Outcomes of outflow graft stenting in HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist devices: A systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: LVAD outflow graft stenosis continues to remain prevalent with a high complication rate. We sought to pool the existing evidence on indications, utilization patterns, and outcomes of transcatheter interventions for outflow graft stenosis in the HeartMate 3 LVAD. METHODS: An electronic search was performed to identify all studies in the English literature reporting on HeartMate 3 LVAD outflow graft stenting. Patient-level data were extracted for analysis. RESULTS: Thirteen published reports and one unpublished case comprising a total of 28 patients were included. Median patient age was 68.5 years [Interquartile range: 58, 71] and 25.9% (7/27) were female. Dyspnea [60.7% (17/28)] was the most common presenting symptom. Low flow alarms were present in 60% (15/25) of patients. Findings included external compression [35.7% (10/28)], graft twist [21.4% (6/28)], graft twist and external compression [14.3% (4.28)], intraluminal thrombus [10.7% (3/28)], graft twist and intraluminal thrombus [3.6% (1/28)], and pseudoaneurysm of outflow graft [3.6% (1/28)]. Median time from LVAD implantation to stenting was 2.1 years [1.4, 3]. Immediate flow normalization after stenting was observed in 85.7% (24/28). The 30-day mortality was 12% (3/25). Overall mortality was 12% (3/25) at a median follow-up of 3.9 months [1, 17]. CONCLUSION: Outflow graft stenting in the HeartMate 3 LVAD appears to be a reasonable treatment option for outflow graft stenosis, with low overall rates of complications and mortality. Further refinement of indications and approaches may improve outcomes.

Microaxial mechanical circulatory support after orthotopic heart transplantation.

AIM: Use of microaxial mechanical circulatory support (MCS) has been reported for severe graft rejection or dysfunction after heart transplantation (HTx). We aimed to assess utilization patterns of microaxial MCS after HTx in adolescents (ages 18 and younger) and adults (ages 19 and older). METHODS: Electronic search was performed to identify all relevant studies on post-HTx use of microaxial support in adults and adolescents. A total of 18 studies were selected and patient-level data were extracted for statistical analysis. RESULTS: All patients (n=23), including adults (n=15) and adolescents (n=8), underwent Impella (Abiomed, Danvers, MA) microaxial MCS after HTx. Median age was 36 [IQR 18-56] years (Adults, 52 [37-59]; adolescents, 16 [15-17]). Primary right ventricular graft dysfunction was an indication exclusively seen in the adults 40% (6/15), while acute graft rejection was present in 46.7% (7/15) of adults. Median time after transplant was 9 [0-32] months (Adults, 4 [0-32]; adolescents, 11 [4.5, 45]). Duration of Impella support was comparable between adults and adolescents (5 [2.5-8] vs 6 [5-8] days, p = 0.38). Overall improvement was observed both in median LV ejection fraction (23.5% [11.3-28] to 42% [37.8-47.3], p < 0.01) and cardiac index (1.8 [1.2-2.6] to 3 [2.5-3.1], p < 0.01). Retransplantation was required in four adolescents (50%, 4/8). Survival to discharge was achieved by 60.0% (9/15) of adults and 87.5% (7/8) of adolescents respectively (p = 0.37). CONCLUSION: Indications for microaxial MCS appear to vary between adult and adolescent patients. Overall improvement in LVEF and cardiac index was observed, however, with suboptimal survival to discharge.

Ultrasonic scalpel versus electrocautery for internal mammary artery harvesting: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Although an ultrasonic harmonic scalpel (HS) has been used to harvest the internal mammary artery (IMA) for coronary artery bypass grafting, the benefits and risks compared to conventional electrocautery (EC) are not clear. We aimed to compare the outcomes of HS versus EC for IMA harvesting. METHODS: An electronic search was performed to identify all relevant studies. Baseline characteristics, perioperative variables, and clinical outcomes were extracted and pooled for meta-analysis. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 12 studies. Pooled analyses demonstrated that both groups had comparable preoperative baseline characteristics including age, gender, and left ventricular ejection fraction. HS included more diabetic patients [33% (95% CI 30, 35) vs. 27% (23, 31), p = 0.01]. Harvest time for unilateral IMA was significantly longer with HS than EC [39 (31, 47) minutes vs. 25 (17, 33) minutes, p < 0.01]. However, the rate of pedicled unilateral IMA was significantly higher for EC compared with HS [20% (17, 24) vs. 8% (7, 9), p < 0.01]. The rate of intact endothelium was significantly higher with HS than EC [95% (88, 98) vs. 81% (68, 89), p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in postoperative outcomes including bleeding [3% (2, 4)], sternal infection [3% (2, 4)], and operative/30-day mortality [3% (2, 4)]. CONCLUSIONS: HS required longer IMA harvest times which could be partially attributed to a higher skeletonization rate in this category. HS may cause less endothelial injury than EC; however, no significant differences in postoperative outcomes were seen between the groups.

Association of Heart Transplant Volume with Presence of Lung Transplant Programs and Heart Transplant's SRTR One-year Survival Rating.

BACKGROUND: Several factors affect heart transplant (HTx) and lung transplant (LTx) program outcomes. Variabilities in institutional and community characteristics have been shown to influence survival. At present, half of HTx centers in the United States do not possess a concomitant LTx program. This study sought to better understand the characteristics of HTx with and without LTx programs. METHODS: Nationwide transplant data were collected from the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) in August 2020. SRTR star rating ranges from tier 1 (lowest) to tier 5 (highest). HTx volumes and SRTR star ratings for survival were compared between the centers with heart-only (H0) programs and the centers with heart-lung (HL) programs. RESULTS: SRTR star ratings were available for 117 transplant centers with one or more HTx reported. The median number of HTx performed over 1 year was 16 (interquartile range [IQR]: 2-29). The number of HL centers (n = 67, 57.3%) were comparable to H0 centers (n = 50, 42.7%; p = 0.14). The HTx volume at the HL centers (28 [IQR: 17-41]) exceeded the HTx volume at the H0 centers (13 [IQR: 9-23]; p < 0.01), but were comparable to the LTx volume at the HL centers (31 [IQR: 16-46]; p = 0.25). The median HTx one-year survival rating was 3 (IQR: 2-4) at both the H0 and HL centers (p = 0.85). The HTx and LTx volumes were positively associated with the respective 1-year survivals (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: While the presence of an LTx program is not directly associated with HTx survival, it has a positive association with the HTx volume. The HTx and LTx volumes are positively associated with the 1-year survival.

Utility of Recipient Cardiothoracic Ratio in Predicting Delayed Chest Closure after Heart Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Predicted cardiac mass (PCM) has been well validated for size matching donor hearts to heart transplantation recipients. We hypothesized that cardiothoracic ratio (CTR) could be reflective of recipient-specific limits of oversizing, and sought to determine the utility of donor to recipient PCM ratio (PCMR) and CTR in predicting delayed chest closure after heart transplantation. METHODS: A retrospective review of prospectively collected data on 38 consecutive heart transplantations performed at our institution from 2017 to 2020 was performed. Donor and recipient PCM were estimated using Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis predictive models. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to determine the discriminatory power of the ratio of PCMR to CTR in predicting delayed sternal closure. RESULTS: Of the 38 patients, 71.1% (27/38) were male and the median age at transplantation was 58 (interquartile range [IQR]: 47-62) years. Ischemic cardiomyopathy was present in 31.6% of recipients (12/38). Median recipient CTR was 0.63 [IQR: 0.59-0.66]. Median donor to recipient PCMR was 1.07 [IQR: 0.96-1.19], which indicated 7% oversizing. Thirteen out of 38 (34.2%) underwent delayed sternal closure. Primary graft dysfunction occurred in 15.8% (6/38). PCMR/CTR showed good discriminatory power in predicting delayed sternal closure [area under the curve: 80.4% (65.3-95.6%)]. PCMR/CTR cut-off of 1.7 offered the best trade-off between the sensitivity (69.6%) and specificity (91.7%). CONCLUSION: CTR could be helpful in guiding the recipient-specific extent of oversizing donor hearts. Maintaining the ratio of PCMR to CTR below 1.7 could avoid excessive oversizing of the donor heart.

Microaxial circulatory support for percutaneous coronary intervention: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Microaxial circulatory support devices have been used to support patients treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock (AMICS). The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to pool and analyze the existing evidence on the baseline characteristics, periprocedural data, and outcomes of microaxial support before and after PCI in AMICS. METHODS: An electronic database search was performed to identify all cohort studies on Impella and PCI for cardiogenic shock in the English language. A total of five articles comprising 543 patients were included. These patients received microaxial support either before (pre-PCI) or after (post-PCI) undergoing PCI. Comparative analyses were done between both groups. RESULTS: The mean patient age was 66 years [95% Confidence Interval (58-74)], and 22% (89/396) of patients were female. ST-elevation myocardial infarctions (MI) comprised 64% (44-80) of MIs and 50% (44-56) of MIs involved the left anterior descending artery. The mean number of diseased vessels was 2.21 (1.62-2.80). The mean left ventricular ejection fraction was 31% (23.4-38.6). The mean arterial pressure was 66.3 mm Hg (54.1-78.5). Mean serum lactate [6.1 mmol/L (3.3-8.9)] and serum creatinine [1.4 mg/dl (1.0-1.7)] were similar between groups. 30-day mortality was lower in the pre-PCI group [41% (34%-49%)] compared to the post-PCI group [61% (42%-77%), p < 0.01]. Pooled Kaplan-Meier analysis showed better early survival in the pre-PCI group (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients presenting with AMICS were similar at baseline in both pre-PCI and post-PCI groups. Nevertheless, pre-PCI group showed better early survival compared to post-PCI group.

Bronchial artery revascularization in lung transplantation: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Bronchial artery revascularization (BAR) during lung transplantation has been hypothesized to improve early tracheal healing and delay the onset of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). We aimed to assess the outcomes of BAR after lung transplantation. Methods: Electronic search in Ovid Medline, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Scopus, and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (CCTR) databases was performed to identify all relevant studies published about lung transplantation with BAR. Studies discussing lung transplantation utilizing BAR were included while those without outcome data such as BOS and survival were excluded. Cohort-level data were extracted and pooled for analysis. A binary outcome meta-analysis of proportions with logit transformation was conducted. Newcastle-Ottawa scale was used for risk of bias assessment. Results: Seven studies were selected for the analysis comprising 143 patients. Mean patient age was 47 (95% CI: 40-55) years. Sixty-one percent (48-72%) were male. Seventy-three percent (65-79%) of patients underwent double lung transplant while 27% (21-25%) underwent single lung transplant. In patients with postoperative angiography, successful BAR was demonstrated in 93% (82-97%) of all assessed conduits. The 30-day/in-hospital mortality was 6% (3-11%). Seventy-nine percent (63-89%) of patients were free from rejection at three months. Eighty-three percent (29-98%) of patients were free from signs of airway ischemia at three and six months. Pooled survival at one year and five years was 87% (78-92%) and 71% (46-87%), respectively, with a mean follow-up time of 21 (3-38) months. Pooled freedom from bronchiolitis obliterans was 86% (77-91%) at two years. Conclusions: While this systematic review and meta-analysis is limited by the available surgeons, institutions, and papers discussing a highly specialized technique, it does show that BAR is a viable technique to minimize BOS and early anastomotic intervention following lung transplantation.

Mechanical and interventional support for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: A review.

INTRODUCTION: Restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are two disease processes that are known to progress to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Pharmacologic therapies for HFpEF have not improved patient outcomes or reduced mortality in this patient cohort; thus, there continues to be substantial interest in other treatment strategies, including surgical interventions and devices. In this article, we explore and report the current utility of percutaneous therapies and surgically implanted mechanical support in the treatment of patients with HFpEF. RESULTS: Treatment strategies include percutaneous interventions with interatrial shunts, left atrial assist devices (LAADs), and ventricular assist devices (VADs) in various configurations. Although VADs have been employed to treat patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, their efficacy is limited in those with RCM and HCM. A left atrial-to-aortic VAD has been proposed to directly unload the left atrium, but data is limited. Alternatively, a LAAD could be placed in the mitral position and simultaneously unload the left atrium, while filling the left ventricle. CONCLUSION: A left atrial assist device in the mitral position is a promising solution to address the hemodynamic abnormalities in RCM and HCM; these pumps, however, are still under development.

Utilization and outcomes of extracorporeal CO2 removal (ECCO2 R): Systematic review and meta-analysis of arterio-venous and veno-venous ECCO2 R approaches.

INTRODUCTION: Extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO2 R) provides respiratory support to patients suffering from hypercapnic respiratory failure by utilizing an extracorporeal shunt and gas exchange membrane to remove CO2 from either the venous (VV-ECCO2 R) or arterial (AV-ECCO2 R) system before return into the venous site. AV-ECCO2 R relies on the patient's native cardiac function to generate pressures needed to deliver blood through the extracorporeal circuit. VV-ECCO2 R utilizes a mechanical pump and can be used to treat patients with inadequate native cardiac function. We sought to evaluate the existing evidence comparing the subgroups of patients supported on VV and AV-ECCO2 R devices. METHODS: A literature search was performed to identify all relevant studies published between 2000 and 2019. Demographic information, medical indications, perioperative variables, and clinical outcomes were extracted for systematic review and meta-analysis. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies including 826 patients were reviewed. 60% of patients (497/826) were supported on VV-ECCO2 R. The most frequent indications were acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) [69%, (95%CI: 53%-82%)] and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [49%, (95%CI: 37%-60%)]. ICU length of stay was significantly shorter in patients supported on VV-ECCO2 R compared to AV-ECCO2 R [15 (95%CI: 7-23) vs. 42 (95%CI: 17-67) days, p = 0.05]. In-hospital mortality was not significantly different [27% (95%CI: 18%-38%) vs. 36% (95%CI: 24%-51%), p = 0.26]. CONCLUSION: Both VV and AV-ECCO2 R provided clinically meaningful CO2 removal with comparable mortality.

3 Cases of Superior Vena Cava Syndrome Following Percutaneous Right Ventricular Assist Device Placement.

We present 3 cases of superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome following percutaneous right ventricular assist device (RVAD) placement. Each case underscores the importance of early recognition of SVC syndrome in patients with percutaneous RVAD insertion via the internal jugular vein and calls for heightened awareness of device-associated complications. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.).

Management and outcomes of left ventricular assist device-associated endocarditis: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular assist device (LVAD)-associated endocarditis remains poorly studied, especially in newer continuous-flow LVADs (CF-LVADs). The aim of this review was to assess outcomes of patients with LVAD-associated endocarditis, as stratified by CF-LVAD and pulsatile LVAD (P-LVAD) use as well as by different interventions and pathogen types. METHODS: An electronic search was performed to identify studies in the English literature on LVAD-associated endocarditis. RESULTS: Overall, 16 articles with 26 patients were included; seven had CF-LVADs and 19 had P-LVADs; time to development of endocarditis was 91 days (152 vs. 65 days, respectively, P=0.05). Eleven of 25 patients were treated with antibiotics only. Remaining 14 patients received antibiotics, however, they also underwent additional surgical intervention. One patient was treated with embolization alone for mycotic aneurysm and was therefore excluded. At a median follow-up time of 344 days post implant, there was no difference in overall mortality between CF-LVAD and P-LVAD-associated endocarditis patients (57.9% vs. 42.9%, P=0.81). Patients who underwent additional surgical intervention had higher overall survival compared to those treated with antibiotics alone (71.4% vs. 27.3%, P=0.07); with no difference in outcomes amongst those who underwent surgical device exchange as compared to heart transplantation (80.0% vs. 66.7%; P=0.23). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to patients with P-LVADs, CF-LVAD patients appeared to be resistant to early development of LVAD-associated endocarditis. There was a trend towards high survival observed amongst patients who underwent additional surgical intervention as compared to those treated with antibiotics alone, with no difference amongst surgical device exchange as compared to heart transplantation. Advantages of additional surgical intervention vs. medical therapy alone deserves further exploration to determine its applicability in CF-LVADs.

Concomitant vs staged orthotopic liver transplant after cardiac surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: In patients who require orthotopic liver transplant (OLT), cardiac surgery may be needed to optimize preoperative cardiac status for OLT. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate patient characteristics and outcomes of those undergoing staged versus concomitant cardiac procedures with OLT. METHODS: An electronic search was performed to identify all case reports and series, from which patient-level data was extracted regarding cardiac procedures associated with OLT. After assessment for inclusion and exclusion criteria, 26 articles were pooled for systematic review. RESULTS: Overall, 49 patients were included in the analysis, of whom 12 (24%) underwent staged procedures and 37 (76%) underwent concomitant procedures. The median age was lower in the staged group [staged: 51 (IQR, 43.8-59.2) years vs. concomitant: 60 (IQR, 55.0-64.0) years, p = .02]. Other baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. For staged procedures, the median time between heart procedures and OLT was 2 (IQR, 1.0-3.5) months. The most commonly reported cardiac procedures were coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) [staged: 4/12 (33.3%) vs. concomitant: 21/37 (56.8%), p = .28], aortic valve replacement (AVR) [staged: 3/12 (25.0%) vs. concomitant: 19/37 (51.2%), p = .21], and transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) [staged: 4/12 (33.3%) vs. concomitant: 0/37 (0%), p = .002]. Regarding outcomes, there was a significantly shorter post-OLT hospital stay for those who had staged procedures versus those who had concomitant procedures [staged: 8 (IQR, 5-13) days vs. concomitant: 17 (IQR, 14-24) days, p = .007]. However, both groups had similar in-hospital mortality rates [staged: 1/12 (8.3%) vs. concomitant: 4/37 (10.8%), p = 1.0]. Overall survival stratified between the two groups was comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who underwent the staged approach had a shorter post-transplant hospital stay, but comparable survival with respect to those who underwent concomitant cardiac procedures and OLT.

Single versus multi-drug antimicrobial surgical infection prophylaxis for left ventricular assist devices: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Infection remains the Achilles heel of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy. However, an optimal antimicrobial surgical infection prophylaxis (SIP) regimen has not been established. This study evaluated the efficacy of a single-drug SIP compared to a multi-drug SIP on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing continuous-flow LVAD (CF-LVAD) and pulsatile LVAD (P-LVAD) implantation. An electronic search was performed to identify studies in the English literature on SIP regimens in patients undergoing LVAD implantation. Identified articles were assessed for inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fourteen articles with 1,311 (CF-LVAD: 888; P-LVAD: 423) patients were analyzed. Overall, 501 (38.0%) patients received single-drug SIP, whereas 810 (62.0%) received multi-drug SIP. Time to infection was comparable between groups. There was no significant difference in overall incidence of LVAD-specific infections [single-drug: 18.7% vs. multi-drug: 24.8%, P = 0.49] including driveline infections [single-drug: 14.1% vs. multi-drug: 20.8%, P = 0.37]. Compared to single-drug SIP, patients who received multi-drug SIP had a significantly lower survival rate [single-drug: 90.0% vs. multi-drug: 76.0%, P = 0.01] and infection-free survival rate [single-drug: 88.4% vs. multi-drug: 77.3%, P = 0.04] at 90 days. However, there were no significant differences in 1-year survival and 1-year infection-free survival between groups. No survival differences were observed in the CF-LVAD subset as well. This study demonstrated no additional advantage of a multi-drug compared to a single-drug regimen for SIP. Although there was a modest advantage in early survival among CF-LVAD and P-LVAD patients who received single-drug SIP, there were no significant differences in the 1-year survival and 1-year infection-free survival.

Implementation of a Standardized Transfusion Protocol for Cardiac Patients Treated With Venoarterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Is Associated With Decreased Blood Component Utilization and May Improve Clinical Outcome.

BACKGROUND: Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation supplies oxygenated blood to the body supporting the heart and lungs. Survival rates of 20% to 50% are reported among patients receiving ECMO for cardiac arrest, severe cardiogenic shock, or failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass following cardiac surgery. Bleeding is one of the most common complications in ECMO patients due to coagulopathy, systemic anticoagulation, and the presence of large bore cannulas at systemic pressure. Absence of a standardized transfusion protocol in this population leads to inconsistent transfusion practices. Here, we assess a newly developed dedicated transfusion protocol in this clinical setting. METHODS: Data were retrospectively reviewed for the first 30 consecutive cardiac ECMO patients prior and post implementation of the ECMO transfusion protocol. Diagnoses, laboratory results, blood component utilization, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Comorbidities were similar between the 2 eras, as well as the pre-ECMO ejection fraction (P = .568) and duration on ECMO (P = .278). Transfusion utilization data revealed statistically significant decreases in almost all blood components and a savings in blood component acquisition costs of 51% ($175, 970). In addition, an almost 2-fold increase in survival rate was observed in the post-ECMO transfusion protocol era (63% vs 33%; relative risk = 1.82; 95% confidence interval, 1.07-3.10; P = .028). CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that implementation of a standardized transfusion protocol, using more restrictive transfusion indications in cardiac ECMO patients, was associated with reduced blood product utilization, decreased complications, and improved survival. This multidepartmental approach facilitates better communication and adherence to consensus clinical decision making between intensive care unit, surgery, and transfusion service and optimizes care of complicated and acutely ill patients.

Pulmonary arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation to avoid pulmonary overflow during total artificial heart implantation.

Total artificial hearts (TAH) can be used as a bridge to transplant or, occasionally, as destination therapy for patients with severe biventricular dysfunction. Not infrequently TAHs are placed in patients with severe low flow states, in which the lungs of these patients are unable to adjust rapidly to the "normal" right ventricular output of a TAH. These patients may develop variable degrees of pulmonary edema secondary to stress failure of the pulmonary capillaries requiring increased respiratory support, which can occasionally be fatal. In this "how to do it" article, we describe the technique for a pulmonary arteriovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation with TAH to avoid sudden pulmonary overflow and gradually expose the lungs to increasing flow.

Early and late outcomes with prolonged open chest management after cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVES: Open chest management (OCM) is an important intervention for patients who are unable to undergo sternal closure after cardiac surgery. This study reviews the factors associated with a prolonged need for this intervention and investigates its association with early and late mortality. METHODS: Patients undergoing OCM from January 2009 to December 2014 were reviewed. Differences in the median duration of OCM when a perioperative variable was present versus its absence were determined and variables significant at P ≤ .1 were analyzed using Poisson regression for factors associated with prolonged OCM. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards models were developed to investigate perioperative factors that were associated with early and late mortality. RESULTS: A total of 201 patients (5%) required OCM and the overall median duration of this intervention was 3 days. The use a temporary assist device (median, 7 vs 2 days; P < .001), pneumonias (median, 11 vs 3 days; P < .001), sternal re-explorations (median, 6 vs 2 days; P < .001), and renal failure (median, 6 vs 3 days; P = .02) were among the factors that were highly associated with prolonged OCM using Poisson regression. Thirty-day mortalities occurred in 32 patients (16%) and were significantly associated with emergency surgery (P = .03), sternal re-explorations (P = .001), and OCM duration (median, 6 vs 3 days; P = .02). On multivariable logistic regression and Cox analysis, delaying sternal closure by 1-day increments increased the risk of early and late mortality by 11% (P = .01), and 9% (P < .001), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Prolonged OCM was associated with increasing perioperative morbidity and a higher risk of early and late mortality.

Cannulation-Related Complications on Veno-Arterial Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: Prevalence and Effect on Mortality.

Cannulation-related complications are a known source of morbidity in patients supported on veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Despite its prevalence, little is known regarding the outcomes of patients who suffer such complications. This is a single institution review of cannulation-related complications and its effect on mortality in patients supported on VA-ECMO from January 2010-2015 using three cannulation strategies: axillary, femoral, and central. Complications were defined as advanced if they required major interventions (fasciotomy, amputation, site conversion). Patients were divided into two groups (complication present vs. not present) and Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to determine any differences in their survival distributions. There were 103 patients supported on VA-ECMO: 41 (40%), 36 (35%), and 26 (25%) were cannulated via axillary, femoral, and central access, respectively. Cannulation-related complications occurred in 33 (32%) patients and this did not differ significantly between either axillary (34%), femoral (36%), or central (23%) strategies (P = 0.52). The most common complications encountered were hemorrhage and limb ischemia in 19 (18%) and 11 (11%) patients. Hemorrhagic complications did not differ between groups (P = 0.37), while limb ischemia and hyperperfusion were significantly associated with femoral and axillary cannulation, at a rate of 25% (P < 0.01) and 15% (P = 0.01), respectively. There was no difference in the incidence of advanced complications between cannulation groups: axillary (12%) vs. femoral (14%) vs. central (8%; P = 0.75). In addition, no increase in mortality was noted in patients who developed a cannulation-related complication by Kaplan-Meier estimates (P = 0.37). Cannulation-related complications affect a significant proportion of patients supported on VA-ECMO but do not differ in incidence between different cannulation strategies and do not affect patient mortality. Improved efforts at preventing these complications need to be developed to avoid the additional morbidity in an already critical patient population.

Echocardiographic detection of left ventricular thrombus in patients undergoing HeartMate II left ventricular assist device implantation.

PURPOSE: Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE) are considered accurate in detecting the presence of left ventricular (LV) thrombus. A persistent LV thrombus poses risks of pump thrombosis and stroke in LVAD recipients. The relationship between preoperative echocardiography and intraoperative findings at LVAD implantation has not previously been studied. METHODS: A retrospective review examined all patients undergoing LVAD placement or exchange from October 2011 to March 2014. Preoperative TTE and TEE data were validated with presence of LV thrombus during the direct inspection at the time of LVAD placement, and the findings were analyzed quantitatively. RESULTS: Between October 2011 and March 2014, 99 patients underwent a total of 107 LVAD implants. Preoperative TTE was available in 93 (86.9%) cases, while preoperative TEE was available in 37 cases (34.6%). On preoperative TTE, LV thrombus was correctly identified in only two cases, while on preoperative TEE no cases of LV thrombus were identified correctly, and there were 2 false positive reports. Intraoperative inspection revealed presence of LV thrombus in 14 cases. The sensitivity of preoperative TTE was 16.7% and the specificity 100% in detecting LVT, compared to 0% and 93.8%, respectively, for TEE. CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative echocardiogram offers low accuracy for presence of LV thrombus. Overall, the sensitivity is too low to reliably exclude thrombus. This could have significant implications in planning off-pump LVAD exchange as thrombus could be missed. More data are necessary to determine whether this could have significant effects on thromboembolic complications and survival.

Does the need for noncardiac surgery during ventricular assist device therapy impact clinical outcome?

BACKGROUND: The role of the ventricular assist device (VAD) in the management of heart failure is expanding. Despite its success, the clinical course for patients requiring noncardiac surgery (NCS) during VAD support is not well described. The objective of this study was to identify VAD patients requiring NCS (+NCS) and compare outcomes with those not requiring NCS (-NCS). METHODS: Patients undergoing VAD implant from 2000 to 2007 were reviewed. NCS procedures, survival, and complications were collected. Survival at 1 year from implant, overall survival at the study conclusion, survival time from implant, and outcome of VAD therapy were compared between groups. RESULTS: We enrolled 142 subjects. Demographics did not differ between groups. Twenty-five subjects (18%) underwent 27 NCS procedures. Perioperative survival was 100% and 28-day survival was 64%. Survival to discharge was 56%. Bleeding occurred in 48%. Infection occurred in 33%. Estimated blood loss was 355 mL, and the international normalized ratio at time of NCS was 1.9. Laparoscopy was performed in 3 cases. There was no difference in 1-year survival (59% vs 54%), survival at study conclusion (44% vs 46%) or survival time (517 vs 523 days) between +NCS subjects and -NCS subjects. There were similar causes of death in both groups. The +NCS group was on VAD support longer (245 vs 87 days; P < .01), and less likely to undergo heart transplantation (12% vs 35%; P < .01). CONCLUSION: NCS is not uncommon during VAD therapy. Bleeding and infection were common complications. Despite this, NCS seems to be feasible and safe and does not seem to increase mortality in the VAD population.