Novel approach to stenting the left anterior descending coronary artery through a retrograde approach via the left internal mammary artery graft in a patient with occlusion of the coronary ostium from a prior aortic valve replacement.

Total occlusion of both coronary ostia is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication following surgical aortic valve replacement. This report presents a case of a patient with known total occlusion of both coronary artery ostia following combined coronary artery bypass graft surgery and aortic valve replacement who underwent successful percutaneous coronary intervention through a retrograde approach.

Hypothermia-induced accelerated idioventricular rhythm after cardiac surgery; a case report.

BACKGROUND: Accelerated idioventricular rhythm (AIVR) is a slow ventricular arrhythmia, commonly due to myocardial ischemia in coronary artery disease. It is a transitory rhythm that rarely causes hemodynamic instability or necessitates any specific therapy. Besides, the common predisposing factors for ventricular arrhythmias after open-heart surgery are hemodynamic instability, electrolyte imbalances, hypoxia, hypovolemia, myocardial ischemia and infarction, acute graft closure, reperfusion injury, and administration of inotropes and antiarrhythmic drugs. Here we report a case of AIVR after cardiac surgery, mostly due to hypothermia that to our knowledge, it is the first report. CASE PRESENTATION: We describe a 76-year-old man presenting with typical chest pain. Following routine investigations, the patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting. Postoperatively, he was transferred to the intensive care unit with good hemodynamic status. However, about 3 h later, he developed rhythm disturbances, leading to hemodynamic instability without response to volume replacement or inotropic support. His rhythm was AIVR, although, at first glance, it resembled the left bundle branch block. Given his unstable hemodynamic status, he was emergently transferred to the operating room. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was resumed for hemodynamic support. After the patient was rewarmed to about 35 ºC, AIVR returned to normal. He was weaned from CPB successfully and with an uneventful hospital course. CONCLUSIONS: Hypothermia is a potential cause of rhythm disturbance. Preventing the causes of arrhythmias, including hypothermia, is the best strategy.

The Utility of the SYNTAX Score II and SYNTAX Score 2020 for Identifying Patients with Three-Vessel Disease Eligible for Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in the Multivessel TALENT Trial: A Prospective Pilot Experience.

Background: Personalized prognosis plays a vital role in deciding between percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with three-vessel disease (3VD). The aim of this study is to compare the modality of revascularization chosen by the local heart team to that recommended by using individualized predictions of medium, and long-term all-cause mortality amongst patients with 3VD screened in the Multivessel TALENT trial. Methods: The SYNTAX score II (SS-II) and SS-2020 were evaluated in 200 consecutive patients by a core laboratory and compared to the decision of the "on site" heart team. Results: According to the SS-II, CABG was the recommended treatment in 51 patients (25.5%) however 34 (66.6%) of them received PCI. According to SS-2020 the predicted absolute risk differences (ARD) between PCI and CABG were significantly higher in patients receiving CABG compared to those treated by PCI for major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events, a composite of all-cause mortality, stroke or myocardial infarction at 5-years (8.8 ± 4.6% vs 6.0 ± 4.0%, p < 0.001) and all-cause mortality at 5- (5.2 ± 3.5% vs 3.7 ± 3.0%, p = 0.008) and 10-years (9.3 ± 4.8% vs 6.2 ± 4.2%, p < 0.001). Based on the novel threshold of equipoise (individual absolute risk differences [ARD] < 4.5%), 133 patients were eligible for PCI however 23 of them underwent CABG; conversely, amongst the 67 patients where CABG was recommendation (individual ARD > 4.5%), only 19 received it. Conclusions: Despite the robustness of the risk models proposed for screening, several deviations from the recommended mode of revascularization were observed by the core laboratory among the first 200 patients with 3VD screened in the Multivessel TALENT trial. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov reference: NCT04390672.

Radial versus femoral access in patients with coronary artery bypass surgery: Frequentist and Bayesian meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal access site for cardiac catheterization in patients with prior coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) continues to be debated. METHODS: We performed a random effects frequentist and Bayesian meta-analysis of 4 randomized trials and 18 observational studies, including 60,192 patients with prior CABG (27,236 in the radial group; 32,956 in the femoral group) that underwent cardiac catheterization. Outcomes included (1) access-site complications, (2) crossover to a different vascular access, (3) procedure time, and (4) contrast volume. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for continuous outcomes and odds ratios (OR) and 95% CI for binary outcomes. RESULTS: Among randomized trials, crossover (OR: 7.63; 95% CI: 2.04, 28.51; p = 0.003) was higher in the radial group, while access site complications (OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.34, 2.87; p = 0.94) and contrast volume (MD: 15.08; 95% CI: -10.19, 40.35; p = 0.24) were similar. Among observational studies, crossover rates were higher (OR: 5.09; 95% CI: 2.43, 10.65; p < 0.001), while access site complication rates (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.30, 0.89; p = 0.02) and contrast volume (MD: -7.52; 95% CI: -13.14, -1.90 ml; p = 0.009) were lower in the radial group. Bayesian analysis suggested that the odds of a difference existing between radial and femoral are small for all endpoints except crossover to another access site. CONCLUSION: In a frequentist and Bayesian meta-analysis of patients with prior CABG undergoing coronary catheterization, radial access was associated with lower incidence of vascular access complications and lower contrast volume but also higher crossover rate.

Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting for patients with severely reduced ventricular function-A justified strategy?

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Low ejection fraction (EF) has been identified as a main risk factor for perioperative complications and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and early as well as midterm outcomes of off-pump CABG (OPCAB) and conventional CABG (ONCAB) surgery in patients with reduced EF. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of patient demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative and postoperative outcomes of patients with left ventricular EF (LV-EF) ≤35%, who underwent CABG at our institution between January 2015 and December 2017. Propensity score and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to compare risk adjusted outcomes between groups. RESULTS: Overall, 111 consecutive CABG-patients with LV-EF ≤ 35% underwent either ONCAB (46 patients, 41.4%) or OPCAB surgery (65 patients, 58.6%). There was no difference in early mortality (5% vs. 7.5%, p = .64) between groups. After propensity score matching, OPCAB-patients required significantly less re-sternotomies for bleeding (20% vs. 2.5%, p = .03) and consequently received significantly less blood transfusions (57.5% vs. 32.5%, p = .03). Fewer OPCAB-patients experienced low cardiac output syndrome (22.5% vs. 42.5%, p = .06) and suffered from postoperative delirium (22.5% vs. 42.5%, p = .06). There were no differences in completeness of revascularization between groups (median 1 (1.0-1.33; 1.0-1.33) OPCAB versus median 1 (1-1.33; 0.67-2) ONCAB, p = .95). Survival after 6 months, one year and three years was similar for ONCAB- and OPCAB-patients (ONCAB 92.3%, 89.4%, and 89.4% vs. OPCAB 89.8%, 85.7%, and 82.1%; p = .403). More ONCAB-patients needed a coronary re-intervention during follow-up (8.6% vs. 2.3%, p = .402). CONCLUSION: OPCAB-surgery is a safe and effective option for patients with reduced EF. Furthermore, it does not come at the expense of less complete revascularization or increased coronary re-intervention during early follow-up.

Visual Hallucinations following Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting: A Prospective Study.

Background and Objectives: After major heart surgery, some patients report visual hallucinations that cannot be attributed to psychosis or delirium. This study aimed to investigate the hallucination incidence in patients after coronary artery bypass grafting with (on-pump) and without (off-pump) extracorporeal circulation. Materials and Methods: A total of 184 consecutive patients listed for elective on- or off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively enrolled into the study. Preoperative baseline investigations 24-48 h before surgery (t0) and postoperative follow-up 24-48 h (t1) and 5-6 days (t2) after surgery included cognitive testing and a clinical visual acuity test (Landolt rings). Patients reporting visual hallucinations were interviewed using a structured survey to record the type, timing, duration, and frequency of their hallucinations. All the patients received a neurological examination and cranial magnetic resonance imaging if indicated. Results: Of the patients in the sample, 155 patients underwent on-pump bypass surgery, and 29 patients received off-pump surgery. Of these, 25 patients in the on-pump group, but none in the off-pump group, reported transient visual hallucinations (p = 0.020), which could not be attributed to stroke, delirium, psychosis, migraine, or severely impaired vision. Significant correlations were observed for the occurrence of visual hallucinations and the amount of nicotine consumption and aortic clamp/extracorporeal circulation time. Conclusions: Transient visual hallucinations occur in a noticeable proportion of patients after on-pump heart surgery. Knowledge of the phenomenon's benignity is important for patients to prevent anxiety and uncertainty and for treating physicians to avoid unnecessary medication and drug-induced delirium.

Impact of stent length and diameter on 10-year mortality in the SYNTAXES trial.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the impact of total stent length (TSL) and average nominal stent diameter (ASD) on 10-year mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the SYNTAXES trial. BACKGROUND: TSL and ASD in patients treated with PCI are associated with major adverse cardiovascular events. However, the treatment effect of PCI with extensive and/or small stenting as compared with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for complex coronary artery disease has not been fully evaluated. METHODS: Impacts on mortality of extensive stenting defined as TSL >100 mm and small stenting as ASD <3 mm were analyzed in 893 PCI patients and were compared to 865 CABG patients. RESULTS: TSL as a continuous variable was significantly associated with 10-year mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.05 [1.01-1.09] per 10 mm increase). PCI patients with extensive stenting had a higher 10 year mortality than CABG patients (adjusted HR, 1.97 [1.41-2.74]) or not- extensive stenting PCI (adjusted HR, 1.94 [1.36-2.77]). Although ASD did not have a significant association with 10 year mortality (adjusted HR, 0.97 [0.85-1.11] per 0.25 mm increase), PCI with small stents was associated with a higher 10 year mortality, compared to CABG (adjusted HR, 1.66 [1.23-2.26]) and PCI performed with large stents (adjusted HR, 1.74 [1.19-2.53]). Patients treated with not-extensive and large stents had similar mortality rates (24.0 versus 23.8%) as those treated with CABG. CONCLUSIONS: Extensive and small stenting were associated with higher 10 year mortality, compared with CABG. When patients have to be treated with extensive or small stenting, revascularization with CABG should be preferred.

Changes in surgical revascularization strategy after fractional flow reserve.

AIMS: In the randomized GRAFFITI trial, surgeons drew their strategy based on coronary angiography. When patients were randomized to fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guidance, surgeons were informed of the FFR values and asked to redraw their strategy. The aim of this study was to investigate the changes induced by FFR knowledge. METHODS AND RESULTS: The intended and performed strategy (before and after FFR) were compared. Among 172 patients, 84 with 300 lesions were randomized to the FFR-guided group. The intended strategy was to bypass 236 stenoses:108 with a venous and 128 with an arterial graft. After disclosing FFR, a change in strategy occurred in 64 lesions (21.3%) of 48 (55%) patients. Among 64 lesions for which the intended strategy was medical therapy, 16 (25%) were bypassed after disclosing FFR. The number of procedures with >1 venous graft planned was significantly reduced from 37 to 27 patients (p = .031). The proportion of on-pump surgery was significantly reduced from 71 to 61 patients (p = .006). The rates of clinical events at 1 year were similar between patients with or without at least one change in strategy. DISCUSSION: FFR-guided CABG is associated with a simplified surgical procedure in 55% of the patients, with similar clinical outcomes.

Inadvertent aortocoronary arteriovenous fistula after CABG: Systematic review of case reports.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize published case reports of aortocoronary arteriovenous fistula (ACAVF) after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (CABG). BACKGROUND: Inadvertent ACAVF is a rare complication following CABG. However, the incidence continues to rise, and its management details and clinical outcomes have not been well described. METHODS: To identify all published cases of ACAVF following CABG, PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus were searched through November 2019. We defined ACAVF as inadvertent attachment of the grafting vessel onto a cardiac vein instead of targeted coronary artery. A systematic review was performed to identify the incidence, clinical features, and management outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 48 post-CABG ACAVF cases were gathered. Among these patients, the mean age was 61.9 years and 79.2% were men. Most common presenting symptoms were chest pain (60.4%) and dyspnea (27.1%). The average onset of symptoms was 3 years; however, 54.2% of patients developed symptoms within the first year. The majority of cases reported targeted native vessel LAD during CABG (62.5%). Of these cases, 9 (18.8%) were managed conservatively, 8 (16.7%) chose to undergo surgery including ligation of fistula and repeat CABG, and 27 (56.3%) underwent percutaneous closure. Among these patients 13 cases (27.1%) were managed with coil embolization, 5 (10.4%) with balloon embolization, 5 (10.4%) were treated with a covered stent, and 4 (8.3%) used a vascular plug. There were no reported complications following treatment in this group. CONCLUSIONS: Inadvertent ACAVF are rare following CABG. Percutaneous closure was feasible and safe in treating these patients.

Percutaneous coronary interventions on vein graft bifurcation lesions presenting as an acute coronary syndrome.

Interventions on graft bifurcation lesions are uncommon, especially in the setting of acute coronary syndromes (ACS). We described three cases of graft bifurcation intervention where we tailored our approach based on lesion characteristics, anatomy, and angulation to achieve excellent angiographic and clinical outcomes. In case 1, shared ostia of saphenous vein graft (SVG) to Diagonal (D) and Radial graft to Obtuse Marginal (OM) was severely stenosed. We prioritized the radial arterial graft as it is known to have a longer patency rate over a totally occluded SVG of an undetermined period. We performed provisional stenting of the ostium of the radial artery and balloon angioplasty of the SVG ostium, while stenting the body of the SVG. In case 2 (bifurcation lesion at the anastomosis of SVG to D1 and sequential jump graft to OM), we utilized a V stenting strategy after an embolization protection device (EPD) was deployed in the branch with a suitable landing zone. Kissing balloon dilatation of both the branches was performed both pre- and poststenting. In case 3 (bifurcation lesion at SVG to OM and Sequential "T" graft to diagonal), there was >90% angulation between both the grafts. We used "T" stenting strategy in this case. At 2-year follow-up, patients had no major adverse cardiovascular events since and remained symptom free.

Impact of prior coronary artery bypass grafting in patients undergoing chronic total occlusion-percutaneous coronary intervention: Procedural and clinical outcomes from the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce, the NetheRlands, BelGium, and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE).

AIM: Chronic total occlusions (CTO) in patients with history of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) show more advanced and complex atherosclerotic pathology. Aim of our study is to compare outcomes in patients undergoing CTO percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with previous CABG versus those without in the REgistry of Crossboss and Hybrid procedures in FrAnce the NetheRlands, BelGium and UnitEd Kingdom (RECHARGE). METHODS & RESULTS: The RECHARGE cohort (1,252 patients) was divided in two groups according to the presence of previous CABG (217) or not. We also focused, in the post-CABG group, on a comparison between CTO in previously grafted vessels versus non-grafted vessels. The CTO complexity scores were higher and the success rate (71.9% vs. 88.7%, p < .001) was lower in the CABG group, this difference was driven by higher failure rates in high-complexity-score CTO. The rate of in-hospital complications was similar. In the post-CABG group, the procedural success of CTO located in previously grafted vessels versus those in vessels not previously grafted, was comparably suboptimal (73.1% vs. 68%, p = .47). CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing CTO PCI with prior CABG have a higher prevalence of comorbidities and more complex lesion characteristics. In the post-CABG population the success rate was significantly lower, particularly in high CTO complexity scores, though complication rates were comparable. In the post-CABG population, the CTO success rate was independent of the presence of a previous graft on the CTO vessel.

Impact of target vessel choice on outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with a prior coronary artery bypass graft.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate and compare characteristics and clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) among target vessel types in patients with a prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. BACKGROUND: Patients with a prior CABG often require repeat revascularization with PCI. Graft PCI has been associated with worse outcomes compared to native vessel PCI, yet the optimal PCI strategy in prior CABG patients remains unknown. METHODS: We stratified prior CABG patients who underwent PCI at a tertiary-care center between 2009 and 2017 by target vessel type: native vessel, venous graft, and arterial graft. The primary outcome of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) was a composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, stent thrombosis, or target vessel revascularization up to 1 year post-PCI. RESULTS: Prior CABG patients (n = 3983) represented 19.5% of all PCI interventions during the study period. PCI was most frequently performed on native vessels (n = 2928, 73.5%) followed by venous (n = 883, 22.2%) and arterial grafts (n = 172, 4.3%). Procedural success and complications were similar among the groups; however, slow- and no-reflow phenomenon was more common in venous graft PCI compared to native vessel PCI (OR 4.78; 95% CI 2.56-8.95; p < 0.001). At 1 year, there were no significant differences in MACE or in its individual components. CONCLUSIONS: Target vessel choice did not appear to affect MACE at 1 year in a large cohort of patients with prior CABG undergoing PCI. Whether PCI of surgical grafts versus native arteries truly results in similar outcomes warrants further investigation in randomized controlled trials.

Improvement of symptoms and coronary perfusion gradient with mechanical left ventricular unloading in flow-limiting complex spontaneous coronary artery dissection, without revascularization.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) can lead to acute coronary syndrome and sudden cardiac death, particularly in young women. Observational data show that, in SCAD patients, both percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting seem to be hampered by higher technical complexity, lower success rates, and worse outcomes. As spontaneous healing is a common occurrence, expert consensus advices medical management of the acute phase, when feasible. We present the case of a young woman with SCAD of left anterior descending artery causing myocardial infarction with ST-segment elevation. High-anatomical complexity and unstable conditions of the patient made both medical management and immediate revascularization unfeasible options. Therefore, we decided to implant a percutaneous off-loading mechanical support device to improve coronary perfusion pressure by unloading the left ventricle and preserve cardiac function, preventing worse complications of acute myocardial infarction. This strategy was successful in stabilizing the patient, until the definitive revascularization treatment became an option.

Reopening of the occluded saphenous vein composite grafts after coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: We have observed reopening of the occluded "no-touch" saphenous vein (NT SV) composite grafts on follow-up angiograms in patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graftings (CABGs). METHODS: Between 2008 and 2018, 1283 patients received NT SV conduits without or with surrounding pedicle tissue as composite grafts based on the in situ left internal thoracic artery (ITA) for CABG and underwent early postoperative angiographies. Among the 1283 patients, 53 patients showed 55 occluded SV conduit anastomoses, and 46 patients who had 48 occluded SV anastomoses were re-evaluated by 1-year postoperative angiographies. RESULTS: Early postoperative angiographies in 1283 patients demonstrated overall occlusion rates of 1.2% (56/4518); occlusion rates of the ITA and SV were 0.08% (1/1259) and 1.7% (55/3260), respectively. One-year angiograms demonstrated that 14 occluded SV anastomoses (29.2% [14/48 occluded SV]) of 14 patients became patent. Reopening of occluded SV conduits occurred more frequently in NT SV with pedicle tissue than in NT SV without pedicle tissue (45.0% [9/20] vs. 17.9% [5/28]; p = .057). When we examined the preoperative and 1-year postoperative angiograms, reopening of the occluded SV conduits was not related with progression (p = .258) or preoperative reversibility score (p = .115) of native target coronary artery disease. CONCLUSIONS: More than a quarter of the occluded SV composite grafts on early postoperative angiograms were patent in the 1-year angiograms. The reopening rates were higher in patients who had received NT SV conduits with pedicle tissue than those who had received NT SV conduits without pedicle tissue.

Usefulness of the updated logistic clinical SYNTAX score after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Insights from the GLOBAL LEADERS trial.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate the prognostic utility of the anatomical CABG SYNTAX and logistic clinical SYNTAX scores for mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG). BACKGROUND: The anatomical SYNTAX score evaluated the anatomical complexity of coronary artery disease and helped predict the prognosis of patients undergoing PCI. The anatomical CABG SYNTAX score was derived from the anatomical SYNTAX score in patients with prior CABG, whilst the logistic clinical SYNTAX score was developed by incorporating clinical factors into the anatomical SYNTAX score. METHODS: We calculated the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score and logistic clinical SYNTAX score in 205 patients in the GLOBAL LEADERS trial. The predictive abilities of these scores for 2-year all-cause mortality were evaluated. RESULTS: Using the median scores as categorical thresholds between low and high score groups, the logistic clinical SYNTAX score was able to discriminate the risk of 2-year mortality, unlike the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score. The logistic clinical SYNTAX was significantly better at predicting 2-year mortality, compared to the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score, as evidenced by AUC values in receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis (0.806 vs. 0.582, p < .001) and integrated discrimination improvement (0.121, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The logistic clinical SYNTAX score was superior to the anatomical CABG SYNTAX score in predicting 2-year mortality.

Influence of residual coronary flow on bypass graft flow for graft assessment using near-infrared fluorescence angiography.

PURPOSE: Near-infrared fluorescence angiography (NIR) detects the attenuation of fluorescence luminance intensity (FLI) through coronary artery bypass grafts affected by anastomotic stenosis. This study investigates the influence of residual blood flow of the host coronary artery (Ho) on bypass graft (Gr) FLI using a coronary artery bypass (CABG) model. METHODS: A mock circuit system was created using artificial vessels and artificial blood was supplied to the Gr and the Ho. We used NIR to examine the changes in FLI through the Gr. RESULTS: The Gr FLI was significantly attenuated according to the degree of Gr stenosis. The Gr FLI did not differ significantly among all degrees of Ho stenosis. High FLI grafts included grafts with degrees of Gr stenosis ≤ 75%, regardless of the severity of Ho stenosis. Moderate and low FLI grafts had 90 or 99% Gr stenosis, regardless of the severity of Ho stenosis. Gr FLI with 99% Gr stenosis was higher in 99% Ho stenosis than in ≤ 90% Ho stenosis. CONCLUSIONS: A high Gr FLI indicated the absence of ≥ 90% stenosis in the anastomosis and a low Gr FLI indicated severe stenosis in the anastomosis despite Ho stenosis. High Ho stenosis may prevent the attenuation of Gr FLI in severely stenosed grafts.

Evaluating Changes in del Nido Cardioplegia Practices in Adult Cardiac Surgery.

There has been a rapid adoption of the use of del Nido cardioplegia (DC) among adults undergoing cardiac surgery. We leveraged a multicenter database to evaluate differences over time in the choice and impact of cardioplegia type (DC vs. blood) among patients undergoing cardiac surgery. We evaluated 26,373 patients undergoing non-emergent coronary artery bypass and/or valve surgery between 2014-2015 (early period) and 2017-2018 (late period) at 31 centers. DC was compared with blood-based cardioplegia (BC: 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, 8:1, and variable ratio). We evaluated whether treatment choice differed across prespecified patient characteristics, procedure type, and perfusion practices by time period. We evaluated increased DC use with clinical outcomes (major morbidity and mortality, prolonged intubation, and renal failure), after adjusting for baseline characteristics, procedure type, center, and year. DC use increased from 19.6% in 2014-2015 to 41.5% in 2017-2018, p < .001. Increased DC use occurred among coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), valve, and CABG + valve procedures, all p < .001. Differences in median procedural duration increased over time (DC vs. BC): 1) bypass duration was 11.0 minutes shorter with DC in the early period and 27.0 minutes shorter in the late period, and 2) cross-clamp duration was 7.0 minutes shorter with DC in the early period and 17.0 minutes shorter in the late period, all p < .001. There were no statistical differences in adjusted odds of major morbidity and mortality (odds ratio [OR]adj: 1.01), prolonged intubation (ORadj: .99), or renal failure (ORadj: .80) by DC use (p > .05). In this large multicenter experience, DC use increased over time and was associated with reduced bypass and ischemic time absent any significant differences in adjusted outcomes.

Platelet Activity Measured by VerifyNow® Aspirin Sensitivity Test Identifies Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery Patients at Increased Risk for Postoperative Bleeding and Transfusion.

BACKGROUND: Identifying predictors of bleeding in patients before coronary artery bypass grafting surgery is important, given the complications of bleeding and finite supply of blood. Patient response to aspirin is heterogeneous and can be evaluated using point-of-care platelet function tests. We postulated that patients who hyper-respond to aspirin given preoperatively, as identified by VerifyNow® Aspirin assay (Accumetrics, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA), are at increased risk of bleeding and transfusion. METHODS: This prospective pilot study examined response to aspirin in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting surgery (n = 61) from 2009 to 2013. Patients with aspirin reaction unit (ARU) values in the lower 50th percentile as identified by VerifyNow® assays were defined as aspirin hyper-responders. The proportion of patients transfused and the median adjusted indexed drop in haemoglobin were compared between aspirin hyper-responders and non-hyper-responders. Logistic regression was performed to determine factors associated with increased risk of transfusion. RESULTS: Seventy per cent (70%) of aspirin hyper-responders were transfused perioperatively compared with 39% of patients who did not hyper-respond, (OR 3.694, 95% CI 1.275-10.706, p = 0.014). VerifyNow® Aspirin hyper-responders had a greater median adjusted indexed drop in haemoglobin compared to non-hyper-responders (34.1 g/L versus 26.6 g/L respectively, p = 0.032). Multivariate analysis also showed VerifyNow® Aspirin hyper-response to be an independent predictor of transfusion (p = 0.016). Other variables such as age, gender, body mass index, renal insufficiency, and cross clamp and bypass times were not predictors of postoperative bleeding in this pilot cohort. CONCLUSIONS: VerifyNow® Aspirin is able to preoperatively identify aspirin hyper-responders at an increased risk of bleeding and subsequent transfusion in the context of coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Surgical Repair of Post-Infarction Ventricular Septal Defect　- Findings From a Japanese National Database.

BACKGROUND: Ventricular septal defect (VSD) after myocardial infarction (MI) is a rare but fatal complication. We report patients' characteristics and operative outcomes after surgical repair of post-MI VSD using a national database of Japan.Methods and Results:This was a retrospective review of the Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JCVSD) to identify adults (age ≥18 years) who underwent surgical repair of post-MI VSD between 2008 and 2014. The primary outcome was operative death. We identified 1,397 patients (671 male [48%], 74.1±9.3 years old) undergoing surgical repair of post-MI VSD among 288,736 patients undergoing cardiac surgery enrolled in the JCVSD during the same period. Of these, 1,075 (77.0%) were supported preoperatively with an intra-aortic balloon pump. Surgical status was urgent in 391 (28.0%) and emergency/salvage in 731 (52.3%). Concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting was performed in 475 (34.0%). Overall 30-day and operative mortalities were 24.3% and 33.0%, respectively. Operative mortality varied according to surgical status: 15.6% in elective, 30.9% in urgent, and 40.6% in emergency/salvage cases. Multivariable analysis identified advanced age and emergency/salvage status as being strongly associated with increased odds of operative death. CONCLUSIONS: Post-MI VSD remains a devastating complication in Japan as well as in the USA and Europe.

Hybrid coronary revascularization versus coronary artery bypass grafting in patients with multivessel coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) compared to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for the treatment of multivessel coronary artery disease (MVCAD). BACKGROUND: HCR involves a combination of surgical and percutaneous techniques, which in selected patients may present an alternative to conventional CABG. METHODS: Databases were searched through June 30, 2016, and studies comparing HCR with CABG for treatment of MVCAD were selected. We calculated summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% CIs with the random-effects model. The primary outcome of interest was the occurrence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), defined as a composite of all cause mortality, myocardial infarction, and stroke. RESULTS: The analysis included 2,245 patients from 8 studies (1 randomized controlled trial and 7 observational studies). The risk of MACCE with HCR and CABG were 3.6% and 5.4%, respectively (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.24-1.16). Compared to CABG group, patients in HCR group had similar risk of all cause mortality (OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.38-1.88), myocardial infarction (OR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.31-1.64), stroke (OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.23-1.20), and repeat revascularization (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.58-2.83). The need for postoperative blood transfusions (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14-0.59) and hospital stay (weighted mean difference -1.20 days; 95% CI -1.52 to -0.88 days) was significantly lower in the HCR group. CONCLUSION: HCR appears to be safe, and has similar outcomes when compared with conventional CABG. HCR can be a suitable alternative to conventional CABG in select patients with MVCAD. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.