The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Multicenter Study
Red blood cells and mortality after coronary artery bypass graft surgery: an analysis of 672 operative deaths.
Prior studies have implicated transfusion as a risk factor for mortality in coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). To further our understanding of the true association between transfusion and outcome, we specifically analyzed the subgroup of patients who died after undergoing CABG. ⋯ Significant differences in PROM and the postoperative course leading to death between those with and without transfusion suggest the role of transfusion may be secondary to other patient-related factors. Recognizing that the relationship between transfusion and outcome after CABG remains incompletely understood, these findings are suggestive of a complex interaction of many variables.
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Comparative Study
Comparison of 30-Day Outcomes of Transfemoral Versus Transapical Approach for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Single-Center US Experience.
The optimal access route for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) remains debatable. We compared early safety outcomes at 30 days between the transfemoral (TF) and transapical (TA) approaches in a single, high-volume center in the United States. ⋯ The TA approach has similar early safety outcomes when compared with the TF approach. The TA approach is more procedurally efficient when compared with the TF approach.
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Data on outcomes of atrioventricular (AV) valve surgical procedures in patients with Fontan circulation are limited. ⋯ The AV valve operation done before, during, or after the Fontan operation is associated with low operative mortality but a high reoperation rate with significant risk of late death, transplantation, and persistent AV valve regurgitation.
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Surgical repair of pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect and major aortopulmonary collaterals (PA/VSD/MAPCAs) requires insertion of a conduit from the right ventricle to the reconstructed pulmonary arteries. Although there is extensive literature on conduit longevity for many forms of congenital heart defects, there is currently limited information for PA/VSD/MAPCAs. It is likely that conduits will have a different longevity in PA/VSD/MAPCAs because pulmonary artery pressures are higher after unifocalization than in other congenital heart defects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the fate of right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduits after complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. ⋯ Conduit z scores and conduit size worked synergistically to predict the longevity of right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduits after complete repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs. Pulmonary artery pressure was an additional modifier of longevity. These data provide a framework for expectations of aortic homograft conduits used in the repair of PA/VSD/MAPCAs.
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Review Comparative Study
Reduced transfusion requirement with use of fresh whole blood in pediatric cardiac surgical procedures.
Pediatric patients undergoing cardiac operations are at high risk for blood loss and transfusion. A practice intended to reduce transfusion using a standard order of 2 units fresh whole blood (< 48 hours from donation) for elective cardiac operations in patients younger than 2 years of age was in place from 1995 to 2010. The objective of this study was to describe blood use in this population and to compare the results with those in published reports describing the use of blood components exclusively for transfusion. ⋯ The use of fresh whole blood for cardiac operations in children younger than 2 years old reduces donor exposures compared with published reports of component use.