Sutureless Aortic Valve Prosthesis in Redo Procedures: Single-Center Experience.

Background and Objectives: Sutureless aortic valve prostheses have presented favorable hemodynamic performance while facilitating minimally invasive access approaches. As the population ages, the number of patients at risk for aortic valve reoperation constantly increases. The aim of the present study is to present our single-center experience in sutureless aortic valve replacement (SU-AVR) in reoperations. Materials and Methods: The data of 18 consecutive patients who underwent SU-AVR in a reoperation between May 2020 and January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The mean age of the patients was 67.9 ± 11.1 years; patients showed a moderate-risk profile with a median logistic EuroSCORE II of 7.8 (IQR of 3.8-32.0) %. The implantation of the Perceval S prosthesis was technically successful in all patients. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 103.3 ± 50.0 min, and the cross-clamp time was 69.1 ± 38.8 min. No patients required a permanent pacemaker implantation. The postoperative gradient was 7.3 ± 2.4 mmHg, and no cases of paravalvular leakage were observed. There was one case of intraprocedural death, while the thirty-day mortality was 11%. Conclusions: Sutureless bioprosthetic valves tend to simplify the surgical procedure of a redo AVR. By maximizing the effective orifice area, sutureless valves may present an important advantage, being a safe and effective alternative not only to traditional surgical prostheses but also to transcatheter valve-in-valve approaches in select cases.

Early experience with the Impella pump: Single-center registry.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid development of mechanical circulatory support technologies, patients presenting with cardiogenic shock have gained access to various treatment opportunities which were not until recently available. The Impella® pump (Abiomed, Danvers, USA) is a minimally invasive device which provides excellent left ventricular unloading and full circulatory support. The aim of the study was to review our center's experience with Impella® and to analyze the major adverse events associated with the device. METHODS: From January 2020 to January 2022, a total of 32 patients underwent Impella® implantation at our center for various indications. RESULTS: The mean age at surgery was 60.3 ± 12.4 years and 9.4% were female. All patients presented with acute cardiogenic shock in INTERMACS Class I (53.1%) and INTERMACS Class II (46.9%). Twenty-six patients (81.25%) out of the whole cohort have been mobilized on Impella® support. Seventeen patients (53.1%) have been weaned from the Impella® support and 10 patients (31.3%) have been bridged to durable LVAD. The median time on Impella® was 7 days (IQR 5.0-11.0). 30-day mortality was 37.5%, with 56.25% survival until hospital discharge. Only one patient developed vascular complications consisting of arm hypoperfusion. There were no cases of stroke on Impella® support. CONCLUSION: The Impella® axial-flow pump seems an appropriate therapeutic option for patients with acute cardiogenic shock requiring partial or full hemodynamic support. It also provides sufficient left ventricular unloading to allow full mobilization and neurological assessment of the patients. Furthermore, Impella® offers a high rate of myocardial recovery.

Impact of severe mitral regurgitation on postoperative outcome after durable left-ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: Mitral valve regurgitation (MR) is a common finding in patients with end-stage heart failure. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of preoperative moderate-to-severe MR on postoperative outcomes and survival after durable left-ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. METHODS: From August 2010 to May 2021, 246 patients underwent a durable LVAD implantation. We stratified the patients into two groups: Group A (n = 109) presented with MR 0-I°, and Group B presented with MR II-III° (n = 137). MR II-III° was defined according to the current recommendations (i.e., vena contracta ≥ 7 mm, regurgitation volume ≥ 30 ml or effective regurgitation orifice area ≥ 20 mm2 ). RESULTS: Significantly more patients in Group B suffered from pulmonary hypertension and presented with chronic obstructive lung disease. We observed significantly higher rates of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) II-III° in Group B (76.1%) versus Group A (14.8%) (p < 0.001) and TR III° in Group B (30.4%) versus Group A (3.7%) (p < 0.001). There was no difference in the incidence of right heart failure between the groups. Within our cohort, the in-hospital, 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year mortality was 22.4%, 32.1%, 50.7%, and 64.4%, respectively. Group B showed significantly worse overall survival (p = 0.05). Patients with preoperative TR II-III° had a significantly worse survival than those with TR 0-I° (p = 0.048). In patients presenting with MR II-III°, we discovered that TR III° seems to predict both in-hospital and mid-term mortality. CONCLUSION: MR II-III° negatively affects the outcomes in patients requiring LVAD implantation. Persisting MR II-III° is an independent predictor of mortality. Patients with concomitant preoperative TR II-III° are at increased risk of developing postoperative major adverse events. Addressing the MR might be considered for these patients.

Articulation is essential: First in cardiovascular surgery implementation of 360° surgeon-powered robotic instruments.

Since the development of endoscopic vision in the late 1970s, the implementation of minimally invasive surgical methods has been rapidly progressing throughout a wide range of surgical disciplines, including cardiovascular surgery. The benefits of minimally invasive procedures including a reduction in operative trauma and postoperative morbidity, have been well-documented and compared to open-heart procedures, eventually becoming the preferred modality of treatment by many centers. Due to the cost ineffectiveness of the robotic systems for numerous institutions, new technologies have been developed to provide the advantages of robotic surgical systems at a lower price, thus making them more widely available. In this paper, we aimed to share our first experiences with Artisential® surgeon-powered robotic instruments and review their general advantages compared to conventional and robotic devices.

Alternative access in high-risk patients in the era of transfemoral aortic valve replacement.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to evaluate the outcomes of transapical and transaortic transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in high-risk patients who were not suitable for transfemoral access and had a logistic EuroSCORE-I ≥ 25% and Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score >6%. 'STS/ACC TAVR In-Hospital Mortality Risk App' was evaluated. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2016 and May 2020, 126 patients at very high risk for aortic valve replacement underwent transapical (n = 121) or transaortic (n = 5) transcatheter aortic valve replacement. TAVR was performed using SAPIEN 3™ or ACURATE TA™ prosthesis. RESULTS: The logistic EuroSCORE-I was 40.6 ± 14.0%, the STS-score 7.9 ± 4.6%, and STS/ACC-score 8.4 ± 3.4%. Valve implantation was successful in all patients. Operative, in-hospital and 30-days mortality, were 0, 7.9, and 13.5%, respectively. Survival was 72% at one year and 48% at four years. Expected/observed in-hospital mortality was 1.0 for the STS-score and 1.06 for the STS/ACC-score. Renal failure, low ejection fraction, and postoperative acute kidney injury, hemorrhage, and vascular complications were identified as independent predictors for 30-day mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Transapical and transaortic TAVR in high-risk patients unsuitable for transfemoral access is still a reasonable alternative in these patients. STS and STS/ACC-score appear to be highly accurate in predicting in-hospital mortality in high-risk patients undergoing TAVR.

Training of Residents in Cardiac Surgery-Does It Have Impact on the Outcome?

OBJECTIVES: In many centers, training in cardiac surgery is considered to increase perioperative risk. This study aims to test whether a resident working as the main operator is a genuine risk factor. METHODS: We analyzed patients who underwent elective isolated aortic valve replacement, elective isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, or both, in our institution, from 2008 to 2016. Redo- and off-pump surgery, ejection fraction < 30%, and other concomitant procedures were the exclusion criteria. After this selection, we included 3,077 patients in our study. Within this group, 357 (11.6%) had been operated by residents and 2,720 (88.4%) by senior surgeons. We performed propensity score matching using the nearest neighbor method with a ratio of 1:2, considering the most important preoperative conditions. In this way, the 357 patients operated by residents were matched with the 714 patients who were operated by senior surgeons. The standardized mean differences were highly reduced after matching, so both groups had similar risk profiles. We compared surgical data, postoperative adverse events, and the 30-day mortality between the two groups. RESULTS: The times of surgery, cardiopulmonary bypass, and cross-clamp were longer if residents operated (p < 0.001). There were no differences regarding postoperative adverse events, time of mechanical ventilation, and the intensive care unit length of stay. The 30-day mortality rates of the two groups were very similar (p = 0.75, power = 0.8). CONCLUSION: Training in cardiac surgery is safe, and carefully selected patients can be operated by residents without increased risk of perioperative mortality and complications.

Surgical and multimodality treatment of cardiac sarcomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Primary cardiac sarcomas (PCSs) are an extremely rare and aggressive type of malignancies that have been described only by a limited number of observational studies. This study aimed to evaluate the currently existing evidence comparing surgical to multimodality treatment of PCS. METHODS: We systematically reviewed Embase, MEDLINE, Cochrane Database, and Google Scholar, from inception to December 2020, for original articles about surgical and multimodality treatment of PCS. The outcomes included were mortality at various time points, resection margin status, and mean estimated survival. The pooled treatment effects were calculated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Ten studies including a total of 1570 patients met our inclusion criteria. Surgery was associated with significantly lower mortality when compared to conservative treatment at 1, 2, and 3 years, whereas no significant difference was found at 5 years. Furthermore, multimodality treatment showed significantly lower mortality at 1 year when compared to surgery alone, but not at 2 and 5 years. We found no difference in mortality between angiosarcomas and other PCS subtypes. CONCLUSION: Overall, surgery was found to provide a significant mortality advantage to PCS patients up to 3 years following treatment. Multimodality treatment might be of additional benefit, although only within the first year. Prospective randomized studies are needed to further explore these differences in the treatment of PCS.

Surgical redo mitral valve replacement in high-risk patients: The real-world experience.

INTRODUCTION: Redo surgical mitral valve replacement (SMVR) remains the gold standard treatment in patients with a history of mitral valve surgery presenting with recurrent mitral valve pathologies. Whilst this procedure is demanding, it is an inevitable intervention for some indications, such as infective endocarditis, thrombosis, or multivalve procedures. In this study, we aim to evaluate our institutional experience with SMVR on a real-life cohort, identifying the factors that contribute to poor surgical outcomes whilst avoiding selection bias. METHODS: Between March 2012 and November 2020, 58 consecutive high-risk patients underwent a redo SMVR at our institution. The primary endpoints of this study were 30-day and 1-year mortality. The secondary endpoint was the development of any postoperative adverse events. We analyzed and compared the survival in patients undergoing an isolated SMVR and in those that required at least one concomitant procedure. RESULTS: The overall operative, 30-day, and 1-year mortality were 3.4%, 22.4%, and 25.9%, respectively. The mortality in patients undergoing isolated SMVR was significantly lower than in patients requiring concomitant procedures. The multivariable regression model showed that NYHA Class IV, infective endocarditis, and postoperative dialysis were significantly associated with 30-day mortality. Society of Thoracic Surgeons Score, infective endocarditis, concomitant procedures, and mechanical valve implantation appeared to predict long-term mortality. CONCLUSION: This study illustrates that SMVR after prior mitral valve surgery presents a demanding procedure with high operative risk, significant mortality, and morbidity. Whilst this procedure is inevitable for some indications, a careful patient selection and risk stratification provides acceptable surgical results in this cohort.

Simultaneous transaortic transcatheter aortic valve implantation and off-pump coronary artery bypass: An effective hybrid approach.

INTRODUCTION: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) techniques are increasingly being adopted into clinical routine for various risk groups. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is seen in up to 75% of patients with severe aortic valve stenosis (AS) presenting with typical angina pectoris. Due to high mortality rates and procedural complications in these patients, a hybrid concept of simultaneous transaortic TAVI and off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) can be a feasible treatment option. METHODS: Between April 2014 and July 2020, 10 consecutive high-risk patients underwent concomitant transaortic TAVI and OPCAB at our institution. All indications were discussed in Heart Team and decisions were made based on patients' comorbidities and complexity of CAD. The study endpoints were 30-day mortality, device success, and development of postoperative adverse events defined by the Valve Academic Research Consorium. RESULTS: The mean age of the patients was 77.9 ± 7.1 years old. All patients presented with multiple comorbidities (mean logistic EuroSCORE 26.5 ± 12.3%, median EuroSCORE II 5.13% [interquartile range 4.2-9.5], mean STS-Score 6.04 ± 1.6%). Five patients (50%) presented with porcelain aorta. No conversion to conventional procedures was needed. 30-day mortality occurred in one patient (10%). Complete revascularization was achieved in seven (70%) of the patients. Device success rate was 100%. No paravalvular leakage was detected. No stroke, myocardial infarction or vascular complications were observed. CONCLUSIONS: A hybrid approach combining transaortic TAVI and OPCAB might be a safe and feasible method of treatment in high-risk patients presenting with severe AS and CAD who are not eligible for conventional surgical or interventional solutions.

Outcome of a Modified Perceval Implantation Technique.

BACKGROUND: In our institution, we developed a modification of the standard implantation technique of the Perceval sutureless aortic prosthesis (LivaNova, London, United Kingdom) that involves the usage of snuggers for the guiding sutures during valve deployment. The technique has been described elsewhere. In this article, we present the results of our initial case series comprising 128 consecutive patients. METHODS: From September 2016 to June 2018, 128 patients received a sutureless Perceval prosthesis (mean age 72.2 ± 8.5 years, 66 males). The data of the patients were prospectively collected in our general database and retrospectively analyzed using the SPSS software version 25 (IBM SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, United States). Primary end points were primary implantation success and 30-day mortality. All patients underwent transthoracic echocardiography on discharge. RESULTS: Our cohort consisted of real-world scenario patients with infective endocarditis, bicuspid aortic valves and one patient with left ventricular assist device. However, we had 100% primary implantation success with no need for valve explantation or paravalvular leaks. All-cause 30-day mortality was 2.3% (3 patients) with no cardiac deaths. Two patients (1.6%) had a permanent neurological deficit, three patients (2.3%) had new-onset renal dialysis, and four patients (3.1%) needed a permanent pacemaker postoperatively. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case series to report on a modified implantation technique of the Perceval prosthesis. The Perceval valve prosthesis produces excellent outcome in most pathologies, so that current contraindications should be revised.

Twenty-year results of surgical pulmonary thromboembolectomy in acute pulmonary embolism.

BACKGROUND: Acute massive pulmonary embolism is often a life-threatening condition and should be treated immediately. The aim of this study was to investigate risk factors and clinical outcomes of patients undergoing emergency pulmonary embolectomy for acute massive pulmonary embolism. METHODS: We evaluated 49 patients undergoing emergency pulmonary embolectomy in our institution between 1995 and 2015, retrospectively. We reviewed preoperative conditions and risk factors, surgical complications, postoperative courses, predictors of mortality and long-term survival. RESULTS: At the time of presentation, the median patients' age was 58 years. Preoperatively, seven (14%) individuals had cardiac arrest and required cardiopulmonary resuscitation. At the time of surgery, other 23 (47%) patients presented with cardiogenic shock. The most common risk factor for development of pulmonary embolism was major surgery in the last 30 days (29%, n = 14). Five (10%) patients received systemic thrombolysis preoperatively. The median cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was 82 minutes. The median length of stay in the intensive care unit and in hospital were 1 and 14 days, respectively. Postoperative complications included revision as a consequence of mediastinal bleeding (6%, n = 3), stroke (2%, n = 1), and acute renal failure requiring temporary dialysis (4%, n = 2). The 30-day mortality was 29% (n = 14) with four (8%) cases of death during the surgery. The one-, five- and 15-year survival rates were 65%, 63%, and 57%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary embolectomy can be performed in high-risk patients with massive pulmonary embolism with acceptable clinical outcome and good long-term survival.

Surgical Treatment of Cardiac Metastases: Analysis of a 13-Year Single-Center Experience.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac metastases are more common than primary malignant tumors of the heart and are usually treated surgically as a palliative approach. In this study, we reviewed our experience with the surgical treatment of patients with cardiac metastases of various types of malignant tumors. METHODS: Between 2003 and 2016, 10 patients underwent surgery for cardiac metastases at our institution. RESULTS: The mean age was 53.5 ± 19 years. Female patients made up 60% (n = 6) of the collective. The cohort included cardiac metastases of diverse origins (peripheral sarcomas, melanoma, rectal carcinoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma). The left side of the heart was more frequently affected (n = 7). In only six patients, the primary malignancy was known at the time of cardiac surgery. The interval between the first diagnosis of the primary tumor and cardiac metastases ranged from simultaneous diagnosis to up to 19 years. At the time of the diagnosis of the cardiac metastases, seven patients already had multiple metastases: all seven patients had pulmonary metastases, and three of them additionally had hepatic, cerebral, or osseous metastases. Only four patients were symptomatic (atrial fibrillation, pericardial effusion, tachycardia with chest pain, dyspnea). There was no in-hospital death. The postoperative course was uneventful overall. The one- and two-year survival rates were similar, that is, 76%. The median follow-up time was 5.4 years. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical intervention for treating cardiac metastases is associated with uneventful clinical outcome and acceptable survival in this critically ill population. Control of the primary malignancy, and maybe other metastases, determines the survival.

Impact of Previous Sternotomy on Outcome after Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

BACKGROUND: The main purpose of this article is to investigate the impact of previous sternotomy (PS) on the outcome of three different left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). METHODS: Between June 2007 and February 2018, a total of 121 patients received HeartMate II (60.3%), HeartWare (12.4%), or HeartMate III (27.3%), with or without previous sternotomy (PS and non-PS groups, respectively). Propensity matching resulted in 44 patient pairs. The primary end point was overall survival at 30 days, 1 year, 2, and 5 years, postoperatively. Secondary end points were adverse events. RESULTS: The overall cumulative survival rates for the two study groups were significantly different (77, 63, 54, and 38% for non-PS group vs 64, 39, 27, and 24% for PS group, p = 0.036). In the PS group, there was a higher need for intraoperative implantation of short-term right ventricular assist device (22.7 vs 6.8%, p = 0.034) and a higher incidence of hepatic dysfunction (20.5 vs 4.5%, p = 0.025) and acute kidney dysfunction (40.9 vs 20.5%, p = 0.032). CONCLUSION: PS is a reliable predictor of mortality and morbidity after LVAD implantation.

Use of the Medtronic Freestyle for aortic valve infection: A retrospective propensity score matched analysis.

BACKGROUNDS: Aortic valve and prosthetic valve endocarditis present a challenging subgroup of patients at high risk. We analyzed our experience using the Medtronic Freestyle in full root technique for the treatment of these cases over 18-year time period. METHODS: We investigated the endocarditis subgroup from our cohort of 971 patients and compared results against other valve types with propensity score matching implementing nearest neighbor method. T-test, χ2 test, logistic regression, and Cox regression were performed. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients from the Freestyle group (FS) were matched against 54 patients from a cohort of 376 aortic valve/root endocarditis patients treated by other valve types (non-FS). Hospital mortality was 9/54 (16.7%) in the FS vs 13/54 (24.1%) in the non-FS group (P = .33). Variables age (P = .003) and renal impairment (P = .026) had an impact on mortality according to Cox regression analysis for early results. Variables with significant risk for long-term mortality included postoperative renal impairment (P = .0001) and multiorgan failure (P = .0001). Recurrent infection was low (1.8% for FS and 3.7% for non-FS group), and freedom from reoperation was 97.2%. Use of the Medtronic Freestyle was no significant risk factor for long-term mortality. CONCLUSION: The Freestyle stentless xenograft is a viable alternative for treatment of valve/root and prosthetic endocarditis. In our experience, it showed good postoperative performance with low rate of reinfection while having an acceptable operative risk-profile for this high-risk cohort.

Clinical Outcome and Comparison of Three Different Left Ventricular Assist Devices in a High-Risk Cohort.

We present a comparison between three left ventricular assist devices (LVADs): HeartWare (HVAD) (HeartWare International Inc., Framingham, MA, USA), HeartMate II (HMII) and HeartMate III (HMIII) (Thoratec Corp., Pleasanton, CA, USA). To our knowledge, no study to date has aimed at placing these three devices in juxtaposition. Between June 2007 and June 2017, 108 consecutive patients received HMII, n = 77 (71.3%), HVAD, n = 14 (13%), or HM III, n = 17 (15.7%), for end-stage heart failure. Mean age was 63.8 ± 11.2 years (range 24-84 years), with median INTERMACS profile of 3. Preoperatively, 26 patients (24.1%) were ventilated, 17 patients (15.7%) had an intraaortic balloon pump, and 27 patients (25%) were on extracorporeal life support. Overall survival at 30 days was 70.4%, at 1 year 51.9%, and at 5 years 38% with no significant difference in survival between HMII, HVAD, and HMIII. Median cardiopulmonary bypass time was 113 min (range 50-371 min). Two patients received a minimally-invasive procedure. Most common adverse events were revision for bleeding (42.6%), tracheotomy (33.3%), acute kidney failure with new-onset dialysis (25%), sepsis (17.6%), and gastrointestinal bleeding (10.2%). The average duration of follow-up was 1.52 ± 2.11 years (range 0-7.95 years). The median number of readmissions was 2 (range 0-23), the median length of hospital stay as readmission was 17 days (range 0-158 days). Strong predictors of overall mortality (P < 0.05) were postoperative sepsis (OR = 5.729, 95%CI = 3.001-10.937), intraoperative/postoperative need for right ventricular mechanical support (OR = 5.232, 95%CI = 3.008-9.102), preoperative extracorporeal life support (OR = 2.980, 95%CI = 1.615-5.500), readmission because of suboptimal INR value (OR = 2.748, 95%CI = 1.045-7.226), need of inotropes over 7 days postoperatively (OR = 2.556, 95%CI = 1.432-4.562), new onset of temporary hemodialysis postoperatively (OR = 1.986, 95%CI = 1.084-3.635), and female gender (OR = 1.955, 95%CI = 1.062-3.598). No significant difference in mortality between HMII, HVAD, and HMIII was observed. The following predictors of overall mortality were identified (P < 0.05): postoperative sepsis, need for perioperative mechanical support, readmission because of suboptimal INR value, new onset of temporary hemodialysis postoperatively and female gender.

Outcomes and Predictors of Mortality After Mitral Valve Surgery in High-Risk Elderly Patients: The Heidelberg Experience.

BACKGROUND Overall, life expectancy at the age of 80 has significantly increased in the industrialized world and the proportion of this age class undergoing cardiac surgery has also grown. In this context, we have analyzed a contemporary series of octogenarians undergoing mitral valve surgery at our institution. MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of 138 consecutive octogenarians receiving mitral valve surgery between January 2006 and April 2017. Preoperative comorbidities, early mortality, postoperative clinical course, and predictors of mortality were examined. RESULTS The mean age was 82.4±2.0 years and 50% (n=69) were male. Preoperative comorbidities included history of heart infarction (24.6%, n=34), chronic renal failure (37.7%, n=52), and COPD (27.5%, n=38). A total of 52.9% (n=73) had a history of previous cardiac decompensation, while 20 (14.5%) presented with cardiogenic shock or cardiac arrest. In all, 33 patients (23.9%) underwent emergency surgery. There were only 39 isolated mitral valve procedures, while 99 patients (71.7%) underwent various concomitant procedures. The intensive care unit average length of stay was 5.3±7.5 days. Respiratory complications and sepsis were the most frequent postoperative complications. Emergency surgery and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting were the most important predictors of early mortality. The overall 30-day mortality was 18.1% (n=25). The mean follow-up time was 1.7±2.3 years. CONCLUSIONS Octogenarians are increasingly represented in cardiac surgery and combined procedures. Prudent patient selection is necessary for optimizing postoperative outcomes among the elderly. In our seriously ill octogenarian cohort, mitral valve surgery was associated with moderate but acceptable mid-term survival.

Surgical Treatment of Cardiac Tumors: Insights from an 18-Year Single-Center Analysis.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical presentation, operative data, and early and late outcomes of a large patient cohort undergoing surgical treatment for cardiac tumors in our institution. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 181 patients underwent surgery because of suspected cardiac tumor in our institution between 1998 and 2016. In 162 cases, the diagnosis was confirmed postoperatively and these patients were included in this study. Preoperative baseline characteristics, operative data, and postoperative early and long-term outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS Mean age at presentation was 56.6±17.6 years, and 95 (58.6%) patients were female. There were 126 (77.8%) patients with benign cardiac tumors, while the remaining patients had malignant tumors (primary and metastasized). The mean follow-up time was 5.2±4.7 years. The most frequent histologically verified tumor type was myxoma (63%, n=102). In terms of malignant tumors, various types of sarcomas presented most primary malignant cardiac tumors (7.4%, n=12). The mean ICU length of stay was 1.7±2.2 days and overall in-hospital mortality was 3.1% (n=5). Frequent postoperative complications included mediastinal bleeding (5.8%, n=9), wound infection (1.3%, n=2), acute renal failure (5.6%, n=9), and major cerebrovascular events (n=7, 4.6%). The overall cumulative survival after cardiac tumor resection was 94% at 30 days, 85% at 1 year, 72% at 5 years, and 59% at 15 years. CONCLUSIONS Surgical treatment of cardiac tumors is a safe and highly effective strategy associated with good early and long-term outcomes.

Minimally Invasive Direct Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: Sixteen Years of Single-Center Experience.

Background: Coronary artery disease is a major cause of death globally. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB), using a small left anterior thoracotomy, aims to provide a less invasive alternative to traditional procedures, potentially improving patient outcomes with reduced recovery times. Methods: This retrospective, non-randomized study analyzed 310 patients who underwent MIDCAB between July 1999 and April 2022. Data were collected on demographics, clinical characteristics, operative and postoperative outcomes, and follow-up mortality and morbidity. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS, with survival curves generated via the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The cohort had a mean age of 63.3 ± 10.9 years, with 30.6% females. The majority of surgeries were elective (76.1%), with an average operating time of 129.7 ± 35.3 min. The median rate of intraoperative blood transfusions was 0.0 (CI 0.0-2.0) Units. The mean in-hospital stay was 8.7 ± 5.5 days, and the median ICU stay was just one day. Early postoperative complications were minimal, with a 0.64% in-hospital mortality rate. The 6-month and 1-year mortalities were 0.97%, with a 10-year survival rate of 94.3%. There were two cases of perioperative myocardial infarction and no instances of stroke or new onset dialysis. Conclusions: The MIDCAB approach demonstrates significant benefits in terms of patient recovery and long-term outcomes, offering a viable and effective alternative for patients suitable for less invasive procedures. Our results suggest that MIDCAB is a safe option with favorable survival rates, justifying its consideration in high-volume centers focused on minimally invasive techniques.

Five-year follow-up of mitral valve repair versus replacement: a propensity score analysis.

BACKGROUND: Mitral valve repair (MVRe) is considered to have a superior outcome compared to replacement (MVRp) in patients with mitral valve regurgitation (MVR). It was the aim of the study to analyse the clinical results and identify risk factors for short and long-term mortality. METHODS: In a retrospective single-center analysis, patients undergoing an isolated mitral valve procedure from June 2010 to December 2016 were identified. These were subsequently homogenized using 10 baseline characteristics for propensity-score matching. Comparative analyses were performed for early and long-term results, using adequate statistical tools, and identifying risk factors for the investigated endpoints, primary end-point: all-cause mortality within 5 years and secondary end-points: recurrent MVR, reoperation, endocarditis and/or mortality with 30 days, 1, 3 and 5 years. RESULTS: 241 patients were identified in the entire patient cohort. After matching, patients were divided into 2 groups of 64 each respectively. The median age was similar in the two groups. There was a significant interaction between early mortality risk of MV in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) (OR 11.94, 95% CI 1.49-285.92, p = 0.04) and late mortality in patients with higher EuroSCORE II (HR 1.14, 95% CI 1.06-1.23, p < 0.001). The primary end-point showed 5-year survival rate was significantly higher in MVRe versus MVRp (90.06% vs. 79.54% respectively, p = 0.04). The secondary end-point demonstrated recurrent MVR not to be statistically significant between the 2 groups (p = 0.09) as well as reoperation (p = 0.28). Endocarditis was observed in one patient after MVRp. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded MVRe to be associated with lower operative and 5-year mortality and good postoperative outcomes compared to patients undergoing MVRp. Concomitant CAD was identified as one of the risk factors for increasing the in-hospital mortality rate. There was no significant difference in rehospitalisation over the follow-up period. MVRe should be the treatment of choice for severe MVR and should remain a central aspect in valve centers' treatment algorithms and quality measures.

Conventional Biological versus Sutureless Aortic Valve Prostheses in Combined Aortic and Mitral Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Sutureless aortic valve prostheses have proven to provide a significant decrease in procedural, cardiopulmonary bypass and cross-clamp time, leading to a significant reduction in mortality risk in elderly high-risk cohorts. In this study, we sought to review our institutional experience on the sutureless aortic valve replacement (SU-AVR) and the concomitant mitral valve replacement (SMVR), comparing the combined conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with SMVR. METHODS AND MATERIAL: Between March 2018 and July 2022, 114 consecutive patients underwent a combined aortic and mitral valve replacement at our institution. We stratified the patients according to the operative procedures into two groups and matched them 1:2: Group 1 underwent a combined conventional SAVR and SMVR (n = 46), and Group 2 included combined SU-AVR with Perceval prosthesis and SMVR (n = 23). RESULTS: No significant differences in the preoperative characteristics were present. SU-AVR combined with SMVR demonstrated excellent haemodynamic performance, comparable to that of SAVR plus SMVR, with median postoperative gradients over the aortic valve of 4 mmHg (IQR 3.0-4.0) in Group 1 and 4 mmHg (IQR 3.0-4.0) in Group 2 (p = 0.67). There was no significant difference in the occurrence of postoperative major adverse events such as death, stroke, myocardial infarction and kidney failure between the groups. There was also no significant difference in the permanent pacemaker implantation rate, paravalvular leakage or valve dislocation. We also could not detect any significant difference in postoperative mortality between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: SU-AVR has proven to be a reliable alternative to conventional valve prostheses in patients with multivalve disease undergoing combined aortic and mitral valve replacement, offering shorter procedural time and outstanding hemodynamic performance compared to the conventional surgical method.