Risk stratification of best medical therapy for acute uncomplicated type B intramural hematoma.

OBJECTIVES: Best medical therapy (BMT) for acute uncomplicated type B intramural hematoma (TBIMH) is the current treatment guideline, but there is considerable controversy about subsequent clinical course and outcome, which may be associated with a significant failure rate. The purpose of this study was to identify potential risk factors for BMT failure and to develop a risk score to guide clinical decision making. METHODS: Patients with acute uncomplicated TBIMH between 2011 January and 2020 December were retrospectively studied. Logistic regression was applied to univariately assess potential risk predictors, and multivariable model results were then used to formulate a simplified predictive model for BMT failure. RESULTS: In a total of 61 patients, the overall rate of BMT failure was 57.4% (35/61), of which 48.6% (17/35) occurred within 28 days of onset. Logistic regression identified maximum descending aortic diameter (HR â€‹= â€‹1.99 CI â€‹= â€‹1.16-3.40, p â€‹= â€‹0.012), initial IMH thickness (HR â€‹= â€‹3.29, CI â€‹= â€‹1.28-8.46, p â€‹= â€‹0.013) and presence of focal contrast enhancement (HR â€‹= â€‹3.12, CI â€‹= â€‹1.49-6.54, p â€‹= â€‹0.003) as potential risk predictors of BMT failure. A risk score was calculated as follows: [Max DTA diameter (mm)∗0.6876 â€‹+ â€‹Max IMH thickness (mm)∗1.1918 â€‹+ â€‹PAU/ULP ∗1.1369]. Freedom from BMT failure at 1 year was 72% in patients with a risk score â€‹< â€‹4.12, compared with only 35.1% in those with a risk score â€‹â‰§ â€‹4.12. CONCLUSIONS: In a substantial proportion of patients with acute uncomplicated TBIMH, initial BMT failed. Based on the three initial computed tomographic imaging variables, this risk score could help stratify patients at high or low risk for BMT failure and provided additional information for early intervention.

Computer-assisted image analysis of preexisting histological patterns of the cephalic vein to predict wrist arteriovenous fistula non-maturation.

BACKGROUND: We used computer-assisted image analysis to determine whether preexisting histological features of the cephalic vein influence the risk of non-maturation of wrist fistulas. METHODS: This study focused on patients aged 20-80 years who underwent their first wrist fistula creation. A total of 206 patients participated, and vein samples for Masson's trichrome staining were collected from 134 patients. From these, 94 patients provided a complete girth of the venous specimen for automatic image analysis. Maturation was assessed using ultrasound within 90 days after surgery. RESULTS: The collagen to muscle ratio in the target vein, measured by computer-assisted imaging, was a strong predictor of non-maturation in wrist fistulas. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an area under the curve of 0.864 (95% confidence interval of 0.782-0.946, p < 0.001). The optimal cut-off value for the ratio was 1.138, as determined by the Youden index maximum method, with a sensitivity of 89.0% and specificity of 71.4%. For easy application, we used a cutoff value of 1.0; the non-maturation rates for patients with ratios >1 and ≤ 1 were 51.7% (15 out of 29 patients) and 9.2% (6 out of 65 patients), respectively. Chi-square testing revealed significantly different non-maturation rates between the two groups (X2 (1, N = 94) = 20.9, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Computer-assisted image interpretation can help to quantify the preexisting histological patterns of the cephalic vein, while the collagen-to-muscle ratio can predict non-maturation of wrist fistula development at an early stage.

End-stage renal disease should not Be considered a contraindication for veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

PURPOSE: This study aims to determine whether end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a true contraindication for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adult patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult patients who received VA-ECMO at National Taiwan University Hospital between January 2010 and December 2021 were included. Patients who received regular dialysis before the index admission were included in the ESRD group. The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: 1341 patients were included in the analysis, 121 of whom had ESRD before index admission. The ESRD group was older (62.3 versus 56.8 years; P < 0.01) and had more comorbidities. Extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) was used more frequently in the ESRD group (66.1% versus 51.6%; P < 0.001). The ESRD group had higher in-hospital mortality rates (72.7% versus 63.3%; P = 0.03). In the ECPR subgroup, there was no difference of survival between ESRD and others(P = 0.56). In the multivariate Cox regression, ESRD was not an independent predictor for mortality (P = 0.20). CONCLUSIONS: ESRD was not an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality after VA-ECMO. The survival of ESRD patients was not inferior to those without ESRD when receiving ECPR. Therefore, ESRD should not be considered a contraindication to VA-ECMO in adults.

Impact of Previous Conventional Cardiac Surgery on the Clinical Outcomes After Heart Transplantation.

The impact of the type, purpose, and timing of prior surgery on heart transplantation (HT) remains unclear. This study investigated the influence of conventional cardiac surgery (PCCS) on HT outcomes. This study analyzed HTs performed between 1999 and 2019 at a single institution. Patients were categorized into two groups: those with and without PCCS. Short-term outcomes, including post-transplant complications and mortality rates, were evaluated. Cox proportional and Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were used to identify risk factors for mortality and assess long-term survival, respectively. Of 368 patients, 29% had PCCS. Patients with PCCS had a higher incidence of post-transplant complications. The in-hospital and 1 year mortality rates were higher in the PCCS group. PCCS and cardiopulmonary bypass time were significant risk factors for 1 year mortality (hazard ratios = 2.485 and 1.005, respectively). The long-term survival rates were lower in the PCCS group, particularly in the first year. In sub-analysis, patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and PCCS had the poorest outcomes. The era of surgery and timing of PCCS in relation to HT did not significantly impact outcomes. In conclusion, PCCS worsen the HT outcomes, especially in patients with ischemic etiology. However, the timing of PCCS and era of HT did not significantly affect this concern.

Urine output as one of the most important features in differentiating in-hospital death among patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: a random forest approach.

BACKGROUND: It is common to support cardiovascular function in critically ill patients with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The purpose of this study was to identify patients receiving ECMO with a considerable risk of dying in hospital using machine learning algorithms. METHODS: A total of 1342 adult patients on ECMO support were randomly assigned to the training and test groups. The discriminatory power (DP) for predicting in-hospital mortality was tested using both random forest (RF) and logistic regression (LR) algorithms. RESULTS: Urine output on the first day of ECMO implantation was found to be one of the most predictive features that were related to in-hospital death in both RF and LR models. For those with oliguria, the hazard ratio for 1 year mortality was 1.445 (p < 0.001, 95% CI 1.265-1.650). CONCLUSIONS: Oliguria within the first 24 h was deemed especially significant in differentiating in-hospital death and 1 year mortality.

Long-term outcomes of mitral valve replacement in dialysis patients: evidence from a nationwide database.

BACKGROUND: To compare the late outcomes between mechanical and bioprostheses after isolated mitral valve replacement (MVR) in dialysis-dependent patients. METHODS: A nationwide propensity-matched retrospective cohort study was conducted involving dialysis patients who underwent primary mitral replacement between 2001 and 2018. Ten-year postoperative outcomes were compared between mitral bioprosthesis and mechanical prosthesis using the Cox proportional hazard model and restricted mean survival time (RMST). RESULTS: The all-cause mortality was 20.8 and 13.0 events per 100 person-years, with a 10-year RMST of 7.40 and 7.31 years for bioprosthesis and mechanical prosthesis, respectively. Major bleeding was the most common adverse event for both bioprosthesis and mechanical prosthesis, with an incidence rate of 19.5 and 19.1 events per 100 person-years, respectively. The incidence of valve reoperation was higher among those who received bioprosthesis (0.55 events per 100 person-years). After 1:1 matching, the all-cause mortality was 15.45 and 14.54 events per 100 person-years for bioprosthesis and mechanical prosthesis, respectively. The RMST at 10 years was comparable between the two groups after matching (5.10 years for bioprosthesis vs. 4.59 years for mechanical prosthesis), with an RMST difference of -0.03. Further, no difference was observed in the incidence of major adverse valve-related events between bioprosthesis and mechanical valves. However, bioprosthesis was associated with a higher incidence of mitral valve reoperation among all major adverse events (RMST difference -0.24 years, 95% CI -0.48 to -0.01, P =0.047). CONCLUSIONS: This study found no association between valve selection and long-term survival outcomes in dialysis patients after MVR. However, bioprosthetic valves may be associated with a slightly higher incidence of reoperation, while other valve-related adverse events, including major bleeding and stroke, were comparable between the two types of prostheses.

Long-term outcomes of aortic valve replacement in dialysis patients - a nationwide retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Improved durability of modern biologic prostheses and growing experience with the transcatheter valve-in-valve technique have contributed to a substantial increase in the use of bioprostheses in younger patients. However, discussion of prosthetic valve selection in dialysis patients remains scarce as the guidelines are updated. This study aims to compare long-term outcomes between propensity score-matched cohorts of dialysis patients who underwent primary aortic valve replacement with a mechanical prosthesis or a bioprosthesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Longitudinal data of dialysis patients who underwent primary aortic valve replacement between 1 January 2001 and 31 December 2018, were retrieved from the National Health Insurance Research Database. RESULTS: A total of 891 eligible patients were identified, of whom 243 ideally matched pairs of patients were analyzed. There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.11, 95% CI: 0.88-1.40) or the incidence of major adverse prosthesis-related events between the two groups (hazard ratio 1.03, 95% CI: 0.84-1.25). In patients younger than 50 years of age, using a mechanical prosthesis was associated with a significantly longer survival time across 10 years of follow-up than using a bioprosthesis (restricted mean survival time) at 10 years: 7.24 (95% CI: 6.33-8.14) years for mechanical prosthesis versus 5.25 (95% CI: 4.25-6.25) years for bioprosthesis, restricted mean survival time difference 1.99 years, 95% CI: -3.34 to -0.64). CONCLUSION: A 2-year survival gain in favor of mechanical prostheses was identified in dialysis patients younger than 50 years. The authors suggest mechanical prostheses for aortic valve replacement in these younger patients.

Validation of the European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation II in a large Taiwan cardiac surgical centre.

BACKGROUND: The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation (EuroSCORE II) is a well-established scoring system for predicting mortality in cardiac surgery. This system was derived predominantly from a European patient cohort; however, no validation of this system has been conducted in Taiwan. We sought to assess the performance of EuroSCORE II at a tertiary centre. METHODS: The 2161 adult patients receiving cardiac surgery between 2017 and 2020 in our institution were included. RESULTS: Overall, the in-hospital mortality rate was 7.89%. The performance of EuroSCORE II was assessed using the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) for discrimination and the Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test for calibration. Data were analysed for type of surgery, risk stratification, and status of the operation. EuroSCORE II had good discriminative power (AUC=0.854, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.822-0.885) and good calibration (χ2=5.19, p=0.82) for all types of surgery except ventricular assist devices (AUC=0.618, 95% CI: 0.497-0.738). EuroSCORE II also showed good calibration for most types of surgery except coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) combined procedure (P=0.033), heart transplantation (HT) (P=0.017), and urgent operation (P=0.041). EuroSCORE II significantly underestimated the risk for CABG combined procedure and urgent operations, and overestimated the risk for HT. CONCLUSION: EuroSCORE II had satisfactory discrimination and calibration power to predict surgical mortality in Taiwan. However, the model is poorly calibrated for CABG combined procedure, HT, urgent operation, and, likely, lower- and higher-risk patients.

Effects of short-term oral anticoagulation following surgical bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: Short-term oral anticoagulation (OAC) is recommended for patients after surgical bioprosthetic aortic valve replacement (bAVR); however, the potential benefits remain controversial. This study evaluated the effects of short-term OAC following bAVR. METHODS: From 2010 to 2017, total 450 patients who underwent bAVR were enrolled. The outcomes of patients who did (OAC group) and who did not receive OAC (without-OAC group) after bAVR were compared. Propensity-score matching (PSM) was used to adjust for potential confounders, and a 1:1 matched cohort was formed. The main outcomes were all-cause mortality and bioprosthetic valve dysfunction (BVD). RESULTS: A total of 175 (39%) patients received OAC after bAVR. The median follow-up period was 2.9 years, the median duration of OAC use was 4 months; 162 pairs of patients were identified after the PSM. There was no significant difference in the prevalence of 1-year embolism/ischemic stroke between the OAC and without-OAC group in PSM cohort (0.62% vs. 1.89% for embolism, p = 0.623; 0 vs. 1.23% for ischemic stroke, p = 0.499). The prevalence of 1-year intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) between OAC and without-OAC group was also comparable (0.62% vs. 0.62%, p = 1). The OAC group had a lower all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR):0.488, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.259-0.919). There was also a trend for reduced BVD in the OAC group (aHR: 0.661, 95% CI: 0.339-1.290). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that short-term OAC use after bAVR was associated with lower all-cause mortality. The prevalence of 1-year embolism/ischemic stroke/ICH were comparable despite of OAC use.

Role of percutaneous pulmonary artery cannulation in extracorporeal life support for acute cardiac failure: A single-center case series.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary artery (PA) cannulation is an effective extracorporeal life support (ECLS) management for left ventricular (LV) decompression or right ventricular (RV) support. This case series explores the results of PA cannulation during ECLS for acute cardiac failure. METHODS: Patients receiving percutaneous PA cannulation between January 2017 and December 2020 in a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. Patients receiving PA cannulation by a surgical cutdown method were excluded. Based on the hemodynamic needs of the patients, percutaneous PA cannulation was applied with ECLS for LV unloading and/or RV support. The primary endpoint was the successful weaning from circulatory support. The secondary endpoints included 30-day or in-hospital mortality, significant periprocedural complications, and successful hospital discharge without major complications. RESULTS: Fifteen patients (13 men, age range 11.2-70.8 years) presented acute heart failure and were initially managed by conventional ECLS mode. Percutaneous PA cannulation was performed for LV unloading in 13 patients (86.67%) and isolated RV circulatory support in two patients (13.33%). Weaning from circulatory support was achieved in 11 patients (73.33%). No significant periprocedural complication, including bleeding, infection, or vascular event requiring surgical exploration, was reported. The 30-day or in-hospital mortality rate was 33.33%. Eight cases (53.33%) were successfully discharged without major complications, including permanent stroke or the need for long-term hemodialysis. CONCLUSIONS: PA cannulation, especially percutaneously performed, was effective and safe for LV unloading and/or RV support during ECLS. Further investigation is required to confirm the efficacy and safety of our approach and management in a larger patient population.

Coronavirus Disease Pandemic Effect on Medical-Seeking Behaviors Even in One Resource-Competent Community: A Case Controlled Study.

(1) Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic had overwhelming impacts on medical services. During its initial surge, Taiwan was unique in maintaining its medical services without imposing travel restrictions, which provided an ideal environment in which to test if the fear of becoming infected with COVID-19 interfered with health-seeking behavior (HSB). We tested this hypothesis among adults with acute complicated appendicitis (ACA). (2) Methods: Adults with acute appendicitis were enrolled between 1 January and 30 June 2020 (COVID-19 period). The first two quarters of the preceding 3 years were defined as a historical control group. Outcome measures included the rate of ACA and the number of hospital stays. (3) Results: The COVID-19 era included 145 patients with acute appendicitis. Compared to the historical control (320 patients), the COVID-19 era was significantly associated with a higher length of symptom duration until presentation to the emergency room within >48 h (17.2% vs. 9.1%, p = 0.011), a higher incidence of ACA (29.7% vs. 19.4%, p = 0.014), and a longer length of hospital stays (5.0 days vs. 4.0 days, p = 0.043). The adjusted models showed that the COVID-19 period had a significant relationship with a higher rate of ACA (odds ratio (OR) = 1.87; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.23-2.52; p = 0.008) and longer length of hospital stays (OR= 2.10; 95% CI: 0.92 to 3.31; p < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The fear of COVID-19 may prohibit patients from seeking medical help, worsening their clinical outcomes. The surgical community should take action to provide scientific information to relive mental stress.

Association between SLICC/ACR damage index and outcomes for lupus patients after cardiac valve surgery.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with multi-organ damage including cardiac valve, which may need valvular operation. However, methods for outcome prediction and prosthetic valve selection are unclear in SLE patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. Twenty-five SLE patients receiving valvular operation in a single institute between 2002 and 2020 were enrolled. Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SLICC/ACR damage index, SDI) was applied to evaluate the damage severity. Clinical outcomes were compared between patients with different SDI. The hospital survival rate was 88%, and long-term survival rate was 59.5% and 40.2% at 5 and 10 years. The median SDI was 4 (interquartile range 3-6) in our study, patients were then grouped into higher SDI (defined as SDI ≥ 5, n = 11) and lower SDI group (defined as SDI < 5, n = 14). The in-hospital survival rate (72.2% vs 100%, P = 0.074) and 5-year survival rate (18.2% vs 92.9%, P < 0.001) were lower in higher SDI group, compared to lower SDI group. SDI score was associated with long-term outcome for SLE patients receiving cardiac valve surgery. SDI ≥ 5 was associated with very poor long-term outcomes. This finding implicates that xenograft might be a reasonable choice for SLE patients with SDI ≥ 5.

Impact of duration of mechanical support on heart transplantation: Hasty transplantation may not have a good long-term outcome.

BACKGROUND: Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has been widely utilized in critically ill cardiac transplant candidates. Few studies have investigated the impact of duration of MCS before heart transplantation (HTx) on long-term patient survival. METHODS: A retrospective HTx database was reviewed between 2009 and 2019. Patients who did not or did undergo MCS before HTx were categorized into two groups: (1) A (did not) and (2) B (did), respectively. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to assess the cutoff level of MCS duration before HTx in evaluating 5-year survival. RESULT: A total of 270 HTx patients (group A: 120, group B: 150) were analyzed. Group B patients had a higher percentage of blood type O, a higher incidence of resuscitation, a shorter listing duration, and a higher likelihood of having United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) 1A status than group A. The ROC curve revealed 24 days as a good cut-off level for determining the best MCS before HTx timing. Group B was categorized into two subgroups: (1) B1 (MCS < 24 days, n = 65) and (2) B2 (MCS > 24 days, n = 85). B2 had a higher incidence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), hemodialysis, longer waiting time after MCS, and better ventricular assist device implantation than B1. However, the survival curves showed that B1 outcomes were significantly worse than in groups A and B2. Groups A and B2 had similar survival curves without an increased incidence of infection. CONCLUSION: The preliminary data demonstrated that a longer duration of MCS may be associated with better outcomes than urgent HTx.

Risk stratification and cost-effectiveness analysis of adult patients receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES: A more effective allocation of critical care resources is important as the cost of intensive care increases. A model has been developed to predict the probability of in-hospital death among patients who received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Cost-effectiveness analyses (CEA) were performed regarding the relationship between hospitalization expenses and predicted survival outcomes. METHODS: Adult patients who received ECMO in a medical center in Taiwan (2005-2016) were included. A logistic regression model was applied to a spectrum of clinical measures obtained before and during ECMO institutions to identify the risk variables for in-hospital mortality. CEA were reported as a predictive risk in quintiles and defined as the cost of each quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). The distribution of the cost-effectiveness ratio (CER) was measured by the ellipse and acceptability curve methods. RESULTS: A total of 919 patients (659 males, mean age: 53.7 years) were enrolled. Ten variables emerged as significant predictors of in-hospital death. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.75 (95% confidence interval: 0.72-0.79). In-hospital and total follow-up times were 40,366 and 660,205 person-days, respectively. The total in-hospital expense was $31,818,701 USD and the total effectiveness was 1687.3 QALY. For the lowest to the highest risk quintile, the mean mortality risks were 0.30, 0.48, 0.61, 0.75, and 0.88, and mean adjusted CER were $24,230, $43,042, $54,929, $84,973, and $149,095 per QALY, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The efficient allocation of limited and costly resources is most important when one is forced to decide between groups of critically ill patients. The current analyses of ECMO outcomes should assist in identifying candidates with the greatest prospect for survival while avoiding futile treatments.

Impact of Pretransplant Renal Replacement Therapy on Clinical Outcome After Isolated Heart Transplantation.

End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a contraindication to isolated heart transplantation (HT). However, heart candidates with cardiogenic shock may experience acute kidney injury and require renal replacement therapy (RRT) and isolated HT as a life-saving operation. The outcomes, including survival and renal function, are rarely reported. We enrolled 569 patients undergoing isolated HT from 1989 to 2018. Among them, 66 patients required RRT before HT (34 transient and 32 persistent). The survival was worse in patients with RRT than those without (65.2% vs 84.7%; 27.3% vs 51.1% at 1- and 10-year, p < 0.001 and p = 0.012, respectively). Multivariate Cox analysis identified pre-transplant hyperbilirubinemia (Hazard ratio (HR) 2.534, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.098-5.853, p = 0.029), post-transplant RRT (HR 5.551, 95%CI 1.280-24.068, p = 0.022) and post-transplant early bloodstream infection (HR 3.014, 95%CI 1.270-7.152, p = 0.012) as independent risk factors of 1-year mortality. The majority of operative survivors (98%) displayed renal recovery after HT. Although patients with persistent or transient RRT before HT had a similar long-term survival, patients with persistent RRT developed a high incidence (49.2%) of dialysis-dependent ESRD at 10 years. In transplant candidates with pretransplant RRT, hyperbilirubinemia should be carefully re-evaluated for the eligibility of HT whereas prevention and management of bloodstream infection after HT improve survival.

Impact of pre-transplant bloodstream infection on clinical outcomes after heart transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Active bloodstream infection (BSI) is a contraindication for heart transplantation (HT). However, some critical patients with BSI may undergo HT as a life-saving procedure. We aimed to investigate the impact of pre-transplant BSI on the clinical outcomes after HT. METHODS: We enrolled 511 consecutive patients who underwent HT between 1999 and 2019. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence of BSI within 30 days preoperatively. Forty-three patients (8.4%) with BSI who were clinically stable and had no metastatic infection were considered for HT on an individual basis. In-hospital mortality, incidence of early postoperative BSI, length of postoperative hospital stays, and long-term survival were compared between the groups. Logistic and Cox regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for in-hospital and 1-year mortality. RESULTS: Patients with pre-transplant BSI had a high incidence of previous cardiopulmonary resuscitation, pre-transplant ventilator use, mechanical circulatory support use, renal replacement therapy, United Network for Organ Sharing status 1A, and a prolonged preoperative hospital waiting period. The in-hospital mortality rate was higher in patients with pre-transplant BSI (21% vs. 12%, p = .081), and the mortality rate was very high (33.3%) for those with BSI 0-15 days before HT. In addition, patients with pre-transplant BSI had a significantly longer postoperative hospital stay than patients in the control group. However, long-term survival was similar in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Although pre-transplant BSI was associated with higher in-hospital mortality and prolonged postoperative hospital stay, patients who survived the early period had a similar long-term prognosis.

Outcome of urgent desensitization in sensitized heart transplant recipients.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sensitization, the presence of preformed anti-human antibody in recipients, restricts access to ABO-compatible donors in heart transplant. Desensitization therapy works by reducing preformed antibodies to increase the chances of a negative crossmatch or permit safe transplantation across positive crossmatch. There is no consensus regarding the desensitization protocol in cardiac patients, and the outcome of desensitization remains under debate. METHODS: Twenty-five consecutive sensitized heart transplant recipients received perioperative desensitization in our institution from 2012 to 2019. One-year patient survival and graft rejection rate were analyzed and compared between sensitized recipients and non-sensitized recipients. RESULTS: Within the first year after transplant, patient survival in sensitized recipients was 76%. Infection was the major cause of death. The cumulative incidence of rejection was 8% for antibody-mediated rejection and 16% for acute cellular rejection. No significant difference in 1-year survival or rejection rate could be demonstrated between sensitized and nonsensitized recipients. CONCLUSION: Acceptable early outcomes in patient survival and graft rejection could be anticipated in sensitized heart transplant recipients under a perioperative algorithm using complement-dependent cytotoxicity crossmatch- or panel-reactive antibody-directed urgent immunomodulation strategies, while infection remains the major concern.

Comparison of robotic and conventional sternotomy in redo mitral valve surgery.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Redo operation for mitral valve surgery carries higher risks than first time cardiac surgery. The adhesion between sternum and heart, and also the complexity of second time operation make the redo operation more difficult. The robotic surgery carries some benefit in terms of magnification, assisted by the scope view and precise movement of the instruments. We compared the results of our robotic redo mitral valve surgeries with those of conventional re-sternotomy. METHODS: Medical records of patients who underwent redo mitral valve surgeries between 2012 and 2019 at our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic data, patients' medical histories, presenting symptoms, image analyses, echocardiogram data, operative procedures and postoperative clinical outcomes were collected through chart review. RESULTS: A total of 67 redo mitral valve surgeries, including 23 robotic and 44 re-sternotomy procedures were performed. There were no differences in age, previous operation times, and intervals to previous surgery. Comorbidities of both groups were similar. There was no surgical mortality in the robotic group, and it was 9.0% in the re-sternotomy group (p = 0.287). Operation time was shorter in the robotic group (176 vs. 321 min; robotic vs. re-sternotomy, p＝0.0279). Blood transfusion was lower in the robotic group (1 vs. 2 units; robotic vs. re-sternotomy, p = 0.01189). The ventilation time, ICU stay time, and recheck bleeding rate were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: In select patients, robotic redo mitral valve surgery is safe and feasible. It could offer low operative mortality. It is associated with shorter operative times, than re-sternotomy and provides equal immediate operative results.

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Immunocompromised Patients With Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome-A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: Although the negative impact of immunosuppression on survival in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) treated by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is well known, short-term outcomes such as successful weaning rate from ECMO and subgroups benefit most from ECMO remain to be determined. The aims of this study were (1) to identify the association between immunocompromised status and weaning from ECMO in patients of ARDS, and (2) to identify subgroups of immunocompromised patients who may benefit from ECMO. Methods: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients who received ECMO for ARDS from 2010 to 2020. Immunocompromised status was defined as having a hematological malignancy, active solid tumor, solid organ transplant, or autoimmune disease. Results: This study enrolled 256 ARDS patients who received ECMO, of whom 68 were immunocompromised. The multivariable analysis showed that immunocompromised status was not independently associated with failure to wean from ECMO. In addition, the patients with an autoimmune disease (14/24, 58.3%) and organ transplantation (3/3, 100%) had a numerically higher weaning rate from ECMO than other immunocompromised patients. For causes of ARDS, most patients with pulmonary hemorrhage (6/8, 75%) and aspiration (5/9, 55.6%) could be weaned from ECMO, compared to only a few of the patients with interstitial lung disease (2/9, 22.2%) and sepsis (1/4, 25%). Conclusions: Immunocompromised status was not an independent risk factor of failure to wean from ECMO in patients with ARDS. For patients with pulmonary hemorrhage and aspiration-related ARDS, ECMO may be beneficial as bridge therapy.

Outcome Comparison Between Open and Endovascular Aortic Repair for Retrograde Type A Intramural Hematoma With Intimal Tear in the Descending Thoracic Aorta: A Retrospective Observational Study.

Objective: The optimal treatment modality for retrograde type A intramural hematoma (IMH) remains debatable. This study evaluated and compared surgical outcomes and aortic remodeling after open aortic repair and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with retrograde type A IMH with a primary intimal tear or ulcer like projection in the descending aorta. Methods: A single center, retrospective observational study was performed on patients with retrograde type A IMH undergoing either open aortic repair and TEVAR. From June 2009 and November 2019, 46 patients with retrograde type A IMH who received either open aortic repair or TEVAR at our institution were reviewed for clinical outcomes, including post-operative mortality/morbidity, re-intervention rate and aortic remodeling. Results: 33 patients underwent open aortic repair and 13 underwent TEVAR. Median age was 68 years (interquartile range [IQR] 15.2 years) and 63 years (IQR 22.5 years) for the open repair group and TEVAR group, respectively. The median duration of follow-up for TEVAR patients was 37.6 months and 40.3 months for open aortic repair. No difference in the 5-year estimated freedom from all-cause mortality (82.1 vs. 87.8%, p = 0.34), re-intervention (82.5 vs. 93.8%, p = 0.08), and aortic-related mortality (88.9 vs. 90.9%, p = 0.88) were observed between the TEVAR and open repair group, respectively; however, the open repair group had a significantly higher 30-day composite morbidity (39.4 vs. 7.7%, p = 0.037). All patients from both treatment groups had complete resolution of the IMH in the ascending aorta. With regard to the descending thoracic aorta, TEVAR group had a significantly greater regression in the diameter of the false lumen or IMH thickness when compared to the open repair group [median 14mm (IQR 10.1) vs. 5mm (IQR 9.5), p < 0.001]. Conclusion: TEVAR and open aortic repair were both effective treatments for retrograde type A IMH, in which no residual ascending aortic IMH was observed during follow-up. TEVAR was also associated with lower post-operative composite morbidities and better descending aortic remodeling. In selected patients with retrograde type A IMH, TEVAR might be a safe, effective alternative treatment modality.