Objective: Although median sternotomy is widely used for aortic arch repair, the distal extent of arch replacement is limited with this approach. Bilateral thoracosternotomy (clamshell) represents an alternate and underappreciated strategy that allows for single-stage repair of the aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta. We report our institutional experience with this approach. Methods: Patients who underwent clamshell thoracosternotomy for aortic arch surgery from 2005 to 2022 were identified from a prospectively maintained institutional aortic surgery database. The primary outcomes were 30-day/in-hospital mortality and major morbidity, including stroke, paraplegia, and renal failure requiring hemodialysis. Secondary outcomes included late overall survival, aorta-specific survival, and freedom from aortic reintervention. Results: Clamshell thoracosternotomy was performed in 18 patients (67% men) with median age 52 years; 50% (n =9) had heritable thoracic aortic disease. Clamshell repair indications included focal arch dissection (44%; n = 8), extensive arch aneurysm or pseudoaneurysm (33%; n = 6), complex pediatric coarctation (17%; n =3), and adult coarctation with ascending aneurysm (6%; n = 1). Operative mortality occurred in 1 patient (6%). No patients developed stroke, paraplegia, or renal failure. Overall actuarial survival was 94% at 1 year and 72% at 5 years, whereas aorta-specific survival was 94% at 1 and 5 years. There were no reinterventions on the contiguous aorta at a median follow-up of 60 months (range, 18-85 months). Conclusions: Clamshell thoracosternotomy is a safe approach for single-stage complex open arch with or without descending repair, especially for those with heritable thoracic aortic disease or anatomy not amenable to endovascular therapies.

Introduction:Aortic coarctation (CoA) comprises 6%-8% of all congenital heart diseases and is the second most common cardiovascular disease requiring neonatal surgical correction. However, patients remain at high risk for long-term complications, notably recoarctation. Methods:Hemodynamic simulations were performed in a group of six patients following CoA repair, as compared to a group of age and sex-matched healthy controls. Progressive narrowing at the CoA repair site was modeled to simulate the recoarctation process. Key measurements included time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) in the aortic arch and CoA repair site. Results:Repaired aortas demonstrated significantly higher TAWSS compared to healthy aortas in the aortic arch (3.46 vs 1.24 Pa, p < 0.05) and CoA repair site (4.34 vs 1.56 Pa, p < 0.05). A pronounced nonlinear relationship between stenosis severity and TAWSS was observed suggesting that increasing stenosis corresponds to progressively abnormal shear stress. Discussion:The persistent high TAWSS in CoA-repaired aortas may underlie the poor long-term outcomes observed in this population. The identified nonlinear relationship between stenosis severity and TAWSS magnitude suggests a potential positive feedback mechanism, where abnormal shear stress exacerbates pathologic remodeling in the repaired aorta, highlighting the potential role of hemodynamic simulations in the clinical management of CoA patients.

BACKGROUND:The optimal timing of operation for infective endocarditis with preoperative stroke remains unclear. METHODS:Adults undergoing an operation for acute aortic or mitral valve infective endocarditis were reviewed from our institutional database from 1991 to 2023. Large preoperative strokes were defined stroke volume ≥20 cm3 calculated from magnetic resonance imaging. Multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS:Preoperative stroke was present in 21% (202 of 965) of patients, of which 81% (95 of 118) were small and 76% (88 of 118) were ischemic. Preoperative stroke occurred a median of 24 days before valve operation with 42 of 202 (21%) undergoing surgery within 7 days of stroke. Overall, postoperative stroke occurred in 42 of 965 patients (4.3%). The median admission-to-operation time for patients without preoperative stroke was 3 days (interquartile range, 1-6 days) and with preoperative stroke was 6 days (interquartile range, 3-10 days) (P < .001). Postoperative stroke was twice as likely in patients with preoperative stroke (6.9% [14 of 202]) than patients without preoperative stroke (3.7% [28 of 763]; P = .04). Postoperative stroke was more likely if preoperative stroke was large (22% [5 of 23]) vs small (4% [4 of 95]; P = .005), but not hemorrhagic vs ischemic (P = .8). On multivariable regression, postoperative stroke was associated with large preoperative stroke (P = .001). There was no association between postoperative stroke and preoperative stroke-to-operation time or preoperative hemorrhagic stroke. Hemorrhagic conversion did not occur in patients with preoperative ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS:In patients with aortic and mitral valve infective endocarditis, the size of stroke-not timing of the operation-is significantly associated with postoperative stroke. As a surgical community, we must consider early intervention in patients with left-sided infective endocarditis and small preoperative strokes.

Background:Mortality after transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) varies among centers. "Failure to rescue" (FTR) patients from post-TAVR complications may represent an unexplored opportunity for TAVR process improvement. Methods:The Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology Transcatheter Valve Therapy registry was queried for patients undergoing transfemoral TAVR between 2011 and 2016. Hospital FTR rate was derived from the ratio of observed-to-expected procedural mortality. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association between FTR and hospital mortality. Adjusted FTR rates were compared across tertiles of hospital mortality. Results:The analysis included 61,804 patients (429 sites). Post-TAVR mortality at low-, middle-, and high-mortality hospitals was 1.8%, 3.3%, and 5.6% (P < .01), respectively. Risk-adjusted complication rates differed only slightly between tertiles (22.2% vs 24.5% vs 27.0%, P < .001). However, adjusted FTR rates were significantly worse in high- and medium-mortality hospitals than in low-mortality centers (14.6% vs 9.5% vs 5.4%, P < .001). This was true for all investigated complications, including conversion to open surgery (high-mortality: odds ratio [OR], 9.04 [95% CI, 4.12-19.83], P < .001; medium-mortality: OR 2.99 [95% CI, 1.48-6.07], P < .003), stroke (high-mortality: OR, 3.15 [95% CI, 1.97-5.04], P < .001; medium-mortality: OR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.05-2.67], P < .032), and cardiac arrest (high-mortality: OR, 3.54 [95% CI, 2.57-4.87], P < .001; medium-mortality: OR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.24-2.24], P < .001). Conclusions:National TAVR mortality rates vary significantly across centers, despite comparable rates of postoperative complications. Patients at medium- and high-mortality centers face a disproportionately higher risk of death due to FTR. These findings highlight the need for a closer evaluation of post-TAVR care processes to address this disparity.

Chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is one of the leading causes of permanent disability and death in the United States and around the world. Surgical revascularization is the mainstay of treatment for CLTI, but patients still suffer high rates of limb loss and early death, even compared to other cardiovascular diseases. One significant reason for this is the difficulty of accurately predicting whether a planned intervention will, in fact, improve distal blood flow as hoped. Given this need, we have introduced an angiography-based computational tool to enable surgeons to preoperatively assess a given revascularization strategy, before selecting the option that maximizes distal perfusion. We describe this computational model and demonstrate how it can accurately predict distal arterial flow in a pilot study of patients undergoing femoral artery angioplasty for CLTI.

18 Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality have decreased in the United States over the past 3 decades, but the incidence is increasing in those <50 years of age (i.e., early-onset CRC). Studies have examined racial and ethnic differences in CRC incidence in this age group, but little is known about differences in survival. Examining survival by race and ethnicity among patients with early-onset CRC may provide insights about differences in risk factors, access to care, and treatment. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members 18-49 years of age and diagnosed with CRC between 2006-2019. Race and ethnicity were self-reported as Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, or White. 5-year survival probability was assessed using Kaplan-Meier analyses. Cox regression with adjustment was used to evaluate associations between race and ethnicity and 5-year survival. Results: Of 1620 patients, median age was 45.4 years, 47% were female, 20% were Asian/Pacific Islander, 8% Black, 22% Hispanic, and 50% non-Hispanic White persons. Adjusted for age, sex, and comorbidities, Hispanic persons had a higher risk of death at 5 years compared to White persons (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.09-1.83) (Table). Sequentially adding annual household income and neighborhood deprivation index had no impact on the association; adding tumor stage decreased the HR to 1.14 (0.87-1.49) and adding tumor and treatment factors decreased the HR to 1.08 (0.82-1.42). Risk of death among Asian/Pacific Islander and Black patients did not differ from White patients. Conclusions: Among insured patients with early-onset CRC, Hispanic patients had a higher risk of death at 5 years than patients of White race. The higher risk was associated with differences in tumor stage at diagnosis, tumor factors, and treatment factors. Targeted interventions to improve CRC symptom awareness and remove barriers to CRC diagnosis and treatment among vulnerable populations may be needed to eliminate disparities in early-onset CRC survival. [Table: see text]

Background Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) has established advantages over the open approach. The costs associated with robotic DP (RDP) versus laparoscopic DP (LDP) make the robotic approach controversial. We sought to compare outcomes and cost of LDP and RDP using propensity matching analysis at our institution. Methods Patients undergoing LDP or RDP between 2000 and 2021 were retrospectively identified. Patients were optimally matched using age, gender, American Society of Anesthesiologists status, body mass index, and tumor size. Between-group differences were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test for continuous data, and the McNemar’s test for categorical data. Outcomes included operative duration, conversion to open surgery, postoperative length of stay, pancreatic fistula rate, pseudocyst requiring intervention, and costs. Results 298 patients underwent MIDP, 180 (60%) were laparoscopic and 118 (40%) were robotic. All RDPs were matched 1:1 to a laparoscopic case with absolute standardized mean differences for all matching covariates below 0.10, except for tumor type (0.16). RDP had longer operative times (268 vs 178 min, p < 0.01), shorter length of stay (2 vs 4 days, p < 0.01), fewer biochemical pancreatic leaks (11.9% vs 34.7%, p < 0.01), and fewer interventional radiological drainage (0% vs 5.9%, p = 0.01). The number of pancreatic fistulas (11.9% vs 5.1%, p = 0.12), collections requiring antibiotics or intervention (11.9% vs 5.1%, p = 0.12), and conversion rates (3.4% vs 5.1%, p = 0.72) were comparable between the two groups. The total direct index admission costs for RDP were 1.01 times higher than for LDP for FY16-19 ( p = 0.372), and 1.33 times higher for FY20-22 ( p = 0.031). Conclusions Although RDP required longer operative times than LDP, postoperative stays were shorter. The procedure cost of RDP was modestly more expensive than LDP, though this was partially offset by reduced hospital stay and reintervention rate.

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has increasingly replaced open surgery for complicated type B aortic dissection (TBAD). However, TEVAR may promote less aortic remodeling in the chronic phase due to the stiffened dissection membrane. Furthermore, no data exists on very long-term outcomes for TEVAR in this setting. This study details 10-year clinical and aortic remodeling outcomes following TEVAR for chronic TBAD.

Background. The Impella 5.5 offers a less invasive transvalvular approach to left ventricular mechanical support. End‐organ recovery and hemolysis have been well‐studied with durable left ventricular assist devices but effects of Impella 5.5 on these parameters are less well described. Methods. All Impella 5.5 recipients between August 2020 and June 2023 were reviewed from a single institution. Hemodynamics and laboratory values were compared between preimplant and prior to device removal. Hemolysis was defined as postoperative lactate dehydrogenase >1000 IU/L with concurrent plasma‐free hemoglobin >50 mg/dL. Paired Wilcoxon tests compared the median of differences between preimplant and pre‐explant values. Results. We studied 127 consecutive implants of the Impella 5.5. Thirty‐one patients had concomitant VA‐ECMO, and one received Impella 5.5 after durable LVAD explant; these cases were excluded. Our final cohort included 95 patients, with an average age of 55.29 ± 14.5 years. Median implant duration was 11 days (IQR:6–16 days). To avoid confounding hemodynamic factors, we restricted hemodynamic analysis to the 37 patients who received isolated Impella 5.5, excluding those with prior IABP, Impella CP, acute MI, or prior cardiac surgery. These patients experienced improvements from baseline in pulmonary vascular resistance (−77.03 dynes/sec/cm−5, p < 0.01) and wedge pressure (−6.5 mmHg, p < 0.01). Furthermore, cardiac index improved from baseline (+1.3, p < 0.01). In the total cohort (n = 95), pre‐explant creatinine (−0.2 mg/dL, p < 0.01) and ALT (−9.0 mg/dL, p < 0.01) decreased relative to values before the implant. Twenty‐three (24%) met criteria for hemolysis; however, none underwent device removal for clinically significant hemolysis. Takeback was required in 25 patients, 22 of which were for axillary hematoma. Conclusions. Impella 5.5 support acutely improved markers of end‐organ function and hemodynamics, including PVR.

Purposr This study created 3D CFD models of the Norwood procedure for hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) using standard angiography and echocardiogram data to investigate the impact of shunt characteristics on pulmonary artery (PA) hemodynamics. Leveraging routine clinical data offers advantages such as availability and cost-effectiveness without subjecting patients to additional invasive procedures. Methods Patient-specific geometries of the intrathoracic arteries of two Norwood patients were generated from biplane cineangiograms. “Virtual surgery” was then performed to simulate the hemodynamics of alternative PA shunt configurations, including shunt type (modified Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt (mBTTS) vs. right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery shunt (RVPAS)), shunt diameter, and pulmonary artery anastomosis angle. Left-right pulmonary flow differential, Q p /Q s , time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), and oscillatory shear index (OSI) were evaluated. Results There was strong agreement between clinically measured data and CFD model output throughout the patient-specific models. Geometries with a RVPAS tended toward more balanced left-right pulmonary flow, lower Q p /Q s , and greater TAWSS and OSI than models with a mBTTS. For both shunt types, larger shunts resulted in a higher Q p /Q s and higher TAWSS, with minimal effect on OSI. Low TAWSS areas correlated with regions of low flow and changing the PA-shunt anastomosis angle to face toward low TAWSS regions increased TAWSS. Conclusion Excellent correlation between clinically measured and CFD model data shows that 3D CFD models of HLHS Norwood can be developed using standard angiography and echocardiographic data. The CFD analysis also revealed consistent changes in PA TAWSS, flow differential, and OSI as a function of shunt characteristics.

Introduction: Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is typically treated by replacement of the ascending aorta (+/- root) and proximal arch. However, 70-85% of patients have residual distal dissection post-repair, and 20-40% require late reoperation for aneurysmal degeneration of the distal aorta (ADDA). Since an individual patient’s risk of ADDA cannot be accurately predicted, current guidelines recommend lifelong aortic surveillance imaging for all patients. Hypothesis: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of aortic hemodynamics post-repair can accurately identify patients at late risk of ADDA. Methods: We performed CFD simulations of 50 patients following hemi-arch replacement for ATAAD. Patient-specific 3D models were generated from the aortic root to iliac bifurcation (including arch branches) from postoperative 0.6mm contrast-enhanced CT angiograms taken <1 year after index repair (Figure). Exclusion criteria were known heritable thoracic aortic disease and absence of residual dissection. The primary outcome was ADDA, defined as late growth of the distal arch/descending thoracic aorta (DTA) to a diameter ≥5.5cm. Hemodynamic simulations were run for 6 cardiac cycles on a high-performance computing cluster using HARVEY, a CFD solver implementing the lattice Boltzmann method. The primary hemodynamic metric was time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS) ratio between the false and true lumens. Results: ADDA developed in 22 patients (44%) at a mean of 3.2 years postoperatively. There were no significant clinical differences between those with and without ADDA (Table). The development of late aneurysm growth was significantly associated with a higher TAWSS ratio in the proximal DTA ( p <0.05, Figure). Conclusion: ADDA following hemi-arch repair for ATAAD is associated with significantly higher false lumen TAWSS as early as the first surveillance scan. CFD simulations may help clinicians risk-stratify patients years before they meet reoperation criteria.

INTRODUCTION:A well-known complication of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA ECMO) is differential hypoxia, in which poorly-oxygenated blood ejected from the left ventricle mixes with and displaces well-oxygenated blood from the circuit, thereby causing cerebral hypoxia and ischemia. We sought to characterize the impact of patient size and anatomy on cerebral perfusion under a range of different VA ECMO flow conditions. METHODS:We use one-dimensional (1D) flow simulations to investigate mixing zone location and cerebral perfusion across 10 different levels of VA ECMO support in eight semi-idealized patient geometries, for a total of 80 scenarios. Measured outcomes included mixing zone location and cerebral blood flow (CBF). RESULTS:Depending on patient anatomy, we found that a VA ECMO support ranging between 67-97% of a patient's ideal cardiac output was needed to perfuse the brain. In some cases, VA ECMO flows exceeding 90% of the patient's ideal cardiac output are needed for adequate cerebral perfusion. CONCLUSIONS:Individual patient anatomy markedly affects mixing zone location and cerebral perfusion in VA ECMO. Future fluid simulations of VA ECMO physiology should incorporate varied patient sizes and geometries in order to best provide insights toward reducing neurologic injury and improved outcomes in this patient population.

BACKGROUND Management of clinical stage II or III esophageal cancer requires multidisciplinary care. Multi -institutional care has been associated with worse survival in other malignant diseases. This study aimed to deter-mine the impact of multi-institutional care on survival in patients with stage II or III esophageal cancer. METHODS The 2004 to 2016 National Cancer Database was queried for patients with clinical stage II or III esophageal cancer who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy followed by surgical resection. Pa-tients were stratified into 2 groups: multi-institutional or single-institution care. Survival between groups was compared using Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards methods. Multivariable logistic regression was per-formed to identify factors associated with multi-institutional care. RESULTS Overall, 11 399 patients met study criteria: 6569 (57.6%) received multi-institutional care and 4,830 (42.4%) received care at a single institution. In a multivariable analysis, factors associated with multi-institutional care were later year of diagnosis, greater distance from treating facility, residence in an urban or rural setting (vs metro), and residence in states without Medicaid expansion. Care at a single institution was associated with Black race, lack of insurance, and treatment at higher-volume or academic centers. Despite these differences, patients who received multi-institutional care had survival comparable to that in patients who received care at a single institution (HR, 0.97; 95% CI, 0.92-1.03; P [ .30). CONCLUSIONS In this National Cancer Database analysis, multi-institutional care was not associated with inferior overall survival. As complex cancer care becomes more regionalized, patients may consider receiving part of their cancer care closer to home, whereas traveling to surgical centers of excellence should be encouraged.

OBJECTIVE:Since its inception in the early 2000s, hybrid arch repair (HAR) has evolved from novel approach to well-established treatment modality for aortic arch pathology in appropriately selected patients. Despite this nearly 20-year history of use, long-term results of HAR remain to be determined. As such, objectives of this study are to detail the long-term outcomes for HAR within an expanded classification scheme. METHODS:From August 2005 to August 2022, 163 consecutive patients underwent HAR at a single referral institution. Operative approach was selected according to an institutional algorithm and included zone 0/1 HAR in 25% (n = 40), type I HAR in 34% (n = 56), and type II/III HAR in 41% (n = 67). Specific zone 0/1 technique was zone 1 HAR in 31 (78%), zone 0 with innominate snorkel (zone 0S HAR) in 7 (18%), and zone 0 with single side-branch endograft (zone 0B HAR) in 2 (5%). The 30-day and long-term outcomes, including overall and aortic-specific survival, as well as freedom from reintervention, were assessed. RESULTS:The mean age was 63 ± 13 years and almost one-half of patients (47% [n = 77]) had prior sternotomy. Presenting pathology included degenerative aneurysm in 44% (n = 71), residual dissection after prior type A repair in 38% (n = 62), chronic type B dissection in 12% (n = 20), and other indications in 6% (n = 10). Operative outcomes included 9% mortality (n = 14) at 30 days, 5% mortality (n = 8) in hospital, 4% stroke (n = 7), 2% new dialysis (n = 3), and 2% permanent paraparesis/plegia (n = 3). The median follow-up was 44 month (interquartile range, 12-84 months). Overall survival was 59% and 47% at 5 and 10 years, respectively, whereas aorta-specific survival was 86% and 84% at the same time points. At 5 and 10 years, freedom from major reintervention was 92% and 91%, respectively. Institutional experience had a significant impact on both early and late outcomes: comparing the first (2005-2012) and second (2013-2022) halves of the series, 30-day mortality decreased from 14% to 1% (P = .01) and stroke from 6% to 3% (P = .62). Improved operative outcomes were accompanied by improved late survival, with 78% of patients in the later era vs 45% in the earlier era surviving to 5 years. CONCLUSIONS:HAR is associated with excellent operative outcomes, as well as sustained protection from adverse aortic events as evidenced by high long-term aorta-specific survival and freedom from reintervention. However, surgeon and institutional experience appear to play a major role in achieving these superior outcomes, with a five-fold decrease in operative mortality and a two-fold decrease in stroke rate in the latter half of the series. These long-term results expand on prior midterm data and continue to support use of HAR for properly selected patients with arch disease.

Background: There has been an increase in the use of the Impella 5.5 pump for patients with refractory cardiogenic shock in a number of different patient scenarios. There is a scarcity of data on the influence of patient Body Surface Area (BSA) and ventricular dimensions prior to implant on overall pump efficiency, safety, and outcomes. Methods: Patients undergoing Impella 5.5 implantation at a single institution between August 2020 and November 2022 were included. Patient BSA was collected at the time of pump implantation, as well as ventricular dimensions from the pre-Impella echocardiography or cardiac MRI. Other clinical data included death within 30 days, and other demographic variables, as well as suspected hemolysis defined as an LDH value of over 1000 IU/L. Left Ventricular Diastolic and Systolic Dimensions (LVEDD, LVESD) were indexed by dividing them by the BSA as iLVEDD and iLVESD, respectively. Results: One hundred patients with complete data were reviewed, of which, the analysis was limited to patients with chronic heart failure (n=75). The median LVESD was 5.8 cm (IQR 4.5, 6.2), and LVEDD 6.3 cm (5.3, 6.8). 17 patients (23%) died within 30 days of Impella implantation, with no difference in gender, age, BSA, or occurrence of hemolysis in those that died vs alive at 30 days. Patients that died within 30 days had smaller indexed LVEDD (2.6 vs 2.93, p=0.01), and smaller indexed LVESD (2.14 vs 2.79, p=0.002). Conclusion: Patients with smaller indexed LVEDD and indexed LVESD at time of Impella implantation have a higher risk of 30 day mortality that appears to be independent of hemolysis risk. This maybe due to less efficient pump function in small ventricles in higher BSA individuals requiring higher levels of forward flow.

OBJECTIVES The Hemispherical Aortic Annuloplasty Reconstructive Technology (HAART) ring is a rigid, internal and geometric device. The objective of this article is to assess the mid-term outcomes of aortic valve repair (AVr) using this prosthesis.METHODS A prospectively maintained database was used to obtain outcomes for adult patients undergoing AVr using the HAART ring between September 2017 and June 2023. All aortic patients at our institution undergo life-long surveillance with regular assessment and valve imaging.RESULTS Seventy-one patients underwent AVr using the HAART device: 53 had a trileaflet valve and 18 a bicuspid valve. The median age was 54 years, and most were male (79%). Many required concomitant intervention: 46% had a root procedure and 77% an arch repair. There were no in-hospital deaths, and the median postoperative stay was 5 days. At a mean follow-up of 3.9 (+/- 1.1) years, freedom from reoperation was 94%. Late imaging demonstrated: zero trace (25%), 1+ (54%), 2+ (15%) and 4+ (6%) aortic insufficiency (AI). Eleven patients have >= moderate AI under surveillance, all of whom have a trileaflet valve (21% of trileaflet patients). Four patients required reoperation: 3 for ring dehiscence and 1 for endocarditis.CONCLUSIONS Although early results using the HAART device are encouraging, mid-term results raise concern as 21% of trileaflet patients developed recurrent >= moderate AI by 4 years post-repair. We experienced 3 incidences of ring dehiscence requiring reoperation. Based on this, we recommend caution using the sub-annular approach for stabilization in patients with trileaflet aortic valves. Long-term results are needed to assess outcomes against established techniques. Aortic valve repair (AVr) has several benefits over aortic valve replacement (AVR) in selected patients with aortic insufficiency (AI).

Background: While the hemodynamic benefits of durable LVADs and intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABPs) in patients with acute-on-chronic heart failure are well described, the hemodynamic effects of the minimally-invasive Impella 5.5 in this patient population are not. Methods: Patient and hemodynamic data on all Impella 5.5 and IABP recipients between August 2020-November 2022 were extracted from a single-institutional database. Only patients with a history of decompensated chronic congestive heart failure were included. Patients requiring Impella support after myocardial infarction or immediately after cardiac surgery were excluded. The primary outcome was survival at 30 days after implantation. Secondary outcomes included changes in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), and cardiac index (CI) between device implantation and removal. Results: We identified 25 Impella 5.5 patients (12.0% female), 68 IABP patients (19.1% female), and 21 patients who had IABP exchanged for Impella 5.5 (14.2% female). There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics or hemodynamics between Impella 5.5 and isolated IABP patients (Table). Median support duration was significantly longer in the Impella 5.5 cohort (11 days vs. 8 days, p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in survival at 30 days between groups (Figure). PVR and PCWP significantly decreased in both cohorts, while CI significantly increased (Table). The percent increase in CI was significantly greater in Impella 5.5 patients than in IABP patients (67.8% vs 33.6%, p=0.01). However, only the IABP cohort demonstrated significantly decreased mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) (-7.0 mmHg, p<0.01) and central venous pressure (CVP) (-3.5 mmHg, p=0.03). Exchanging IABP to Impella 5.5 significantly improved PVR (-50.92 dynes sec cm-5, p=0.03), but not other hemodynamic parameters. Conclusion: Both IABP and Impella 5.5 improve hemodynamics by decreasing pulmonary congestion and increasing cardiac output. While only the IABP significantly decreased mean PAP and CVP, the Impella 5.5 provided greater improvements in CI, and exchanging IABP for Impella 5.5 provided further reductions in PVR.Figure 1. 30-day survival after Impella 5.5 or IABP. - IABP (n=68) Impella 5.5 (n=25) P-value Age 59.10 (47.12-64.97) 44.58 (40.3-63.2) 0.1824 Female 19.1% (13/68) 12.0% (3/25) 0.5442 ICM 30.9% (21/68) 40.3% (10/25) 0.4585 Pre-op PVR 240.0 (176.0-344.0) 231.0 (191.8-344.0) 0.4294 Pre-op PCWP 30.0 (26.0-34.0) 27.0 (20.5-34.0) 0.1186 Pre-op mean PAP 41.5 (37.8-48.0) 40.0 (32.5-49.3) 0.1964 Pre-op CVP 14.0 (10.0-12.5) 14.0 (10.0-22.0) 0.3746 Pre-op CO 3.6 (3.0-4.4) 3.6 (3.0-4.6) 0.3184 Pre-op CI 1.7 (1.5-2.1) 1.9 (1.5-2.2) 0.3184 IABP => Impella 5.5 Pre-exchange Pre-explant P-value PVR 184.4 (111.9-253.1) 148.2 (94.45-214.2) 0.0290 PCWP 23.0 (18.8-27.8) 22.0 (16.0-31.0) 0.3398 Mean PAP 34.5 (29.0-38.3) 35.0 (32.0-38.0) 0.2142 CVP 12.0 (7.50-20.5) 13.0 (9.8-18.8) 0.4431 CO 4.3 (3.3-5.4) 4.9 (4.0-6.1) 0.1832 CI 2.1 (1.6-2.8) 2.3 (2.1-2.6) 0.1526

Objectives Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare but important nonatherosclerotic cause of acute coronary syndrome. Indications for revascularization and long-term outcomes of SCAD remain areas of active investigation. We report our experience with initial management strategy and long-term outcomes in SCAD. Methods We reviewed all patients treated at our institution from 1996-2021 with a SCAD diagnosis. Demographics, comorbidities, clinical presentations, angiography findings, and management strategies were obtained by chart review. The primary outcome was a composite of cardiac death, recurrent/progressive SCAD, subsequent diagnosis of congestive heart failure, or subsequent/repeat revascularization after the initial management. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. Results Of 186 patients with a SCAD diagnosis treated at our institution, 149 (80%) were female. Medical management was the initial treatment in 134 (72.0%) patients, PCI in 43 (23.1%), and CABG in 9 (4.8%). Surgery/PCI was associated with younger age (38.8 vs. 47.7 years, p = 0.01), STEMI on presentation (67.0% vs. 34.0%, p < 0.001), lower ejection fraction (45.0% vs. 55.0%, p = 0.002), and LAD dissection (75.0% vs. 51%, p = 0.006). 10-year freedom from our composite outcome was similar between revascularized patients and those managed with medical therapy (p = 0.36). Median follow-up time was 4.5 years. Conclusions SCAD in the setting of STEMI, LAD involvement, or decreased cardiac function suggests greater ischemic insult and was associated with initial percutaneous or surgical revascularization. Despite worse disease on initial presentation, long-term outcomes of patients undergoing revascularization are similar to medically managed patients with SCAD.