The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2023
Retraction Speed and Chronic Post-Sternotomy Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Approximately 30% of patients develop chronic poststernotomy pain (CPSP) following cardiac surgery with sternal retraction. Risk factors have been described but no causal determinants identified. Investigators hypothesized that opening the sternum slowly would impart less force (and thereby less nerve/tissue damage) and translate to a reduced incidence of CPSP. The main objectives were to determine whether or not slower sternal retraction would reduce the incidence of CPSP and improve health-related quality of life. ⋯ All outcomes were consistent with previous reports, but no clinically significant differences were observed with retraction speed.
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2023
The impact of multimodal analgesia in Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery - a population-based analysis.
Multimodal pain management aims to concurrently target several pain pathways for improved treatment efficacy and recovery. We investigated associations between multimodal analgesia use and postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and opioid consumption among patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. ⋯ These nationally representative data indicate that enhanced pain management by multiple pain pathways is associated with significant reductions in postoperative complications and shortened patient recovery.
-
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Nov 2023
Interpretable Machine Learning-Based Predictive Modeling of Patient Outcomes Following Cardiac Surgery.
The clinical applicability of machine learning predictions of patient outcomes following cardiac surgery remains unclear. We applied machine learning to predict patient outcomes associated with high morbidity and mortality after cardiac surgery and identified the importance of variables to the derived model's performance. ⋯ A machine learning model accurately and reliably predicts patient outcomes following cardiac surgery. Postoperative, as opposed to preoperative or intraoperative variables, are important to model performance. Interventions targeting this period, including minimizing the duration of mechanical ventilation and early treatment of new-onset postoperative arrhythmias, may help lower the risk of these complications.