Concomitant Mitral Valve Repair vs Replacement During Surgical Ventricular Restoration for Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

There is no consensus regarding mitral valve management during surgical ventricular restoration (SVR) for ischemic cardiomyopathy. We compared the impact of SVR with mitral valve repair (MVr) vs replacement (MVR) on postoperative outcomes and long-term survival in ischemic cardiomyopathy and mitral regurgitation patients. This study included 112 patients who underwent SVR from 2009 to 2018 with MVr (n = 75) or MVR (n = 37). Patients who had MVR had higher Euro SCORE II, dyspnea class, a lower ejection fraction, higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure, higher grade of preoperative mitral and tricuspid regurgitation, and higher end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters. Intra-aortic balloon pump was more commonly used in patients with MVR. Hospital mortality occurred in 7 (9.33%) patients in the MVr group vs 3 (8.11%) in the MVR group (P > .99). Freedom from rehospitalization at 1, 5, and 7 years was 87%, 76%, and 70% in the MVr group and 83%, 61%, and 52% in the MVR group (P = .191). Survival at 1, 5, and 7 years was 88%, 78%, and 74% in the MVr group and 88%, 56%, and 56% in the MVR group (P = .027). Adjusted survival did not differ between groups.MVr or MVR are valid options in patients undergoing SVR, with good long-term outcomes.

Peripheral Pulmonary Artery Stenosis Is Not a Contraindication to a Single-ventricle Pathway.

BACKGROUND: The presence of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis (PPAS) involving lobar and/or segmental pulmonary artery (PA) branches might preclude proceeding to a single-ventricle pathway. We adopted a strict strategy for PA rehabilitation and surgical reconstruction in patients who are unable to progress to a single-ventricle pathway. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 22 patients with single-ventricle physiology who underwent surgical reconstruction for PPAS from April 2008 to March 2020. Our surgical approach was single stage in 15 patients (68.2%) and 2 stage in 7 patients (31.8%) depending on the presence or absence of PA hypoplasia distal to the PPAS. RESULTS: The PPAS was type 3 (lobar) in 19 patients (86.4%) and type 4 (segmental) in 3 patients (13.6%). The mean number of PA angioplasties performed was 8 ± 5.6 per patient. There was no mortality in this series with a median of 52 months (range, 8-143) of follow-up. Twenty patients (90.9%) were able to progress in the single-ventricle pathway with 12 patients (54.5%) undergoing a Fontan operation and 8 patients (36.4%) achieving bidirectional Glenn shunt and awaiting a Fontan operation. Two patients (9.1%) were not suitable to progress to the single-ventricle pathway because of elevated PA pressure. All patients who achieved cavopulmonary connection were alive and asymptomatic with no signs of elevation of PA pressure. No patient required further reinterventions for the PA. CONCLUSIONS: PPAS is not a contraindication for single-ventricle palliation. With careful planning and aggressive early surgical reconstruction, most of these patients can successfully progress to cavopulmonary connections.

Late Outcomes After Pulmonary Arterial Reconstruction in Patients With Arterial Tortuosity Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Surgical pulmonary artery reconstruction in patients with arterial tortuosity syndrome has excellent outcomes. In this study, we report our late outcomes after more than a decade of experience with such complex interventions. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 33 arterial tortuosity syndrome patients who underwent pulmonary artery reconstruction. The mean preoperative right ventricular to left ventricular pressure ratio was 1.19 ± 0.2. Our surgical approach included either a single-stage complete repair through a median sternotomy (17 patients) or a two-stage repair through sternotomy/left thoracotomy (16 patients), depending on the degree of distal involvement in the left pulmonary artery. RESULTS: Median age was 36 months. All patients had distal segmental peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis. Thirty patients (90.1%) were symptomatic before surgery. There was one hospital death due to viral pneumonia 78 days after the surgery (in-hospital mortality 3%). The mean right ventricular to left ventricular pressure ratio decreased to 0.31 ± 0.07 early postoperatively (P < 0.001), representing a 74% reduction compared with preoperative values. Follow-up was 100% complete for all hospital survivors (32 of 33) with a mean follow-up of 70.42 ± 43.32 months (range, 2 to 143). There was no late mortality or need for reintervention (surgical or catheter based) after hospital discharge. In late postoperative catheterization, the mean right ventricular to left ventricular pressure ratio was 0.27 ± 0.05 (P = .003 compared with early postoperative value). All patients were asymptomatic on their most recent follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: A strategy of complete surgical reconstruction of all stenotic pulmonary artery segments in patients with arterial tortuosity syndrome is recommended for sustainable successful outcomes more than a decade later.

Late outcomes of surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary arteries.

OBJECTIVE: The ideal management of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis is still controversial. We adopted a primary surgical approach to this complex lesion with excellent early outcomes. In this study, we analyzed our late outcomes. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of 91 patients with biventricular anatomy who underwent peripheral pulmonary artery reconstruction from March 2008 to July 2020. Our surgical approach included either a single-stage complete repair through median sternotomy or a 2-stage repair through sternotomy/left thoracotomy, depending on the degree of distal involvement of the left pulmonary artery branches. RESULTS: Median age was 26 months. Syndromic etiology was established in 54 patients (59.3%) versus nonsyndromic etiology in 37 patients (40.7%). Single-stage repair was achieved in 68 patients (74.7%). There were 2 (2.2%) in-hospital mortalities. The mean right ventricular to aortic systolic pressure ratio decreased from 1.07 ± 0.20 preoperatively to 0.32 ± 0.07 immediately postoperatively (P < .001), representing a 70.1% reduction. At 1-year postoperative catheterization, the mean right ventricular to aortic systolic pressure ratio was 0.28 ± 0.05 (P < .001 compared with immediately postoperative value). With a median follow-up of 68 months (IQR, 39-117.5 months), there was no late mortality after discharge. All patients were active and asymptomatic on the most recent follow-up. There were no early or late reinterventions on pulmonary arteries. CONCLUSIONS: Late outcomes of surgical reconstruction of peripheral pulmonary arteries are excellent and durable in various pathologies (syndromic and nonsyndromic) with a significant reduction in right ventricular to aortic systolic pressure ratio, low mortality, and no reintervention.

Stent graft deployment in haemodialysis fistula: patency rates in partially thrombosed aneurysm and residual thrombi.

BACKGROUND: Current evidence is insufficient to determine the contribution of stent grafts as treatment in partially thrombosed aneurysms or residual wall-adherent thrombi in arteriovenous fistulae (AVFs) for haemodialysis. The overall purpose of this study was to analyse patency rates of post-interventional covered stent deployment in those cases. We also assessed if patency rates differed when fistulas were punctured through the stent during dialysis sessions. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study between 2006 and 2014 analysing post-intervention primary patency rates using the Kaplan-Meier log-rank test. Multivariate Cox proportional regression models were performed to determine if cannulation within the stent graft area was a potential risk factor for occlusion, by adjusted hazard ratio (HR). RESULTS: A total of 27 procedures were included in the study. Primary patency rates (%) after stent deployment at 3, 6, 12, 24, 36 and 72 months were, respectively: total 59, 32, 32, 21, 11 and 5; stent puncture 53, 21, 21, 16, 5 and 0; and no stent puncture 80, 80, 80, 40, 40 and 40. Cannulation through the stent graft was not significantly associated with increased risk of obstruction in multivariate analysis (HR = 3.01; P = 0.286). CONCLUSION: Stent graft treatment may be a feasible procedure in partially thrombosed aneurysms and residual thrombi in AVF. Although fistulas punctured through the stent presented lower patency rates, this practice was not associated with a higher risk of obstruction. Giving the impossibility of comparing with similar approaches, further studies are needed to confirm or refute the advantages of this procedure.

Degree of right ventricular dysfunction dictates outcomes after tricuspid valve repair concomitant with left-side valve surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The effect of different degrees of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction on long-term outcomes after tricuspid valve repair is the subject of ongoing research. We sought to evaluate the effect of preoperative RV dysfunction on mortality and recurrence of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) after tricuspid valve repair for secondary TR concomitant with left-side valve surgery. METHODS: This is a retrospective study, including 548 patients who underwent repair of secondary TR (2009-2017) at a single institution. Patients were grouped according to preoperative right ventricular (RV) systolic function into three groups; normal RV function (group 1, n = 451), mild RV dysfunction (group 2, n = 60) and moderate/severe RV dysfunction (group 3, n = 37). Study endpoints were mortality and recurrence of TR. RESULTS: Group 3 was associated with the highest hospital mortality (10.2%, p = .06). Predictors of moderate or higher grade TR were NYHA class (HR 2.1, p = 0.03); preoperative TR grade (HR 1.9, p < 0.01), mild RV dysfunction (HR 2.4, p < 0.01), isolated RV dilatation (HR 2.0, p < 0.01), and flexible TV repair prostheses (HR 2.4, p = 0.01). Predictors of mortality were renal impairment (HR 3.0, p < 0.01), ejection fraction (HR 0.97, p = 0.02), pulmonary artery systolic pressure (HR 1.02, p = 0.02), preoperative TR grade (HR 1.7, p < 0.01), and moderate/severe RV dysfunction (HR 3.1, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Compared to normal and mild degree of RV dysfunction, moderate and severe RV dysfunction were independent predictors of poor long-term survival. Isolated RV dilatation increased the recurrence of TR. RV dysfunction and dilatation could be indications of tricuspid valve repair.

Late tricuspid regurgitation and right ventricular remodeling after tricuspid annuloplasty.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present retrospective study was to evaluate the influence of preoperative right ventricular (RV) and tricuspid valve (TV) remodeling on the fate of tricuspid annuloplasty (TA) and right ventricle. METHODS: From May 2009 to December 2015, 423 patients who had undergone TA for functional tricuspid regurgitation (TR) were included in the study. Residual and recurrent TR were defined as moderate or more TR at discharge and follow-up, respectively. RV remodeling was defined as RV dysfunction and/or dilation. RESULTS: Residual TR after TA was recorded in 54 patients (13%). Five-year freedom from TR recurrence was 81% ± 3% in patients without residual TR and 41 ± 8 in patients with residual TR (P < .001). In patients without residual TR, the following risk factors for recurrent TR and late RV remodeling were identified: preoperative systolic pulmonary artery pressure, preoperative RV remodeling, severe preoperative TR or less than severe TR but with TV apparatus remodeling, and etiology of mitral regurgitation. Cox analysis with time-dependent variables confirmed TR recurrence (hazard ratio [HR]: 3.1) and late RV remodeling (HR: 6.5) as risk factors for lower survival. No protective effect of either flexible band or rigid ring TA compared with DeVega procedure was found. Similarly, preoperative atrial fibrillation and pacemaker dependency, late failure of mitral valve surgery did not affect the fate of TR. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic TA should be encouraged among surgeons. TA at the time of left-sided valve surgery should take into consideration not only annular size, but also tethering severity and RV remodeling.

del Nido Cardioplegia in Adult Patients: A Propensity-Matched Study of 102 Consecutive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric del Nido cardioplegia (DNC) has been tested in selected populations of low-risk adult patients. This study examined its use in an unselected medium-to-high-risk adult population and compared the results with a propensity-matched population that received intermittent warm blood cardioplegia (IWBC). METHODS: Data from the last 1,000 consecutive adult patients who underwent a variety of surgical procedures under cardioplegic arrest with the use of IWBC or DNC between 2016 and 2018 were propensity score matched on preoperative clinical and demographic variables. Two (2) main populations were 102 patients who received DNC and another set of matched 102 patients from a total of 1,000 patients who received IWBC, along with a subgroup with an ejection fraction (EF) ≤40% (EFDNC vs EFIWBC). Postoperative outcomes were mortality, peak troponin T, postoperative EF%, and aortic cross-clamp time. RESULTS: There were no preoperative differences amongst the groups in the main cohort (Euroscore II: DNC 4.1±8, IWBC 4.0±7; EF%: DNC 47±10, IWBC 47±11) and in the subgroup (EF%: EFDNC 32±6%, EFIWBC 32±6%; p=0.45). There were also no differences in three of the outcomes. A significant postoperative improvement was noticed in the EF% in the DNC (32±6% 95% CI 29-34 to 39±12 95% CI 34-44; p=0.001) in the EFDNC group. CONCLUSIONS: This initial experience of del Nido cardioplegia proved to be effective in a variety of challenging pathologies in adult populations.

Surgical mitral plasticity for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The outcome of mitral valve (MV) repair for chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is suboptimal, due to the high recurrence rate of moderate or severe mitral regurgitation (MR) during follow-up. The MV adapts to new MR increasing its area to cover the enlarged annular area (mitral plasticity). As this process is often incomplete, we aimed to evaluate if augmenting the anterior leaflet (AL) and cutting the second-order chords (CC) together with restrictive mitral annuloplasty, a strategy we call "surgical mitral plasticity," could improve the midterm results of MV repair for IMR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From November 2017 to October 2019, 22 patients with chronic IMR underwent surgical mitral plasticity. Mean age was 73 ± 7 years and six were female. Mean ejection fraction was 32% ± 11%, IMR grade was moderate in 10 and severe in 12. Mean clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was 12 ± 6 months. RESULTS: There was no early death, and one patient died 6 months after surgery. Ejection fraction improved from 32% ± 15% to 40% ± 6% (P = .031). IMR was absent or mild in all patients, and none showed recurrent moderate or more IMR. Tenting area decreased significantly from 2.5 ± 0.5 to 0.5 ± 0.3 cm² and coaptation length increased from 1.9 ± 0.7 to 7.8 ± 1.6 mm. All patients were in New York Heart Association class I or II. CONCLUSIONS: Mitral plasticity, if uncomplete, is ineffective in preventing IMR to become significant. Surgical mitral plasticity, by completing incomplete process of MV adaptation, has a strong rationale, which however needs to be validated with longer follow-up.

Early failure of tricuspid annuloplasty. Should we repair the tricuspid valve at an earlier stage? The role of right ventricle and tricuspid apparatus.

BACKGROUND: We sought to identify subgroups of patients at a higher probability of tricuspid annuloplasty (TAP) failure early after surgery. METHODS: From May 2009 to December 2015, 688 patients undergoing TAP for functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) at a single institution were included in the study. In all patients, a complete transthoracic echocardiographic evaluation of right ventricle (RV) and tricuspid valve (TV) apparatus was collected. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients (3.8%) died within the first 30 days of surgery. Residual TR after TAP was recorded in 85 (12.4%), moderate in 80 (11.7%) and severe in 5 (0.7%). Preoperative TV apparatus remodeling was associated with residual TR; in particular, the following cutoffs were identified: TV coaptation depth ≥6.5 mm, tenting area ≥0.85 cm2 , and tricuspid annulus ≥35 mm. The entire cohort was stratified in three subsets: patients having preoperative mild/moderate TR without preoperative TV apparatus and/or RV remodeling (n = 178); patients having mild/moderate TR with TV apparatus and/or RV remodeling (n = 317); patients with severe TR regardless of TV apparatus and/or RV remodeling (n = 193). Residual TR was 2.8%, 10.4%, and 24.3%, respectively (P < 0.001). At multivariable analysis, patients showing preoperative mild/moderate TR with TV apparatus and/or RV remodeling as well as patients with severe TR were at significantly higher risk for early failure. No difference was found regarding the type of TV repair performed. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic TAP should be encouraged among surgeons even earlier than guidelines recommend, and decision-making for the treatment of low-grade FTR at the time of left-sided valve surgery should take into consideration not only annular size but also tethering severity and RV dilatation.

Elective Primary or Secondary Delayed Sternal Closure Improves Outcome in Severely Compromised Patients.

BACKGROUND: Delayed sternal closure (DSC) in patients with severely compromised preoperative hemodynamics can be helpful as the chest sometimes cannot be able to contain both lungs and heart. We report our experience to evaluate the midterm results of this strategy in an adult population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From May 2009 till July 2015, 33 patients had DSC as first treatment of severe hemodynamic deterioration after cardiac surgery. Surgical procedures were valvular (9.27%) or coronary artery bypass grafting + others (24.73%). Stepwise logistic regression (SLR) showed that patients with lower ejection fraction, dilated right ventricle, and severe pulmonary hypertension were more likely to need DSC. Patients were divided in two groups: group A (n = 17), when the sternum was reopened before any hemodynamic collapse, or was never closed, and group B (n = 16), when the sternum was reopened after hemodynamic collapse. RESULTS: Inhospital mortality was 39% (n = 13), 18% in group A and 62% in group B (p < 0.0001). In 28 patients where the sternum was reopened, cardiac index increased from 1.7 (1.6, 1.9) L/m2 to 2.8 (2.4, 3) L/m2, p < 0.0001. The sternum was closed in 28 patients (85%), 94% in group A and 75% in group B (p = 0.13), after a median of 4 (2.5) days. SLR showed that only group B (p < 0.0001) was a risk factor for early death. Two-year survival was 48 ± 9%, higher in group A (71 ± 13) than in group B (25 ± 11), p < 0.0001. Cox's analysis showed that group B (p < 0.0001) and redo (p < 0.0001) were risk factors for lower survival. CONCLUSION: Elective DSC represents a useful strategy in severely compromised patients, entailing an improvement of hemodynamics and a higher survival.

Additive and independent prognostic role of abnormal right ventricle and pulmonary hypertension in mitral-tricuspid surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the additive and independent prognostic value of abnormal right ventricle (aRV) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients undergoing mitral-tricuspid surgery. METHODS: From January 2009 to December 2012, 541 patients underwent mitro-tricuspid surgery. The entire cohort was divided into 6 subgroups: 63 cases had normal RV and no PH (Group A), 180 normal RV but moderate PH (Group B), 101 normal RV but severe PH (Group C), 15 abnormal RV and no-PH (Group D), 86 abnormal RV and moderate PH (Group E) and 96 abnormal RV and severe PH (Group F). RESULTS: Forty-two (7.8%) patients died in hospital due to any cause: 1.6% in group A, 3.9% in group B, 8.9% in group C, 13.3% in group D, 9.3% in group E, 15.6% in group E, p = 0.005. Among 78 patients with no-PH, mortality was significantly higher in patients with aRV (1.6%vs 13.3%. p = 0.03). Among 344 patients with normal RV, mortality was significantly higher in patients with severe PH (1.6% vs 3.9% vs 8.9%. p = 0.03). Comparing the presence of both abnormal RV and severe PH with the remaining patients, mortality was significantly higher in the first group (15.6% 6.1%, p = 0.004). Multivariable analysis confirmed either the independent or the additive role of RV and PH. CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing mitral-tricuspid valve surgery, the presence of either RV dysfunction/dilatation or severe pulmonary hypertension, might play an independent prognostic role for mortality. The worst scenario is surely the contemporary presence of both conditions.

Severe ischemic cardiomyopathy with mechanical complications: Still a surgical disease.

BACKGROUND: Surgical treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) with mechanical complications has been limited in favor of suboptimal treatments because of the perception of poor outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS: From May 2009 till June 2014 115 patients with severe ICM (ejection fraction, EF, ≤25%) and mechanical complications were operated on. Median EF was 24% (19, 24), mean end-systolic volume index (ESVi) was 86±27ml/m2 and all patients had an MR grade of 2 or more. The right ventricle (RV) was hypokinetic in 33 patients. All of them underwent mitral valve surgery. Left ventricular (LV) surgical remodeling was performed in 60 patients (52.2%) and tricuspid surgery in 58 (50.4%). In-hospital mortality was 4.3% (5 patients). Six-year freedom from death any cause and from death any cause and NYHA class III/IV were, respectively, 70.5±4.9% and 66.4±4.8%. Cox regression analysis showed that risk factors were lower EF (cutpoint≤20%) and RV hypokinesia. Eighty-six patients had a follow up echocardiogram after a median of 31 (19, 51) months. EF increased by 60%, from 24 (19, 24) to 35 (27 ,46) (p=0.00), and ESVi decreased by 32%, from 87±29 to 59±27ml/m2 (p=0.00). SVi increased by 32%, from 23±7 to 32±12ml/m2. MR grade was ≥2 only in 6 patients (7%) and was not severe in any of them. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery for severe ICM with MR can be performed with low surgical risk and good midterm survival. These findings have to be taken into account while abandoning a clear surgical indication in favor of suboptimal alternative therapies.

Outcome of left ventricular surgical remodelling after the STICH trial.

OBJECTIVES: After the publication of the Surgical Treatment for Ischaemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial, surgical indications to left ventricular surgical remodelling (LVSR) have become more restrictive. The experience we report reflects the changes in the real world after the publication of STICH trial. METHODS: From May 2009 to July 2014, 113 patients underwent LVSR, targeted mainly to the left anterior descending territory (89.4%). Of these, 18 patients (15.9%) were operated on an emergency basis. Early and mid-term outcomes were assessed to identify clinical and echocardiographic risk factors. RESULTS: Most patients (90.3%) had chronic ischaemic mitral regurgitation (CIMR) and were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III/IV (77.9%). The median ejection fraction (EF) was 26% [95% confidence interval (CI): 26, 28] and scarred areas were akinetic (86.7%) in most cases. Severe left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) was found in 33.6% of patients. Mitral valve surgery was performed in 84.1% of patients. Five patients (4.4%) died while in hospital, all from cardiac causes. Risk factors were abnormal bilirubin and emergency status. After a median follow-up of 12 (95% CI: 6, 18) months, 22 patients died, 17 from cardiac causes. Five-year freedom from death any from cause was 73 ± 5%, emergency status and MR Grade 4 being the only risk factors. Five-year freedom from death from any cause and NYHA class III/IV was 61 ± 6%. Severe LVDD and emergency status were risk factors, along with high bilirubin and diabetes mellitus on insulin. Five-year freedom from death from any cause and non-fatal cardiovascular events (rehospitalization, reoperation and stroke) was 55 ± 6%. LVDD and atrial fibrillation were found to be risk factors. After a median follow-up of 31 (95% CI: 19, 38) months, 91 patients underwent postoperative echocardiography. EF increased by 20%, but stroke volume remained unchanged. Postoperatively, patients with severe LVDD had lower EF and higher end-systolic volumes than patients without LVDD. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that patients, who are candidates for LVSR, have mostly akinetic areas and CIMR requiring surgical correction and are severely symptomatic. Severe LVDD is common and, along with emergency status, is the most important risk factor for early and late outcome.