The Journal of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 2025
Interhospital Variability in 180-day Infections Following Cardiac Surgery.
To evaluate hospital-level variation in infections following cardiac surgery and develop and evaluate a 180-day infection quality metric. ⋯ One in 5 Medicare beneficiaries develop a 180-day infection following cardiac surgery, with rates varying 39.5% across hospitals. Patients at higher versus lower O:E tercile hospitals were more commonly discharged to extended care/rehabilitation settings, although rates of stroke and mortality were equivalent in the 2 groups. Collaborative learning interventions may be warranted to advance the observed variability in 180-day infections.
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J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. · Jan 2025
Transcatheter versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients Younger than 65 Years in the US.
To characterize trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacement in patients <65 with aortic stenosis between 2013 and 2021. ⋯ Despite clinical guidelines, the utilization of TAVR has increased in patients <65. TAVR in this population is associated with a higher 6-year mortality and a higher rate of new permanent pacemaker implantation when compared to a matched cohort treated with biologic SAVR. These findings support the need for a randomized controlled trial comparing long-term outcomes of TAVR versus SAVR in patients <65.