Continuously Updated Estimation of Heart Transplant Waitlist Mortality.

Background: Heart transplant allocation in the United States is made on the basis of coarse tiers, defined by mechanical circulatory devices and therapy for advanced heart failure, updated infrequently as a patient's condition deteriorates. Thus, many patients die awaiting heart transplantation. What is needed is a tool that continuously updates risk of mortality as a patient's condition changes to inform clinical decision making.

Optimal Timing of Heart Transplant After HeartMate II Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Background: Optimal timing of heart transplantation in patients supported with second-generation left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is unknown. Despite this, patients with LVADs continue to receive priority on the heart transplant waiting list. Our objective was to determine the optimal timing of transplantation for patients bridged with continuous-flow LVADs.

Unplanned hospital readmissions after HeartMate II implantation: frequency, risk factors, and impact on resource use and survival.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify potential areas for quality improvement and cost containment. We investigated readmissions after HeartMate II left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation by characterizing their type, temporal frequency, causative factors, and resource use and survival after readmission.

Background: The HeartMate II LVAD provides enhanced survival and quality of life to end-stage heart failure patients.

Mechanical circulatory support for heart failure: past, present and a look at the future.

Heart transplantation remains the gold standard for long-term cardiac replacement, but a shortage of donor organs will always limit this option. For both transplant-eligible and noneligible patients, advances in mechanical circulatory support have revolutionized the options for the management of end-stage heart failure, and this technology continues to bring us closer to a true alternative to heart transplantation. This review provides a perspective on the past, present and future of mechanical circulatory support and addresses the changes in technology, patient selection and management strategies needed to have this therapy fully embraced by the heart failure community, and perhaps replace heart transplantation either as the therapy of choice or as a strategy by which to delay transplantation in younger patients.

Axial and centrifugal continuous-flow rotary pumps: a translation from pump mechanics to clinical practice.

The recent success of continuous-flow circulatory support devices has led to the growing acceptance of these devices as a viable therapeutic option for end-stage heart failure patients who are not responsive to current pharmacologic and electrophysiologic therapies. This article defines and clarifies the major classification of these pumps as axial or centrifugal continuous-flow devices by discussing the difference in their inherent mechanics and describing how these features translate clinically to pump selection and patient management issues. Axial vs centrifugal pump and bearing design, theory of operation, hydrodynamic performance, and current vs flow relationships are discussed.

Cardiac transplantation and mechanical circulatory support at Cleveland Clinic.

The cardiac transplantation program at Cleveland Clinic has performed 1,627 adult orthotopic heart transplants, with a current 1-year survival of 96% and a 3-year survival of 82%. The change in the heart allocation system in 2006 has affected our Center by both reducing the number of transplants we perform annually and increasing the percentage of recipients on MCS at the time of transplant. Despite the increased utilization of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) as a bridge to transplant, we continue to maintain excellent outcomes.

Bridge to transplant experience: factors influencing survival to and after cardiac transplant.

Objective: Balancing longer duration of mechanical circulatory support while awaiting functional recovery against the increased risk of adverse events with each day on support is difficult. Therefore, we investigated the complex interplay of duration of mechanical circulatory support and patient and device factors affecting survival on support, as well as survival after transplantation.

Methods: From December 21, 1991, to July 1, 2006, mechanical circulatory support was used in 375 patients as a bridge to transplantation, with 262 surviving to transplant.

Decision support in surgical management of ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: The surgical approach to ischemic cardiomyopathy maximizing survival remains a dilemma, with decisions complicated by secondary mitral regurgitation, ventricular remodeling, and heart failure. As a component of decision support, we sought to develop prediction models for comparing survival after coronary artery bypass grafting alone, coronary artery bypass grafting plus mitral valve anuloplasty, coronary artery bypass grafting plus surgical ventricular restoration, and listing for cardiac transplantation.

Methods: From 1997 to 2007, 1468 patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ejection fraction <30%) underwent coronary artery bypass grafting alone (n = 386), coronary artery bypass grafting plus mitral valve anuloplasty (n = 212), coronary artery bypass grafting plus surgical ventricular restoration (n = 360), or listing for cardiac transplantation (n = 510).

Prognosis of patients removed from a transplant waiting list for medical improvement: implications for organ allocation and transplantation for status 2 patients.

Objectives: To address the present controversy regarding optimal management of status 2 heart transplant candidates, we studied the short- and long-term fate of medically improved patients removed from our transplant waiting list to assess return of heart failure and occurrence of sudden cardiac death, identify interventions to improve outcomes, and compare their survival with that of similar transplanted patients.

Methods: From January 1985 to February 2004, 100 status 2 patients were delisted for medical improvement (median on-list duration, 314 days). Return of heart failure, sudden cardiac death, and all-cause mortality were determined from follow-up (mean, 7.

Percutaneous and minimally invasive valve procedures: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia, Council on Clinical Cardiology, Functional Genomics and Translational Biology Interdisciplinary Working Group, and Quality of Care and Outcomes Research Interdisciplinary Working Group.

The incidence of valvular heart disease is expected to increase over the next several decades as a large proportion of the US demographic advances into the later decades of life. At the same time, the next several years can be anticipated to bring a broad transition of surgical therapy to minimally invasive (minithoracotomy and small port) access and the more gradual introduction of percutaneous approaches for the correction of valvular heart disease. Broad acceptance of these technologies will require careful and sometimes perplexing comparisons of the outcomes of these new technologies with existing standards of care.

Survival is not compromised in donor hearts with echocardiographic abnormalities.

Objectives: To determine the effect of heart donors with echocardiographic abnormalities on short and long-term outcomes on heart transplant recipients.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of heart donors used over 6 y. Donor charts provided demographic information, cause of death, and echo results.

A comparative analysis between survivors and nonsurvivors with antibody mediated cardiac allograft rejection.

Background: Antibody mediated rejection (AMR) is an important cause of graft loss in the post heart transplant period. The following study was conducted to determine differences between survivors and nonsurvivors who developed post heart transplant AMR.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who received a heart transplant between January 1993 and December 2002.

Improved outcomes after aortic valve surgery for chronic aortic regurgitation with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

Objectives: Among patients undergoing aortic valve surgery for chronic aortic regurgitation (AR), we sought to: 1) compare survival among those with and without severe left ventricular dysfunction (LVD); 2) identify risk factors for death, including LVD and date of operation; and 3) estimate contemporary risk for cardiomyopathic patients.

Background: Patients with chronic AR and severe LVD have been considered high risk for aortic valve surgery, with limited prognosis. Transplantation is considered for some.

The effect of a donor's history of active substance on outcomes following orthotopic heart transplantation.

Objective: To review the short-term and long-term outcomes of using heart donors with a history of substance abuse.

Methods: Retrospective chart review was performed of heart recipients over an 8-year span. Charts provided demographics, mechanisms of donor death, and history of substance abuse.

Ventricular assist devices and aggressive immunosuppression: looking beyond overall survival.

Background: Patients bridged to heart transplantation with a ventricular assist device (VAD) developed coronary vasculopathy at the same rate as non-bridged patients despite having higher levels of pre-formed antibodies. We hypothesized that allosensitized VAD patients have higher levels of immunosuppression and thus different morbidity and causes of mortality.

Methods: Patients who received a transplant between January 1996 and May 2002 were separated into 2 groups based on the need for VAD support as a bridge to transplantation.

Duration of inotropic support after left ventricular assist device implantation: risk factors and impact on outcome.

Objectives: Because duration of inotropic support after left ventricular assist device implantation has been recognized as a surrogate for right ventricular dysfunction, we sought to (1) identify its preimplantation risk factors, particularly its association with preimplantation right ventricular dysfunction, and (2) assess its impact on clinical outcomes.

Methods: Between 1991 and 2002, left ventricular assist devices were implanted in 207 patients, exclusive of those receiving preoperative mechanical circulatory support, which precluded measuring right ventricular stroke work. Duration of inotropic support was analyzed as a continuous variable, truncated by death or transplantation, and in turn as a risk factor for these 2 events.

Evolving strategies for surgical management of patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction.

As a result of an increasing population with advanced congestive heart failure and the lack of growth in cardiac transplantation, surgical treatments for heart failure have been re-examined. These therapies represent the evolution of well-known operations such as coronary bypass surgery and valve surgeries, and the more novel left ventricular reconstruction and operations aimed at inhibiting left ventricular remodeling. When performed by surgeons with experience in this evolving speciality within cardiovascular surgery, surgery for advanced heart failure is a treatment of choice for many patients.

Cardiac transplantation at the Cleveland Clinic.

The cardiac transplant program at the Cleveland Clinic began in 1984 and has performed nearly 1,100 heart transplants. One-year actual graft and patient survival was 88% among 185 adult recipients transplanted between 1997-1999. In the past 20 years, we have seen a significant evolution of recipient selection criteria, donor suitability, immunosuppressive therapies, and posttransplant patient surveillance.

Contemporary outcomes of outpatients referred for cardiac transplantation evaluation to a tertiary heart failure center: impact of surgical alternatives.

Background: The growing epidemic of congestive heart failure in the setting of limited donor-organ availability has mandated continued development and increased utilization of medical and surgical alternatives to cardiac transplantation. We sought to assess current disposition and outcomes of patients recently referred for transplant evaluation to a single high-throughput tertiary referral center.

Methods And Results: We performed a retrospective observational review of consecutive patients with advanced heart failure who were assessed initially in an outpatient setting by a heart failure cardiologist, with a view to transplant or nontransplant surgical alternatives between 1995 and 2000.

Neurohormonal response to left ventricular reconstruction surgery in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

Objectives: Activation of the neuroendocrine axis in congestive heart failure is of prognostic significance, and neurohumoral blocking therapy prolongs survival. The hypothesis that surgical reduction of left ventricular size and function decreases neuroendocrine activation is less established. We evaluated the neurohormonal response to left ventricular reconstruction surgery in ischemic cardiomyopathy.

PET abnormalities in patients with nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background: The abnormalities in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) are generally considered diffuse and to affect the left ventricle in a global manner. However, regional wall motion abnormalities and metabolic defects may also occur to varying, but unclear degrees. QRS width and metabolic defects on positron emission tomography (PET) correlate with survival.

Tricuspid valve repair: durability and risk factors for failure.

Objectives: To compare durability of tricuspid valve annuloplasty techniques, identify risk factors for repair failure, and characterize survival, reoperation, and functional class of surviving patients.

Methods: From 1990 to 1999, 790 patients (mean age 65 +/- 12 years, 51% New York Heart Association functional class III or IV, and mean right ventricular systolic pressure 56 +/- 18 mm Hg) underwent tricuspid valve annuloplasty for functional regurgitation using 4 techniques: Carpentier-Edwards semi-rigid ring, Cosgrove-Edwards flexible band, De Vega procedure, and customized semicircular Peri-Guard annuloplasty. Of these patients, 89% had concomitant mitral valve surgery.

Ventricular reconstruction surgery for congestive heart failure.

The significant increase in the prevalence of heart failure in the United States has made this disease a major health problem. The continued shortage of donor organs has prevented heart transplantation from becoming an effective solution for the treatment of end-stage heart failure, and as a result, surgical treatments for heart failure have been reexamined. Surgical therapies represent the evolution of conventional operations, such as coronary artery bypass surgery, and the application of the more novel left ventricular (LV) reconstruction operations which address the geometry of the LV, the important component in the failing heart.

Do left ventricular assist device (LVAD) bridge-to-transplantation outcomes predict the results of permanent LVAD implantation?

Background: Implantable left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) were designed for permanent implant, but we began their use for bridge-to-transplant (BTTx) to study their safety and effectiveness. We review our experience in order to compare the BTTx lessons learned with the outcomes and goals of permanent implants.

Methods: From December 1991 until January 2002, 264 patients received 277 LVADs for BTTx.

Predictors of severe right ventricular failure after implantable left ventricular assist device insertion: analysis of 245 patients.

Background: Insertion of an implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) complicated by early right ventricular (RV) failure has a poor prognosis and is largely unpredictable. Prediction of RV failure after LVAD placement would lead to more precise patient selection and optimal device selection.

Methods And Results: We reviewed data from 245 patients (mean age, 54+/-11 years; 85% male) with 189 HeartMate (77%) and 56 Novacor (23%) LVADs.