Hyper-Raman spectroscopy of biomolecules.

The hyper-Raman scattering (HRS) spectra of biologically significant molecules (D-glucose, L-alanine, L-arabinose, L-tartaric acid) in aqueous solutions are reported. The HRS spectra were measured using a picosecond laser at 532 nm operating at a MHz repetition rate. High signal to noise spectra were collected with a commercial spectrometer and CCD without resonant, nanoparticle, or surface enhancement. The HRS peak frequencies, relative intensities, band assignments, and depolarization ratios are examined. By comparing HRS to Raman scattering (RS) and infrared absorption spectra we verify that the IR-active vibrational modes of the target molecules are observed in HRS spectra but come with substantially different peak intensities. The HRS of the biomolecules as well as water, dimethyl sulfoxide, methanol, and ethanol were deposited into a data repository to support the development of theoretical descriptions of HRS for these molecules. Depositing the spectra in a repository also supports future dual detection RS, HRS microscopes which permit simultaneous high-spatial-resolution vibrational spectroscopy of IR-active and Raman-active vibrational modes.

Sex differences and estrogen effects in cardiac mitochondria in human aortic stenosis and in the mouse heart.

Introduction: Sex differences in the adaptation to pressure overload have been described in humans, as well as animal models, and have been related to sex-specific expression of mitochondrial genes. We therefore tested whether sex differences in cardiac mitochondrial respiration exist in humans with aortic stenosis (AS). We also examined whether these potential differences may be at least partially due to sex hormones by testing if mitochondrial respiration is affected by estrogen (17ß-estradiol (E2)). Methods: Consecutive patients undergoing transapical aortic valve implantation (TAVI) (women, n = 7; men, n = 10) were included. Cardiac biopsies were obtained during TAVI and used directly for mitochondrial function measurements. Male and female C57BL/6J mice (n = 8/group) underwent sham surgery or gonadectomy (GDX) at the age of 2 months. After 14 days, mice were treated once with intraperitoneally injected vehicle (placebo), 17ß-estradiol (E2), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) agonist [propyl pyrazole triol (PPT)], or ER beta (ERß) agonist (BAY-1214257). Thereafter, mitochondrial measurements were performed directly in cardiac skinned fibers from isolated left ventricles and musculus solei. Results: Mitochondrial State-3 respiration was higher in female than that in male human heart biopsies (15.0 ± 2.30 vs. 10.3 ± 2.05 nmol/mL/min/mg, p< 0.05). In the mouse model, mitochondrial State-3 respiration decreased significantly after GDX in female (27.6 ± 1.55 vs. 21.4 ± 1.71 nmol/mL/min/mg; p< 0.05) and male hearts (30.7 ± 1,48 vs. 23.7 ± 2,23 nmol/mL/min/mg; p< 0.05). In ovariectomized female mice, E2 and ERß-agonist treatment restored the State-3 respiration to intact placebo level, whereas ERα-agonist treatment did not modulate State-3 respiration. The treatment with E2, ERα-, or ERß-agonist did not modulate the State-3 respiration in GDX male mice. Conclusion: We identified sex differences in mitochondrial respiration in the diseased human heart. This is in alignment with known sex differences in the gene expression and proteome level at the functional level. E2 and ERß affect cardiac mitochondrial function in the mouse model, suggesting that they may also contribute to the sex differences in the human heart. Their roles should be further investigated.

Impact of the 2009 ESC Guideline Change on Surgically Treated Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: In 2009, updated European Society of Cardiology guidelines on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of infective endocarditis (IE) were released and restricted the use of antibiotic prophylaxis to high-risk patients only. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of the restrictive antibiotic regimen on the incidence and manifestations of surgically treated IE before and after the guideline change. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyzed data of 4917 patients who underwent valve surgical procedures for IE between 1994 and 2018 in 6 German cardiac surgery centers. Potential risk factors for 30-day mortality were assessed using logistic regression. Interrupted time series regression was used to evaluate the effect of the guideline change on the manifestation of IE. RESULTS: A total of 2014 patients (41%) underwent surgical procedures before the guideline change, and 2903 patients (59%) underwent surgical procedures after the change. After 2009, patients were older (67.0 years [interquartile range, 56.0-74.0 years] vs 64.0 years [interquartile range, 52.0-71.0 years]; P < .001), and they presented with more comorbidities, such as hypertension (56.9% vs 41.7%; P < .001), diabetes (27.4% vs 24.4%; P = .020), peripheral artery disease (8.5% vs 6.5%; P = .011), and preoperative acute kidney injury (42.8% vs 31.9%; P < .001). Patients had worse clinical outcomes with respect to 30-day mortality (18.1% vs 14.3%; P = .001) and 1-year mortality (37.1% vs 29.1%; P < .001). An increase in Streptococcus-related IE (P = .002) and an increase in mitral valve IE (P = .035) were observed after the guideline change. CONCLUSIONS: Since 2009, there has been a significant increase in the incidence of mitral valve IE and Streptococcus-related IE. Patients undergoing surgical procedures for IE present with more comorbidities, which contribute to high mortality rates.

Predictive Value of Body Mass Index in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery.

BACKGROUND: With this study we aimed to analyze if the separate consideration of body mass index (BMI) could provide any superior predictive values compared with the established risk scores in isolated minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS). This might facilitate future therapeutic decision-making, e.g., regarding the question surgery versus transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVr). METHODS: We assessed the relevance of BMI in non-underweight patients who underwent isolated MIMVS. The risk predictive potential of BMI for mortality and several postoperative adverse events was assessed in 429 consecutive patients. This predictive potential was compared with that of European System for Cardiac Outcome Risk Evaluation II (EuroSCORE II) and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons score (STS score) using a comparative receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. RESULTS: BMI was a significant numeric predictor of wound healing disorders (p = 0.001) and proved to be significantly superior in case of this postoperative adverse event compared with the EuroSCORE II (p = 0.040) and STS score (p = 0.015). Except for this, the predictive potential of BMI was significantly inferior compared with that of the EuroSCORE II and STS score for several end points, including 30-day (p = 0.029 and p = 0.006) and 1-year (p = 0.012 and p = 0.001) mortality. CONCLUSION: Therefore, we suggest that, in the course of decision-making regarding the right treatment modality for non-underweight patients with isolated mitral valve regurgitation, the sole factor of BMI should not be given a predominant weight.

New insights into a hydrogen bond: hyper-Raman spectroscopy of DMSO-water solution.

Hydrogen bonding plays an essential role in biological processes by stabilizing proteins and lipid structures as well as controlling the speed of enzyme catalyzed reactions. Dimethyl sulfoxide-water (DMSO-H2O) solution serves as a classical model system by which the direct and indirect effects of hydrogen bonding between water hydrogens and the sulfoxide functional group can be explored. The complex transition from self-bonding to heterogeneous bonding is important, and multiple spectroscopic approaches are needed to provide a detailed assessment of those interactions. In this report, for the first time, hyper-Raman scattering was successfully employed to investigate molecular interactions in DMSO-H2O system. We measured the improper blueshift of the C-S and C-H stretching modes of DMSO caused by partial charge transfer and enhanced bond polarization. By detecting differences in the frequency shifts of C-S and C-H modes for low DMSO concentrations (<33 mol%) we find evidence of the intermolecular bonds between water and the DMSO methyl groups. We exploit the high sensitivity of hyper-Raman scattering to the low frequency librations of H2O to observe a change in librational mode population providing insight into existing questions about the coordination of H2O around DMSO molecules and the formation of the H2O shell around DMSO molecules proposed in prior simulation studies. These results demonstrate that hyper-Raman spectroscopy can be a practical spectroscopic technique to study the intermolecular bonding of model systems and test claims about model system bonding generated by theoretical calculations.

Postcardiotomy Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Does the Cannulation Technique Influence the Outcome?

Objectives: Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) may be cannulated using either central (cannulation of aorta) or peripheral (cannulation of femoral or axillary artery) access. The ideal cannulation approach for postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock (PCS) is still unknown. The aim of this study is to compare the outcome of patients with PCS who were supported with central vs. peripheral cannulation. Methods: This is a single-center retrospective data analysis including all VA-ECMO implantations for PCS from January 2011 to December 2017. The central and peripheral approaches were compared in terms of patient characteristics, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospitalization length, adverse event rates, and overall survival. Results: Eighty-six patients met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-eight patients (33%) were cannulated using the central approach, and 58 patients (67%) were cannulated using the peripheral approach. Forty-three patients (50%) received VA-ECMO in the operating room and 43 patients (50%) received VA-ECMO in the ICU. Central VA-ECMO group had higher EuroSCORE II (p = 0.007), longer cross-clamp time (p = 0.054), higher rate of open chest after the procedure (p < 0.001), and higher mortality rate (p = 0.02). After propensity score matching, 20 patients in each group were reanalyzed. In the matched groups, no statistically significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics between the two groups except for a higher rate of open chests in the central ECMO group (p = 0.02). However, no significant differences were observed in the outcome and complications between the groups. Conclusions: This study showed that in postcardiotomy patients requiring VA-ECMO support, similar complication rates and outcome were observed regardless of the cannulation strategy.

Role of Concomitant Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Valve Surgery for Infective Endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: It is current practice to perform concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with infective endocarditis (IE) who have relevant coronary artery disease (CAD). However, CABG may add complexity to the operation. We aimed to investigate the impact of concomitant CABG on perioperative outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for IE. METHODS: We retrospectively used data of surgically treated IE patients between 1994 and 2018 in six German cardiac surgery centers. We performed inverse probability weighting (IPW), multivariable adjustment, chi-square analysis, and Kaplan-Meier survival estimates. RESULTS: CAD was reported in 1242/4917 (25%) patients. Among them, 527 received concomitant CABG. After adjustment for basal characteristics between CABG and no-CABG patients using IPW, concomitant CABG was associated with higher postoperative stroke (26% vs. 21%, p = 0.003) and a trend towards higher postoperative hemodialysis (29% vs. 25%, p = 0.052). Thirty-day mortality was similar in both groups (24% vs. 23%, p = 0.370). Multivariate Cox regression analysis after IPW showed that CABG was not associated with better long-term survival (HR: 1.00, 95% CI: 0.82-1.23, p = 0.998). CONCLUSION: In endocarditis patients with CAD, adding CABG to valve surgery may be associated with a higher likelihood of postoperative stroke without adding long-term survival benefits. Therefore, in the absence of critical CAD, concomitant CABG may be omitted without impacting outcome. The results are limited due to a lack of data on the severity of CAD, and therefore there is a need for a randomized trial.

Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients anticoagulated with rivaroxaban compared with warfarin exhibit reduced circulating extracellular vesicles with attenuated pro-inflammatory protein signatures.

BACKGROUND: Rivaroxaban, a direct oral factor Xa inhibitor, mediates anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular-protective effects besides its well-established anticoagulant properties; however, these remain poorly characterized. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are important circulating messengers regulating a myriad of biological and pathological processes and may be highly relevant to the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation as they reflect alterations in platelet and endothelial biology. However, the effects of rivaroxaban on circulating pro-inflammatory EVs remain unknown. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that rivaroxaban's anti-inflammatory properties are reflected upon differential molecular profiles of circulating EVs. METHODS: Differences in circulating EV profiles were assessed using a combination of single vesicle analysis by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis and flow cytometry, and proteomics. RESULTS: We demonstrate, for the first time, that rivaroxaban-treated non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients (n=8) exhibit attenuated inflammation compared with matched warfarin controls (n=15). Circulating EV profiles were fundamentally altered. Moreover, quantitative proteomic analysis of enriched plasma EVs from six pooled biological donors per treatment group revealed a profound decrease in highly pro-inflammatory protein expression and complement factors, together with increased expression of negative regulators of inflammatory pathways. Crucially, a reduction in circulating levels of soluble P-selectin was observed in rivaroxaban-treated patients (compared with warfarin controls), which negatively correlated with the patient's time on treatment. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these data demonstrate that NVAF patients anticoagulated with rivaroxaban (compared with warfarin) exhibit both a reduced pro-inflammatory state and evidence of reduced endothelial activation. These findings are of translational relevance toward characterizing the anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular-protective mechanisms associated with rivaroxaban therapy.

Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering imaging of microcalcifications associated with breast cancer.

Chemical imaging of calcifications was demonstrated in the depth of a tissue. Using long wavelength excitation, broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and hierarchical cluster analysis, imaging and chemical analysis were performed 2 mm below the skin level in a model system. Applications to breast cancer diagnostics and imaging are discussed together with the methods to further extend the depth and improve the spatial resolution of chemical imaging.

Surgical results for prosthetic versus native valve endocarditis: A multicenter analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Prosthetic valve endocarditis is associated with worse outcomes compared with native valve endocarditis. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of native valve endocarditis versus prosthetic valve endocarditis on postoperative outcomes and long-term survival and to identify preoperative risk factors in a large cohort of 4300 patients with infective endocarditis. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted in 5 German Cardiac Surgery Centers: the Clinical Multicenter Project of Analysis of Infective Endocarditis in Germany. Data of 4300 patients undergoing valve surgery for native valve endocarditis and prosthetic valve endocarditis were retrospectively analyzed. Univariable and multivariable analyses were used for risk stratification, Kaplan-Meier analysis for long-term survival. In addition, we performed Cox proportional hazards regression with multivariable adjustment. RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2016, 3143 patients (73.1%) underwent surgery for native valve endocarditis and 1157 patients (26.9%) underwent surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis. Patients with prosthetic valve endocarditis were older (69 [60-75] vs 63 [52-72] years; P < .001) and had more comorbidities, such as hypertension (55% vs 46%; P < .001), diabetes (28% vs 25%; P = .020), coronary artery disease (32% vs 23%; P < .001), and preoperative acute kidney injury (41% vs 32%; P < .001). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly decreased long-term survival of patients undergoing surgery for prosthetic valve endocarditis compared with native valve endocarditis (P < .001). However, after multivariable adjustment, there was no significant difference in long-term survival between patients undergoing cardiac surgery with prosthetic valve endocarditis compared with native valve endocarditis. CONCLUSIONS: After adjusting for preoperative comorbidities, long-term survival for prosthetic valve endocarditis and native valve endocarditis is comparable. Thus, our large cohort study provides evidence that prosthetic valve endocarditis alone should not be a contraindication for redo operations.

Osteopontin as novel biomarker for reversibility of pressure overload induced left ventricular hypertrophy.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic value of osteopontin (OPN) as a marker for left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and its reversibility after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Patients & methods: Echocardiographic data and OPN plasma levels of 149 consecutive patients undergoing SAVR were obtained preoperatively and 3 months postoperatively. OPN was measured by Quantikine Human OPN immunoassay. Results: There was a significant correlation between higher OPN plasma levels and lower LV-mass regression. In patients receiving SAVR combined with coronary artery bypass grafting, high OPN plasma levels were also an indicator for eccentric hypertrophy phenotype. Conclusion: OPN may be a useful indicator for LV hypertrophy phenotype and could have a prognostic value to estimate LV-mass regression after SAVR.

Risk and Consequences of Postoperative Delirium in Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Delirium is a common complication after cardiac surgery that leads to increased costs and worse outcomes. This retrospective study evaluated the potential risk factors and postoperative impact of delirium on cardiac surgery patients. METHODS: One thousand two hundred six patients who underwent open-heart surgery within a single year were included. Uni- and multivariate analyses of a variety of pre, intra-, and postoperative parameters were performed according to differences between the delirium (D) and nondelirium (ND) groups. RESULTS: The incidence of delirium was 11.6% (n = 140). The onset of delirium occurred at 3.35 ± 4.05 postoperative days with a duration of 5.97 ± 5.36 days. There were two important risk factors for postoperative delirium: higher age (D vs. ND, 73.1 ± 9.04 years vs. 69.0 ± 11.1 years, p < 0.001) and longer aortic cross-clamp time (D vs. ND, 69.8 ± 49.9 minutes vs. 61.6 ± 53.8 minutes, p < 0.05). We found that delirious patients developed significantly more frequent postoperative complications, such as myocardial infarction (MI) (D vs. ND, 1.43% [n = 3] vs. 0.28% [n = 2], p = 0.05), cerebrovascular accident (D vs. ND, 10.7% [n = 15] vs. 3.75% [n = 40], p < 0.001), respiratory complications (D vs. ND, 16.4% [n = 23] vs. 5.72% [n = 61], p < 0.001), and infections (D vs. ND, 36.4% [n = 51] vs. 16.0% [n = 170], p < 0.001). The hospital stay was longer in cases of postoperative delirium (D vs. ND, 23.2 ± 13.6 days vs. 17.4 ± 12.8 days, p < 0.001), and fewer patients were discharged home (D vs. ND, 56.0% [n = 65] vs. 66.8% [n = 571], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Because the propensity for delirium-related complications is high after cardiac surgery, a practical, preventative strategy should be developed for patients with perioperative risk factors, including higher age and a longer cross-clamp time.

Highly efficient tunable picosecond deep ultraviolet laser system for Raman spectroscopy.

We present a narrowband laser system tunable from 219 to 236 nm for deep ultraviolet (DUV) Raman spectroscopy. The demonstrated laser system produces 6.7 ps nearly transform-limited pulses with energy up to 0.36 µJ at 100 kHz repetition rate. The system consists of a two-stage optical parametric amplifier (OPA) of a narrowband continuous wave diode laser and subsequent frequency conversion to the DUV radiation. We achieve more than 300 mW in the signal wave using ${{\rm LiB}_3}{{\rm O}_5}$LiB3O5 (LBO) and ${{\rm BaB}_2}{{\rm O}_4}$BaB2O4 (BBO) crystals, with the total 2.7 W pump after the two-stage OPA. We reach 12% conversion efficiency of the OPA signal wave into the DUV radiation using type-I phase matching in the BBO crystal. Finally, we demonstrate the applicability of the system for DUV Raman spectroscopy by collecting a high dynamic range, high spectral resolution spontaneous Raman spectrum of air.

The age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index in minimally invasive mitral valve surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Mitral valve repair is the preferred method used to address mitral valve regurgitation, whereas transcatheter mitral valve repair is recommended for high-risk patients. We evaluated the risk-predictive value of the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (aa-CCI) in the setting of minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. METHODS: The perioperative course and 1-year follow-up of 537 patients who underwent isolated or combined minimally invasive mitral valve surgery were evaluated for 1-year mortality as the primary end point and other adverse events. The predictive values of the EuroSCORE II and STS score were compared to that of the aa-CCI by a comparative analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves. Restricted cubic splines were applied to find optimal aa-CCI cut-off values for the increased likelihood of experiencing the predefined adverse end points. Consequently, the perioperative course and postoperative outcome of the aa-CCI ≥8 patients and the remainder of the sample were analysed. RESULTS: The predictive value of the aa-CCI does not significantly differ from those of the EuroSCORE II or STS score. Patients with an aa-CCI ≥8 were identified as a subgroup with a significant increase of mortality and other adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: The aa-CCI displays a suitable predictive ability for patients undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery. In particular, multimorbid or frail patients may benefit from the extension of the objectively assessed parameters, in addition to the STS score or EuroSCORE II. Patients with an aa-CCI ≥8 have a very high surgical risk and should receive very careful attention.

Implementation of the aortic no-touch technique to reduce stroke after off-pump coronary surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Despite substantial scientific effort, the relationship between stroke after coronary artery bypass grafting and the use of the aortic no-touch off-pump technique (anOPCAB) remains incompletely understood. The present study aimed to define the effect of anOPCAB on the occurrence and time point of stroke. METHODS: A total cohort of 15,042 consecutive patients underwent surgical myocardial revascularization at a single institution. After establishing anOPCAB as routine procedure, 4695 patients received surgery by 18 different surgeons using the anaortic approach. After the exclusion of all patients with cardiogenic shock and "side-clamp" off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting, 13,279 patients (4485 with anOPCAB) were included in the study. Perioperative strokes were classified as strokes occurring during the hospital stay, with early strokes observed immediately after emergence from anesthesia (vs delayed strokes). RESULTS: The anOPCAB technique reduced the postoperative stroke rate to 0.49% versus 1.31% in on-pump patients (P < .0001). The overall stroke rate after adoption of anOPCAB (0.64%) decreased compared with before its adoption (1.40%; P < .0001). With anOPCAB, the risk of early strokes virtually disappeared to 4 of 4485 patients (0.09%; 95% confidence interval, 0.00-0.18% vs 0.83% in on-pump patients; P < .0001), whereas the incidence of delayed strokes was not affected (0.40% vs 0.48%; P = .5181). The key results were confirmed after adjustment using propensity score-based analyses. CONCLUSIONS: The anOPCAB technique with avoidance of any aortic manipulation is an effective tool to minimize the risk of early strokes during coronary artery bypass grafting, and thus, should be considered as a routine approach. In contrast, additional preventive strategies against delayed strokes remain to be elaborated.

Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device: Does the Activation of the Lavare Cycle Make a Difference?

We aimed to investigate the prevalence of gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) events in patients supported with HeartWare ventricular assist device (VAD) and activated lavare cycle. Thirty-two GIB events were documented in 22 patients (21%) after median support duration of 22 days (IQR: 11-157 days). There were 13 patients with early episodes of GIB. Meanwhile, 17 GIB events were documented in 9 patients after a median support duration of 174 days (IQR 25-736 days) (late bleeders), accounting for 0.18 events per patient's years. The GIB events appear to be a frequent complication in patients with HeartWare VAD regardless of the lavare cycle.

Simple approach to high-fidelity tunable narrow-band pulse generation.

Tunable narrow-band short-pulse coherent emission can be generated by the optical parametric amplification of a seeded continuous wave (CW) laser. However, the residual CW pedestal can affect the accuracy of the optical measurements and the exact interpretation of the experimental data. We demonstrate a simple approach to removing the residual CW seed in a frequency tunable, seeded parametric amplification setup in the nanosecond regime by adding an additional parametric amplification stage which is seeded by an idler wave from the first stage. We validate this method by using a pump-probe experiment in an atomic vapor. Our results show the elimination of an atomic vapor hyperfine pumping signal after the CW pedestal has been removed.

Directional coherent light via intensity-induced sideband emission.

We introduce a unique technique for generating directional coherent emissions that could be utilized to create coherent sources in a wide range of frequencies from the extreme ultraviolet (XUV) to the deep infrared. This is accomplished without population inversion by pumping a two-level system with a far-detuned strong optical field that induces the splitting of the two-level system. A nonlinear process of four-wave mixing then occurs across the split system, driving coherent emission at sidebands both red- and blue-detuned from the pump frequency, and propagates both forward and backward along the pump beam path. We observed this phenomenon in dense rubidium vapor along both the D1 and D2 transitions. The sideband emission exhibits a short pulse duration (<1 ns) with threshold-like behavior dependent on both the pump intensity and Rb vapor density. This technique offers a new capability for manipulating the emission frequency simply through intensity-induced atomic modulation that can be scaled to most frequency regimes using various atomic/molecular ensembles and pump energies.

Prevalence of De Novo Aortic Valve Insufficiency in Patients After HeartWare VAD Implantation with an Intermittent Low-Speed Algorithm.

De novo aortic valve insufficiency (AI) is a frequent occurrence in patients supported with left ventricular assist device (LVAD). The European version of the HeartWare LVAD has intermittent low-speed software (lavare cycle) to facilitate intermittent aortic valve opening. We examined aortic valve opening status and prevalence of AI in patients supported with HeartWare LVAD and activated lavare cycle. HeartWare LVAD patients were prospectively monitored using serial echocardiograms at different time points after the LVAD implantation. Inclusion criteria were patients with no > mild AI and/or no aortic valve surgery at the time of LVAD implantation and at least 60 days of support. Three of 37 patients had aortic valve surgery and were excluded from the analysis. A total of 34 patients with mean age of 57 ± 12 years met the inclusion criteria. After median support duration of 408 days (77-1250 days), eight patients had trace/mild AI (24%) and one patient developed moderate AI (3%). An average pump flow, speed, and mean arterial pressure of 4.4 ± 0.6 L/min, 2,585 ± 147 rpm, and 88 ± 11 mmHg were documented, respectively. Aortic valve opening was persistently seen in 22 patients (65%). Aortic valve opening is frequent, and the development of > mild AI seems to be rare in patients supported with HeartWare LVAD.

Implanting permanent left ventricular assist devices in patients on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support: do we really need a cardiopulmonary bypass machine?

OBJECTIVES: Selected patients who failed to be weaned off temporary veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support may be considered for long-term left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Activation of the systemic inflammatory response due to the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine and its associated deleterious effects on the coagulation system have been well documented. The aim of the study was to compare the outcome of patients receiving VAD on VA-ECMO with patients who were converted to CPB at the time of VAD implantation. METHODS: Data of patients undergoing LVAD implantation between January 2010 and September 2015 were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were patients with prior VA-ECMO. Perioperative characteristics and postoperative outcome of patients who received LVAD after VA-ECMO with (CPB group) or without CPB (no-CPB group) were compared. RESULTS: A total of 110 permanent VADs were implanted during this time frame. Forty patients had VA-ECMO prior to VAD implantation and met the inclusion criteria. The CPB was used in 23 patients and 17 patients received VAD on VA-ECMO without using CPB. The preoperative characteristics of the patients were comparable except for lower body mass index, higher international normalized ratio (INR) and higher rate of preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump usage in the CPB group (P = 0.035, 0.008 and 0.003, respectively). The incidence of postoperative right VAD implantation and survival rate was comparable between both groups. However, the chest tube blood loss and amount of blood product usage was higher in the CPB group. The total blood loss in the first 24 h after surgery (2469 ± 2067 vs 1080 ± 941 ml, P= 0.05) and number of units of intraoperative fresh frozen plasma administered (4 ± 3 vs 1 ± 2, P= 0.02) remained higher in the CPB group even after adjustment for differences in preoperative INR value by propensity score matching. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that the CPB machine can be safely omitted when a long-term VAD is implanted on VA-ECMO support. Blood loss in the first 24 h after surgery was less and a significantly lower number of blood products were necessary in these patients compared with patients in whom the CPB machine was used. However, similar survival rates between these two groups were observed.