Predictors of fluoroscopy time and procedural failure during biventricular device implantation

Physicians' clinical experience and its association with healthcare quality: a systematised review

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is conflicting evidence regarding whether physicians' clinical experience affects healthcare quality. Knowing whether an association exists and which dimensions of quality might be affected can help healthcare services close quality gaps by tailoring improvement initiatives according to physicians' clinical experience. Here, we present a systematised review that aims to assess the potential association between physicians' clinical experience and different dimensions of healthcare quality.

METHODS

We conducted a systematised literature review, including the databases MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and PubMed. The search strategy involved combining predefined terms that describe physicians' clinical experience with terms that describe different dimensions of healthcare quality (ie, safety, clinical effectiveness, patient-centredness, timeliness, efficiency and equity). We included relevant, original research published from June 2004 to November 2020.

RESULTS

Fifty-two studies reporting 63 evaluations of the association between physicians' clinical experience and healthcare quality were included in the final analysis. Overall, 27 (43%) evaluations found a positive or partially positive association between physicians' clinical experience and healthcare quality; 22 (35%) found no association; and 14 (22%) evaluations reported a negative or partially negative association. We found a proportional association between physicians' clinical experience and quality regarding outcome measures that reflect safety, particularly in the surgical fields. For other dimensions of quality, no firm evidence was found.

CONCLUSION

We found no clear evidence of an association between measures of physicians' clinical experience and overall healthcare quality. For outcome measures related to safety, we found that physicians' clinical experience was proportional with safer care, particularly in surgical fields. Our findings support efforts to secure adequate training and supervision for early-career physicians regarding safety outcomes. Further research is needed to reveal the potential subgroups in which gaps in quality due to physicians' clinical experience might exist.

Implantation of cardiac resynchronization therapy devices using three leads by cephalic vein dissection approach

Aims

Percutaneous subclavian, axillary, and cephalic vein access are all used in conjunction for atrial and ventricular lead implantation, though no standard approach for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) device implantation has been established. We describe an effective and a safe technique for implanting three leads via cephalic vein for CRT pacemaker and/or defibrillator implantations.

Methods and results

A total of 171 consecutive patients undergoing de novo implantation of CRT pacemaker or defibrillator were included. Cephalic vein access was achieved by dissection and direct visualization. If the cephalic vein was inadequate, alternate means of access was determined after outset of the procedure. Procedural success rates and complications were recorded. Of the 171 de novo CRT implant attempts, 169 (98.8%) patients had successful implantation of all 3 leads on the first attempt. Of the 171 procedural attempts, 150 (87.7%) patients had all 3 leads placed via cephalic vein. Overall, complications occurred in 6 of 171 patients (3.5%) including initial and repeat procedures. These complications included seven lead dislodgements, two cases of diaphragmatic stimulation requiring lead revision, and one coronary sinus dissection without pericardial effusion. There were no cases of pneumothorax, pocket haematoma requiring evacuation, or infection.

Conclusion

The triple lead via cephalic vein technique is safe and effective when used as a first approach for CRT device implantation.

Advances in the Care of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease

The significant decline in mortality among children and adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD) is associated with an increasing prevalence of CHD in adults, particularly those with moderate to severe defects. As a significant percentage of adolescents and young adults are lost to follow-up in the transition from pediatric to adult care, they may present for elective procedures with substantial CHD-associated morbidity. In addition to the specific cardiac defect, the procedures performed, and the current pathophysiological status, several factors should be considered when managing the adult with CHD. These include the type of setting (adult vs pediatric institution); surgeon (pediatric vs adult cardiac surgeon); coexisting diseases associated with CHD, such as coronary artery disease, hepatic dysfunction, renal dysfunction, cerebrovascular accidents, myopathy, and coagulation disorders; acquired diseases of aging; pregnancy; and psychosocial functioning. The current status of the management of common and important congenital cardiac defects is also described.

Coronary sinus cannulation with a steerable catheter during biventricular device implantation

OBJECTIVES

To determine whether a steerable catheter with electrogram guidance (CS-assist group) could facilitate access to the coronary sinus (CS) during cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) implantation.

DESIGN

Consecutive patients who underwent CRT implantation were recruited prospectively into the CS-assist group (n = 81) and compared with those using conventional techniques without an electrogram guidance (conventional group, n = 101).

RESULTS

The CS cannulation success rate was clearly greater in the CS-assist group (100%) than that in the conventional group (95%, p < 0.05), with significantly shorter mean procedure time (52.6 ± 20.6 min vs. 73.2 ± 40.9 min, p < 0.01) and fluoroscopy time (3.6 ± 3.2 min vs. 14.2 ± 20.4 min, p < 0.01). In the five CS cannulation failure cases, mean procedure time (144.0 ± 37.0 min) and fluoroscopy time (57.8 ± 24.8 min) were significantly longer than those in the other patients (61.2 ± 32.3 and 8.2 ± 13.6 min, respectively, n = 177, both p < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Using the steerable catheter with real-time electrogram guidance, location of and access to the CS is more rapid and successful, which may improve the success of the CRT implantation and may give significant time savings.