Hybrid Treatment of Complex Diseases of the Aortic Arch and Descending Thoracic Aorta by Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique.

The surgical management of acute and chronic complex diseases involving the aortic arch and the descending thoracic aorta remains challenging. Hybrid procedures associating total open arch replacement and stent-grafting of the proximal descending aorta were developed to allow a potential single-stage treatment, promote remodeling of the downstream aorta, and facilitate a potential second-stage thoracic endovascular aortic repair by providing an ideal landing zone. While these approaches initially used various homemade combinations of available conventional prostheses and stent-grafts, the so-called frozen elephant trunk technique emerged with the development of several custom-made hybrid prostheses. The aim of this study was to review the contemporary outcomes of this technique in the management of complex aortic diseases, with a special focus on procedural planning, organ protection and monitoring, refinements in surgical techniques, and long-term follow-up.

Computer-aided shape features extraction and regression models for predicting the ascending aortic aneurysm growth rate.

OBJECTIVE: ascending aortic aneurysm growth prediction is still challenging in clinics. In this study, we evaluate and compare the ability of local and global shape features to predict the ascending aortic aneurysm growth. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 70 patients with aneurysm, for which two 3D acquisitions were available, are included. Following segmentation, three local shape features are computed: (1) the ratio between maximum diameter and length of the ascending aorta centerline, (2) the ratio between the length of external and internal lines on the ascending aorta and (3) the tortuosity of the ascending tract. By exploiting longitudinal data, the aneurysm growth rate is derived. Using radial basis function mesh morphing, iso-topological surface meshes are created. Statistical shape analysis is performed through unsupervised principal component analysis (PCA) and supervised partial least squares (PLS). Two types of global shape features are identified: three PCA-derived and three PLS-based shape modes. Three regression models are set for growth prediction: two based on gaussian support vector machine using local and PCA-derived global shape features; the third is a PLS linear regression model based on the related global shape features. The prediction results are assessed and the aortic shapes most prone to growth are identified. RESULTS: the prediction root mean square error from leave-one-out cross-validation is: 0.112 mm/month, 0.083 mm/month and 0.066 mm/month for local, PCA-based and PLS-derived shape features, respectively. Aneurysms close to the root with a large initial diameter report faster growth. CONCLUSION: global shape features might provide an important contribution for predicting the aneurysm growth.

Editor's Choice - Infra-inguinal Endovascular Revascularisation and Bypass Surgery for Chronic Limb Threatening Ischaemia: a Retrospective European Multicentre Cohort Study with Propensity Score Matching.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the long term efficacy of lower limb bypass with that of endovascular treatment (EVT) in patients with chronic limb threatening ischaemia (CLTI). METHODS: This retrospective, multicentre study evaluated the outcomes of patients with CLTI who underwent first time infra-inguinal bypass or EVT. The primary outcome was to compare amputation free survival (AFS) rates between the two propensity score matched groups. The secondary outcome was to compare wound healing within the first six months. Major adverse events were compared according to the type of revascularisation. RESULTS: Overall, 793 patients fulfilled the eligibility criteria, from whom 236 propensity score matched pairs were analysed. The mean follow up was 52 months. The 236 bypass procedures included 190 autogenous bypass grafts (80.5%), 151 (64.0%) of which were infrapopliteal. Among the 236 EVT procedures, the target lesion was the femoropopliteal segment in 81 patients (34.3%), the femoropopliteal and infrapopliteal segments in 101 patients (42.8%), and the infrapopliteal segment in 54 patients (22.9%). AFS was significantly better in the bypass group at five years (60.5 ± 3.6%) compared with the EVT group (35.3 ± 3.6%) (p < .001). Major amputation occurred in 61 patients (25.8%) in the bypass group and 85 patients (36.0%) in the EVT group (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.47 - 0.92; p = .014). The probability of healing was significantly better in the bypass group at six months compared with the EVT group (p = .003). The median length of stay was shorter for the EVT group (4 days) than for the bypass group (8 days) (p = .001). Urgent re-intervention and re-admission rates were high and did not differ significantly between the groups. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that lower limb bypass surgery offered a significantly higher probability of AFS and wound healing compared with EVT in patients with CLTI.

Outcomes of Secondary Endovascular Aortic Repair After Frozen Elephant Trunk.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the midterm outcomes of secondary extension of frozen elephant trunk (FET) by means of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). METHODS: This single-center prospective study was conducted in a tertiary aortic center on consecutive patients having undergone TEVAR with an endograft covering most of the 10 cm FET module with 2 to 4 mm oversizing. All patients were monitored by computerized tomography angiography (CTA) at sixth month and yearly thereafter. RESULTS: From January 2015 to July 2022, among 159 patients who received FET, 30 patients (18.8%) underwent a TEVAR procedure (13 for a thoracoabdominal aneurysm, 11 for a chronic aortic dissection and 6 for an emergency procedure). All connections were successfully achieved with 2 postoperative deaths (6.6%) and 1 paraplegia (3.3%). At a median follow-up of 21 months (interquartile range [IQR], 4.2-34.7), 5 patients (25%) required a fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (F-BEVAR) extension followed by 4 patients with 5 reinterventions, 3 for a Type 3 endoleak due to disconnection between FET and TEVAR endograft, and 2 unrelated to the FET for a secondary Type 1C endoleak. All reinterventions were successful, without mortality or morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: In this series, FET connection with a TEVAR endograft was effective with low postoperative morbidity but with a risk of aortic reintervention related to disconnection between the FET and TEVAR endograft. These results suggest the need for annual CTA monitoring with no time limit in patients following connection of the FET with a TEVAR endograft. CLINICAL IMPACT: In this series of 30 patients, midterm outcomes of secondary extension of frozen elephant trunk (FET) by thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) showed 3 disconnections (10%) with a Type 3 endoleak between FET and TEVAR. These findings suggest the need for annual CTA monitoring with no time limit. But so far, only a few studies provide some information after one year while the risk of disconnection increases over time and becomes a concern after 3 years. This is the new message brought by our study.

Assessment of shape-based features ability to predict the ascending aortic aneurysm growth.

The current guidelines for the ascending aortic aneurysm (AsAA) treatment recommend surgery mainly according to the maximum diameter assessment. This criterion has already proven to be often inefficient in identifying patients at high risk of aneurysm growth and rupture. In this study, we propose a method to compute a set of local shape features that, in addition to the maximum diameter D, are intended to improve the classification performances for the ascending aortic aneurysm growth risk assessment. Apart from D, these are the ratio DCR between D and the length of the ascending aorta centerline, the ratio EILR between the length of the external and the internal lines and the tortuosity T. 50 patients with two 3D acquisitions at least 6 months apart were segmented and the growth rate (GR) with the shape features related to the first exam computed. The correlation between them has been investigated. After, the dataset was divided into two classes according to the growth rate value. We used six different classifiers with input data exclusively from the first exam to predict the class to which each patient belonged. A first classification was performed using only D and a second with all the shape features together. The performances have been evaluated by computing accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and positive (negative) likelihood ratio LHR+ (LHR-). A positive correlation was observed between growth rate and DCR (r = 0.511, p = 1.3e-4) and between GR and EILR (r = 0.472, p = 2.7e-4). Overall, the classifiers based on the four metrics outperformed the same ones based only on D. Among the diameter-based classifiers, k-nearest neighbours (KNN) reported the best accuracy (86%), sensitivity (55.6%), AUROC (0.74), LHR+ (7.62) and LHR- (0.48). Concerning the classifiers based on the four shape features, we obtained the best accuracy (94%), sensitivity (66.7%), specificity (100%), AUROC (0.94), LHR+ (+∞) and LHR- (0.33) with support vector machine (SVM). This demonstrates how automatic shape features detection combined with risk classification criteria could be crucial in planning the follow-up of patients with ascending aortic aneurysm and in predicting the possible dangerous progression of the disease.

Clinical impact of the heart team on the outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement among octogenarians.

OBJECTIVES: The effectiveness of a multidisciplinary heart team in the management of patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis is unknown. This study evaluated the impact of a heart team on the outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement in octogenarians. METHODS: Between May 2007 and January 2016, 528 patients aged 80 years or more were referred to our institutional heart team for a transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Among these, 101 were redirected to surgical aortic valve replacement (heart team group). These patients were compared with a surgical aortic valve replacement cohort (n = 506) without prior heart team screening (non-heart team group), taken from the same time period. Propensity score matching with bootstrap analysis was performed; 76 heart team patients were matched to 76 non-heart team patients. Early and late outcomes including survival and readmission for cardiovascular causes were compared. RESULTS: Matched subgroups were largely comparable; congestive heart failure and echocardiographic pulmonary hypertension were more prevalent in the heart team group. In-hospital mortality was significantly lower in the matched heart team group (0% vs 6.0%, bootstrap mean difference 6.0%, 95% confidence interval, 2.2-9.8). The risk of stroke, low cardiac output state, reexploration for bleeding, pneumonia, and prolonged ventilation was also significantly lower in the heart team group. There was no significant between-group difference regarding late survival (hazard ratio, 0.86, 95% confidence interval, 0.55-1.33, P = .49) or readmission for cardiovascular reasons (hazard ratio, 0.70, 95% confidence interval, 0.41-1.20, P = .19). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative multidisciplinary assessment of octogenarians by a heart team was associated with lower in-hospital mortality and adverse events after surgical aortic valve replacement.

Incidence, management, and prognosis of post-ischaemic ventricular septal defect: Insights from a 12-year tertiary centre experience.

Background: Among mechanical complications of acute myocardial infarction, ventricular septal defect (VSD) is uncommon but still serious. The evolution of emergency coronary revascularisation paradoxically decreased our knowledge of this disease, making it even rarer. Aim: To describe ischaemic VSD incidence, management, and associated in-hospital and 1-year outcomes over a 12-years period. Methods: A retrospective single-centre register of patients managed for ischaemic VSD between January 2009 and December 2020. Results: Ninety-seven patients were included representing 8 patients/ years and an incidence of 0.44% of ACS managed. The majority of the patients were 73-years-old males (n = 54, 56%) with STEMI presentation (n = 75, 79%) and already presented with Q necrosis on ECG (n = 70, 74%). Forty-nine (51%) patients underwent PCI, 60 (62%) inotrope/vasopressors infusion, and 70 (72%) acute mechanical circulatory support (IABP 62%, ECMO 13%, and Impella® 3%). VSD surgical repair was performed for 44 patients (45%) and 1 patient was transplanted. In-hospital mortality was 71%, and 86% at 1 year, without significant improvement over the decade. Surgery appears to be a protective factor [0.51 (0.28-0.94) p = 0.003], whereas age [1.06 (1.03-1.09), p < 0.001] and lactate [1.16 (1.09-1.23), p < 0.001] were linked to higher 1-year mortality. None of the patients that were managed medically survived 1 year. Conclusion: Post-ischaemic VSD is a rare but serious complication still associated with high mortality. Corrective surgery is associated with better survival, however, timing, patient selection, and a place for mechanical circulatory support need to be defined.

Early and midterm outcomes of a bentall operation using an all-biological valved BioConduit™.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the midterm results of aortic root replacement using the valved, all biological, No React®, BioConduit™. METHODS: From 2017 to 2020, we prospectively followed 91 consecutive patients who underwent a Bentall procedure with a BioConduit™ valved graft in our institution. The primary outcomes were aortic bioprosthetic valve dysfunction and mortality according to Valve Academic Research Consortium 3 (VARC3). RESULTS: Mean age was 70 ± 10 years and 67 patients (74%) were men. Ascending aortic aneurysm (72%), aortic valve regurgitation (51%) or stenosis (20%) and acute endocarditis (14%) were the main indications for surgery. Seventy-four patients (81.3%) were followed up at 1 year. The perioperative mortality was 8% (n = 8), the early, 1 year, mortality was 2% (n = 2) and the midterm mortality, at 4 years of follow up, was 4% (n = 3). Ten patients fulfilled the criteria for hemodynamic valve deterioration at 1 year (13%) and 14 for a bioprosthetic valve failure during the entire follow-up (17%). CONCLUSIONS: We are reporting early and midterm results of Bentall procedures with the all-biological, valved, No-React® BioConduit™. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting an early and midterm unexpectedly high rate of non-structural prosthetic hemodynamic deterioration. The rate of endocarditis and atrioventricular disconnections remain similar to previous studies.

Use of Percutaneous Atrioseptotosmy for Left Heart Decompression During Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Support: An Observational Study.

Background Left ventricular overload is frequent under veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, which is associated with a worsening of the prognosis of these patients. Several left heart decompression (LHD) techniques exist. However, there is no consensus on their timing and type. We aimed to describe characteristics and outcomes of patients undergoing LHD and to compare percutaneous atrioseptostomy (PA) to other LHD techniques. Methods and Results Retrospective analysis was conducted of consecutive and prospectively collected patients supported by veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for refractory cardiac arrest or cardiogenic shock between January 2015 and April 2018, with a 90-day follow-up in our tertiary center. Patients were divided according to the presence of LHD, and then according to its type (PA versus others). Thirty-nine percent (n=63) of our patients (n=163) required an LHD. Patients with LHD had lower left ventricular ejection fraction, more ischemic cardiomyopathy, and no drug intoxication-associated cardiogenic shock. PA was frequently used for LHD (41% of first-line and 57% of second-line LHD). PA appears safe and fast to realize (6.3 [interquartile range, 5.8-10] minutes) under fluoroscopic and echocardiographic guidance, with no acute complications. PA was associated with fewer neurological complications (12% versus 38%, P=0.02), no need to insert a second LHD (0% versus 19%, P=0.04), and higher 90-day survival compared with other techniques (42% versus 19%, log-rank test P=0.02), despite more sepsis (96% versus 73%, P=0.02) and blood transfusions (13.5% versus 7%, P=0.01). Multivariate analysis confirms the association between PA and 90-day survival (hazard ratio, 2.53 [1.18-5.45], P=0.019). Conclusions LHD was frequently used for patients supported with veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, especially in cases of ischemic cardiomyopathy and low left ventricular ejection fraction. PA seems to be a safe and efficient LHD technique associated with greater mid-term survival justifying the pursuit of research on this topic.

Predictors of weaning failure in case of VA ECMO implantation.

The use of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) for the treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock has increased significantly. Nevertheless, early weaning may be advisable to reduce the potential for severe complications. Only a few studies focusing on ECMO weaning predictors are currently available. Our objective was to evaluate factors that may help predict failure during VA ECMO weaning. We included 57 patients on VA ECMO support previously considered suitable for weaning based on specific criteria. Clinical, haemato-chemical and echocardiographic assessment was considered before and after a "weaning test" (ECMO flow < 2 L/min for at least 60 min). ECMO removal was left to the discretion of the medical team blinded to the results. Weaning failure was defined as a patient who died or required a new VA ECMO, heart transplant or LVAD 30 days after ECMO removal. Thirty-six patients (63.2%) were successfully weaned off VA ECMO, of whom 31 (54.4%) after the first weaning test. In case of first test failure, 3 out of 7 patients could be weaned after a 2nd test and 3 out of 4 patients after a 3rd test. Pre-existing ischemic heart disease (OR 9.6 [1.1-83]), pre-test left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 25% and/or post-test LVEF ≤ 40% (OR 11 [0.98-115]), post-test systolic blood pressure ≤ 120 mmHg (OR 33 [3-385]), or length of ECMO support > 7 days (OR 24 [2-269]) were predictors of weaning failure. The VA ECMO weaning test failed in less than 40% of patients considered suitable for weaning. Clinical and echocardiographic criteria, which are easily accessible by a non-expert intensivist, may help increase the probability of successful weaning.

Prevalence, management, and outcomes of haemorrhagic events in left ventricular assist device recipients.

AIMS: Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) have reduced the mortality of patients with advanced heart failure both as bridge-to-transplant and as destination therapy. However, LVADs are associated with various complications, including bleedings, which affect the prognosis. The aim of the study was to explore the prevalence, management, and outcomes of haemorrhagic adverse events in LVAD recipients. METHODS AND RESULTS: We conducted a retrospective, single-centre, cohort study including all patients who received an LVAD from January 2008 to December 2019 in our tertiary centre (Rangueil University Hospital, Toulouse, France). Bleeding events, death, and heart transplantation were collected from electronic medical files. Eighty-eight patients were included, and 43 (49%) presented at least one bleeding event. Gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding was the most frequent (n = 21, 24%), followed by epistaxis (n = 12, 14%) and intracranial haemorrhage (n = 9, 10%). Bleeding events were associated with increased mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 3.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5-9.3, P < 0.01], particularly in case of intracranial haemorrhage (HR 14.6, 95% CI 4.2-51.1, P < 0.0001). GI bleedings were associated with a trend towards increased mortality (HR 3.0, 95% CI 0.9-9.3, P = 0.05). Each bleeding episode multiplied the risk of death by 1.8 (95% CI 1.2-2.7, P < 0.01). Finally, only early bleedings (<9 months post-implantation) had an impact on mortality (HR 4.2, 95% CI 1.6-11.1, P < 0.01). Therapeutic management was mainly based on temporary interruption of anticoagulation and permanent interruption of antiplatelet therapy. Invasive management was rarely performed. CONCLUSIONS: Haemorrhagic events in LVAD recipients are frequent and associated with increased mortality. GI bleedings are the most frequent, and intracranial haemorrhages the most associated with mortality. Management remains empirical requiring more research.

Effectiveness and Safety of a Prolonged Hemodynamic Support by the IVAC2L System in Healthy and Cardiogenic Shock Pigs.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical circulatory supports are used in case of cardiogenic shock (CS) refractory to conventional therapy. Several devices can be employed, but are limited by their availability, benefit risk-ratio, and/or cost. AIMS: To investigate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of a long-term support by a new available device (IVAC2L) in pigs. METHODS: Experiments were carried out in male pigs, divided into healthy (n = 6) or ischemic CS (n = 4) groups for a median support time of 34 and 12 h, respectively. IVAC2L was implanted under fluoroscopic and TTE guidance under general anesthesia. CS was induced by surgical ligation of the left anterior descending artery. An ipsilateral lower limb reperfusion was created with the Solopath® system. Reperfusion was started after 1 h of support in healthy pigs and upon IVAC2L insertion in CS pigs. Hemodynamic and biological parameters were monitored before and during the whole period of support in each group. RESULTS: Occurrence of an ipsilateral lower limb ischemia was systematic in healthy and CS pigs in a few minutes after IVAC2L implantation, and could be reversed by the arterial reperfusion, as demonstrated by distal transcutaneous pressure in oxygen (TcPO2) and lactate normalization. IVAC2L support decreased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) (15.3 ± 0.3 vs. 7.5 ± 0.9 mmHg, p < 0.001), increased systolic blood pressure (SBP) (70 ± 4.5 vs. 101.3 ± 3.1 mmHg, p < 0.01), and cardiac output (CO) (4.0 ± 0.3 vs. 5.2 ± 0.6 l/min, p < 0.05) in CS pigs; at CS onset and after 12 h of support, without effects on heart rate or pulmonary artery pressure (PAP). Non-sustained ventricular arrhythmias were frequent at implantation (50%). A non-significant hemolysis was observed under support in CS pigs. Bleedings were frequent at the insertion and/or operating sites (30%). CONCLUSION: Long-term support by IVAC2L is feasible and associated with a significant hemodynamic improvement in a porcine model. These preclinical data open the door for a study of IVAC2L in human ischemic CS, keeping in mind the need for systematic reperfusion of the lower limb and the associated risk of bleeding.

Stress exercise haemodynamic performance and opening reserve of a stented bovine pericardial aortic valve bioprosthesis.

OBJECTIVES: Despite unusual high rates of patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM), excellent midterm clinical outcomes have been reported after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with the Avalus™ bioprosthetic valve (Medtronic). To elucidate this "PPM conundrum," the Avalus valve haemodynamics were assessed during exercise testing. METHODS: Of the 148 patients who had undergone SAVR with the Avalus valve at our institution, 30 were randomly selected among those in whom stress test was deemed feasible and underwent a resting transthoracic echocardiography immediately followed by exercise echocardiography. Severe PPM was defined as indexed effective orifice area (iEOA) ≤ 0.65 cm2 /m2 and moderate PPM as iEOA > 0.65 and ≤ 0.85 cm2 /m2 . Measured PPM was determined with the use of the measured iEOA at rest or stress, while the estimated PPM was based on the estimated iEOA, derived from the mean EOA reported for each valve size in the manufacturer chart. RESULTS: Measured EOA significantly increased from rest to peak exercise in all PPM groups (p < .05) and the rates of moderate and severe measured PPM decreased from 40% and 20% to 27% and 0%, respectively. The patients with low-flow state (flow < 250 ml/s) had significantly lower measured rest EOA (p = .03). On the basis of the estimated iEOA, there was no severe PPM and 19 patients had moderate PPM (63.3%), with a significantly lower opening reserve than the patients without estimated PPM (p = .04). The estimated iEOA was more reliably correlated to the measured iEOA at maximal stress than the measured iEOA at rest, especially in patients with a low-flow state. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports the concept of an opening reserve of the Avalus valve to explain the PPM conundrum and promotes the use of exercise Doppler-echocardiography to complete the assessment of mismatch, especially in patients with a low-flow state. Published estimated EOA seems reliable to predict the haemodynamic performance of the Avalus valve, whether the flow conditions at rest.

Outcome of Temporary Circulatory Support As a Bridge-to-Left Ventricular Assist Device Strategy in Cardiogenic Shock Patients.

OBJECTIVES: Temporary circulatory support (TCS) as a bridge-to-left ventricular assist device (BTL) in cardiogenic shock patients has been increasing, but limited data exists on this BTL strategy. We aimed at analyzing the outcome of BTL patients in a population of cardiogenic shock patients compared with those without TCS at the time of the left ventricular assist device (LVAD) surgery and identify predictors of postoperative mortality in this specific population. DESIGN: A multicenter retrospective observational study conducted in 19 centers from 2006 to 2016. SETTING: Nineteen French centers. PATIENTS: A total of 329 cardiogenic shock patients at the time of LVAD implantation were analyzed. Patients were divided in three groups: those under TCS at the time of LVAD implantation (n = 173), those with TCS removal before LVAD surgery (n = 24), and those who did not undergo a bridging strategy (n = 152). Primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Among the BTL group, 68 (39.3%), 18 (10.4%), and 15 (8.7%) patients were under venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, Impella, and IABP support alone, and 72 patients (20.6%) were under multiple TCS support. BTL patients presented similar 30 days survival compared with the TCS removal and non-BTL groups. However, BTL group had a significantly longer ICU duration stay, with two-fold duration of mechanical ventilation time, but the three groups experienced similar postoperative complications. Multivariate analysis identified three independent predictors of mortality in the BTL group: combined surgery with LVAD, body mass index (BMI), and heart failure (HF) duration. BTL strategy was not an independent predictor of mortality in cardiogenic shock patients who underwent LVAD. CONCLUSIONS: BTL strategy is not associated with a lower survival among cardiogenic shock patients with LVAD implantation. Predictors of mortality are combined surgery with LVAD, higher BMI, and HF duration.

Characteristics and outcome of ambulatory heart failure patients receiving a left ventricular assist device.

AIMS: Despite regularly updated guidelines, there is still a delay in referral of advanced heart failure patients to mechanical circulatory support and transplant centres. We aimed to analyse characteristics and outcome of non-inotrope-dependent patients implanted with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). METHODS AND RESULTS: The ASSIST-ICD registry collected LVAD data in 19 centres in France between February 2006 and December 2016. We used data of patients in Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support Classes 4-7. The primary endpoint was survival analysis. Predictors of mortality were searched with multivariable analyses. A total of 303 patients (mean age 61.0 ± 9.9 years, male sex 86.8%) were included in the present analysis. Ischaemic cardiomyopathy was the leading heart failure aetiology (64%), and bridge to transplantation was the main implantation strategy (56.1%). The overall likelihood of being alive while on LVAD support or having a transplant at 1, 2, 3, and 5 years was 66%, 61.7%, 58.7%, and 55.1%, respectively. Age [hazard ratio (HR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00-1.05; P = 0.02], a concomitant procedure (HR 2.32, 95% CI 1.52-3.53; P < 0.0001), and temporary mechanical right ventricular support during LVAD implantation (HR 2.94, 95% CI 1.49-5.77; P = 0.002) were the only independent variables associated with mortality. Heart failure medications before or after LVAD implantation were not associated with survival. CONCLUSION: Ambulatory heart failure patients displayed unsatisfactory survival rates after LVAD implantation. A better selection of patients who can benefit from LVAD may help improving outcomes.

Comparison of Outcomes and Mortality in Patients Having Left Ventricular Assist Device Implanted Early -vs- Late After Diagnosis of Cardiomyopathy.

LVAD implantation in patients with a recently diagnosed cardiomyopathy has been poorly investigated. This work aims at describing the characteristics and outcomes of patients receiving a LVAD within 30 days following the diagnosis of cardiomyopathy. Patients from the ASSIST-ICD study was divided into recently and remotely diagnosed cardiomyopathy based on the time from initial diagnosis of cardiomyopathy to LVAD implantation using the cut point of 30 days. The primary end point of the study was all-cause mortality at 30-day and during follow-up. A total of 652 patients were included and followed during a median time of 9.1 (2.5 to 22.1) months. In this population, 117 (17.9%) had a recently diagnosed cardiomyopathy and had LVAD implantation after a median time of 15.0 (9.0 to 24.0) days following the diagnosis. This group of patients was significantly younger, with more ischemic cardiomyopathy, more sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) events at the time of the diagnosis and were more likely to receive temporary mechanical support before LVAD compared with the remotely diagnosed group. Postoperative in-hospital survival was similar in groups, but recently diagnosed patients had a better long-term survival after hospital discharge. SCA before LVAD and any cardiac surgery combined with LVAD implantation were identified as 2 independent predictors of postoperative mortality in recently diagnosed patients. In conclusion, rescue LVAD implantation for recently diagnosed severe cardiomyopathy is common in clinical practice. Such patients experience a relatively low postoperative mortality and have a better long-term survival compared with remotely diagnosed patients.

Participating in Sports After Mitral Valve Repair for Primary Mitral Regurgitation: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: Participating in either competitive or leisure sports is restrictive after surgical mitral valve repair (MVR). In this study, we examine the impact of sports on outcomes after MVR. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Patients aged 18 to 65 years who underwent a first-time MVR for primary mitral regurgitation (MR) in a tertiary care center. PATIENTS: One hundred twenty-one consecutive patients were included in the study. The exclusion criteria were as follows: other concomitant procedures, early perioperative death or repeat intervention, noncardiac death or endocarditis during follow-up, and general contraindications for normal physical activity. ASSESSMENT OF RISK FACTORS: Participation in sports was quantified by the number of hours per week during the past 6 months, classified according to the Mitchell classification and assessed with the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary composite endpoint was MVR failure defined as MR grade ≥2 or mean transmitral gradient ≥8 mm Hg, signs and symptoms of heart failure, or late-onset postoperative AF (>3 months). RESULTS: The mean age was 50 ± 11 years, and there were 85 (71%) men. The median follow-up was 34 months [interquartile range (IQR): 20-50]. Fifty-six (46%) patients participated in sports regularly (median of 3 h/wk; IQR: 2-5). Twenty (17%) patients reached the primary composite endpoint with no correlation with participation in sports (P = 0.537), IPAQ categories (P = 0.849), in any of the Mitchell classification subgroups and a high level of participation in sports ≥6 hours (P = 0.679). CONCLUSIONS: Sports seem to be unrelated to the worst outcome after MVR.