Mid-term outcomes of aortic valve repair using an anatomically shaped internal annuloplasty ring.

OBJECTIVES: The Hemispherical Aortic Annuloplasty Reconstructive Technology (HAART) ring is a rigid, internal and geometric device. The objective of this article is to assess the mid-term outcomes of aortic valve repair (AVr) using this prosthesis. METHODS: A prospectively maintained database was used to obtain outcomes for adult patients undergoing AVr using the HAART ring between September 2017 and June 2023. All aortic patients at our institution undergo life-long surveillance with regular assessment and valve imaging. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients underwent AVr using the HAART device: 53 had a trileaflet valve and 18 a bicuspid valve. The median age was 54 years, and most were male (79%). Many required concomitant intervention: 46% had a root procedure and 77% an arch repair. There were no in-hospital deaths, and the median postoperative stay was 5 days. At a mean follow-up of 3.9 (±1.1) years, freedom from reoperation was 94%. Late imaging demonstrated: zero trace (25%), 1+ (54%), 2+ (15%) and 4+ (6%) aortic insufficiency (AI). Eleven patients have ≥moderate AI under surveillance, all of whom have a trileaflet valve (21% of trileaflet patients). Four patients required reoperation: 3 for ring dehiscence and 1 for endocarditis. CONCLUSIONS: Although early results using the HAART device are encouraging, mid-term results raise concern as 21% of trileaflet patients developed recurrent ≥moderate AI by 4 years post-repair. We experienced 3 incidences of ring dehiscence requiring reoperation. Based on this, we recommend caution using the sub-annular approach for stabilization in patients with trileaflet aortic valves. Long-term results are needed to assess outcomes against established techniques.

Tailored approach and outcomes of aortic arch reconstruction after acute type A dissection repair.

OBJECTIVE: After limited root/ascending with or without hemiarch repair for acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD), 20% to 30% of patients require distal reintervention, frequently for arch pathology. In this report, we describe an institutional algorithm for arch management after previous limited ATAAD repair and detail operative and long-term outcomes. METHODS: From August 2005 to April 2021, 71 patients status post previous limited ATAAD repair underwent reoperative arch repair involving zones 1 to 3 for aneurysmal degeneration of residual arch dissection including complete cervical debranching with zone 0/1 thoracic endovascular aortic repair in 6 (8%), open total arch in 13 (18%), type I hybrid arch repair in 23 (32%), and type II/III hybrid arch repair in 29 (41%). RESULTS: Mean age was 59 ± 12 years; time from index ATAAD repair to reoperation was 4 (interquartile range, 2-9) years. There were 2 (2.8%) in-hospital deaths and 2 (2.8%) postdischarge deaths within 30 days of surgery. Three patients suffered stroke (4.2%) and 2 (2.8%) had acute renal failure requiring dialysis. Overall Kaplan-Meier survival was 78%, 70%, and 58% at 1, 3, and 5 years, respectively. Institutional experience appeared to play a significant role in early and late outcomes, because there have been no operative mortalities in the past 9 years and improved survival of 87% versus 66%, 79% versus 58%, and 79% versus 40% at 1, 3, and 5 years in comparisons of the past 9 years with the previous era (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Aneurysmal degeneration of residual arch dissection after limited ATAAD repair presents a complex reoperative challenge. An algorithmic operative approach tailored to patient anatomy and comorbidities yields excellent early and late outcomes, which continue to improve with increasing institutional experience.

The Future of heart procurement with donation after circulatory death: Current practice and opportunities for advancement.

Heart Donation after Circulatory Death (DCD) has the potential to significantly increase the number of patients benefitting from heart transplantation. However, the expansion of DCD heart transplantation is currently limited by unanswered questions pertaining to best practices in DCD heart procurement. Additionally, significant variability exists within regulatory frameworks, professional guidelines, and published practices of DCD procurement processes. Here we describe the current practice and outstanding questions related to fundamental aspects of DCD heart procurement, including donor selection, premortem donor intervention, ischemic definitions, confirmation of circulatory death, and techniques for heart procurement and preservation. Addressing these key issues through research and consensus recommendations will facilitate the advancement of the field and ultimately expand the opportunity for heart transplantation to a greater number of patients.

Stent Graft-induced Aortic Wall Injury: Incidence, Risk Factors, and Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Stent graft-induced new entry has been described in thoracic endovascular aortic repair for aortic dissection. The incidence of stent graft-induced aortic wall injury (SAWI) related to iatrogenic injury in nondissections is incompletely described. We describe incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of SAWI. METHODS: All post-thoracic endovascular aortic repair computed tomography angiograms (January 2005 to December 2018) were reviewed for radiographic evidence of SAWI. Endograft-induced aortic dissections were likewise considered SAWI. Patient characteristics, time to SAWI, and need for reintervention were noted. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to identify risk factors for SAWI. RESULTS: Within the study cohort (n = 430), 38 patients (9%) had SAWI during a median follow-up of 2.3 years (interquartile range, 4.8); 42% (n = 16) were proximal, 53% (n = 20) distal, and 5% (n = 2) both proximal and distal. Nine (23%) were distal intimal flap injuries in dissection cases, thus subclassifying them as stent graft-induced new entry. Twenty-nine percent of SAWI (n = 11) required reintervention. Of these, 45% (n = 5) were open, and 55% (n = 6) were endovascular. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for acute dissection had a higher incidence of SAWI development (hazard ratio 4.6; 95% confidence interval, 2.4 to 9; P < .001) as compared with other indications. Use of devices with proximal bare springs or barbs was also associated with increased SAWI incidence (hazard ratio 5.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.6 to 11.0; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of SAWI after thoracic endovascular aortic repair is low (9%), but nearly one third will require reintervention. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair in the setting of acute dissection and use of devices with proximal bare springs or barbs were associated with an increased incidence of SAWI.

Does deeper hypothermia reduce the risk of acute kidney injury after circulatory arrest for aortic arch surgery?

OBJECTIVES: The impact of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) temperature on postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) has not been evaluated. This study examined the association between circulatory arrest temperatures and AKI in patients undergoing proximal aortic surgery with HCA. METHODS: A total of 759 consecutive patients who underwent proximal aortic surgery (ascending ± valve ± root) including arch replacement requiring HCA between July 2005 and December 2016 were identified from a prospectively maintained institutional aortic surgery database. The primary outcome was AKI as defined by Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss, End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) criteria. The association between minimum nasopharyngeal (NP) and bladder temperatures during HCA and postoperative AKI was assessed, adjusting for patient-level factors using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 85% (n = 645) of patients underwent deep hypothermia (14.1-20.0°C), 11% (n = 83) low-moderate hypothermia (20.1-24.0°C) and 4% (n = 31) high-moderate hypothermia (24.1-28.0°C) as classified by NP temperature. When analysed by bladder temperature, 59% (n = 447) underwent deep hypothermia, 22% (n = 170) low-moderate, 16% (n = 118) high-moderate and 3% mild (n = 24) (28.1-34.0°C) hypothermia. The median systemic circulatory arrest time was 17 min. The incidence of AKI did not differ between hypothermia groups, whether analysed using minimum NP or bladder temperature. In the multivariable analysis, the association between degree of hypothermia and AKI remained non-significant whether analysed as a categorical variable (hypothermia group) or as a continuous variable (minimum NP or bladder temperature) (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients undergoing proximal aortic surgery including arch replacement requiring HCA, degree of systemic hypothermia was not associated with the risk of AKI. These data suggest that moderate hypothermia does not confer increased risk of AKI for patients requiring circulatory arrest, although additional prospective data are needed.

Heart Transplantation Survival Outcomes of HIV Positive and Negative Recipients.

BACKGROUND: In the era of antiretroviral therapy, HIV-positive patients have reduced mortality from HIV infection and increased morbidity from end-stage heart failure. The number of HIV-positive heart transplantation recipients remains scant. Long-term survival has not been rigorously studied. We compared survival outcomes of heart transplantation in HIV-positive recipients with those of HIV-negative recipients. METHODS: Clinical data from all adult heart transplantations were extracted from the United Network for Organ Sharing dataset. The impact of recipient HIV status was analyzed with Cox proportional hazards modeling, 1:3 propensity score matching, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: Seventy-five HIV-positive recipients and 29,848 HIV-negative recipients were identified. Race distributions differed between the recipient groups, with black patients comprising a larger proportion of the HIV-positive recipient group (46.7% vs 20.9%, P < .001). The mean year of transplant was significantly later in the HIV-positive recipient group. The rate of acute rejection in the HIV-positive group was higher than in the HIV-negative group (38.7% vs 17.7%, P < .001), as was rate of antirejection treatment administration such as intravenous immunoglobulin or plasmapheresis (26.7% vs 10.4%, P < .001). There was no difference in 30-day, 1-year, and 5-year survival of HIV-positive recipients vs HIV-negative recipients. Recipient HIV infection was not a significant covariate in predicting survival in a Cox proportional hazards model. CONCLUSIONS: Short-term and moderate-term survival after heart transplantation is similar for HIV-positive recipients and HIV-negative recipients, although data are very limited. This finding suggests that HIV-positive recipients should not be excluded from transplant candidacy solely based on HIV serostatus.

Perspectives and Uses of the Electronic Health Record Among US Pediatricians: A National Survey.

Little is known about how existing electronic health records (EHRs) influence the practice of pediatric medicine. A total of 808 pediatricians participated in a survey about workflows using the EHR. The EHR was the most commonly used source of initial patient information. Seventy-two percent reported requiring between 2 and 10 minutes to complete an initial review of the EHR. Several moderately severe information barriers were reported regarding the display of information in the EHR. Pediatricians acquire information about new patients from EHRs more often than any other source. EHRs play a critical role in pediatric care but require improved design and efficiency.

Using Simulations to Improve Electronic Health Record Use, Clinician Training and Patient Safety: Recommendations From A Consensus Conference.

A group of informatics experts in simulation, biomedical informatics, patient safety, medical education, and human factors gathered at Corbett, Oregon on April 30 and May 1, 2015. Their objective: to create a consensus statement on best practices for the use of electronic health record (EHR) simulations in education and training, to improve patient safety, and to outline a strategy for future EHR simulation work. A qualitative approach was utilized to analyze data from the conference and generate recommendations in five major categories: (1) Safety, (2) Education and Training, (3) People and Organizations, (4) Usability and Design, and (5) Sociotechnical Aspects.

Using High-Fidelity Simulation and Eye Tracking to Characterize EHR Workflow Patterns among Hospital Physicians.

Modern EHR systems are complex, and end-user behavior and training are highly variable. The need for clinicians to access key clinical data is a critical patient safety issue. This study used a mixed methods approach employing a high-fidelity EHR simulation environment, eye and screen tracking, surveys, and semi-structured interviews to characterize typical EHR usage by hospital physicians (hospitalists) as they encounter a new patient. The main findings were: 1) There were strong similarities across the groups in the information types the physicians looked at most frequently, 2) While there was no overall difference in case duration between the groups, we observed two distinct workflow types between the groups with respect to gathering information in the EHR and creating a note, and 3) A majority of the case time was devoted to note composition in both groups. This has implications for EHR interface design and raises further questions about what individual user workflows exist in the EHR.

Variability in Electronic Health Record Usage and Perceptions among Specialty vs. Primary Care Physicians.

Despite federal incentives for adoption of electronic health records (EHRs), surveys have shown that EHR use is less common among specialty physicians than generalists. Concerns have been raised that current-generation EHR systems are inadequate to meet the unique information gathering needs of specialists. This study sought to identify whether information gathering needs and EHR usage patterns are different between specialists and generalists, and if so, to characterize their precise nature. We found that specialists and generalists have significantly different perceptions of which elements of the EHR are most important and how well these systems are suited to displaying clinical information. Resolution of these disparities could have implications for clinical productivity and efficiency, patient and physician satisfaction, and the ability of clinical practices to achieve Meaningful Use incentives.