Improving patients' readiness for coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative interventions improve outcomes for patients after coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). OBJECTIVE: To reduce mortality for patients undergoing urgent CABG. METHODS: Eight centers implemented preoperative aspirin and statin, preinduction heart rate less than 80/min, hematocrit greater than 30%, blood sugar less than 150 mg/dL (8.3 mmol/L), and delayed surgery at least 3 days after a myocardial infarction. Data were collected on the last 150 isolated, urgent CABGs at each center (n=1200). A "bundle" score of 0 to 100 was calculated for each patient to represent the percentage of interventions used. RESULTS: Scores ranged from 33 to 100. About 56% of patients had a perfect score. Crude mortality and composite rates were lower in patients with higher scores, but once adjusted for patient and disease characteristics, the difference in scores was not significant. Higher scores were associated with shorter intubation: 6.0 hours (score 100), 8.0 hours (score 80-99), 8.4 hours (score<80) (log-rank P<.001). Median length of stay was shorter for patients with higher scores: 5 days (score 100), 6 days (scores 80-99), and 6 days (scores <80) (log-rank P<.001). CONCLUSION: Implementation of interventions to optimize patients' "readiness for surgery" is associated with shorter intubation times and shorter hospital stays after CABG.

Rationalising the treatment of anaemia in cardiac surgery: short and mid-term results from a local quality improvement initiative.

BACKGROUND: Transfusion of red blood cells, while often used for treating blood loss or haemodilution, is also associated with higher infection rates and mortality. The authors implemented an initiative to reduce variation in the number of perioperative transfusions associated with cardiac surgery. METHODS: The authors examined patients undergoing non-emergent cardiac surgery at a single centre from the third quarter 2004 to the second quarter 2007. Phase I focused on understanding the current process of managing and treating perioperative anaemia. Phase II focused on (1) quality-improvement project dissemination to staff, (2) developing and implementing new protocols, and (3) assessing the effect of subsequent interventions. Data reports were updated monthly and posted in the clinical units. Phase III determined whether reductions in transfusion rates persisted. RESULTS: Indications for transfusions were investigated during Phase II. More than half (59%) of intraoperative transfusions were for low haematocrit (Hct), and 31% for predicted low Hct during cardiopulmonary bypass. 43% of postoperative transfusions were for low Hct, with an additional 16% for failure to diurese. The last Hct value prior to transfusion was noted (Hct 25-23, p=0.14), suggestive of a higher tolerance for a lower Hct by staff surgeons. Intraoperative transfusions diminished across phases: 33% in Phase I, 25.8% in Phase II and 23.4% in Phase III (p<0.001). Relative to Phase I, postoperative transfusions diminished significantly over Phase II and III. CONCLUSIONS: We report results from a focused quality-improvement initiative to rationalise treatment of perioperative anaemia. Transfusion rates declined significantly across each phase of the project.