A rare association of bilateral atrial divisions and quadricuspid aortic valve.

BACKGROUND: Quadricuspid aortic valve and cor triatriatum are rare congenital cardiac anomalies. METHODS: We describe a rare case of quadricuspid aortic valve with dividing membranes in the left and right atria. RESULTS: The patient underwent surgery with resection of the dividing membrane in the left atrium and aortic valve replacement. CONCLUSION: Management is based on symptoms of obstruction due to the dividing membranes in the atria and the severity of aortic valve dysfunction. This case also highlights the limitations in current nomenclature when describing atrial partitions.

Outcomes of the First 300 Cases of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation at a High-Volume Australian Private Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) was first performed in Australia in 2008 with a steady increase in the number of implanting centres from seven in 2008 to 42 in 2018 (24 private and 18 public hospitals). There is limited published data on outcomes from Australian centres and no published data from Australian private hospitals. We describe outcomes of the first 300 cases at Queensland's first TAVI implanting private hospital. METHODS: From July 2015 to August 2018, 300 patients with severe, symptomatic aortic stenosis underwent TAVI at our centre. A heart team assessed all patients as suitable. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) assessment of valve sizing and peripheral access. RESULTS: Median age was 85 years, 58% male, mean Society of Thoracic Surgeons' score 4.0%, 49% had New York Heart Association Class III/IV, 28% previous coronary artery bypass grafts, 14% peripheral vascular disease and 3.7% renal impairment (creatinine >177 µmol/L). At 30 days mortality was 1%, stroke 1.3%, myocardial infarction (MI) 0.3%, major vascular complication 3.0%, no life-threatening or disabling bleeding and new permanent pacemaker (PPM) requirement was 9.0%. Paravalvular leak was none, trace and mild in 27%, 53% and 20% respectively with 0.3%≥moderate paravalvular leak. At 1 year, mortality was 4.2%, stroke 2.1%, MI 0.3%, no life-threatening bleeding and PPM 11.4%. Lower rates of mortality, stroke, and major vascular complications were observed compared to the well-established TAVI centres in USA and Germany. CONCLUSION: Excellent TAVI clinical outcomes can be achieved in the Australian private hospital setting. Expert heart team assessment and CT guided procedural planning are key to these outcomes.

Bleeding Management Practices of Australian Cardiac Surgeons, Anesthesiologists and Perfusionists: A Cross-Sectional National Survey Incorporating the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and COM-B Model.

PURPOSE: Excessive bleeding is an acknowledged consequence of cardiac surgery, occurring in up to 10% of adult patients. This clinically important complication leads to poorer patient outcomes. Clinical practice guidelines are available to support best practice however variability in bleeding management practice and related adverse outcomes still exist. This study had two objectives: 1) to gain insight into current bleeding management practice for adult cardiac surgery in Australia and how that compared to guidelines and literature; and 2) to understand perceived difficulties clinicians face implementing improvements in bleeding management. METHODS: A national cross-sectional questionnaire survey was utilized. Perspectives were sought from cardiac surgeons, cardiac anesthesiologists and perfusionists. Thirty-nine closed-ended questions focused on routine bleeding management practices to address pre and intra-operative care. One open-ended question was asked; "What would assist you to improve bleeding management with cardiac surgery patients?" Quantitative data were analysed with SPSS. Qualitative data were categorized into the domains of the Theoretical Domains Framework; the domains were then mapped to the COM-B model. RESULTS: Survey responses from 159 Anesthesiologists, 39 cardiac surgeons and 86 perfusionists were included (response rate 37%). Four of the recommendations queried in this survey were reported as routinely adhered to < 50% of the time, 9 queried recommendations were adhered to 51-75% of the time and 4 recommendations were routinely followed >76% of the time. CONCLUSION: There is a wide variation in peri-operative bleeding management practice among cardiac anaesthesiologists, surgeons and perfusionists in Australian cardiac surgery units. Conceptualizing factors believed necessary to improve practice with the TDF and COM-B model found that bleeding management could be improved with a standardized approach including; point of care diagnostic assays, a bleeding management algorithm, access to concentrated coagulation factors, cardiac surgery specific bleeding management education, multidisciplinary team agreement and support, and an overarching national approach.

Multivisceral Transplant, The Prince Charles Hospital Experience.

BACKGROUND: Multi-visceral organ transplant is uncommon. As a result of the rarity of these surgeries, there are limited studies, making it difficult to interpret outcomes and identify specific patient complications. We aim to assess the indications for multi-organ transplant, the time on the wait-list and evaluate outcomes including patient survival, graft survival and postoperative complications in an Australian context. METHODS: Patients undergoing multi-organ transplant from 1993 to 2018 at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia were retrospectively reviewed, looking at baseline characteristics and post-transplant morbidity, mortality and graft survival. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients were included in the study, comprising 22 heart-lung transplants, eight heart-kidney transplants and seven heart-lung-liver transplants. There were six domino heart transplants performed, all in the heart-lung-liver transplant group. The mean age at transplant was 37 years and the mean wait-list time was 10 months. One patient, receiving a heart-lung transplant, required re-transplantation (bilateral lung) at 3 years. One-year (1-year) survival was 91% for heart-lung transplants, 86% for heart-lung-liver transplants and 87.5% for heart-kidney transplants. Five- and ten-year (5- and 10-year) survival was 79% for both in heart-lung transplant, 43% and 29% for heart-lung-liver transplant and 87.5% for both in heart-kidney transplant. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing multi-organ transplant at our unit had long-term survival and organ function comparable to international data. In addition, waitlist time for multi-organ transplant was not found to be excessive.

Endothelial Glycocalyx Shedding Occurs during Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Damage to the endothelium has been established as a key pathological process in lung transplantation and ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP), a new technology that provides a platform for the assessment of injured donor lungs. Damage to the lung endothelial glycocalyx, a structure that lines the endothelium and is integral to vascular barrier function, has been associated with lung dysfunction. We hypothesised that endothelial glycocalyx shedding occurs during EVLP and aimed to establish a porcine model to investigate the mechanism underlying glycocalyx breakdown during EVLP. METHODS: Concentrations of endothelial glycocalyx breakdown products, syndecan-1, hyaluronan, heparan sulphate, and CD44, were measured using the ELISA and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity by zymography in the perfusate of both human (n = 9) and porcine (n = 4) lungs undergoing EVLP. Porcine lungs underwent prolonged EVLP (up to 12 hours) with perfusion and ventilation parameters recorded hourly. RESULTS: During human EVLP, endothelial glycocalyx breakdown products in the perfusate increased over time. Increasing MMP-2 activity over time was positively correlated with levels of syndecan-1 (r = 0.886; p=0.03) and hyaluronan (r = 0.943; p=0.02). In the porcine EVLP model, hyaluronan was the only glycocalyx product detectable during EVLP (1 hr: 19 (13-84) vs 12 hr: 143 (109-264) ng/ml; p=0.13). Porcine hyaluronan was associated with MMP-9 activity (r = 0.83; p=0.02) and also with dynamic compliance (r = 0.57; p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Endothelial glycocalyx products accumulate during both porcine and human EVLP, and this accumulation parallels an accumulation of matrix-degrading enzyme activity. Preliminary evidence in our porcine EVLP model suggests that shedding may be related to organ function, thus warranting additional study.

Three-dimensional printed cardiac fistulae: a case series.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional (3D) printing of cardiac fistulae allows for immediate understanding of their complex courses and anatomical relations. Models can be used to improve patient understanding, enhance the consenting process, facilitate communication between multidisciplinary staff at heart team meetings, and help plan surgical or percutaneous interventions. CASE SUMMARY: We report four cases where 3D printed models were used as an adjunct with traditional measures in treating patients with complex cardiac fistulae. DISCUSSION: In our cases, overall patient understanding was improved, staff at heart team meetings were more aware of anatomical anomalies and perioperatively planning saw adjustments made that may have ultimately benefited patient outcome. Our cases highlight the additional benefit that 3D printed models can play when treating patients with complex cardiac fistulae.

Who watches the WATCHMAN™? A case of incomplete endothelialization at 3 years after device implantation.

WATCHMAN™ is a left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion device used to prevent thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. Endothelialization of the device is required to completely occlude the LAA. Prior to endothelialization, the device is thrombogenic. The duration of dual-antiplatelet therapy after device insertion is based on animal studies demonstrating endothelialization at 3 months. A 73-year-old man presented with symptomatic severe mitral regurgitation 3 years after the WATCHMAN device was implanted. During mitral valve repair, we found that the WATCHMAN device was not endothelialized. The device was removed and the LAA was ligated after repair of the mitral valve. The long-term incidence and clinical significance of incomplete endothelialization after LAA-occlusion must be investigated. Postimplantation and perioperative antiplatelet and anticoagulation protocols require re-evaluation. The potential role of thoracoscopic epicardial LAA clipping must be considered.

A case of Castleman's disease and adult necrotizing aortitis: a co-incidence or a significance?

We report a case of concomitant Castleman's disease and adult necrotizing aortitis, an association heretofore not reported. A brief discussion of the current state of our understanding of the pathogenesis of aortitis and possible link between these two entities is presented.

An Australian tertiary referral center experience of the management of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

The objective of this study was to report the outcome of pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery performed for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) at a single tertiary center. The prospective study consisted of 35 patients with surgically amenable CTEPH undergoing PEA between September 2004 and September 2010. The main outcome measures were Functional (New York Heart Association [NYHA] class, 6-Minute Walk Distance), hemodynamic (echocardiography, right heart catheterization, and cardiac MRI), and outcome data (morbidity and mortality). Following PEA, there were significant improvements in NYHA class (pre 2.9±0.7 vs. post 1.3±0.5, P < 0.0001), right ventricular systolic pressure (pre 77.4±24.8 mmHg vs. post 45.1±24.9 mmHg, P = 0.0005), 6-Minute Walk Distance (pre 419.6±109.4 m vs. post 521.6±83.5 m, P = 0.0017), mean pulmonary artery pressure (pre 41.8±15.3 mmHg vs. post 24.7±8.8 mmHg, P = 0.0006), and cardiac MRI indices (end diastolic volume pre 213.8±49.2 mL vs. post 148.1±34.5 mL, P < 0.0001; ejection fraction pre 40.7±9.8 mL vs. post 48.1±8.9 mL, P = 0.0069). The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 258.77±26.16 min, with a mean circulatory arrest time of 43.83±28.78 min, a mean ventilation time of 4.7±7.93 days (range 0.2-32.7), and a mean intensive care unit stay of 7.22±8.71 days (range 1.1-33.8). Complications included reperfusion lung injury (20%), persistent pulmonary hypertension (17.1%), slow respiratory wean (25.7%), pericardial effusion (11.4%), and cardiac tamponade (5.7%). 1-year mortality post-procedure was 11.4%. Pulmonary endarterectomy can be performed safely with relatively low mortality.

The effect of morphologic subtype on outcomes following the Sano-Norwood procedure.

OBJECTIVES: Controversy exists concerning outcomes of patients with different morphologic subtypes of hypoplastic left heart syndrome undergoing the Norwood procedure, in particular, aortic atresia-mitral stenosis (AA-MS) patients receiving a systemic-pulmonary modified Blalock-Taussig (mBT) shunt. We sought to determine the influence of known risk factors and morphology on early survival in our cohort of Sano-Norwood patients with right ventricle-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduits as the source of pulmonary blood flow. METHODS: We studied early survival in patients with Sano-modified Norwood procedures from 2002 to 2010 and included both typical and atypical (including unbalanced atrioventricular canal defect) morphologic variants. We included a comparison group composed of classical Norwood patients with mBT shunts. RESULTS: Of 264 Sano-Norwood patients, 49 had AA-MS and 30 had atypical morphologies. Weight ≤ 2.5 kg was associated with a poorer 1-year survival (P = 0.0007), though ascending aorta (AscAo) size <2.0 mm was not. We did not observe a difference in 30-day or 1-year Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival across typical morphologic variants for either a Sano or mBTS group. Atypical variants exhibited a trend towards lower 30-day and 1-year survival in both Sano and mBTS groups though this was not significant. Direct comparison of 30-day K-M survival for Sano versus mBTS in AA-MS patients showed similar outcomes (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Use of the RV-PA conduit results in good early survival, even in those with a small AscAo size. Atypical morphologic variants seem to do worse irrespective of the Sano or mBTS group. Further studies will be required to determine conclusively whether the RV-PA shunt confers protective effects in the AA-MS subgroup compared with the mBTS.

The importance of blood lactate clearance as a predictor of early mortality following the modified Norwood procedure.

OBJECTIVE: Optimisation of Norwood physiology, with focus on systemic perfusion, has beneficial effects on haemodynamic stability and perioperative mortality following the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Early identification of high-risk patients during the postoperative phase might allow for institution of alternative management strategies with the possibility of avoiding poor outcome. Several studies have suggested that arterial blood lactate level, as an index of systemic perfusion and oxygen delivery, can to some extent predict mortality following paediatric cardiac surgery, though these studies have included heterogeneous groups of patients with only few Norwood patients. We sought to determine whether the blood lactate profile could be used to derive a simple, clinically applicable decision algorithm to direct therapy in a pre-emptive manner and perhaps identify patients for elective extracorporeal life support following the Norwood procedure. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed all patients at our institution who had undergone modified Norwood procedures between March 2002 and May 2008. All patients had received right ventricle-pulmonary artery conduits. Patients with systemic-pulmonary shunts were excluded. Outcome measures included 7-day and 30-day mortality. Serial arterial blood lactate measurements were taken in all patients for at least 72h. Conditional inference tree modelling was used to determine the discriminatory value of the lactate profile and other pre- and intra-operative risk factors in terms of selecting survivors. RESULTS: As many as 221 patients were included. The 7-day ICU mortality was 26/219 (11.8%) with total 30-day mortality of 35/219 (15.8%). There were 21 interstage deaths. Mortality modelling demonstrated that an inability to clear blood lactate levels to <6.76mmoll(-1) within the first 24h was highly discriminatory in terms of predicting death within the first 30 days. A total of 11 out of 12 patients in this group died. Other risk factors examined, including weight, ascending aorta size, cardiopulmonary bypass and ischaemic times, were not as predictive in our model. CONCLUSION: We have identified minimum blood lactate level within the first 24h after the Sano-Norwood procedure as a highly discriminatory predictor of perioperative mortality. These patients might benefit from elective institution of early mechanical circulatory support.

An application of outcomes monitoring for coronary artery bypass surgery 2005-2008 at TPCH.

OBJECTIVE: To describe monitoring of four years' isolated coronary artery bypass surgery outcomes and complications at The Prince Charles Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. METHODS: Analysis of Cardiac Surgical Register database using tabulations, funnel plots and random-effects (Bayesian shrinkage) analysis for aggregated data. Combined CUSUM and cumulative observed minus expected (modified VLAD) charts and combined CUSUM and cumulative funnel plots used for individual observation sequential data and binomial control charts and generalised additive models (GAMs) for quarterly sequential data. Risk adjustment employed re-calibrated EuroSCORE. RESULTS: There were 2575 procedures with an unadjusted in-hospital mortality rate of 1.17%. Mean age was 65 years and 21% of patients were female; 43.6% were elective procedures. Median ventilation time was 10 hours and median length of stay in intensive care (ICU) was 23 hours. Return to theatre for bleeding occurred in 3% of cases. Return to theatre for surgical site infection occurred in 0.4% of cases; 4% were re-do procedures. Permanent stroke or neurological deficit occurred in 1%, perioperative myocardial infarction in 0.8%, arrest in 1.2%, renal failure in 1.6% and ICU return in 2.3% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Complication rates and mortality were comparable with similar units. Use of random-effects (Bayesian shrinkage) analysis for aggregated data is encouraged together with generalised additive models (GAMs) and combined CUSUM and cumulative observed minus expected (modified VLAD) charts for sequential data.