A final diagnosis of infection was confirmed in 31 patients: NV (n = 6), PV (n = 12), and ICED (n = 13). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for 18F-FDG PET/CT were 82%, 96%, 94%, and 87%, respectively. 18F-FDG PET/CT was false-negative in all cases with infected NV. 18F-FDG PET/CT was able to reclassify 63 of 70 (90%) patients initially classified as possible IE by modified Duke criteria. In 18 of 70 cases, 18F-FDG PET/CT changed possible to definite IE (26%) and in 45 of 70 cases changed possible to rejected IE (64%). Additionally, 18F-FDG PET/CT identified 8 cases of septic embolism and 3 of colorectal cancer in patients with a final diagnosis of IE. CONCLUSION: 18F-FDG PET/CT proved to be a useful diagnostic tool in suspected IE and ICED infection and should be included in the diagnostic algorithm for early diagnosis. 18F-FDG PET/CT is not useful in the diagnosis of IE in NV but should be also considered in the initial assessment of this complex scenario to rule out extracardiac complications and possible neoplasms.

[Surgery in the Cardiovascular Surgical Intensive Care Unit]. / Reintervenciones en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de Cirugía Cardiovascular.

BACKGROUND: To analyze the indications, actions and results of the operations performed in the Cardiovascular Surgery Intensive Care Unit. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive non-selected adult patients operated in the ICU. All operations were included. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: Between 2008 and 2013, 3379 consecutive adult patients were operated upon. A total of 124 operations were performed in the ICU in 109 patients, 70 male (64.2%) and 39 female (35.8%) with a mean age of 61.6 years (12-80). This represented 3.2% of all operations. During the study period, 185 patients (5.5%) were reoperated for postoperative bleeding/tamponade in the operating room. The index interventions were for valvular heart disease (34.9%), aortic disease (22.9%), ischemic heart disease (15.6%), combined valvular/ischemic (12%), valvular/aorta (11%) and miscellaneous (3.6%). The indications for reoperation were persistent bleeding 54 (43.5%), pericardial tamponade 41 (33%), low cardiac output 13 (10.5%), cardiac arrest/arrhythmia 8 (6.5%), respiratory insufficiency 6 (4.8%) and acute ischemic limb 2 (1.7%). Operations performed were: mediastinal exploration 73 (58.9%), implant/removal of ECMO 17 (13.7%), sternal closure 16 (12.9%), open resuscitation 9 (7.3%), subxyphoid drainage 7 (5.6%) and femoral embolectomy 2 (1.6%). Overall mortality was 33%. There was one case of mediastinitis (0,9%), with no difference from patients operated in the regular operating room. CONCLUSIONS: Operations in the ICU represent a safe, life-saving alternative in specific subgroups of patients. The risk of wound infection is not increased, unstable patients are not transferred and there is time savings.

Infective endocarditis in patients with an implanted transcatheter aortic valve: Clinical characteristics and outcome of a new entity.

AIMS: This study reports one case and review the literature on TAVI-associated endocarditis (TAVIE), to describe its clinical picture and to perform an analysis on prognostic factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: A MEDLINE search from January 2002 to October 2014 revealed 31 cases of TAVIE, including 1 from our hospital. Median age was 81 years (IQR, 78-85), 53% of patients were males and the median age-adjusted Charlson score was 7 (IQR, 5-8). Heart failure was recorded in 42%, embolic events in 19%, and periannular complications in 45%. The most common causative agent was Enterococcus spp (36%). Ten patients (32%) underwent surgery and nine patients died (29%). The prognostic factors for 6-month mortality were heart failure (HR, 9.97 [3.7-24.5]; p = 0.001), periannular complications (HR, 11.82 [3.3-41.3]; p = 0.004), and nonenterococcal/streptococcal etiology (HR, 4.76 [2.1-11.1]; p = 0.03). In patients with heart failure who did not undergo surgery, mortality was 89% (8 out of 9); in those who did undergo surgery, mortality was 0% (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: TAVIE is an emerging entity with high mortality. Patients with heart failure who did not undergo surgery had a higher probability of dying. Surgical treatment provided better outcomes even in patients in whom surgery had previously been ruled out.

Retrieval of scrap metal from an abdominal aortic aneurysm during the follow-up.

A 75-year-old patient underwent open repair of a rapidly expanded aneurysm after previous multiple endovascular repair (EVAR) attempts by others. Open surgical reconstruction allowed the explants of all metallic components of implanted stent-grafts. This is still an uncommon phenomenon due to the still low late reintervention rate.

Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysm after Swan-Ganz catheter placement: embolization with vascular plugs.

Three patients who presented with massive hemoptysis after the insertion of a Swan-Ganz catheter for cardiac surgery are reported. Pulmonary artery pseudoaneurysms were diagnosed and successfully treated by embolization with a vascular plug. Follow-up at 15 months showed no recurrence of hemoptysis, and computed tomography helped confirm complete occlusion of the pseudoaneurysms.

Erosion of lumbar vertebral bodies by an anastomotic false aneurysm late after implantation of a prosthetic aortic bifurcated graft.

False aneurysms are seen at any anastomotic level. Erosion of surrounding structures is a rare event that needs surgical treatment. The case of a patient with proximal Dacron bifurcated graft false aneurysm eroding lumbar vertebral bodies is presented. This is an uncommon but very serious complication from aortic grafts.

An unusual travel of an endocardial pacing lead to the left ventricle.

A 80-year-old lady was admitted because of dyspnea, complete AV block and ventricular rate of 15 bpm. A DDDR pacemaker was successfully implanted. Postoperative EKG showed right bundle branch block and X-ray the ventricular lead in the left ventricle. It traveled all the way through a foramen ovale being later relocated in the right apex.