Enhanced Telehealth Home-Monitoring Intervention for Vulnerable and Frail Patients after Cardiac Surgery (THE-FACS Pilot Intervention Study).

Background: Frail cardiac surgery patients have an increased risk of worse postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation of a novel Telehealth Home monitoring Enhanced-Frailty And Cardiac Surgery (THE-FACS) intervention and determine its impact on clinical outcomes in frail patients post-cardiac surgery.

Methods: Frail/vulnerable patients defined by Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS > 4) undergoing cardiac surgery were prospectively enrolled (November 2019 -March 2020) at the New Brunswick Heart Centre.

An age-independent hospital record-based frailty score correlates with adverse outcomes after heart surgery and increased health care costs.

Background: Globally, an increasing number of vulnerable or frail patients are undergoing cardiac surgery. However, large-scale frailty data are often limited by the need for time-consuming frailty assessments. This study aimed to (1) create a retrospective registry-based frailty score (FS), (2) determine its effect on outcomes and age, and (3) health care costs.

Surgical Triage and Timing for Patients With Coronavirus Disease: A Guidance Statement from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to disrupt the provision of cardiac procedural services due to overwhelming interval surges in COVID-19 cases and the associated crisis of cardiac intervention deferment. Despite the availability of widespread testing, highly efficacious vaccines, and intensive public health efforts, the pandemic is entering its third year, where new severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 variants have increased the likelihood that patients scheduled for a cardiac intervention will contract COVID-19 in the perioperative period. The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Workforce on Critical Care, the STS Workforce on Adult Cardiac and Vascular Surgery, and the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons have developed this document, endorsed by the STS and affirmed by the Society of Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions and the Canadian Association of Interventional Cardiology, to provide guidance for cardiac procedure deferment and intervention timing for preoperative patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Fast tracking in cardiac surgery: is it safe?

Background: While fast track clinical pathways have been demonstrated to reduce resource utilization in patients undergoing cardiac surgery, it remains unclear as to whether they adversely affect post-operative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of fast tracking on post-operative outcomes following cardiac surgery.

Methods: In a retrospective study, all patients undergoing first-time, on-pump, non-emergent coronary artery bypass grafting, valve, or coronary artery bypass grafting + valve at a single centre between 2010 and 2017 were included.

Virtual Care With Digital Technologies for Rural Canadians Living With Cardiovascular Disease.

Canada is a wealthy nation with a geographically diverse population, seeking health innovations to better serve patients in accordance with the Canada Health Act. In this country, population and geography converge with social determinants, policy, procurement regulations, and technological advances with the goal to achieve equity in the management and distribution of health care. Rural and remote patients are a vulnerable population; when managing chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease, there is currently inequity to accessing specialist physicians at the recommended frequency-increasing the likelihood of poor health outcomes.

Characterizing Physician-Staffing Models in the Care of Postoperative Cardiac Surgical Patients in Canada.

Background: Current intensive care unit physician-staffing (IPS) models for postoperative cardiac surgery have not been previously investigated in Canada. The purpose of this study was to determine current IPS models at 2 time points and describe the evolution of Canadian cardiac surgery IPS models.

Methods: A survey of 32 Canadian cardiovascular intensive care units (CVICUs) was undertaken in 2012 and 2017 to determine IPS models of care during "daytime" and "after-hours" in each unit.

Predictors of perforation during lead extraction: Results of the Canadian Lead ExtrAction Risk (CLEAR) study.

Background: Transvenous lead extraction can have serious adverse events, such as cardiac or vascular perforation. Risk factors have not been well characterized.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify factors associated with perforation and death, and to characterize lead extraction in a large contemporary population.

Nanoparticle surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy as a noninvasive, label-free tool to monitor hematological malignancy.

Monitoring minimal residual disease remains a challenge to the effective medical management of hematological malignancies; yet surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has emerged as a potential clinical tool to do so. We developed a cell-free, label-free SERS approach using gold nanoparticles (nanoSERS) to classify hematological malignancies referenced against two control cohorts: healthy and noncancer cardiovascular disease. A predictive model was built using machine-learning algorithms to incorporate disease burden scores for patients under standard treatment upon.

Development of Acute Myocardial Infarction Mortality and Readmission Models for Public Reporting on Hospital Performance in Canada.

Background: Given changes in the care and outcomes of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients over the past several decades, we sought to develop prediction models that could be used to generate accurate risk-adjusted mortality and readmission outcomes for hospitals in current practice across Canada.

Methods: A Canadian national expert panel was convened to define appropriate AMI patients for reporting and develop prediction models. Preliminary candidate variable evaluation was conducted using Ontario patients hospitalized with a most responsible diagnosis of AMI from April 1, 2015 to March 31, 2018.

Cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on health care and cardiac surgery. We report cardiac surgeons' concerns, perceptions, and responses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: A detailed survey was sent to recruit participating adult cardiac surgery centers in North America.

Cardiovascular Care Delivery During the Second Wave of COVID-19 in Canada.

Hospitals and ambulatory facilities significantly reduced cardiac care delivery in response to the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The deferral of elective cardiovascular procedures led to a marked reduction in health care delivery with a significant impact on optimal cardiovascular care. International and Canadian data have reported dramatically increased wait times for diagnostic tests and cardiovascular procedures, as well as associated increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.

Increased mast cell density is associated with decreased fibrosis in human atrial tissue.

Fibrotic remodelling of the atria is poorly understood and can be regulated by myocardial immune cell populations after injury. Mast cells are resident immune sentinel cells present in the heart that respond to tissue damage and have been linked to fibrosis in other settings. The role of cardiac mast cells in fibrotic remodelling in response to human myocardial injury is controversial.

Impact on cardiac surgery volume of a comprehensive partnership with Integrated Health Solutions.

Background: The New Brunswick Heart Centre (NBHC) entered a contractual partnership with Integrated Health Solutions (IHS) to help address increasing wait times in the province of New Brunswick.

Methods: Team leaders were identified from each of the target areas, including surgeons, anesthesiologists, nurses (operating room, intensive care unit [ICU] and postoperative ward), access coordinators and administrators. The methodology used was based on Lean principles and involved exercises by stakeholders aimed at identifying opportunities for improvement.

Variability in opioid prescribing practices among cardiac surgeons and trainees.

Background And Aim: The opioid epidemic has become a major public health crisis in recent years. Discharge opioid prescription following cardiac surgery has been associated with opioid use disorder; however, ideal practices remain unclear. Our aim was to examine current practices in discharge opioid prescription among cardiac surgeons and trainees.

Adult cardiac surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic: A tiered patient triage guidance statement.

In the setting of the current novel coronavirus pandemic, this document has been generated to provide guiding statements for the adult cardiac surgeon to consider in a rapidly evolving national landscape. Acknowledging the risk for a potentially prolonged need for cardiac surgery procedure deferral, we have created this proposed template for physicians and interdisciplinary teams to consider in protecting their patients, institution, and their highly specialized cardiac surgery team. In addition, recommendations on the transition from traditional in-person patient assessments and outpatient follow-up are provided.

Adult cardiac surgery and the COVID-19 pandemic: Aggressive infection mitigation strategies are necessary in the operating room and surgical recovery.

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitates aggressive infection mitigation strategies to reduce the risk to patients and healthcare providers. This document is intended to provide a framework for the adult cardiac surgeon to consider in this rapidly changing environment. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative detailed protective measures are outlined.

Serum GDF15, a Promising Biomarker in Obese Patients Undergoing Heart Surgery.

Obesity is a risk factor that negatively impacts outcomes in patients undergoing heart surgery by mechanisms that are not well-defined nor predicated on BMI alone. This knowledge gap has fuelled a search for biomarkers associated with cardiovascular diseases that could provide clinical insight to surgeons. One such biomarker is growth differentiation factor15(GDF15), associated with inflammation, metabolism, and heart failure outcomes but not yet examined in the context of obesity and cardiac surgery outcomes.

Transfusion Thresholds for Adult Respiratory Extracorporeal Life Support: An Expert Consensus Document.

Severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can complicate novel pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Extracorporeal life support (ECLS) represents the final possible rescue strategy. Variations in practice, combined with a paucity of rigourous guidelines, may complicate blood-product resource availability and allocation during a pandemic.

Cardiac Rehabilitation During the COVID-19 Era: Guidance on Implementing Virtual Care.

Cardiac rehabilitation programs across Canada have suspended in-person services as a result of large-scale physical distancing recommendations designed to flatten the COVID-19 pandemic curve. Virtual cardiac rehabilitation (VCR) offers an alternate mechanism of care delivery, capable of providing similar patient outcomes and safety profiles compared with centre-based programs. To minimize care gaps, all centres should consider developing and implementing a VCR program.

Guiding Cardiac Care During the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Ethics Shapes Our Health System Response.

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised ethical questions for the cardiovascular leader and practitioner. Attention has been redirected from a system that focuses on individual patient benefit toward one that focuses on protecting society as a whole. Challenging resource allocation questions highlight the need for a clearly articulated ethics framework that integrates principled decision making into how different cardiovascular care services are prioritized.