“What’s the Risk?” Assessing and Mitigating Risk in Cardiothoracic Surgery

Remote monitoring following adult cardiac surgery: A paradigm shift?

Background

The Perfect Care (PC) initiative engages, educates, and enrolls adult cardiac surgery patients into a transformational program that includes an app for appointment scheduling, tracking biometric data and patient-reported outcomes, audiovisual visits, and messaging, paired with a digital health kit (consisting of a fitness tracker, scale, and sphygmomanometer). PC aims to reduce postoperative length of stay (LOS) as well as 30-day readmission and mortality.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of patients who underwent coronary artery bypass (CAB), valve, or combined CAB and valve procedures at either of the 2 participating hospitals between April 2018 and March 2022. Patients who participated in the PC quality improvement initiative were compared to propensity-matched controls (1:1 matching). The evaluation focused on postoperative LOS and a novel composite measure comprising 30-day readmission and mortality.

Results

Remote monitoring (PC) was associated with a shorter postoperative LOS, lower combined rate of 30-day readmission and mortality, and less variation compared to matched non-PC controls.

Conclusions

Integrated improvements in postoperative remote monitoring of adult cardiac surgery patients may reduce time in the hospital and post-acute care facilities. Future prioritized efforts include the development of additional, personalized biometric monitoring devices, use of biometric data to augment risk assessment, and investigation of the value of remote monitoring on various patient risk profiles to address potential disparities in care.

Technologic Transformation of Perioperative Cardiac Care and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

The "Perfect Care" initiative engages, educates, and enrolls adult cardiac surgery patients into a comprehensive program that incorporates remote perioperative monitoring (RPM). This study investigated the impact of RPM on postoperative length of stay, 30-day readmission and mortality, and other outcomes.

METHODS

This quality improvement project compared outcomes in 354 consecutive patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass and who were enrolled in RPM between July 2019 and March 2022 at 2 centers against outcomes in propensity-matched control patients from a pool of 1301 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass from April 2018 to March 2022 without RPM. Data were extracted from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database, and outcomes were analyzed according to its definitions. RPM used perioperative standard practice routines, a digital health kit for remote monitoring, a smartphone application and platform, and nurse navigators. Propensity scores were generated with RPM as the outcome measure, and a 2:1 match was generated using a nearest-neighbor matching algorithm.

RESULTS

Patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass and who were participating in RPM showed a statistically significant, 15.4% (1 day) reduction in postoperative length of stay (P < .0001) and a 44% reduction in 30-day readmission and mortality (P < .039) compared with matched control patients. Significantly more RPM participants were discharged directly home instead of to a facility (99.4% vs 92.0%; P < .0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The RPM platform and associated efforts to engage and monitor adult cardiac surgery patients remotely is feasible, is embraced by patients and clinicians, and transforms perioperative cardiac care by significantly improving outcomes and reducing variation.

Chest Tube Management: Past, Present, and Future Directions for Developing Evidence-Based Best Practices

In the field of modern cardiothoracic surgery, chest drainage has become ubiquitous and yet characterized by a wide variation in practice. Meanwhile, the evolution of chest drain technology has created gaps in knowledge that represent opportunities for new research to support the development of best practices in chest drain management. The chest drain is an indispensable tool in the recovery of the cardiac surgery patient. However, decisions about chest drain management-including those about type, material, number, maintenance of patency, and the timing of removal-are largely driven by tradition due to a scarcity of quality evidence. This narrative review surveys the available evidence regarding chest-drain management practices with the objective of highlighting scientific gaps, unmet needs, and opportunities for further research.

Transparency, Public Reporting and a Culture of Change to Quality and Safety in Cardiac Surgery

Academic medical centers have a duty to serve as hospitals of last resort for advanced cardiac surgical care and therefore manage patients at elevated risk of post-operative morbidity and mortality. They must also meet state and professional quality targets devised to protect the public. The tension between these imperatives can be managed by a multi-dimensional quality improvement program which aims to manage risk, optimize outcomes and exclude futile operations. We here share our approach to this process, its impact on our institution and discuss pertinent issues relevant to institutions in a similar situation.

Impact of early massive transfusion and blood component ratios in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation

BACKGROUND

This study evaluates the impact of early massive transfusion and blood component ratios on outcomes following left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation.

METHODS

Adults undergoing LVAD implantation between 2009 and 2018 at a single institution were included. Transfusions were analyzed during the intraoperative and the initial 24-h postoperative period. Patients were stratified into massive and nonmassive transfusion groups. The primary outcome was survival, and secondary outcomes included postoperative complications. Sub-analyses were performed to evaluate the impact of balanced transfusion.

RESULTS

A total of 278 patients were included. A total of 45.3% (n = 126) required massive transfusions. The massive transfusion group experienced significantly higher rates of postimplant adverse events, including reoperation, renal failure, and hepatic dysfunction (all, p ≤ .05). Furthermore, the massive transfusion group had significantly lower 30-day, 90-day, 1-year, 2-year, and overall survival rates following LVAD implantation (all, p < .05). In multivariable analysis, massive transfusion significantly impacted overall risk-adjusted mortality rate (hazard ratio: 2.402, 95% confidence Interval: 1.677-3.442, p < .001). In the sub-analyses evaluating the impact of balanced massive transfusion, balanced fresh frozen plasma to packed red blood cell (pRBC) transfusion did not provide any survival benefit (all, p > .05). However, balanced platelet to pRBC massive transfusion did improve 2-year and overall mortality rates in the massive transfusion cohort (both, p ≤ .05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates a significant association between early massive transfusion and adverse outcomes following LVAD implantation. Balancing platelet to pRBC transfusion in the early postoperative period may help mitigate some of these detrimental effects of massive transfusion on subsequent survival.

The arrival of COVID-19 in Brazil and the impact on coronary artery bypass surgery

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY

This study analyzed the arrival of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Brazil and its impact on coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery.

METHODS

Patients undergoing isolated CABG in six hospitals in Brazil were divided into two periods: pre-COVID-19 (March-May 2019, N = 468) and COVID-19 era (March-May 2020, N = 182). Perioperative data were included on a dedicated REDCap platform. Patients with clinical and tomographic criteria and/or PCR (+) for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection were considered COVID-19 (+). Logistic regression analysis was performed to create a multiple predictive model for mortality after CABG in COVID-19 era.

RESULTS

Compared to 2019, in 2020, CABG surgeries had a 2.8-fold increased mortality risk (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1-7.6, p = .041), patients who evolved with COVID-19 had a 11-fold increased mortality risk (95% CI: 2.2-54.9, p < .003), rates of morbidities and readmission to the intensive care unit. The surgical volume was decreased by 60%. The model to predict mortality after CABG in the COVID-19 era was validated with good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow = 1.43) and discrimination (receiver operating characteristic = 0.78).

CONCLUSION

The COVID-19 pandemic had an adverse impact on mortality, morbidity and volume of patients undergoing CABG.

The association between preoperative length of hospital stay and deep sternal wound infection: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a serious complication of cardiac surgery, associated with a significantly longer hospital stay, an increased mortality, and an almost doubling of treatment costs. The preoperative length of hospital stay has been suggested in a small number of studies as a modifiable risk factor yet is not included in surgical site infection prevention guidelines. The aim of this scoping review was to review the existing evidence on the association between preoperative length of hospital stay and DSWI, and to identify established risk factors for DSWI.

METHODS

A literature search of six electronic databases yielded 2297 results. Titles concerning risk factors for DSWI, sternal or surgical wound infection, or poststernotomy complications were included. Abstracts relating to preoperative length of stay as a risk factor for DSWI proceeded to full article review. Articles regarding paediatric surgery, DSWI management or unavailable in English were excluded.

RESULTS

The review identified 11 observational cohort studies. DSWI prevalence was between 0.9% and 6.8%. Preoperative length of stay ranged from 0-15.5 days and was found to be associated with DSWI in all studies. Preoperative length of stay and DSWI were inconsistently defined. Other risk factors for DSWI included diabetes, obesity, respiratory disease, heart failure, renal impairment, complex surgery, and reoperation (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

In this scoping review, an association between preoperative length of stay and the development of DSWI following cardiac surgery was identified. Thus, preoperative length of stay as a modifiable risk factor for DSWI should be considered for inclusion in cardiothoracic surgical infection prevention guidelines.

Goal-Directed Therapy for Cardiac Surgery

Goal-directed therapy couples therapeutic interventions with physiologic and metabolic targets to mitigate a patient's modifiable risks for death and complications. Goal-directed therapy attempts to improve quality-of-care metrics, including length of stay, rate of readmission, and cost per case. Debate persists around specific parameters and goals, the risk profiles that may benefit, and associated therapeutic strategies. Goal-directed therapy has demonstrated reduced complication rates and lengths of stay in noncardiac surgery studies. Establishing goal-directed therapy's early promise and role in cardiac surgery-namely, producing fewer complications and deaths-will require larger studies, including those with greater focus on high-risk patients.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database 2019 Annual Report

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Database was established in 1989 as an initiative for quality improvement and patient safety for cardiothoracic surgery. The STS National Database has 4 components, each focusing on a distinct discipline-Adult Cardiac Surgery, General Thoracic Surgery, Congenital Heart Surgery, and mechanical circulatory support with the STS Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Intermacs)/Pediatric Interagency Registry for Mechanical Circulatory Support (Pedimacs) Database. In December 2015, The Annals of Thoracic Surgery began publishing a monthly series of scholarly articles on outcomes analysis, quality improvement, and patient safety. This article provides the fourth annual summary of the status of the STS National Database.

Cardiothoracic Critical Care

High-value CCC is rapidly evolving to meet the demands of increased patient acuity and to incorporate advances in technology. The high-performing CCC system and culture should aim to learn quickly and continuously improve. CCC demands a proactive, interactive, precise, an expert team, and continuity.