The Annals of thoracic surgery
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Multicenter Study
Impact of Accurate 30-Day Status on Operative Mortality: Wanted Dead or Alive, Not Unknown.
Risk-adjusted operative mortality is the most important quality metric in cardiac surgery for determining The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Composite Score for star ratings. Accurate 30-day status is required to determine STS operative mortality. The goal of this study was to determine the effect of unknown or missing 30-day status on risk-adjusted operative mortality in a regional STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database cooperative and demonstrate the ability to correct these deficiencies by matching with an administrative database. ⋯ The current STS algorithm of imputing unknown 30-day status as alive and a strategy of excluding cases with unknown 30-day status both result in erroneous calculation of operative mortality and operative mortality O/E. However, external validation by matching with an administrative database can improve the accuracy of clinical databases such as the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database.
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Retrograde false lumen perfusion is a common mode of failure after stent grafting chronic aortic dissection. Open fenestration during the first-stage elephant trunk (ET) creates a landing zone for second-stage endovascular ET completion in patients with a false lumen aneurysm. Our objectives were to assess long-term safety and durability of this technique. ⋯ Open aortic fenestration to create a distal landing zone during stage 1 ET facilitates endovascular completion for chronic dissection with false lumen aneurysm. The technique is safe, effective, and durable. It promotes reverse aortic remodeling and eliminates retrograde false lumen flow.
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We report the case of an HeartMate III left ventricular assist device (LVAD) thrombosis triggered by a shock from an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator, releasing a left ventricular thrombus sucked in the LVAD inflow cannula. With LVAD low flow only the increase in motor temperature gave a hint of the thrombosis and a computer tomography scan confirmed the diagnosis. Pump exchange was performed with an uneventful outcome.
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When identified, rib fractures in children are associated with high-energy trauma, nonaccidental trauma, or both. Traditionally, the optimal management of rib fractures in children is supportive care. In this case report, we present a 6-year-old boy who underwent surgical rib fixation for multiple displaced and comminuted rib fractures after being stepped on by a horse.
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The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Database has three major component databases: the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD), the STS Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD), and the STS General Thoracic Surgery Database (GTSD). Beginning in January 2016, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery began publishing a monthly series of scholarly articles on outcomes analysis, quality improvement, and patient safety. This article summarizes the status of the STS National Database as of October 2017 and summarizes the articles about the STS National Database that appeared in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery 2017 series "Outcomes Analysis, Quality Improvement, and Patient Safety."