Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:We conducted a meta-analysis to estimate the risk of adverse events, life expectancy, and event-free life expectancy after the Ross procedure in adults. METHODS:We searched databases for reports evaluating the Ross procedure in patients aged more than or equal to 16 years of age. A microsimulation model was used to evaluate age- and gender-specific life expectancy for patients undergoing the Ross procedure. RESULTS:Data were pooled from 63 articles totaling 19 155 patients from 20 countries. Perioperative mortality was 2.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-3.1; N = 9978). We found a mortality risk of 5.9% (95% CI: 4.8-7.2) at a mean follow-up of 7.2 years (N = 7573). The rate of perioperative clinically significant bleeding was 1.0% (95% CI: 0.1-3.0); re-exploration for bleeding 4.6% (95% CI: 3.1-6.3); postoperative clinically significant bleeding from 30 days until a mean of 7.1 years was 0.5% (95% CI: 0.2-1.0). At a mean of 6.9 years of follow-up, reintervention rate of any operated valve was 7.9% (95% CI: 5.7-10.3). The risk of valve thrombosis was 0.3% (95% CI: 0.2-0.5) at 7.6 years; peripheral embolism 0.3% (95% CI: 0.2-0.4) at 6.4 years; stroke 0.9% (95% CI: 0.7-1.2) at 6.5 years; and endocarditis 2.1% (95% CI: 1.6-2.6) at 8.0 years. Microsimulation reported a 40-year-old undergoing the Ross procedure to have a life expectancy of 35.4 years and event-free life expectancy of 26.6 years. CONCLUSIONS:Ross procedure in nonelderly adults is associated with low mortality and low risk of adverse events both at short- and long-term follow-up. The surgical community must prioritize a large, expertize-based randomized controlled trial to definitively address the risks and benefits of the Ross procedure compared to conventional aortic valve replacement.

OBJECTIVES:The authors sought to assess the distribution and prognostic significance of habitual physical activity (HPA) in older adults undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). BACKGROUND:Low HPA is associated with mortality and disability in community-dwelling older adults. In the setting of TAVR, it is unclear whether low HPA is a risk factor for downstream morbidity or a byproduct of severe aortic stenosis that improves following its correction. METHODS:Older adults undergoing TAVR in the prospective multicentre FRAILTY-AVR (Frailty in Aortic Valve Replacement) study were interviewed to quantify their HPA in kilocalories/week using a validated questionnaire at baseline and follow-up. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality at 12 months. RESULTS:The cohort consisted of 755 patients with a median age of 84.0 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 80.0 to 87.0 years). At baseline, median HPA was 1,116 kcal/week (IQR: 227 to 2,715 kcal/week) with 73% of patients performing <150 min/week of moderate or vigorous HPA. Sedentary patients were more likely to be older, female, frail, cognitively impaired, depressed, and have multimorbidity, although they had similar left ventricular function and aortic stenosis severity. In the logistic regression model adjusting for these covariates, HPA was found to be associated with mortality at 12 months (odds ratio: 0.84/100 kcal; 95% confidence interval: 0.73 to 0.98). HPA was associated with longer length of stay, discharge to health care facilities, and disability. At 12 months, median HPA among survivors was 933 kcal/week (IQR: 0 to 2,334 kcal/week) with pre-existing frailty being independently predictive of worsening HPA following TAVR. CONCLUSIONS:Sedentary patients have a higher risk of mortality and functional decline following TAVR.

OBJECTIVES:To examine the performance curves of 8 early-career aortic surgeons with the use of hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) and to analyze the impact of the learning curve on perioperative outcomes. METHODS:A total of 1025 consecutive patients who underwent aortic reconstruction with HCA between 2002 and 2017 were analyzed for mortality and 5 other complications (stroke, reoperation for bleeding, dialysis, prolonged ventilation, and sternal wound complications), subdivided into 3 consecutive time periods. This cohort represents the complete inaugural experience of 8 Canadian academic aortic surgeons. A risk-adjusted cumulative sum analysis was used to evaluate the performance curve with respect to predetermined 80% alert and 95% alarm boundary lines. RESULTS:Mean age was 62 ± 13 years, 71% of patients were male, and 24% presented nonelectively. Hemiarch repair was performed in 80% and total arch replacement in 20%. There was a reduction in the incidence of the primary composite outcome over time (P1: 26%, P2: 23%, and P3: 16%; P = .010). Overall in-hospital mortality was 5% and remained stable throughout the 3 periods. Rates of stroke were lower in the late period (P1: 4%, P2: 6%, and P3: 2%; P = .035). Risk-adjusted cumulative sum analysis demonstrated that all surgeons remained within the 95% reassurance boundary throughout their experience, with 6 surgeons performing as expected and 2 performing better than expected. CONCLUSIONS:Early-career surgeons can safely perform operations with HCA from the initiation of their practice. The cumulative sum analysis method is valuable for monitoring competence in aortic surgery and could prove useful in structuring training programs.

OBJECTIVES:The authors sought to prospectively determine the safety and efficacy of next-day discharge using the Vancouver 3M (Multidisciplinary, Multimodality, but Minimalist) Clinical Pathway. BACKGROUND:Transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to surgery in high- and intermediate-risk patients; however, hospital stays average at least 6 days in most trials. The Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway is focused on next-day discharge, made possible by the use of objective screening criteria as well as streamlined peri- and post-procedural management guidelines. METHODS:Patients were enrolled from 6 low-volume (<100 TAVR/year), 4 medium-volume, and 3 high-volume (>200 TAVR/year) centers in Canada and the United States. The primary outcomes were a composite of all-cause death or stroke by 30 days and the proportion of patients successfully discharged home the day following TAVR. RESULTS:Of 1,400 screened patients, 411 were enrolled at 13 centers and received a SAPIEN XT (58.2%) or SAPIEN 3 (41.8%) valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irvine, California). In centers enrolling exclusively in the study, 55% of screened patients were enrolled. The median age was 84 years (interquartile range: 78 to 87 years) with a median STS score of 4.9% (interquartile range: 3.3% to 6.8%). Next-day discharge home was achieved in 80.1% of patients, and within 48 h in 89.5%. The composite of all-cause mortality or stroke by 30 days occurred in 2.9% (95% confidence interval: 1.7% to 5.1%), with neither component of the primary outcome affected by hospital TAVR volume (p = 0.51). Secondary outcomes at 30 days included major vascular complication 2.4% (n = 10), readmission 9.2% (n = 36), cardiac readmission 5.7% (n = 22), new permanent pacemaker 5.7% (n = 23), and >mild paravalvular regurgitation 3.8% (n = 15). CONCLUSIONS:Adherence to the Vancouver 3M Clinical Pathway at low-, medium-, and high-volume TAVR centers allows next-day discharge home with excellent safety and efficacy outcomes.

Background Women account for a large proportion of patients treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement, yet there remain conflicting reports about the effect of sex on outcomes. Moreover, the sex-specific prevalence and prognostic impact of frailty has not been systematically studied in the context of transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Methods and Results A preplanned analysis of the FRAILTY-AVR study (Frailty Aortic Valve Replacement) was performed to analyze the determinants of outcomes in older women and men undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement. FRAILTY-AVR was a multinational, prospective, observational cohort assembled at 14 institutions in North America and Europe from 2012 to 2017. Multivariable logistic regression models were stratified by sex and adjusted for covariates. Interaction between sex and each of these covariates was assessed. The primary outcome was 12-month mortality, and the secondary outcome was 1-month composite mortality or major morbidity. The cohort consisted of 340 women and 419 men. Women were older and had higher predicted risk of mortality. Women were more likely to have physical frailty traits, but not cognitive or psychosocial frailty traits, and global indices of frailty were similarly associated with adverse events regardless of sex. Women were more likely to require discharge to a rehabilitation facility, particularly those with physical frailty at baseline, although their functional status was similar to men at 12 months. The risk of 1-month mortality or major morbidity was greater in women, particularly those treated with larger prostheses. The risk of 12-month mortality was not greater in women, with the exception of those with pulmonary hypertension, in whom, there was a significant interaction for increased mortality. Conclusions The present study highlights sex-specific differences in older adults undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement and draws attention to the impact of physical frailty in women and their potential risk associated with oversized prostheses and pulmonary hypertension.

BACKGROUND:Contemporary outcomes after surgical management of thoracic aortic disease have improved; however, the impact of sex-related differences is poorly understood. METHODS:A total of 1653 patients (498 [30.1%] female) underwent thoracic aortic surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest between 2002 and 2017 in 10 institutions of the Canadian Thoracic Aortic Collaborative. Outcomes of interest were in-hospital death, stroke, and a modified Society of Thoracic Surgeons-defined composite for mortality or major morbidity (stroke, renal failure, deep sternal wound infection, reoperation, prolonged ventilation). Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine independent predictors of these outcomes. RESULTS:Women were older (mean±SD, 66±13 years versus 61±13 years; P<0.001), with more hypertension and renal failure, but had less coronary disease, less previous cardiac surgery, and higher ejection fraction than men. Rates of aortic dissection were similar between women and men. Rates of hemiarch, and total arch repair were similar between the sexes; however, women underwent less aortic root reconstruction including aortic root replacement, Ross, or valve-sparing root operations (29% versus 45%; P<0.001). Men experienced longer cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times, but similar durations of circulatory arrest, methods of cerebral perfusion, and nadir temperatures. Women experienced a higher rate of mortality (11% versus 7.4%; P=0.02), stroke (8.8% versus 5.5%; P=0.01), and Society of Thoracic Surgeons-defined composite end point for mortality or major morbidity (31% versus 27%; P=0.04). On multivariable analyses, female sex was an independent predictor of mortality (odds ratio, 1.81; P<0.001), stroke (odds ratio, 1.90; P<0.001), and Society of Thoracic Surgeons-defined composite end point for mortality or major morbidity (odds ratio, 1.40; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS:Women experience worse outcomes after thoracic aortic surgery with hypothermic circulatory arrest. Further investigation is required to better delineate which measures may reduce sex-related outcome differences after complex aortic surgery.

BACKGROUND:Hybrid aortic arch surgery has evolved to include several technical variations, with most including an off-label use of a conventional thoracic endograft. We describe the early clinical outcomes of the Thoraflex Hybrid graft (Vascutek, Glasgow, Scotland) specifically designed for the treatment of complex arch and proximal descending aortic disease. METHODS:Between January 2014 and April 2017, 40 consecutive patients (66 ± 14 years of age, 45% women) underwent hybrid aortic arch and frozen elephant trunk repair with the multibranched Thoraflex Hybrid graft at 9 Canadian centers. Surgical indications included transverse arch or proximal descending aortic aneurysm in 100%, acute dissection in 10%, chronic dissection in 43%, and acute aortic rupture in 1 patient. Antegrade cerebral perfusion and moderate hypothermia (24.3 ± 1.8°C) were employed in all cases. RESULTS:All 40 device implants were successful. The 30-day or in-hospital mortality was 5%. Stroke and transient neurological deficits occurred in 5% and 3% of patients, respectively. Two (5%) patients experienced transient spinal cord ischemia-there were no instances of permanent paraplegia. Mean follow-up was 550 ± 328 days and late complications included type A aortic dissection in 1 patient, type B dissection in 2 patients, and further distal endografting in 2 patients. Survival at 30 days, 1 year, and 2 years was 95%, 95%, and 90%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Hybrid aortic arch and frozen elephant trunk repair with the Thoraflex Hybrid graft appears to be associated with good clinical outcomes, despite being early in the learning curve with this graft. Further investigation with this device is warranted to establish its role within the variations of hybrid arch repair.

OBJECTIVE:To analyze presentation, management, and outcomes of acute aortic dissections with proximal entry tear in the arch. METHODS:Patients enrolled in the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection and entry tear in the arch were classified into 2 groups: arch A (retrograde extension into the ascending aorta with or without antegrade extension) and arch B (only antegrade extension into the descending aorta or further distally). Presentation, management, and in-hospital outcomes of the 2 groups were compared. RESULTS:The arch A (n = 228) and arch B (n = 140) groups were similar concerning the presence of any preoperative complication (68.4% vs 60.0%; P = .115), but the types of complication were different. Arch A presented more commonly with shock, neurologic complications, cardiac tamponade, and grade 3 or 4 aortic valve insufficiency and less frequently with refractory hypertension, visceral ischemia, extension of dissection, and aortic rupture. Management for both groups were open surgery (77.6% vs 18.6%; P < .001), endovascular treatment (3.5% vs 25.0%; P < .001), and medical management (16.2% vs 51.4%; P < .001). Overall in-hospital mortality was similar (16.7% vs 19.3%; P = .574), but mortality tended to be lower in the arch A group after open surgery (15.3% vs 30.8%; P = .090), and higher after endovascular (25.0% vs 14.3%; P = .597) or medical treatment (24.3% vs 13.9%; P = .191), although the differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS:Acute aortic dissection patients with primary entry tear in the arch are currently managed by a patient-specific approach. In choosing the management type of these patients, it may be advisable to stratify them based on retrograde or only antegrade extension of the dissection.

The ideal aortic valve substitute for young and middle-aged adults remains elusive. The Ross procedure (pulmonary autograft replacement) is the only operation that allows replacement of the diseased aortic valve with a living substitute. However, use of this procedure has declined significantly due to concerns over increased surgical risk and potential long-term failure of the operation. Several recent publications from expert centers have shown that in the current era, the Ross procedure can be performed safely and reproducibly in appropriately selected patients. Furthermore, an increasing body of evidence suggests that the Ross procedure is associated with better long-term outcomes compared with conventional aortic valve replacement in young and middle-aged adults. In this paper, the authors review the indications and technical considerations of the Ross procedure, describe its advantages and drawbacks, and discuss patient selection criteria. Finally, the authors provide a comprehensive synthesis of the current Ross published reports to enable cardiologists and surgeons to make appropriate decisions for their patients with aortic valve disease.