Lipoprotein (a) and lipid-lowering treatment from the perspective of a cardiac surgeon. An impact on the prognosis in patients with aortic valve replacement and after heart transplantation.

Lipoprotein(a) is a recognized risk factor for ASCVD. There is still no targeted therapy for Lp(a), however, drugs such as pelacarsen, olpasiran, zerlasiran, lepodisiran and muvalaplin are in clinical trials and have been shown to be effective in significantly reducing Lp(a) levels. Moreover, elevated Lp(a) levels significantly affect the prognosis of patients after aortic valve replacement (AVR) and heart transplantation (HTx). Therefore, the assessment of Lp(a) concentration in these patients will allow for a more accurate stratification of their cardiovascular risk, and the possibility of lowering Lp(a) will allow for the optimization of this risk. In this article, we summarized the most important information regarding the role of Lp(a) and lipid-lowering treatment in patients after AVR and HTx.

Value, time and outcomes of elevated lactate levels in adult patients on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

INTRODUCTION: Lactate levels have been recognized as a reliable tool for monitoring critically ill patients requiring venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) or venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) but the reasons behind the overproduction of lactate are different and the influance for survival remains controversial. We analyzed the lactate values and lactate clearance in adult patients in these two forms of extracorporeal support. METHODS: Patient demographics, ECMO duration, 30-day mortality, lactate values and lactate clearance at 24, 48 and 72 h from ECMO initiation of patients supported with VV and VA ECMO at Silesian Centre for Heart Deasese, between January 2011 and April 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. The changes in lactate levels were analyzed using the non-parametric U Mann-Whitney tests and Chi-square test. The ROC curves were draw and the area under the curve was calculated. RESULTS: The study comprised 91 adult patients, Mortality in the first 30 days from initiation of VV and VA ECMO was 39% and 66%, respectively. Lactate levels were significantly higher in non-survivors that received VV and VA ECMO (p < .001), while lactate clearance was similar (p = .256 and p = 1.000, respectively). Survival curves for patients with elevated (>2.0 mmol/L) vs normal (≤2.0 mmol/L) lactate levels at 72 h were significantly different for VV ECMO (p = .007) and VA ECMO (p = .037) but in both groups of ECMO, lactate levels above 2.0 mmol/L at 72 h from ECMO initiation predicted 30 day-mortality. CONCLUSION: This results emphasized the importance of lactate levels below 2.0 mmol/L at 72 h from both VV and VA ECMO initiation.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for severe COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome in Poland: a multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: In Poland, the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) remain unknown. This study aimed to answer these unknowns by analyzing data collected from high-volume ECMO centers willing to participate in this project. METHODS: This retrospective, multicenter cohort study was completed between March 1, 2020, and May 31, 2021 (15 months). Data from all patients treated with ECMO for COVID-19 were analyzed. Pre-ECMO laboratory and treatment data were compared between non-survivors and survivors. Independent predictors for death in the intensive care unit (ICU) were identified. RESULTS: There were 171 patients admitted to participating centers requiring ECMO for refractory hypoxemia due to COVID-19 during the defined time period. A total of 158 patients (mean age: 46.3 ± 9.8 years) were analyzed, and 13 patients were still requiring ECMO at the end of the observation period. Most patients (88%) were treated after October 1, 2020, 77.8% were transferred to ECMO centers from another facility, and 31% were transferred on extracorporeal life support. The mean duration of ECMO therapy was 18.0 ± 13.5 days. The crude ICU mortality rate was 74.1%. In the group of 41 survivors, 37 patients were successfully weaned from ECMO support and four patients underwent a successful lung transplant. In-hospital death was independently associated with pre-ECMO lactate level (OR 2.10 per 1 mmol/L, p = 0.017) and BMI (OR 1.47 per 5 kg/m2, p = 0.050). CONCLUSIONS: The ICU mortality rate among patients requiring ECMO for COVID-19 in Poland was high. In-hospital death was independently associated with increased pre-ECMO lactate levels and BMI.

Prevalence, management and outcomes of cardiac tamponade complicating 66,812 invasive cardiac procedures: single-center clinical registry.

INTRODUCTION: There are numerous studies concerning iatrogenic cardiac tamponade. Those studies are predominantly focused on one cardiac procedure and the follow-up is not always presented. AIM: To estimate the rate of cardiac tamponade following 66,812 percutaneous invasive cardiac interventions depending on the procedure. For each group the baseline characteristics and hospital management, as well as in-hospital, 30-day and 1-year mortality, were evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study was a single-center retrospective analysis performed in a tertiary clinical hospital, which encompasses two cardiology departments, assessing a large sample of patients who underwent percutaneous invasive cardiac procedures complicated with cardiac tamponade between January 2006 and December 2018. For this purpose, medical records and hospital databases were analyzed. Long-term follow-up was obtained in cooperation with the Silesian Cardiovascular Base. RESULTS: The rate of iatrogenic cardiac tamponade during the 13-year period was 0.176%. The incidence among selected invasive cardiac procedures ranged between 0.09% and 1.42%. The majority of cases (104/118) were treated by pericardiocentesis, 16 had pericardiotomy and 4 patients had both therapies. Inotropes were used in 25-45%, blood transfusion in 45% of patients. The highest in-hospital mortality was observed in patients with cardiac tamponade after transcatheter aortic valve implantation. The highest 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were seen in the group with temporary electrode pacing. CONCLUSIONS: The low incidence of cardiac tamponade with the high number of patients requiring intensive care supply and high in-hospital mortality tend to confirm that cardiac tamponade is a rare but life-threatening complication.

Development and Validation of a Practical Model to Identify Patients at Risk of Bleeding After TAVR.

OBJECTIVES: No standardized algorithm exists to identify patients at risk of bleeding after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). The aim of this study was to generate and validate a useful predictive model. BACKGROUND: Bleeding events after TAVR influence prognosis and quality of life and may be preventable. METHODS: Using machine learning and multivariate regression, more than 100 clinical variables from 5,185 consecutive patients undergoing TAVR in the prospective multicenter RISPEVA (Registro Italiano GISE sull'Impianto di Valvola Aortica Percutanea; NCT02713932) registry were analyzed in relation to Valve Academic Research Consortium-2 bleeding episodes at 1 month. The model's performance was externally validated in 5,043 TAVR patients from the prospective multicenter POL-TAVI (Polish Registry of Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation) database. RESULTS: Derivation analyses generated a 6-item score (PREDICT-TAVR) comprising blood hemoglobin and serum iron concentrations, oral anticoagulation and dual antiplatelet therapy, common femoral artery diameter, and creatinine clearance. The 30-day area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC) was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.75-0.83). Internal validation by optimism bootstrap-corrected AUC was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.75-0.83). Score quartiles were in graded relation to 30-day events (0.8%, 1.1%, 2.5%, and 8.5%; overall p <0.001). External validation produced a 30-day AUC of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.72-0.82). A simple nomogram and a web-based calculator were developed to predict individual patient probabilities. Landmark cumulative event analysis showed greatest bleeding risk differences for top versus lower score quartiles in the first 30 days, when most events occurred. Predictivity was maintained when omitting serum iron values. CONCLUSIONS: PREDICT-TAVR is a practical, validated, 6-item tool to identify patients at risk of bleeding post-TAVR that can assist in decision making and event prevention.

Baseline characteristics, management and long-term outcomes of different etiologies of cardiac tamponade evaluated in a cohort of 340 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Studies on the etiology of cardiac tamponade (CT) are scarce or lacking follow-up, and usually include small or highly selected groups of patients. AIM: To evaluate the various etiologies and outcomes of CT in a cohort of patients treated in a tertiary care hospital encompassing cardiology, cardiac surgery and intensive care units. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed all adult patients hospitalized in the Silesian Centre for Heart Diseases in Zabrze (Poland) between January 2008 and December 2018, who required therapeutic pericardiocentesis or pericardiotomy due to CT. All various etiologies of CT were presented and assigned to the main etiology groups. For each group basic characteristics, in-hospital management, in-hospital and up to 2-year mortality were analyzed. RESULT: Among 340 patients with CT, 56% were men. The leading etiology groups included patients after invasive cardiac procedures, patients following postpericardiotomy (PCT) syndrome and the patients with neoplasm. Patients with end stage renal failure, PCT and iatrogenic CTs were the most disease burdened groups. The highest need for advanced therapy and in-hospital mortality were observed for the acute myocardial infarction group, in contrast to PCT. CONCLUSIONS: Within our cohort of patients, the invasive cardiac procedures overtake neoplastic causation of cardiac tamponade. The worst in-hospital prognosis was noted for CT following acute myocardial infarction and both iatrogenic invasive cardiac and cardiac surgery procedures. The highest long-term mortality was recorded for patients with end stage renal failure and the neoplastic group.

The Impact of Beta Blockers on Survival in Heart Transplant Recipients: Insights from the Zabrze HTx Registry.

INTRODUCTION: The data assessing the impact of beta blocker (BB) medication on survival in patients after heart transplantation (HTx) are scarce and unequivocal; therefore, we investigated this population. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the HTx Zabrze Registry of 380 consecutive patients who survived the 30-day postoperative period. RESULTS: The percentage of patients from the entire cohort taking BBs was as follows: atenolol 24 (17%), bisoprolol 67 (49%), carvedilol 11 (8%), metoprolol 28 (20%), and nebivolol 8 (6%). The patients receiving BBs were older (56.94 ± 14.68 years vs. 52.70 ± 15.35 years, p=0.008) and experienced an onset of HTx earlier in years (11.65 ± 7.04 vs. 7.24 ± 5.78 p ≤ 0.001). They also had higher hematocrit (0.40 ± 0.05 vs. 0.39 ± 0.05, p=0.022) and red blood cells (4.63 (106/µl) ± 0.71 vs. 4.45 (106/µl) ± 0.68, p=0.015). Survival according to BB medication did not differ among the groups (p=0.655) (log-rank test). Univariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that the following parameters were associated with unfavorable diagnosis: serum concentration of albumin (g/l) HR: 0.87, 95% CI (0.81-0.94), p=0.0004; fibrinogen (mg/dl) HR: 1.006, 95% CI (1.002-1.008), p=0.0017; and C-reactive protein (mg/l) HR: 1.014, 95% CI (1.004-1.023), p=0.0044. CONCLUSIONS: The use of BBs in our cohort of patients after HTx was not associated with survival benefits.

Mechanical circulatory support restores eligibility for heart transplant in patients with significant pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients with end­stage heart failure implies a wider use of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs). Irreversible pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a predictor of unfavorable prognosis and a contraindication to orthotopic heart transplant (OHT). AIMS: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of continuous­flow LVAD (CF­LVAD) support on pulmonary pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) as well as the impact of pre­LVAD hemodynamic parameters on survival during LVAD support. METHODS: Data collected from 106 patients who underwent CF­LVAD implantation in the years 2009 to 2018 (men, 95.3%; mean [SD] age, 51.8 [12] years; mean [SD] INTERMACS profile, 2.9 [1.6]; mean [SD] LVAD support time, 661 [520] days; follow­up until May 2019) were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: Right heart catheterization was performed before LVAD implantation in 94 patients (88.7%), after implantation-in 31 (29.2%), and before and after implantation-in 28 (26.4%). We observed mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) >25 mm Hg in 65 patients (61.3%) and PVR >2.5 Wood units in 33 patients (31.1%) before LVAD implantation. A significant improvement after CF­LVAD implantation was noted in mPAP, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, transpulmonary gradient, PVR, cardiac output (P <0.001 for all parameters), and cardiac index (P = 0.003). All patients with initially irreversible PH became eligible for OHT during LVAD support. Survival during LVAD support did not depend on initial mPAP and PVR. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with end­stage heart failure, CF­LVAD support leads to a significant reduction of pre­ and postcapillary PH. Survival on CF­LVAD support is independent of elevated mPAP and PVR before implantation, which suggests that LVADs decrease the risk associated with PH.

Tacrolimus and Mycophenolic Acid Blood Concentration and Cellular Rejection After Heart Transplantation in First Endomyocardial Biopsy.

BACKGROUND: Tacrolimus and mycophenolic acid (MPA) are the most important immunosuppressive drugs in modern heart transplantation. The pharmacokinetics of tacrolimus are best described by a 2-compartment model. MPA has very variable pharmacokinetics. The aim of this research was to compare kinetics of the immunosuppressants' blood levels in a group of patients with and without graft rejection. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was a retrospective analysis of 39 consecutive adult orthotopic heart transplantations (OHT): 10 (9 men and 1 woman) in group R had graft rejection (ISHLT >2) in the first biopsy and 29 (22 men and 7 women) in group C were without rejection. Ischemic cardiomyopathy occurred in 2 of 7 and nonischemic cardiomyopathy in 8 of 22 (group R and group C, respectively). RESULTS: Patients did not differ between groups except diabetes, which occurred more often in group R. Immunosuppressive drug levels were: group R and group C, respectively, 2.13 ± 0.49 and 2.11 ± 0.72 µg/mL; P = .93 for mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and 9.42 ± 1.76 and 9.63 ± 2.30 ng/mL; P = .75 for tacrolimus. ICU stay was 14 ± 11 vs 15 ± 15 days; P = .76. There were 2 of 6 primary graft failures, 1 of 1 neurologic complications, and 0 of 6 reoperations (P < .05) in group R and group C, respectively. One patient died from group C in 30 days. During the hospital stay the incidence of graft rejection was diagnosed in 20 patients (16men and 4 women) (ISHLT >2 in endomyocardial biopsy) in the study population. CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring of tacrolimus concentration in the early post--heart transplant period does not identify patients with rejection in the authors' study. Monitoring concentration of MMF does not identify patients with rejection. Further investigation is needed to evaluate factors responsible for post--heart transplant rejection in the early phase.

Short- and long-term outcomes of continuous-flow left ventricular assist device therapy in 79 patients with end-stage heart failure.

INTRODUCTION: An increasing number of patients with end­stage heart failure, along with a shortage of heart donors, necessitates the use of mechanical circulatory support. OBJECTIVES: This single­center retrospective study evaluated short- and long term outcomes of continuous­flow left ventricular assist device (CF LVAD) therapy in patients with end stage heart failure. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We collected and assessed data of 79 patients (77 men, 2 women; mean age, 50.3 years; mean INTERMACS profile, 3.1) implanted with a CF­LVAD between 2009 and 2017 (HeartMate 3 in 19 patients [24%]; HeartMate 2 in 9 [11.4%]; and HeartWare in 51 [64.6%]). RESULTS: The mean time on CF-LVAD support was 604 days (range, 1­1758 days). There were 2 device exchanges due to pump thrombosis and 1 explantation due to heart regeneration; 9 patients (11.4%) underwent heart transplant. Stroke (nondisabling, 48%) occurred in 27.8% of patients (ischemic in 9 patients; hemorrhagic, in 14; both types, in 1) despite the standardized anticoagulation regimen. Major gastrointestinal bleeding and pump thrombosis were reported in 13 patients (16.5%), while 18 patients (22.8%) developed driveline infections (recurrent in 15 patients [19%]). Hemorrhagic stroke and bacteremia had a negative impact on survival. Hemorrhagic stroke was the main cause of death. Survival probability was 0.9 at 1 month and 0.81, 0.71, 0.61, and 0.53 at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Although CF­LVAD support is associated with substantial adverse events, they do not significantly affect mortality (except hemorrhagic stroke and bacteremia). Novel devices seem to overcome these limitations, but larger studies are needed to support these findings.

Procalcitonin Kinetics After Heart Transplantation and as a Marker of Infection in Early Postoperative Course.

INTRODUCTION: Procalcitonin (PCT) is a biomarker of systemic infection. Specificity of PCT is decreased because PCT is also elevated after heart transplantation (HTx). There is no established normal range of serum PCT concentrations after HTx yet. Our aim was to determine the course of PCT concentrations in patients after HTx in the early postoperative period, if we can discriminate postoperative increase in values from infectious complications. RESULTS: Of 39 patients we diagnosed infection in 11. These patients develop acute kidney injury significantly more often than in control group (group C) (5 in infection group [group I] and 2 in group C, P < .05), and 1 patient died within 30 days in group C. Seven patients developed primary graft dysfunction (3/4 + ECMO [extracorporeal membrane oxygenation], respectively, group I/group C) and 2 neurologic disorders in group I. Reoperation due to bleeding was 3 in each group. During the 14 days after HTx, serum PCT concentrations increased with maximum on the second postoperative day (group C: 30.6 ± 15.3 ng/mL; group I: 24.9 ± 44.3 ng/mL). Normal values for PCT were reached on day 8 in group C and 11 in group I. Mean PCT levels were similar: 8.7 ± 5.7 ng/mL vs 11.9 ± 13.1 ng/mL in group I vs group C, respectively. Patients in group I stayed longer in the intensive care unit. CONCLUSIONS: Despite increase in serum concentration of PCT in early postoperative course after HTx there is no marker of infection. Trends in PCT serum concentration may be a valuable tool in diagnosis of infection in patients after HTx, but further investigation is needed.

Everolimus-Eluting Second-Generation Stents for Treatment of De Novo Lesions in Patients with Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

BACKGROUND Cardiac allograft vasculopathy is a major cause of cardiac allograft rejection. Percutaneous coronary intervention has become the main form of treatment of significant focal lesions. Despite the significance of the problem, data remain scarce. With a large population of transplant recipients undergoing coronary angiography at our center, we decided to analyze the implications of the use of everolimus-eluting second-generation stents by performing 6-month clinical and angiographic follow-up. MATERIAL AND METHODS From December 2012 and August 2019, 319 patients after heart transplantation undergoing coronary angiography at our institution were analyzed. Subsequently, 22 patients underwent de novo angioplasty with second-generation everolimus-eluting stents. The primary study endpoint was angiographic restenosis as evaluated by quantitative coronary angiography. Secondary outcomes included binary restenosis, target lesion revascularization, and cardiac death during the follow-up period (6 months). RESULTS Patient comorbidities included hypertension (77.3%), type 2 diabetes mellitus (68.2%), dyslipidemia (68.2%), and obesity (31.8%). Primary success was obtained in all of the treated lesions. The analysis of quantitative coronary angiography after 6-month follow-up revealed low late lumen loss (0.22±0.40). Significant restenosis was observed in 1 of the cases. There were no deaths in the 6-month observation period. CONCLUSIONS In the analyzed population, invasive strategy with second-generation everolimus-eluting stents for de novo lesions in cardiac allograft vasculopathy resulted in a low rate of binary restenosis, low late lumen loss, and no deaths during the 6-month follow-up.

Prognostic Value of Creatinine Concentration and Glomerular Filtration Rate in Acute Kidney Injury Development in the Early Postoperative Period After Heart Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Recipients of nonrenal organ transplants, including the heart, are at risk for developing acute kidney injury (AKI). This situation significantly jeopardized the outcome of patients. The most effective treatment is continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) AIM: The goal of this project is to verify the prognostic value of preoperative serum creatinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate (GFR), calculated by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease formula, to determine the risk of renal failure after grafting RESULTS: In the group of 39 patients, CRRT was needed in 7 patients (17.9%; group K); 32 patients were in the control group (group C). The pretransplant creatinine level in group K was 133.7 ± 31.3 µmol/L and in group C was 160.8 ± 97.6 µmol/L; P = .47. We did not find a difference between groups in GFR: group K 51 ± 6mL/min/1.73 m2 versus group C 43 ± 20 mL/min/1.73 m2; P = .65. Demographic data differed between groups. Patients in group C had significantly more often hypertension, diabetes mellitus, ischemic cardiomyopathy, and previous neurologic disorders and were male. Patients with CRRT had longer intensive care unit (ICU) stays after transplantation than the control population: 25 ± 19 versus 12 ± 10 days; P = .02. Other results showed that primary graft dysfunction occurred in 2 patients in group K and 6 in the control group; 1 needed extracorporeal membrane oxygenation support, and he died on the 12th day. The mean duration of renal replacement therapy was 9.8 days. There were 2 neurologic disorders-1 in each group-and 6 reoperations due to bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Developing AKI requiring CRRT after heart transplantation prolonged the length of ICU stays. Preoperative creatinine concentration and glomerular filtration rate do not predict AKI.

Vascular access site complications after transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation in the POL-TAVI Registry: surgical versus percutaneous approach.

BACKGROUND: Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TF TAVI) has recently become an established treatment option for intermediate and high-risk surgical patients with severe aortic stenosis. Despite significant reduction in diameter of valvular delivery systems, access related vascular complications remain a major safety concern. The aim of this study was to evaluate impact of femoral access techniques: surgical versus percutaneous on in-hospital outcomes. METHODS: Polish National TAVI Registry (POL-TAVI) was used as a data source. The analysis included 1680 patients treated with TF TAVI in years 2013-2016. 677 patients were treated using percutaneous technique (Group PC) and 1003 using open surgical access (Group S). The two groups were matched and compared. All-cause mortality, length of hospital stay, procedure time and potential risk factors for vascular access site complications after TF TAVI were analyzed. RESULTS: Vascular access site complications were reported in 162 (9.64%) of 1680 patients and were found significantly more often in PC group (13.15% vs. 7.28% P>0.001). There was a significant difference between groups regarding Body Mass Index, arterial hypertension, transient ischemic attack history and NYHA classification. The data analysis showed that increased probability of all vascular complications was associated with percutaneous access. In addition, left-side access and female sex were independent risk factors for all vascular complications. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical cut-down in the groin with exposure of the artery and manual suture after the procedure seems to be a safer option for TF TAVI patients.

Outcome Prediction After Coronary Surgery and Redo Surgery for Bleeding (From the KROK Registry).

OBJECTIVES: To assess the reliability of EuroSCORE II in an entire population after isolated coronary artery surgery and separately among patients who underwent redo surgery due to bleeding, and to create a model predicting hospital death among patients who underwent redo surgery owing to bleeding. DESIGN: Retrospective study based on data from the Polish National Registry of Cardiac Surgical Procedures. SETTING: Multi-institutional study. PARTICIPANTS: The study comprised 41,353 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery surgery in Poland between January 2012 and December 2014. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: EuroSCORE II reliability was estimated using the area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC), the observed-to-expected surgical mortality ratio (O/E), and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. Parameters of the function correcting the original EuroSCORE II were determined using the least squares method. The original score was adjusted using a created formula. Among the 41,353 patients, 1,406 (3.4%) underwent reexploration. Even though EuroSCORE II was reliable in predicting hospital mortality in the entire population (AUC 0.76, O/E ratio 1.08), it greatly underestimated mortality for patients who required reexploration (AUC 0.74, O/E ratio 4.33). In this subpopulation, the worst performance of the EuroSCORE II was noted among patients with the lowest predicted mortality (0.50%-0.82%) Accurate calibration was obtained by adding a coefficient and creating a nomogram. CONCLUSIONS: EuroSCORE II was reliable in a Polish population undergoing isolated coronary surgery. After redo surgery for bleeding, the observed mortality was much higher than in the overall coronary population, but the rate was made more accurate by adding a coefficient to the initially calculated EuroSCORE II.

In-hospital and mid-term outcomes in patients reoperated on due to bleeding following coronary artery surgery (from the KROK Registry).

OBJECTIVES: Surgical re-exploration due to postoperative bleeding that follows coronary artery surgery is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to assess a relationship between re-exploration, major postoperative complications, in-hospital mortality and mid-term outcomes in patients following coronary surgery, on the basis of nationwide registry data. METHODS: We identified all consecutive patients enrolled in Polish National Registry of Cardiac Surgical Procedures (KROK Registry) who underwent isolated coronary surgery between January 2012 and December 2014. Preoperative data, major postoperative complications, hospital mortality and mid-term all-cause mortality were, respectively, analysed. Comparisons were performed in all patients, low-risk patients (EuroSCORE II < 2%, males, aged 60-70 years) and propensity-matched patients. The starting point for follow-up was the date of hospital discharge. RESULTS: Among 41 353 analysed patients, 1406 (3.4%) underwent re-exploration. Reoperated patients had more comorbidities, more frequent major postoperative complications, higher in-hospital mortality (13.2% vs 1.8%, P < 0.001) and higher mid-term mortality in survivors (P < 0.001). In the low-risk population, 3.0% of patients underwent re-exploration. Reoperated low-risk patients and propensity-matched patients also had more frequent major postoperative complications and higher in-hospital mortality, but mid-term mortality in survivors was similar. In a multivariable analysis, re-exploration was an independent predictor of death and all major postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical re-exploration due to postoperative bleeding following coronary artery surgery carries a high risk of perioperative mortality and is linked to major postoperative complications. Among patients who survive to hospital discharge, mid-term mortality is associated primarily with preoperative comorbidities.