Successful explantation of children from the Berlin Heart EXCOR® ventricular assist device: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The Berlin Heart EXCOR® (BHE) can bridge children with severe heart failure to transplantation, but some are successfully weaned and spared transplantation. This study seeks to identify characteristics of children amenable to successful explantation with BHE support. METHODS: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines were used. Five databases were screened for original, English articles measuring BHE support in patients <18 years old based on title and abstract. Exclusion criteria were applied: full-text availability, <10 total pediatric BHE patients, zero successful explantations from BHE, nonprimary literature, adult and pediatric results that could not be separated, and studies with overlapping patient information. Studies were analyzed with descriptive statistics. RESULTS: From 41 857 potential studies, 14 were analyzed with data from 58 hospitals on four continents from 1990 to 2020. There were 984 BHE patients. The most common diagnosis was dilated cardiomyopathy (n = 318, 32.3%), followed by congenital heart disease (n = 249, 25.3%). There were 85 (8.6%) children explanted with favorable outcomes. The underlying diagnosis was known in 44 (51.8%) cases: 14 (8.4%) of 166 cardiomyopathies, 17 (48.6%) of 35 myocarditis, and 12 (16.7%) of 72 with congenital heart disease were explanted. When the type of support was known, the rate of LVAD patients explanted was 21.3% (n = 19/89) and 2.4% (n = 1/42) of BiVAD patients were explanted. CONCLUSION: Explantation from BHE is not uncommon at 8.6%, but significant variation exists in the explantation data reported. Myocarditis and LVAD support may be populations suitable for weaning. Standardization of reporting measures and prospective registries may help identify patients suitable for this alternative to transplant and help develop weaning protocols.

Impact of electrophysiologists at daily multidisciplinary report in a paediatric cardiac care unit.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric cardiac electrophysiologists are essential in CHD inpatient care, but their involvement is typically limited to consultation with individual patients. In our integrated heart centre, an electrophysiologist reviews all cardiac inpatient telemetry over the preceding 24 hours and participates in daily multidisciplinary morning report. This study investigates the impact of the strategy of consistent, formalised electrophysiologist presence at multidisciplinary morning report. METHODS: This is a single-centre, prospective, observational study of electrophysiologist participation in patient encounters during heart centre multidisciplinary morning report from 10/20/2021 to 10/31/2022. Multidisciplinary morning report includes discussion of all intensive care and non-intensive care cardiac patients. An encounter was defined as reporting on one patient for one day. Electrophysiologists were initially blinded to observations. RESULTS: Two electrophysiologists were observed over 215 days encompassing 6413 patient encounters. Electrophysiologists made comments on 581(9.1%) encounters in 234 unique patients with diverse diagnoses, equating to a median of 3[interquartile range:1-4] encounters per day. These included identifications of arrhythmias and describing electrocardiographic findings. Recommendation to change management occurred in 282(48.5%) encounters, most commonly regarding medications (n = 142, 24.4%) or pacemaker management (n = 48, 8.3%). Of the 581 encounters, there were 61(10.5%) in which they corrected another physician's interpretation of rhythm or electrocardiogram. CONCLUSION: Routine electrophysiologist involvement in multidisciplinary morning report provides significant, frequent, and timely input in patient management by identifying precise rhythm-related diagnoses and allowing nuanced, patient-specific medication and pacemaker management of all cardiac patients, not just those consulted. Electrophysiologist presence at multidisciplinary morning report is a vital resource and this practice should be considered at integrated paediatric cardiac centres.

Evaluating variation in pre-operative evaluation and planning for children undergoing atrial or ventricular septal defect repair.

BACKGROUND: CHD care is resource-intensive. Unwarranted variation in care may increase cost and result in poorer health outcomes. We hypothesise that process variation exists within the pre-operative evaluation and planning process for children undergoing repair of atrial septal defect or ventricular septal defect and that substantial variation occurs in a small number of care points. METHODS: From interviews with staff of an integrated congenital heart centre, an initial process map was constructed. A retrospective chart review of patients with isolated surgical atrial septal defect and ventricular septal defect repair from 7/1/2018 through 11/1/2020 informed revisions of the process map. The map was assessed for points of consistency and variability. RESULTS: Thirty-two surgical atrial septal defect/ventricular septal defect repair patients were identified. Ten (31%) were reviewed by interventional cardiology before surgical review. Of these, 6(60%) had a failed catheter-based closure and 4 (40%) were deemed inappropriate for catheter-based closure. Thirty (94%) were reviewed in case conference, all attended surgical clinic, and none were admitted prior to surgery. The process map from interviews alone identified surgery rescheduling as a point of major variability; however, chart review revealed this was not as prominent a source of variability as pre-operative interventional cardiology review. CONCLUSIONS: Significant variation in the pre-operative evaluation and planning process for surgical atrial septal defect/ventricular septal defect patients was identified. If such process variation is widespread through CHD care, it may contribute to variations in outcome and cost previously documented within CHD surgery. Future research will focus on determining whether the variation is warranted or unwarranted, associated health outcomes and cost variation attributed to these variations in care processes.

Analysis of haemodynamics surrounding blood transfusions after the arterial switch operation: a pilot study utilising real-time telemetry high-frequency data capture.

BACKGROUND: Packed red blood cell transfusions occur frequently after congenital heart surgery to augment haemodynamics, with limited understanding of efficacy. The goal of this study was to analyse the hemodynamic response to packed red blood cell transfusions in a single cohort, as "proof-of-concept" utilising high-frequency data capture of real-time telemetry monitoring. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients after the arterial switch operation receiving packed red blood cell transfusions from 15 July 2020 to 15 July 2021. Hemodynamic parameters were collected from a high-frequency data capture system (SickbayTM) continuously recording vital signs from bedside monitors and analysed in 5-minute intervals up to 6 hours before, 4 hours during, and 6 hours after packed red blood cell transfusions-up to 57,600 vital signs per packed red blood cell transfusions. Variables related to oxygen balance included blood gas co-oximetry, lactate levels, near-infrared spectroscopy, and ventilator settings. Analgesic, sedative, and vasoactive infusions were also collected. RESULTS: Six patients, at 8.5[IQR:5-22] days old and weighing 3.1[IQR:2.8-3.2]kg, received transfusions following the arterial switch operation. There were 10 packed red blood cell transfusions administered with a median dose of 10[IQR:10-15]mL/kg over 169[IQR:110-190]min; at median post-operative hour 36[IQR:10-40]. Significant increases in systolic and mean arterial blood pressures by 5-12.5% at 3 hours after packed red blood cell transfusions were observed, while renal near-infrared spectroscopy increased by 6.2% post-transfusion. No significant changes in ventilation, vasoactive support, or laboratory values related to oxygen balance were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Packed red blood cell transfusions given after the arterial switch operation increased arterial blood pressure by 5-12.5% for 3 hours and renal near-infrared spectroscopy by 6.2%. High-frequency data capture systems can be leveraged to provide novel insights into the hemodynamic response to commonly used therapies such as packed red blood cell transfusions after paediatric cardiac surgery.

Management and outcomes of acute appendicitis in children with congenital heart disease.

BACKGROUND: Congenital heart disease (CHD) care has evolved during the past decades. Advances in care have contributed to improved survival among CHD patients. Children with CHD are requiring interventions for non-CHD related medical issues that occur in the general pediatric population. METHODS: A retrospective review of the Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database from January 1, 2004, to July 31, 2023. Discharges of patients with an admitting/principal diagnosis of appendicitis were evaluated and categorized as CHD or non-CHD. RESULTS: A total of 319,228 patients were identified with 1,25,858(39.4%) female, 1,38,966(43.5%) white, and median age of 11[IQR:8-14] years. 708(0.2%) had CHD with 85(12%) of them having a diagnosis consistent with single-ventricle CHD (SV-CHD). In univariate analysis, CHD patients were more likely to undergo conservative treatment (n = 172(24.2%)vs n = 59,358(18.6%)) and less likely to undergo laparoscopic appendectomy (n = 483(68.2%) vs n = 2,35,324(73.8%))(p < 0.001) compared to non-CHD. After adjustment, CHD patients had increased odds of undergoing open appendectomy compared to non-CHD. CHD patients were more likely to have an ICU admission (OR:8.36(95%CI 6.35-10.00),p < 0.001) and had a 77.6%(95%CI 40.89-123.93) increase in length of stay (LOS) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: CHD patients are more likely to have an open appendectomy than non-CHD patients. These findings suggest a distinctive pattern in the care of CHD patients compared to non-CHD. Overall, CHD patients had a more intense level of care with longer LOS and increased ICU admissions. Further work is needed to evaluate drivers of management decisions, the role of conservative treatment with antibiotics alone in the CHD population, and the potential impacts and safety of a laparoscopic approach.

Hospitalisations of children and adults with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome in Texas from 2009 to 2019.

INTRODUCTION: Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome accounts for a significant proportion of CHD morbidity and mortality, despite improvements in care and improved survival. This study evaluates number of, reasons for, and trends in discharges of patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome over 11 years in Texas. METHODS: The Texas Inpatient Discharge Dataset Public Use File captures almost all discharges in Texas and was reviewed from 2009 to 2019. Discharges of patients ≥5 years of age and diagnosis codes for Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome were included. The admitting and principle diagnoses were categorised and all discharges were evaluated for procedures performed. Descriptive and univariate statistical analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 1024 discharges were identified with a 16.9% annual increase over the study period. Median length of stay was 4 [IQR: 2-8] and there were 17 (1.7%) in-hospital mortalities with no differences across age groups. Seven (17.1%) discharges of patients 25+ years were uninsured, higher than other age groups (p < 0.001). The most common admitting diagnosis was CHD and 224 (21.9%) of discharges included a procedure, including 23 heart transplants. Discharges occurred from 67 different hospitals with 4 (6.0%) representing 71.4% of all discharges. CONCLUSIONS: Discharges of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome have increased rapidly, particularly in the older age groups and were spread over a large number of hospitals. Further work is needed to understand the interplay between Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome and other conditions and care experiences that occur within the general population, which will become more common as this population ages and grows.

Trisomy 18: disparities of care and outcomes in the State of Texas between 2009 and 2019.

OBJECTIVE: To perform a statewide characteristics and outcomes analysis of the Trisomy 18 (T18) population and explore the potential impact of associated congenital heart disease (CHD) and congenital heart surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of the Texas Hospital Inpatient Discharge Public Use Data File between 2009 and 2019, analysing discharges of patients with T18 identified using ICD-9/10 codes. Discharges were linked to analyse patients. Demographic characteristics and available outcomes were evaluated. The population was divided into groups for comparison: patients with no documentation of CHD (T18NoCHD), patients with CHD without congenital heart surgery (T18CHD), and patients who underwent congenital heart surgery (T18CHS). RESULTS: One thousand one hundred fifty-six eligible patients were identified: 443 (38%) T18NoCHD, 669 (58%) T18CHD, and 44 (4%) T18CHS. T18CHS had a lower proportion of Hispanic patients (n = 9 (20.45%)) compared to T18CHD (n = 315 (47.09%)), and T18NoCHD (n = 219 (49.44%)) (p < 0.001 for both). Patients with Medicare/Medicaid insurance had a 0.42 odds ratio (95%CI: 0.20-0.86, p = 0.020) of undergoing congenital heart surgery compared to private insurance. T18CHS had a higher median total days in-hospital (47.5 [IQR: 12.25-113.25] vs. 9 [IQR: 3-24] and 2 [IQR: 1-5], p < 0.001); and a higher median number of admissions (n = 2 [IQR: 1-4]) vs. 1 [IQR: 1-2] and 1 [IQR: 1-1], (p < 0.001 for both). However, the post-operative median number of admissions for T18CHS was 0 [IQR: 0-2]. After the first month of life, T18CHS had freedom from in-hospital mortality similar to T18NoCHD and superior to T18CHD. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term outcomes for T18CHS patients are encouraging, suggesting a freedom from in-hospital mortality that resembles the T18NoCHD. The highlighted socio-economic differences between the groups warrant further investigation. Development of a prospective registry for T18 patients should be a priority for better understanding of longer-term outcomes.

Experiences and insights from partners of individuals with single-ventricle CHD: a pilot qualitative research study.

INTRODUCTION: With advances in care, an increasing number of individuals with single-ventricle CHD are surviving into adulthood. Partners of individuals with chronic illness have unique experiences and challenges. The goal of this pilot qualitative research study was to explore the lived experiences of partners of individuals with single-ventricle CHD. METHODS: Partners of patients ≥18 years with single-ventricle CHD were recruited and participated in Experience Group sessions and 1:1 interviews. Experience Group sessions are lightly moderated groups that bring together individuals with similar circumstances to discuss their lived experiences, centreing them as the experts. Formal inductive qualitative coding was performed to identify salient themes. RESULTS: Six partners of patients participated. Of these, four were males and four were married; all were partners of someone of the opposite sex. Themes identified included uncertainty about their partners' future health and mortality, becoming a lay CHD specialist, balancing multiple roles, and providing positivity and optimism. Over time, they took on a role as advocates for their partners and as repositories of medical history to help navigate the health system. Despite the uncertainties, participants described championing positivity and optimism for the future. CONCLUSIONS: In this first-of-its-kind pilot study, partners of individuals with single-ventricle CHD expressed unique challenges and experiences in their lives. There is a tacit need to design strategies to help partners cope with those challenges. Further larger-scale research is required to better understand the experiences of this unique population.

Routine Perioperative Esmolol After Infant Tetralogy of Fallot Repair: Single-Center Retrospective Study of Hemodynamics.

OBJECTIVES: Currently, surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) is associated with an 1.1% 30-day mortality rate. Those with junctional ectopic tachycardia (JET) and restrictive right ventricular physiology have poorer outcomes. Routine postoperative adrenergic or inodilator therapy has been reported, while beta-blockade following cardiopulmonary bypass has not. This study evaluated routine perioperative treatment with esmolol in infants undergoing TOF repair. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of the perioperative course following TOF repair. SETTING: Single-center case series describing perioperative management of TOF in a cardiac ICU. PATIENTS: This study reviewed all patients less than 18 months old who underwent TOF repair, excluding cases of TOF with absent pulmonary valve or atrioventricular septal defect, at our institution from June 2018 to April 2021. INTERVENTIONS: This review investigates the hemodynamic effects of esmolol following cardiopulmonary bypass for TOF repair. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Preoperative clinical characteristics and perioperative course were extracted from the medical record. Descriptive statistics were used. Twenty-six patients receiving perioperative esmolol after TOF repair were identified and included. Postoperative hemodynamic parameters were within a narrow range with minimal vasoactive support in most patients. Three of 26 patients experienced JET, and one of 26 of whom had a brief cardiac arrest. Median and interquartile range (IQR) for hospital and postoperative length of stay was 7 days (IQR, 6-9 d) and 6 days (IQR, 5-8 d), respectively. There were no 30-day or 1-year mortalities. CONCLUSIONS: In this infant cohort, our experience is that the routine use of postoperative esmolol is associated with good cardiac output with minimal requirement for vasoactive support in most patients. We believe optimal postoperative management of infant TOF repair requires a meticulous multidisciplinary approach, which in our experience is enhanced with routine postoperative esmolol treatment.

Arrhythmias Requiring ECMO in Infants Without Structural Congenital Heart Disease.

Arrhythmias account for 55 per 100,000 patient evaluations in pediatric emergency departments. Most arrhythmias in children are amenable to medical management or cardioversion. Rarely, arrhythmias lead to significant hemodynamic instability requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. This study seeks to evaluate children under 1 year of age with a structurally normal heart requiring ECMO for an arrhythmia. This is a retrospective review of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization Registry. All patients less than 1 year of age between 2009 and 2019 with a diagnosis of arrhythmia and without a diagnosis of structural heart malformation were included. Demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes were assessed with descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariable analyses. A total of 140 eligible patients were identified from the dataset. The most common arrhythmia was supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in 70 (50%) patients. ECMO complications occurred in 106 (76.3%) patients and survival to discharge was achieved in 120 (85.7%) patients. In-hospital mortality was associated with neuromuscular blockade prior to ECMO [aOR 10.0 (95% CI 2.95-41.56), p < 0.001], neurologic ECMO complication [aOR 28.1 (95% CI 6.6-155.1), p < 0.001], and race with white race being protective [aOR 0.13, (95% CI 0.02-0.21), p = 0.002]. Similar survival and complication rates were found in subgroup analysis of SVT arrhythmias alone. Arrhythmias necessitating ECMO support in infants without structural congenital heart disease is a rare occurrence. However, survival to hospital discharge is favorable at greater than 85%. Given the favorable survival, earlier and more aggressive utilization of ECMO may result in improved outcomes.

The intraoperative use of recombinant activated factor VII in arterial switch operations.

BACKGROUND: The rate of bleeding complications following arterial switch operation is too low to independently justify a prospective randomised study for benefit from recombinant factor VIIa. We aimed to evaluate factor VIIa in a pilot study. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing arterial switch operation from 2012 to 2017. Nearest-neighbour propensity score matching on age, gender, weight, and associated cardiac defects was used to match 27 controls not receiving recombinant factor VIIa to 30 patients receiving recombinant factor VIIa. Fisher's exact test was performed to compare categorical variables. Wilcoxon's rank-sum test was used to compare continuous variables between cohorts. RESULTS: Post-operative thrombotic complications were not associated with factor VIIa administration (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.28, 95% CI 0.005-3.77, p = 0.336), nor was factor VIIa administration associated with any re-explorations for bleeding. No intraoperative transfusion volumes were different between the recombinant factor VIIa cohort and controls. Post-operative prothrombin time (10.8 [10.3-12.3] versus 15.9 [15.1-17.2], p < 0.001) and international normalised ratio (0.8 [0.73-0.90] versus 1.3 [1.2-1.4], p < 0.001]) were lower in recombinant factor VIIa cohort relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: In spite of a higher post-bypass packed red blood cell transfusion requirement, patients receiving recombinant factor VIIa had a similar incidence of bleeding post-operatively. With no difference in thrombotic complications, and with improved post-operative laboratory haemostasis, a prospective randomised study is warranted to evaluate recombinant factor VIIa.

A Novel Method to Safely De-Air a HeartWare System in a Single-Ventricle Patient by Utilizing ECMO and a Minimized CPB Circuit.

The survival of congenital heart disease (CHD) patients with single-ventricle (SV) physiology has markedly increased as a result of advances in operative techniques and postsurgical management. Nonetheless, these patients remain highly susceptible to end-stage heart failure requiring cardiac replacement therapies at early ages. Given a worldwide shortage of transplantable organs, mechanical circulatory support (MCS) represents an alternative treatment option. The significant heterogeneity of the SV population presents unique indications for MCS that have begun to be evaluated. This case study describes a 12-year-old female with heterotaxy syndrome and an SV condition, previously palliated with a Fontan operation at another institution. The patient was placed on veno-arterial (VA) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and later underwent HeartWare ventricular assist device (HVAD) implantation as a bridge to transplantation (BTT). A novel method was chosen to optimize careful de-airing of the heart through a minimized cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) setup, during full ECMO support and surgical insertion of the HeartWare. The ascending aorta was vented proximal to the HVAD outflow graft anastomosis through a minimized CPB circuit at <10% of the ECMO flow rate. This circuit adaption allowed for euvolemic resuscitation via connection from the minimized CPB circuit to the venous limb of the ECMO circuit. The transition from VA-ECMO to the HeartWare was well tolerated despite a challenging sternotomy and cardiac anomaly. A minimized bypass circuit proved efficacious for the benefit of volume resuscitation and safe de-airing of the HVAD while on ECMO support. The literature is limited concerning safe practices for implantation of durable VADs in complex SV patients coupled with those transitioning from varying modalities of MCS. As SV survivability regresses to heart failure, it is essential that we share techniques that aim to improve the long-term outcomes for successful BTT or bridge to decision (BTD).

Complete versus partial excision of infected arteriovenous grafts: Does remnant graft material impact outcomes?

OBJECTIVE: Infected arteriovenous grafts necessitate intervention to obtain source control. However, excising the graft material can be challenging and can lead to complications. Leaving a cuff of graft at the sites of anastomosis allows for the avoidance of potential risks. However, it is unclear whether doing so places patients at risk of recurrent graft infection. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of complete vs partial excision of infected arteriovenous prosthetic dialysis access grafts. METHODS: The data from all patients who had undergone surgical intervention for infected arteriovenous grafts at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were grouped according to intervention type: complete excision and partial excision of arteriovenous prosthetic grafts. Partial excisions were further substratified based on whether flow had been restored through the arteriovenous access. The primary outcome was freedom from subsequent intervention for infection, defined as the number of days from excision to subsequent reoperation for reinfection. Freedom from infection was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients had undergone surgical intervention for 122 infected arteriovenous grafts from 2003 to 2016. Of these 117 patients, 79 (64.8%) had undergone partial excision of infected arteriovenous grafts, and 43 (35.2%) had undergone complete excision with vascular repair. Within the partial excision cohort, 71 infected arteriovenous grafts (58.2%) were not flow restored and 8 (6.6%) were flow restored using either prosthetic or autogenous interpositions. The median follow-up time was 2.4 years (interquartile range, 0.6-4.5 years). The most common causative organisms included methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (n = 34; 27.9%), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (n = 17; 13.9%), and S. epidermidis (n = 15; 12.3%). The recurrent infection rate in the partial excision group was 16.5% (n = 13) compared with 2.3% (n = 1) in the complete excision group. In the flow-restored subcohorts, those with restoration using prosthetic interposition grafts had the greatest reinfection rate at 57.1% (n = 4), and those with restoration using autogenous conduits did not experience reinfection (P = .033). CONCLUSIONS: Incomplete excision of infected arteriovenous prosthetic grafts was associated with a higher rate of reinfection compared with complete graft excision. Complete excision presents technical challenges but could provide superior source control in managing infected dialysis access. Complete excision with vascular reconstruction should be performed when possible to avoid leaving remnant prosthetic material.

Left Ventricular Assist Device Exchange Increases Heart Transplant Wait-List Mortality.

BACKGROUND: The new heart transplant allocation criteria prioritize inpatients who require temporary mechanical circulatory support and give lower urgency to candidates on a durable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) who require a device exchange. This study explores whether the latter group should warrant higher priority to reduce wait-list mortality. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study of 13,113 adult heart transplant candidates in the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database who underwent LVAD implantation between 2007 and 2017. It evaluates the impact of LVAD exchange on the composite endpoint of death or removal from the wait list owing to worsening medical condition 1 y after device implantation. RESULTS: There were 1085 pump exchanges in 954 patients (7% of candidates), of which 22% were women. The pump exchange rate was 5.92 events per 100 patient-years. One-year survival was lower for those who required a pump exchange (76.3% versus 88.5%, logrank P < 0.001). This was congruent with the risk-adjusted mortality 1-y after implantation (hazards ratio: 2.56, 95% confidence interval: 2.18-3.00, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that among candidates awaiting heart transplantation with a durable LVAD, undergoing pump exchange doubles the risk of 1-y mortality. Giving priority to these candidates may reduce wait-list mortality.

Effects of Systemic and Device-Related Complications in Patients Bridged to Transplantation With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

BACKGROUND: The use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as a bridge to heart transplantation has increased rapidly over the last 2 decades. We aim to explore the effect of pretransplant systemic and device-related complications on posttransplant survival for patients bridged with LVADs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The United Network of Organ Sharing (Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network) database was queried for all adult heart transplant recipients (aged ≥ 18 y) transplanted from April 1, 2015, to June 31, 2018. Device-related complications included thrombosis, device infection, device malfunction, life-threatening arrhythmia, and other device complications. Systemic complications included a new dialysis need or ventilator dependence between the time of listing and transplantation, transfusion, or systemic infection requiring treatment with intravenous antibiotics within 2 wk of transplantation. RESULTS: A total of 2131 patients were identified as requiring LVAD support before transplantation. LVAD patients had high rates of preoperative systemic complications (53%) and high rates of device-related complications (42.7% experienced at least one device-related complication). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly decreased 1-y survival for LVAD patients bridged to transplantation who experienced a pretransplant systemic complication (P = 0.041). Interestingly, preoperative device-related complications had no effect on 1-y posttransplantation survival (P = 0.93). Multivariate Cox modeling revealed that systemic complications were associated with a significantly increased risk of posttransplant mortality for LVAD patients (hazard ratio 1.45; P = 0.033). CONCLUSIONS: Recipients who suffered a systemic complication while awaiting heart transplantation experienced higher short-term mortality rates. Device-related complications do not appear to impact posttransplantation outcomes.

Contemporary Outcomes following Redo Autogenous Infrainguinal Bypass.

BACKGROUND: Revascularization after lower extremity bypass failure poses many challenges. Despite nearly 7 decades of experience with lower extremity revascularization, there is little data on the success of redo bypass particularly when autogenous conduit is utilized. The purpose of this study is to review outcomes of redo infrainguinal bypass constructed solely of autogenous vein. METHODS: All patients who underwent redo infrainguinal bypass at a single institution by a single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. Bypasses were categorized into 3 groups: femoral-popliteal, femoral-distal, and popliteal-distal bypasses. Since the repeat bypasses were all done for limb salvage, freedom from above or below knee amputation (FFA) was primary outcome, which was defined as the number of days from redo bypass to subsequent amputation or the most recent follow-up. RESULTS: From 2006 to 2016, 100 limbs underwent redo bypass. Fifty-nine (59.0%) limbs had undergone one previous bypass while 41 (41.0%) had undergone 2 or more. The redo configurations consisted of 23 (23.0%) femoral-popliteal, 70 (70.0%) femoral-distal, and 7 (7.0%) popliteal-distal bypasses. Ninety-seven (97.0%) underwent redo using autologous vein grafts including 41 (95.5%) of those who had 2 or more previous bypasses. The 3 patients who ultimately underwent prosthetic bypass had bilateral great and small saphenous veins and bilateral basilic and cephalic veins previously harvested. Nine (9.0%) limbs were subsequently amputated: 2 (2.0%) above knee and 7 (7.0%) below knee amputations. Of these, all had had 2 or more previous bypasses and 2 of the 3 patients who ultimately received prosthetic bypasses were in this group. In patients with one previous bypass, FFA was 775 days (IQR: 213-1,626 days). In patients with 2 or more previous bypasses, FFA was 263 days (IQR: 106-1,148 days). No patients with femoral-popliteal bypasses suffered amputation while 7 (10.0%) of the femoral-distal and 2 (28.6%) of the popliteal-distal bypasses suffered subsequent amputations (P = 0.067). CONCLUSIONS: Redo infrainguinal bypass is effective in salvaging threatened lower extremities. Furthermore, once a patient is deemed a bypass candidate, revascularization with autologous vein can be achieved. A significant FFA rate is achieved with redo bypass, although patients with more distal disease are harder to salvage.

Association of preoperative spinal drain placement with spinal cord ischemia among patients undergoing thoracic and thoracoabdominal endovascular aortic repair.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is among the most devastating complications of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Spinal fluid drainage has been proposed as a viable means to reduce SCI, but few data exist to support its routine use. This study investigated the association of preoperative spinal fluid drainage with the risk of SCI after TEVAR. METHODS: The Vascular Quality Initiative TEVAR module was queried for adult patients (≥18 years) undergoing TEVAR (coverage of zones 0-5) between September 2014 and March 2018 (inclusive). Patients with preoperative spinal malperfusion, aortic rupture on presentation, and connective tissue disorders were excluded. One-to-one propensity matching was used to balance patients on 44 separate dimensions by the nearest neighbor principle to compare those with vs those without preoperative spinal drainage. The primary end point was SCI still present at the time of discharge. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality and prolonged intensive care unit stay (>7 days). RESULTS: Among 4287 patients who underwent TEVAR (mean age, 67.1 [standard deviation, 13.7] years; 1665 [38.8%] women and 2622 [61.2%] men), 2076 had a spinal drain placed. Propensity matching yielded 1292 pairs with adequate covariate balance (all 44 absolute standardized differences <0.1). In the 2584 propensity-matched patients, spinal drain placement was associated with a reduced risk of SCI (1.5% vs 2.5%; risk-adjusted odds ratio [OR], 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24-0.89; P = .02). The rates of 30-day mortality (4.5% vs 5.0%; risk-adjusted OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.44-1.01; P = .05) and prolonged intensive care unit stay (7.0% vs 5.7%; risk-adjusted OR, 1.10; 95% CI, 0.84-1.45; P = .48) did not differ on the basis of spinal drain placement. The crossover rate was 10% (127/1292), and those with postoperative drain placement had a 20% (26/127) SCI rate on discharge. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients undergoing thoracic and thoracoabdominal endovascular aortic repair, preoperative placement of a spinal drain, compared with no drain, was associated with reduced risk of SCI. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage as a rescue measure does not provide the same protection offered by routine preoperative placement. Further investigation, including randomized controlled trials, is needed to more definitively determine the role for spinal drainage in TEVAR.

Impact of Traumatically Brain-Injured Donors on Outcomes After Heart Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Heart transplant recipients of traumatically brain-injured (TBI) donors have been reported to have inferior survival and increased rates of cardiac allograft vasculopathy in single-center studies. This study sought to examine the impact of TBI donors on outcomes after heart transplantation across all transplantation centers. METHODS: We identified all adult heart transplants performed during 2007-2016 in the OPTN database. Recipients were dichotomized based on donor cause of death (TBI versus non-TBI), propensity-scored across 22 variables with known associations with mortality, and matched 1:1 without replacement. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. Secondary endpoints were conditional survival and rates of cardiac allograft vasculopathy. RESULTS: In total, 20,244 patients underwent heart transplantation. TBI was the primary cause of death in 53.4% of donors (10,816/20,244), and among TBI donors, blunt injury (59.6%; 6443/10,816) and gunshot wound (35%; 3781/10,816) were the most common mechanisms of injury. Propensity matching generated 6919 pairs (all absolute mean differences < 0.07). Risk-adjusted survival was similar between recipients of TBI donors and non-TBI donors at 5 y (78.1% versus 77.5%, log-rank P = 0.34). Risk-adjusted survival conditional on 1-y survival was also similar at 5 y (86.2% versus 86.1%, log-rank P = 0.74). The 5-y risk-adjusted rates of cardiac allograft vasculopathy did not differ either (30.6% versus 30.4%; log-rank P = 0.78). CONCLUSIONS: In the largest analysis of TBI donors in heart transplantation, we found similar survival and rates of cardiac allograft vasculopathy to those who received hearts from non-TBI donors out to 5 y. These findings should allay concerns over continued transplantation with this unique donor population.

Outcomes after heart transplantation in sensitized patients bridged with ventricular assist devices.

OBJECTIVE: Sensitization has been associated with worse outcomes following heart transplantation (HTx). The use of ventricular assist devices (VAD) is a risk factor for the development of sensitization. We investigated the impact of left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) and sensitization in HTx recipients. METHODS: We queried the UNOS database for all heart transplants performed from January 2000 through December 2016. Patients were considered highly sensitized and included if panel-reactive antibody (PRA) activity was 25% or higher. Patients were separated by pretransplant LVAD utilization and subgroup analysis was performed by device type (HeartMate II or HeartWare). Outcomes included Kaplan-Meier survival and episodes of rejection within 1 year of HTx. RESULTS: Of 18 009 recipients, 2434 (14%) were highly sensitized. 1055 (43.3%) were bridged with a VAD. In multivariate analysis, LVAD use did not impact 1-year (hazards ratio [HR], 1.30; P = 0.052) or 5-year survival (HR, 1.18; P = 0.112) in highly sensitized recipients. Furthermore, episodes of rejection were not affected by LVAD status (P = 0.765). Of the 1055 sensitized LVAD-bridged transplant recipients, 624 (59%) were implanted with a HeartMate II and 99 (9.4%) were bridged with a HeartWare device. In multivariate analysis, no differences were observed in 1-year survival (HR, 0.86; P = 0.664), 5-year survival (HR, 1.35; P = 0.209), or episodes of rejection (P = 0.497). CONCLUSIONS: The use of ventricular assist devices did not impact survival or rejection within 1 year of HTx in highly sensitized patients. Highly sensitized recipients have similar outcomes regardless of prior LVAD support or type of LVAD used as a bridge to transplantation.

Discrepancies in access and institutional risk tolerance in heart transplantation: A national open cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The impact of center volume on heart transplantation is widely recognized and serves as a benchmark for certification and reimbursement. STUDY AIMS: Study sociodemographic variables associated with access to high-volume centers and substantiate the importance of extending access to underserved populations. METHODS: This study focused on adults undergoing heart transplantation between 2006 and 2015. Centers were clustered into terciles (>25, 14-25, or <14 transplants per year) and factors associated with receiving care in different terciles were identified through multinomial regression. RESULTS: During the study period, 18 725 patients were transplanted at 145 centers. Younger age (<30 years) (P = .005), lower educational level (P < .001), and government-based insurance (P < .001) were associated to lower odds of receiving care at a high-volume center. These centers had higher risk recipients and accepted organs from higher risk donors, when compared to intermediate- and low-volume centers. Receiving care at high (odds ratio [OR], 1.212; P = .017) and intermediate-volume centers (OR, 1.304; P = .001) was associated with greater odds of 1-year survival when compared with low-volume centers. CONCLUSION: Social, demographic, and geographic factors affect access to high- and intermediate-volume centers. High-volume centers tolerate more risk while providing excellent survival. Awareness of this impact should prompt an extension of access to care for underserved patient populations.