Introduction to the STS National Database Series

Novel linkage of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database and hospital electronic health records

BACKGROUND

Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database is the largest congenital heart surgery database worldwide but does not provide information beyond primary episode of care. Linkage to hospital electronic health records would capture complications and comorbidities along with long-term outcomes for patients with CHD surgeries. The current study explores linkage success between Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database and electronic health record data in North Carolina and Georgia.

METHODS

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database was linked to hospital electronic health records from four North Carolina congenital heart surgery using indirect identifiers like date of birth, sex, admission, and discharge dates, from 2008 to 2013. Indirect linkage was performed at the admissions level and compared to two other linkages using a "direct identifier," medical record number: (1) linkage between Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database and electronic health records from a subset of patients from one North Carolina institution and (2) linkage between Society of Thoracic Surgeons data from two Georgia facilities and Georgia's CHD repository, which also uses direct identifiers for linkage.

RESULTS

Indirect identifiers successfully linked 79% (3692/4685) of Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database admissions across four North Carolina hospitals. Direct linkage techniques successfully matched Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database to 90.2% of electronic health records from the North Carolina subsample. Linkage between Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Georgia's CHD repository was 99.5% (7,544/7,585).

CONCLUSIONS

Linkage methodology was successfully demonstrated between surgical data and hospital-based electronic health records in North Carolina and Georgia, uniting granular procedural details with clinical, developmental, and economic data. Indirect identifiers linked most patients, consistent with similar linkages in adult populations. Future directions include applying these linkage techniques with other data sources and exploring long-term outcomes in linked populations.

Health Data Sciences and Cardiovascular Disease in Africa: Needs and the Way Forward

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The rising burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Africa is of great concern. Health data sciences is a rapidly developing field which has the potential to improve health outcomes, especially in low-middle income countries with burdened healthcare systems. We aim to explore the current CVD landscape in Africa, highlighting the importance of health data sciences in the region and identifying potential opportunities for application and growth by leveraging health data sciences to improve CVD outcomes.

RECENT FINDINGS

While there have been a number of initiatives aimed at developing health data sciences in Africa over the recent decades, the progress and growth are still in their early stages. Its maximum potential can be leveraged through adequate funding, advanced training programs, focused resource allocation, encouraging bidirectional international partnerships, instituting best ethical practices, and prioritizing data science health research in the region. The findings of this review explore the current landscape of CVD and highlight the potential benefits and utility of health data sciences to address CVD challenges in Africa. By understanding and overcoming the barriers associated with health data sciences training, research, and application in the region, focused initiatives can be developed to promote research and development. These efforts will allow policymakers to form informed, evidence-based frameworks for the prevention and management of CVDs, and ultimately result in improved CVD outcomes in the region.

Transgender and Non-Binary Surgery Registry: Building a Patient-Focused Registry for Genital Gender Affirming Surgery

Purpose

High quality data regarding long-term clinical and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of genital gender-affirming surgery (GGAS) are lacking, and transgender and non-binary (TGNB) community voices have not historically been included in research development. These factors limit the utility of current research for guiding patients, clinicians, payers, and other GGAS stakeholders in decision-making. The Transgender and Non-Binary Surgery (TRANS) Registry has been developed to meet the needs of GGAS stakeholders and address limitations of traditional GGAS research.

Methods

Development of the TRANS Registry occurred over several developmental phases beginning in May 2019 to present. Stakeholder engagement was performed throughout these phases, including: determination of key clinical outcomes and PROs, creation and implementation of data collection tools within the electronic health record (EHR), and development of centralized registry infrastructure.

Results

The TRANS Registry is a prospective observational registry of individuals seeking vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty. The EHR-enabled infrastructure allows patients and clinicians to contribute longitudinal outcomes data to the TRANS Registry. We describe our community engaged approach to designing the TRANS Registry, including lessons learned, challenges, and future directions.

Conclusions

The TRANS Registry is the first multicenter initiative to prospectively track the health of individuals seeking vaginoplasty and vulvoplasty using EHR-enabled methods, engaging TGNB community members and clinicians as partners in the process. This process may be used as a model for registry development in other emerging fields where high-quality longitudinal outcomes data are needed.

Superlative performance in cardiovascular surgery

Achieving excellence in surgery is an ongoing endeavor, gained through experience, observation, and practice. It is difficult to evaluate enterprise excellence, but attempts include the ratings of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. The surgery team at Baylor University Medical Center has achieved three-star ratings for 9 of the past 10 evaluations for coronary artery bypass. This accomplishment is a result of many factors, including teamwork, multidisciplinary conferences, application of the latest evidence, continuous efforts at quality improvement, and effective governance. Some aspects of the latter include individual excellence, enjoying the work, being bold, having psychological safety, and employing meritocracy. Discernment of contemporary issues, a clear vision of the common good, and virtuous service to all must be attained while preserving the highest level of patient-centered service to patients and the institution.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 2023 Update on Outcomes and Research

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD) continues to be the most comprehensive database of congenital and pediatric cardiothoracic surgical procedures in the world and contains information on 664,210 operations as of June 30, 2023. The 35th harvest of the STS CHSD data was undertaken in Spring 2023, spanning the 4-year period January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2022, and included 144,919 operations performed at 114 participating sites in North America. The harvest analysis was successfully executed by the STS Research and Analytic Center. The overall unadjusted mortality rate was 2.68% and has remained stable over the 4 years included in the current harvest window. Mortality is highest in neonates (7.4%) and lowest in children (1.1%). As in prior analyses, observed mortality and postoperative length of stay in the database increase with an increase in STS-European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery (STAT) Congenital Heart Surgery Mortality Categories. This quality report summarizes contemporary outcomes, provides the odds ratios for the CHSD risk model variables based on this analysis, and describes on-going efforts to improve data collection and augment analytical approaches. Lastly, 5 research publications completed in the last year using data from the CHSD are also summarized.

Perioperative Care in Cardiac Surgery: A Joint Consensus Statement by the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) Cardiac Society, ERAS International Society, and The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS)

Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) programs have been shown to lessen surgical insult, promote recovery, and improve postoperative clinical outcomes across a number of specialty operations. A core tenet of ERAS involves the provision of protocolized evidence-based perioperative interventions. Given both the growing enthusiasm for applying ERAS principles to cardiac surgery and the broad scope of relevant interventions, an international, multidisciplinary expert panel was assembled to derive a list of potential program elements, review the literature, and provide a statement regarding clinical practice for each topic area. This article summarizes those consensus statements and their accompanying evidence. These results provide the foundation for best practice for the management of the adult patient undergoing cardiac surgery.

Risk factors for surgical site infection following cardiac surgery in a region endemic for multidrug resistant organisms

OBJECTIVES

To identify risk factors for surgical site infections following cardiosurgery in an area endemic for multidrug resistant organisms.

DESIGN

Single-center, historical cohort study including patients who underwent cardiosurgery during a 6-year period (2014-2020).

SETTING

Joint Commission International accredited, multiorgan transplant center in Palermo, Italy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Surgical site infection was the main outcome.

RESULTS

On a total of 3609 cardiosurgery patients, 184 developed surgical site infection (5.1 %). Intestinal colonization with multidrug resistant organisms was more frequent in patients with surgical site infections (69.6 % vs. 33.3 %; p < 0.001). About half of surgical site infections were caused by Gram-negative bacteria (n = 97; 52.7 %). Fifty surgical site infections were caused by multidrug resistant organisms (27.1 %), with extended-spectrum Beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacterales (n = 16; 8.7 %) and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (n = 26; 14.1 %) being the predominant resistance problem. However, in only 24 of surgical site infections caused by multidrug resistant organisms (48 %), mostly carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (n = 22), a pathogen match between the rectal surveillance culture and surgical site infections clinical culture was demonstrated. Nevertheless, multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a rectal swab culture positive for multidrug resistant organisms as an independent risk factor for SSI (odds ratio 3.95, 95 % confidence interval 2.79-5.60). Other independent risk factors were female sex, chronic dialysis, diabetes mellitus, previous cardiosurgery, previous myocardial infarction, being overweight/obese, and longer intubation time.

CONCLUSION

In an area endemic for carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales, intestinal colonization with multidrug resistant organisms was recognized as independent risk factor for surgical site infections.

IMPLICATIONS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

No causal relationship between colonization with resistant pathogens and subsequent infection could be demonstrated. However, from a broader epidemiological perspective, having a positive multidrug resistant organisms colonization status appeared a risk factor for surgical site infections. Therefore, strict infection control measures to prevent cross-transmission remain pivotal (e.g., nasal decolonization, hand hygiene, and skin antisepsis).

Quality and Impact of Manuscripts Using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Databases

BACKGROUND

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) National Databases contain the largest and most comprehensive cardiac, thoracic, and congenital surgery data available. In this analysis characteristics of manuscripts that used the STS National Databases were examined to evaluate the quality and impact of these publications.

METHODS

Manuscripts published from 2010 to 2020 that used the STS National Databases (Adult Cardiac, General Thoracic, and Congenital Heart Surgery) were examined. The number of times cited per published manuscript, journal of publication, and journal CiteScore were assessed. Author characteristics, including institutional association and h-index, were evaluated for first and last authors.

RESULTS

Of 539 published manuscripts, 179 (33.2%) used the Adult Cardiac Surgery, 128 (23.7%) the Congenital Heart Surgery, 85 (15.8%) the General Thoracic Surgery, and 136 (25.2%) used unspecified STS National Databases. Collectively the analyzed manuscripts were cited 18,943 times, with a mean of 35.1 (range, 0-528) citations per manuscript. Manuscripts were published in 97 journals with a mean year-adjusted CiteScore of 5.6 (range, 0.1-60.2). Authors associated with 361 institutions contributed to published manuscripts. The mean h-index of first authors was 24.6 (range, 0-100) and of last authors was 44.1 (range, 0-164). From 2010 to 2020 first authors wrote a mean of 1.6 (range, 1-31) and last authors wrote a mean of 1.9 (range, 1-29) STS National Databases publications.

CONCLUSIONS

The STS National Databases are some of the most robust data collection sources available to cardiothoracic surgeons. These data have enabled valuable research in respected journals from authors of varying experience levels.

Sex-Related Differences After Proximal Aortic Surgery: Outcome Analysis of 1773 Consecutive Patients

BACKGROUND

Guidelines on the management of aortic aneurysm disease do not account for sex differences regarding surgical procedures on the proximal aorta, although faster aneurysm growth, increased rupture risk, and higher postoperative mortality have been found in women. We therefore analyzed outcome differences between men and women receiving operations on the proximal aorta.

METHODS

A total of 1773 patients underwent nonemergency surgical procedures on the aortic valve (AV) and proximal aorta at our institution between 2000 and 2018. Of these, 772 patients (21.8% women) received a Bentall procedure, 349 (20.3% women) had AV-sparing root replacement, and 652 (31.1% women) underwent AV and supracommissural ascending aorta replacement. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and midterm survival.

RESULTS

When assessing sex-related differences within the entire group of patients that received an operation on the proximal aorta, women were found to be older, had a lower body mass index, and were smokers less often. Despite shorter procedural times, median ventilation times and intensive care unit length of stay were longer in women. In-house mortality was also higher in women (3.6% vs 0.9%, P < .001). Multivariable logistic regression revealed age (odds ratio [OR], 1.8; 95% CI, 1.4-2.3 per 5 years added; P < .001), female sex (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.2-5.8; P = .02), and urgent surgery (OR, 3.1; 95% CI, 1.2-7.3; P = .01) as independent risk factors for in-house death. Midterm survival was lower for women in the entire cohort (P = .02) and particularly within the Bentall subgroup (P = .004).

CONCLUSIONS

Female sex is an independent risk factor for operative mortality in patients undergoing proximal aortic surgery but is currently not addressed in guidelines. More research should focus on etiology and prevention of these worse outcomes in female patients.

Long-term Outcomes and Anticoagulation in Mitral Valve Surgery-A Report From The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Database

BACKGROUND

Anticoagulation after bioprosthetic mitral valve (MV) replacement (BMVR) and repair (MVrep) is controversial. We explore outcomes among BMVR and MVrep patients in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database based on discharge anticoagulation status.

METHODS

BMVR and MVrep patients aged ≥65 years in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database were linked to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services claims database. Long-term mortality, ischemic stroke, bleeding, and a composite of the primary end points were compared as a function of anticoagulation. Hazard ratios (HRs) were calculated using multivariable Cox regression.

RESULTS

A total of 26,199 BMVR and MVrep patients were linked to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services database; of these, 44%, 4%, and 52% were discharged on warfarin, non-vitamin K-dependent anticoagulant (NOAC), and no anticoagulation (no-AC; reference), respectively. Warfarin was associated with increased bleeding in the overall study cohort (HR, 1.38; 95% CI 1.26-1.52) and in the BMVR (HR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.13-1.55) and MVrep subcohorts (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.26-1.60). Warfarin was associated with decreased mortality only among BMVR patients (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.96). Stroke and the composite outcome did not differ across cohorts with warfarin. NOAC use was associated with increased mortality (HR, 1.33; 95% CI 1.11-1.59), bleeding (HR, 1.37; 95% CI, 1.07-1.74), and the composite outcome (HR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.08-1.47).

CONCLUSIONS

Anticoagulation was used in fewer than half of mitral valve operations. In MVrep patients, warfarin was associated with increased bleeding and was not protective against stroke or mortality. In BMVR patients, warfarin was associated with a modest survival benefit, increased bleeding, and equivalent stroke risk. NOAC was associated with increased adverse outcomes.

Machine learning algorithms for population-specific risk score in coronary artery bypass grafting

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to develop a new risk prediction score (NH Score) for patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) specific to the Indian population and compare it to the Society of Thoracic Surgeon (STS) Score and the EuroSCORE II.

METHOD

The baseline features of adult patients who underwent CABG between the years 2015 and 2021 (n = 6703) were taken and split into training data (2015-2020; n = 5561) and validation data (2020-2021; n = 1142). The CatBoost algorithm was trained to predict risk scores (NH score), and the performance was tested on the validation set by Precision-Recall Curve and F1 Score. Model calibration was measured by the Brier Score, Expected Calibration Error and Maximum Calibration Error.

RESULTS

The NH score outperformed both the STS and EuroSCORE II for all outcomes. For mortality, the PR AUC for NH Score was (0.463 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.28-0.64]) compared to 0.113 [95% CI, 0.04-0.22] for the STS score and 0.146 [95% CI, 0.06-0.31] for the EuroSCORE II (p ≪ 0.0001). With respect to morbidity NH Score was superior to the STS score (0.43 [95% CI, 0.33-0.50]) vs. (0.229 [95% CI, 0.18-0.3, p < 0.0001). The observed to the predicted ratio for NH score was superior to the STS Score and similar to EuroSCORE II. NH Score was also more accurate at predicting the risk of prolonged ventilation compared to the STS Score.

CONCLUSION

NH score shows an excellent improvement over the performance of STS score and EuroSCORE II for modelling risk predictions for patients undergoing CABG in Indian population. It warrants further validation for larger datasets.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 2022 Update on Outcomes and Research

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Congenital Heart Surgery Database continues to be one of the most comprehensive clinical outcomes registries capturing almost all pediatric cardiothoracic surgical operations undertaken in the United States. The latest analysis of aggregate outcomes was performed after the 33rd data harvest and included congenital and pediatric cardiac operations performed between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2021. This article summarizes these contemporary outcomes and provides a context for the interpretation of these outcomes. In addition this article describes ongoing efforts to improve data collection and augment analytical approaches. Finally, research activities undertaken in the last year using data from the database are also summarized.

Regionalization or Access to Care? A Joint Pediatric Heart Care Program That Achieves Both: One Program-Two Sites

Background: Regionalization of care for children with congenital heart disease has been proposed as a method to improve outcomes. This has raised concerns about limiting access to care. We present the details of a joint pediatric heart care program (JPHCP) which utilized regionalization and actually improved access to care. Methods: In 2017, Kentucky Children's Hospital (KCH) launched the JPHCP with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). This unique satellite model was the product of several years of planning, leading to a comprehensive strategy with shared personnel, conferences, and a robust transfer system; "one program-two sites." Results: Between March 2017 and the end of June 2022, 355 operations were performed at KCH under the auspices of the JPHCP. As of the most recent published Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) outcome report (through the end of June 2021), for all STAT categories, the JPHCP at KCH outperformed the STS overall in postoperative length of stay, and the mortality rate was lower than expected for the case mix. Of the 355 operations, there were 131 STAT 1, 148 STAT 2, 40 STAT 3, and 36 STAT 4 operations, with two operative mortalities: an adult undergoing surgery for Ebstein anomaly, and a premature infant who died from severe lung disease many months after aortopexy. Conclusions: With a select case mix, and by affiliating with a large volume congenital heart center, the creation of the JPHCP at KCH was able to achieve excellent congenital heart surgery results. Importantly, access to care was improved for those children at the more remote location utilizing this one program-two sites model.

Big Data in cardiac surgery: real world and perspectives

Big Data, and the derived analysis techniques, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, have been considered a revolution in the modern practice of medicine. Big Data comes from multiple sources, encompassing electronic health records, clinical studies, imaging data, registries, administrative databases, patient-reported outcomes and OMICS profiles. The main objective of such analyses is to unveil hidden associations and patterns. In cardiac surgery, the main targets for the use of Big Data are the construction of predictive models to recognize patterns or associations better representing the individual risk or prognosis compared to classical surgical risk scores. The results of these studies contributed to kindle the interest for personalized medicine and contributed to recognize the limitations of randomized controlled trials in representing the real world. However, the main sources of evidence for guidelines and recommendations remain RCTs and meta-analysis. The extent of the revolution of Big Data and new analytical models in cardiac surgery is yet to be determined.

Transapical Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: A Real-World Early and Mid-Term Outcome of a Third-Level Centre

Background: Transapical transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TA-TAVR) is generally considered to be associated with higher morbidity compared with transfemoral-TAVR. However, TA-TAVR remains a feasible alternative for patients who are unsuitable for TF-TAVR. It has been shown that outcomes after TAVR are linked to the operator’s expertise. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to report short- and mid-term outcomes after TA-TAVR performed by an expert Heart-Team of a third-level centre. Methods: From 2015 to 2022, 154 consecutive patients underwent TA-TAVR. The outcomes were analysed according to the VARC-3 criteria. Kaplan–Meier curves were estimated for major clinical events at mid-term follow-up. Results: The mean age of the population was 79.3 years and the STS risk-score of mortality was 4.2 ± 3.6%. Periprocedural mortality was 1.9%. Acute kidney injury and prolonged ventilation occurred in 1.9%. Incidence of stroke was 0.6%. Pacemaker implantation rate was 1.9%. Freedom from cardiovascular mortality was 75.7%, and 60.2% at 3 and 5 years. Freedom from stroke was 92.3% and 88.9% at 3 and 5 years, respectively; freedom from endocarditis was 94.4% and 90.8% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Conclusion: TA-TAVR may be considered a safe and effective alternative approach in patients unsuitable for TF-TAVR, especially when performed by a proficient Heart-Team.

Advancing Quality Metrics for Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implant: Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Intermacs Database

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation are at risk for death and postoperative adverse outcomes. Interhospital variability and concordance of quality metrics were assessed using the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (Intermacs).

METHODS

A total of 22 173 patients underwent primary, durable LVAD implantation across 160 hospitals from 2012 to 2020, excluding hospitals performing <10 implant procedures. Observed and risk-adjusted operative mortality rates were calculated for each hospital. Outcomes included operative and 90-day mortality, a composite of adverse events (operative mortality, bleeding, stroke, device malfunction, renal dysfunction, respiratory failure), and secondarily failure to rescue. Rates are presented as median (interquartile range [IQR]). Hospital performance was evaluated using observed-to-expected (O/E) ratios for mortality and the composite outcome.

RESULTS

Interhospital variability existed in observed (median, 7.2% [IQR, 5.1%-9.6%]) mortality. The rates of adverse events varied across hospitals: major bleeding, 15.6% (IQR, 11.4%-22.4%); stroke, 3.1% (IQR, 1.6%-4.7%); device malfunction, 2.4% (IQR, 0.8%-3.7%); respiratory failure, 10.5% (IQR, 4.6%-15.7%); and renal dysfunction, 6.4% (IQR, 3.2%-9.6%). The O/E ratio for operative mortality varied from 0.0 to 6.1, whereas the O/E ratio for the composite outcome varied from 0.28 to 1.99. Hospital operative mortality O/E ratios were more closely correlated with the 90-day mortality O/E ratio (r = 0.74) than with the composite O/E ratio (r = 0.12).

CONCLUSIONS

This study reported substantial interhospital variability in performance for hospitals implanting durable LVADs. These findings support the need to (1) report hospital-level performance (mortality, composite) and (2) undertake benchmarking activities to reduce unwarranted variability in outcomes.

Big Data in Cardiology: State-of-Art and Future Prospects

Cardiological disorders contribute to a significant portion of the global burden of disease. Cardiology can benefit from Big Data, which are generated and released by different sources and channels, like epidemiological surveys, national registries, electronic clinical records, claims-based databases (epidemiological Big Data), wet-lab, and next-generation sequencing (molecular Big Data), smartphones, smartwatches, and other mobile devices, sensors and wearable technologies, imaging techniques (computational Big Data), non-conventional data streams such as social networks, and web queries (digital Big Data), among others. Big Data is increasingly having a more and more relevant role, being highly ubiquitous and pervasive in contemporary society and paving the way for new, unprecedented perspectives in biomedicine, including cardiology. Big Data can be a real paradigm shift that revolutionizes cardiological practice and clinical research. However, some methodological issues should be properly addressed (like recording and association biases) and some ethical issues should be considered (such as privacy). Therefore, further research in the field is warranted.

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting and Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients With Chronic Total Occlusion and Multivessel Disease

BACKGROUND

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been used increasingly as an alternative means of revascularization for patients with chronic total occlusion and multivessel disease. We investigated 5-year clinical outcomes following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and PCI in patients with chronic total occlusion and multivessel disease.

METHODS

In this single-center, retrospective cohort study, 4324 consecutive patients with ≥1 chronic total occlusion and multivessel disease were treated with either CABG (n=2264) or PCI (n=2060) between 2010 and 2013. The primary outcome was 5-year composite of death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. An inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting method was used adjusting for both patient and lesion characteristics.

RESULTS

The unadjusted 5-year composite outcomes were similar between CABG group and PCI group (12.1% [258/2264] versus 11.4% [218/2060]; P=0.52). After adjustment for baseline variables, PCI was associated with significantly higher risk of composite outcomes (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.21 [95% CI, 1.02-1.44]; P=0.03). The inferiority of PCI in 5-year composite outcome was significant in patients with CABG recommendation according to SYNTAX (Synergy Between Percutaneous Coronary Intervention With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score II (adjusted hazard ratio: 1.55 [95% CI, 1.14-2.09]; P=0.005) but not evident in patients with PCI or PCI/CABG equipoise recommendation according to SYNTAX score II (adjusted hazard ratio: 0.94 [95% CI, 0.75-1.17]; P=0.56). A similar risk of 5-year composite outcomes was observed between CABG and PCI with residual SYNTAX score ≤8.

CONCLUSIONS

In this single-center retrospective study among patients with chronic total occlusion and multivessel disease, PCI was associated with higher risk of 5-year composite death, myocardial infarction, or stroke.

Assessment of Current STS Data Elements for Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

BACKGROUND

To identify opportunities for enhanced ACHD data collection, a structured review of existing variables in the STS Congenital Heart Surgery Database (CHSD) and the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) was conducted.

METHODS

A working group was assembled representing multiple STS Workforces and Task Forces. The ACSD was reviewed systematically over eight 90 minute calls. ACSD version 4.20.2 and CHSD version 3.41 were used, and the ACSD was approached in sections. ACSD variables were classified as either: 1) represented in identical form in the CHSD (no further discussion), 2) represented in similar form in the CHSD (discussed for potential harmonization of definitions), or 3) not represented in the CHSD (discussed for potential inclusion). Variables felt to be relevant to ACHD were noted, and special consideration was given to STS required fields and variables utilized in existing STS adult risk models. Other factors that were examined were the frequency, utilization, and capture of existing ACSD variables.

RESULTS

Over 22 weeks (8 calls), the existing 1069 variables in version 4.20.2 of the ACSD were discussed. Ultimately, 539 total variables were found to be both 1) relevant to ACHD and 2) not currently collected in the CHSD. These were recommended for inclusion in the next CHSD upgrade for patients older than 18 years.

CONCLUSIONS

For adult patients having case records entered into the CHSD, the inclusion of a limited set of additional data fields from the ACSD should enhance capture of co-morbidities and other clinical data relevant to the ACHD population.

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.

Operative mortality in adult cardiac surgery: is the currently utilized definition justified?

Background

This study evaluated operative mortalities following adult cardiac surgical operations to determine if this metric remains appropriate for the modern era.

Methods

This was a retrospective review of Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) indexed adult cardiac operations that included coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), aortic valve replacement (AVR), CABG + AVR, mitral valve repair (MVr), CABG + MVr, mitral valve replacement (MVR) and CABG + MVR, performed at a single institution between 2011 and 2017. The primary outcome was the timing and relatedness of operation mortality, as defined by the STS as mortality within 30-day or during the index hospitalization, compared to the index operation. The secondary outcomes evaluated cause of death and the rates of postoperative complications.

Results

A total of 11,190 index cardiac operations were performed during the study period and operative mortality occurred in 246 (2.2%) of patients. The distribution of operative mortalities included 83.7% (n=206) who expired within 30-day while an inpatient, 6.9% (n=17) died within 30-day as an outpatient, 11.2% (n=23) expired after 30-day. The most common causes of operative mortality were cardiac (38.7%, n=92), renal failure (15.6%, n=37), and strokes (13.9%, n=33). Furthermore, 98.4% (n=242) of deaths were attributable to the index operation. Postoperative complications occurred frequently in those with operative mortality, with blood transfusions (80.1%), reoperations (65.0%) and prolonged ventilation (62.2%) being most common.

Conclusions

Most of the operative mortalities seemed to be attributable to the index cardiac operation. We believe that the current definition of mortality remains appropriate in the modern era.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database: 2021 Update on Outcomes and Research

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database is a comprehensive clinical outcomes registry that captures almost all pediatric cardiac surgical operations in the United States. It is the platform for all activities of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons related to the analysis of outcomes and improvement of quality in this subspecialty. This report summarizes current aggregate national outcomes in congenital and pediatric cardiac surgery performed between July 1, 2016, and June 30, 2020. The reported data on aggregate national outcomes are exemplified by an analysis of 10 prespecified benchmark operation groups performed. This report further reviews related activities in the areas of data collection and analysis, quality measurement, performance improvement, and research.

Health Care Policy and Congenital Heart Disease: 2020 Focus on Our 2030 Future

The congenital heart care community faces a myriad of public health issues that act as barriers toward optimum patient outcomes. In this article, we attempt to define advocacy and policy initiatives meant to spotlight and potentially address these challenges. Issues are organized into the following 3 key facets of our community: patient population, health care delivery, and workforce. We discuss the social determinants of health and health care disparities that affect patients in the community that require the attention of policy makers. Furthermore, we highlight the many needs of the growing adults with congenital heart disease and those with comorbidities, highlighting concerns regarding the inequities in access to cardiac care and the need for multidisciplinary care. We also recognize the problems of transparency in outcomes reporting and the promising application of telehealth. Finally, we highlight the training of providers, measures of productivity, diversity in the workforce, and the importance of patient-family centered organizations in advocating for patients. Although all of these issues remain relevant to many subspecialties in medicine, this article attempts to illustrate the unique needs of this population and highlight ways in which to work together to address important opportunities for change in the cardiac care community and beyond. This article provides a framework for policy and advocacy efforts for the next decade.

Current Penetration, Completeness, and Representativeness of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database

BACKGROUND

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database (ACSD) is the largest cardiac surgical database in the world. Linked data from STS ACSD and the CMS Medicare database were used to determine contemporary completeness, penetration, and representativeness of STS ACSD.

METHODS

Using variables common to both STS and CMS databases, STS procedures were linked to CMS data for all CMS CABG discharges between 2000 and 2018, inclusive. For each CMS CABG hospitalization, it was determined whether a matching STS record existed.

RESULTS

Center-level penetration (number of CMS sites with at least one matched STS participant divided by total number of CMS CABG sites) increased from 45% in 2000 to 95% in 2018. In 2018, 949 of 1,004 CMS CABG sites (95%) were linked to an STS site. Patient-level penetration (number of CMS CABG hospitalizations at STS sites divided by total number of CMS CABG hospitalizations) increased from 51% in 2000 to 97% in 2018. In 2018, 68,584 of 70,818 CMS CABG hospitalizations (97%) occurred at an STS site. Completeness of case inclusion at STS sites (number of CMS CABG cases at STS sites linked to STS records divided by total number of CMS CABG cases at STS sites) increased from 88% in 2000 to 98% in 2018. In 2018, 66,673 of 68,108 CMS CABG hospitalizations at STS sites (98%) were linked to an STS record.

CONCLUSIONS

Linkage of STS and CMS databases demonstrates high and increasing penetration and completeness of STS ACSD. STS ACSD now includes 97% of CABG in USA.

Cardiac Operative Risk in Latin America: A Comparison of Machine Learning Models vs EuroSCORE-II

BACKGROUND

Machine learning is a useful tool for predicting medical outcomes. This study aimed to develop a machine learning-based preoperative score to predict cardiac surgical operative mortality.

METHODS

We developed various models to predict cardiac operative mortality using machine learning techniques and compared each model to European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation-II (EuroSCORE-II) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and precision-recall (PR) curves (ROC AUC and PR AUC) as performance metrics. The model calibration in our population was also reported with all models and in high-risk groups for gradient boosting and EuroSCORE-II. This study is a retrospective cohort based on a prospectively collected database from July 2008 to April 2018 from a single cardiac surgical center in Bogotá, Colombia.

RESULTS

Model comparison consisted of hold-out validation: 80% of the data were used for model training, and the remaining 20% of the data were used to test each model and EuroSCORE-II. Operative mortality was 6.45% in the entire database and 6.59% in the test set. The performance metrics for the best machine learning model, gradient boosting (ROC: 0.755; PR: 0.292), were higher than those of EuroSCORE-II (ROC: 0.716, PR: 0.179), with a P value of .318 for the AUC of the ROC and .137 for the AUC of the PR.

CONCLUSIONS

The gradient boosting model was more precise than EuroSCORE-II in predicting mortality in our population based on ROC and PR analyses, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Correlation between perioperative outcomes and long-term survival for non-small lung cancer treated at major centers

BACKGROUND

The public is placing increased emphasis on specialty specific rankings, thereby affecting patients' choices of clinical care programs. In the spirit of transparency, public reporting initiatives are underway or being considered by various surgical specialties whose databases rank programs based on short-term outcomes. Of concern, short-term risk avoidance excludes important comparative cases from surgical database participation and may adversely affect overall long-term oncologic treatment team results. To assess the validity of comparing short-term perioperative and long-term survival outcomes of all patients treated at major centers, we studied the correlations between these variables.

METHODS

The National Cancer Database was queried for patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) between 2008 and 2012, yielding 5-year follow-up data for all patients at centers treating at least 100 patients annually. Mortality (30- and 90-day), unplanned 30-day readmissions, and hospital length of stay were modeled using logistic regression with sex, race, age, Charlson-Deyo combined comorbidity, extent of surgery, income, insurance status, histology, grade, and analytic stage as predictors, all with 2-way interaction terms. The differences between the predicted rates and observed rates were calculated for each short-term outcome, and the average of these was used to create a short-term metric (STM). A similar approach was used to create a long-term metric (LTM) that used overall survival as a single dependent variable. Centers were ranked into deciles based on these metrics. Visual plotting as well as correlation coefficients were used to judge correlation between STM and LTM.

RESULTS

A total of 298,175 patients from 541 centers were included in this analysis, of whom 102,860 underwent surgical resection for NSCLC. The correlation between STM and LTM was negative using parametric estimates (Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.09 [P = .03] and -0.22 [P < .01]) and nonparametric estimates (Spearman rank correlation coefficient = -0.09 [P = .02] and -0.22 [P < .01]) for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Short-term perioperative outcome rankings correlate poorly with long-term survival outcome rankings when cancer treatment centers are compared. Factors explaining this discrepancy merit further study. Rankings based on short-term outcomes alone may be incomplete for public reporting.

Impact of nosocomial infections on patient mortality following cardiac surgery

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the rate of nosocomial infection among patients undergoing cardiac surgery and to identify risk factors and the impact of these infections on patient mortality.

DESIGN

Prospective observational study.

SETTING

Intensive Care Unit (ICU).

PATIENTS

1097 adult patients who underwent cardiac surgery at Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid between January 2011 and January 2016.

INTERVENTIONS

None.

MEASUREMENTS

Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative medical, surgical and anaesthetic variables.

MAIN RESULTS

A total of 111 patients (10.1%) acquired a nosocomial infection in the postoperative period. Pneumonia was the most frequent (4.2%) nosocomial infection. Three independent risk factors for the development of a nosocomial infection were identified: cardiopulmonary bypass time, kidney failure and emergency surgery. The stay in the ICU was significantly higher in patients who developed a nosocomial infection (16.6 ± 38.8 vs. 4.4 ± 17.8, P < 0.001). The mortality rate of patients who acquired a nosocomial infection was significantly greater (18%) than that of patients who did not acquire a nosocomial infection (5%) (P < 0.001). The 90-day survival was greater in the group of patients without nosocomial infection (log rank 27.55, P < 0.001). The dynamic modelling of 90-day mortality revealed that in the first week, cardiopulmonary bypass time (HR = 1.00, 95% CI 1.00-1.02, P < 0.001) and emergency surgery (HR = 0.12, 95% CI 0.04-0.37, P < 0.001) were the most important risk factors for mortality, while after the first week, nosocomial infection (HR = 6.23, 95% CI 2.49-15.63, P < 0.001) was the main risk factor, followed by cardiopulmonary bypass time (HR = 1.01, 95% CI 1.00-1.01, P = 0.001) and EuroSCORE (HR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.00-1.06, P = 0.008).

CONCLUSIONS

Nosocomial infections after cardiac surgery constitute the main independent risk factor for mortality after the first week of surgery. These data suggest that its prevention following cardiac surgery must be prioritised to improve patient outcomes.

Protocol for the Effectiveness of an Anesthesiology Control Tower System in Improving Perioperative Quality Metrics and Clinical Outcomes: the TECTONICS randomized, pragmatic trial

Introduction: Perioperative morbidity is a public health priority, and surgical volume is increasing rapidly. With advances in technology, there is an opportunity to research the utility of a telemedicine-based control center for anesthesia clinicians that assess risk, diagnoses negative patient trajectories, and implements evidence-based practices. Objectives: The primary objective of this trial is to determine whether an anesthesiology control tower (ACT) prevents clinically relevant adverse postoperative outcomes including 30-day mortality, delirium, respiratory failure, and acute kidney injury. Secondary objectives are to determine whether the ACT improves perioperative quality of care metrics including management of temperature, mean arterial pressure, mean airway pressure with mechanical ventilation, blood glucose, anesthetic concentration, antibiotic redosing, and efficient fresh gas flow. Methods and analysis: We are conducting a single center, randomized, controlled, phase 3 pragmatic clinical trial. A total of 58 operating rooms are randomized daily to receive support from the ACT or not. All adults (eighteen years and older) undergoing surgical procedures in these operating rooms are included and followed until 30 days after their surgery. Clinicians in operating rooms randomized to ACT support receive decision support from clinicians in the ACT. In operating rooms randomized to no intervention, the current standard of anesthesia care is delivered. The intention-to-treat principle will be followed for all analyses. Differences between groups will be presented with 99% confidence intervals; p-values <0.005 will be reported as providing compelling evidence, and p-values between 0.05 and 0.005 will be reported as providing suggestive evidence. Registration: TECTONICS is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03923699; registered on 23 April 2019.

Quality improvement in cardiovascular surgery: results of a surgical quality improvement programme using a nationwide clinical database and database-driven site visits in Japan

Background

In 2015, an academic-led surgical quality improvement (QI) programme was initiated in Japan to use database information entered from 2013 to 2014 to identify institutions needing improvement, to which cardiovascular surgery experts were sent for site visits. Here, posthoc analyses were used to estimate the effectiveness of the QI programme in reducing surgical mortality (30-day and in-hospital mortality).

Methods

Patients were selected from the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database, which includes almost all cardiovascular surgeries in Japan, if they underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), valve or thoracic aortic surgery from 2013 to 2016. Difference-in-difference methods based on a generalised estimating equation logistic regression model were used for pre-post comparison after adjustment for patient-level expected surgical mortality.

Results

In total, 238 778 patients (10 172 deaths) from 590 hospitals, including 3556 patients seen at 10 hospitals with site visits, were included from January 2013 to December 2016. Preprogramme, the crude surgical mortality for site visit and non-site visit institutions was 9.0% and 2.7%, respectively, for CABG surgery, 10.7% and 4.0%, respectively, for valve surgery and 20.7% and 7.5%, respectively, for aortic surgery. Postprogramme, moderate improvement was observed at site visit hospitals (3.6%, 9.6% and 18.8%, respectively). A difference-in-difference estimator showed significant improvement in CABG (0.29 (95% CI 0.15 to 0.54), p<0.001) and valve surgery (0.74 (0.55 to 1.00); p=0.047). Improvement was observed within 1 year for CABG surgery but was delayed for valve and aortic surgery. During the programme, institutions did not refrain from surgery.

Conclusions

Combining traditional site visits with modern database methodologies effectively improved surgical mortality in Japan. These universal methods could be applied via a similar approach to contribute to achieving QI in surgery for many other procedures worldwide.

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.

Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery in Brazil: Analysis of the National Reality Through the BYPASS Registry

INTRODUCTION

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the most frequently performed heart surgery in Brazil. Recent international guidelines recommend that national societies establish a database on the practice and results of CABG. In anticipation of the recommendation, the BYPASS Registry was introduced in 2015.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the profile, risk factors and outcomes of patients undergoing CABG in Brazil, as well as to examine the predominant surgical strategy, based on the data included in the BYPASS Registry.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study of 2292 patients undergoing CABG surgery and cataloged in the BYPASS Registry up to November 2018. Demographic data, clinical presentation, operative variables, and postoperative hospital outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS

Patients referred to CABG in Brazil are predominantly male (71%), with prior myocardial infarction in 41.1% of cases, diabetes in 42.5%, and ejection fraction lower than 40% in 9.7%. The Heart Team indicated surgery in 32.9% of the cases. Most of the patients underwent cardiopulmonary bypass (87%), and cardioplegia was the strategy of myocardial protection chosen in 95.2% of the cases. The left internal thoracic artery was used as a graft in 91% of the cases; the right internal thoracic artery, in 5.6%; and the radial artery in 1.1%. The saphenous vein graft was used in 84.1% of the patients, being the only graft employed in 7.7% of the patients. The median number of coronary vessels treated was 3. Operative mortality was 2.8%, and the incidence of cerebrovascular accident was 1.2%.

CONCLUSION

CABG data in Brazil provided by the BYPASS Registry analysis are representative of our national reality and practice. This database constitutes an important reference for indications and comparisons of therapeutic procedures, as well as to propose subsequent models to improve patient safety and the quality of surgical practice in the country.

Current quality reporting methods are not adequate for salvage cardiac operations

OBJECTIVES

Outcomes in cardiac surgery are benchmarked against national Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) data and include patients undergoing elective, urgent, emergent, and salvage operations. This practice relies on accurate risk adjustment to avoid risk-averse behavior. We hypothesize that the STS risk calculator does not adequately characterize the risk of salvage operations because of their heterogeneity and infrequent occurrence.

METHODS

Data on all cardiac surgery patients with an STS predicted risk score (2002-2017) were extracted from a regional database of 19 cardiac surgery centers. Patients were stratified according to operative status for univariate analysis. Observed-to-expected (O:E) ratios for mortality and composite morbidity/mortality were calculated and compared among elective, urgent, emergent, and salvage patients.

RESULTS

A total of 76,498 patients met inclusion criteria. The O:E mortality ratios for elective, urgent, and emergent cases were 0.96, 0.98, and 0.93, respectively (all P values > .05). However, mortality rate was significantly higher than expected for salvage patients (O:E ratio, 1.41; P = .04). Composite morbidity/mortality rate was lower than expected in elective (O:E ratio, 0.81; P = .0001) and urgent (O:E ratio, 0.93; P = .0001) cases but higher for emergent (O:E ratio, 1.13; P = .0006) and salvage (O:E ratio, 1.24; P = .01). O:E ratios for salvage mortality were highly variable among each of the 19 centers.

CONCLUSIONS

The current STS risk models do not adequately predict outcomes for salvage cardiac surgery patients. On the basis of these results, we recommend more detailed reporting of salvage outcomes to avoid risk aversion in these potentially life-saving operations.

Using a society database to evaluate a patient safety collaborative: the Cardiovascular Surgical Translational Study

AIM

To assess the utility of using external databases for quality improvement (QI) evaluations in the context of an innovative QI collaborative aimed to reduce three infections and improve patient safety across the cardiac surgery service line.

METHODS

We compared changes in each outcome between 15 intervention hospitals (infection reduction protocols plus safety culture intervention) and 52 propensity score-matched hospitals (feedback only).

RESULTS

Improvement trends in several outcomes among the intervention hospitals were not statistically different from those in comparison hospitals.

CONCLUSION

Using external databases such as those of professional societies may permit comparative effectiveness assessment by providing concurrent comparison groups, additional outcome measures and longer follow-up. This can better inform evaluation of continuous QI in healthcare organizations.

Historical Milestones in the Management of Stable Coronary Artery Disease over the Last Half Century

Coronary revascularization for coronary artery disease dates back to the introduction of coronary bypass by Favaloro in 1967 and coronary angioplasty by Gruentzig in 1977 (first published in 1968 and 1978, respectively). There have been many technical improvements over the ensuing 5 decades, studied in clinical trials. This article reviews the history of coronary revascularization (the development of optimal medical therapy) and points the way to the future of stable coronary artery disease management.

An adaptation of the Hungarian model: the Brazilian model

The Brazilian Society of Thoracic Surgery (BSTS) has the mission of improving patient care quality and thoracic surgery education. In order to achieve those goals, an overview of thoracic surgery activity in Brazil was necessary. BSTS had a clear need to start a national database. In 2015, BSTS joined European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) Database platform. This partnership was a great choice not only for having a consolidated database, but also for allowing the development of shared educational and scientific projects. The strategy for BSTS database project was selecting committed group of surgeons, establishing implementation phases and setting milestones.

Should the dilated ascending aorta be repaired at the time of bicuspid aortic valve replacement?

OBJECTIVES

Bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is the most common congenital valvular abnormality and frequently presents with accelerated calcific aortic valve disease, requiring aortic valve replacement (AVR) and thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection. Supporting evidence for Association Guidelines of aortic dimensions for aortic resection is sparse. We sought to determine whether concurrent repair of dilated or aneurysmal aortic disease during AVR in patients with BAV substantially improves morbidity and mortality outcomes.

METHODS

Mortality and reoperation outcomes of 1301 adults with BAV and dilated aorta undergoing AVR-only surgery were compared to patients undergoing AVR with aortic resection (AVR-AR) using Cox proportional hazards modelling and patient matching.

RESULTS

Clinically important differences in patient characteristics, aortic valve function and aortic dimensions were identified between cohorts. Event rates were low, with rates of reoperation and death within 1 year of only 1.8% and 5.4%, respectively, and no aortic dissection observed during follow-up. There were no significant differences in reoperation or mortality outcomes between the AVR-only and AVR-AR cohorts. Age, aortic dimension or a combination thereof was not associated with better or worse outcomes after each AVR-AR compared with AVR.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude AVR-only and AVR-AR surgery have low morbidity and mortality and have utility over a wide range of age and aortic sizes. Our results do not provide support for the 45-mm aortic dimension recommended in the current guidelines for aortic resection while performing AVR or any other specific dimension.