The primary goal of the study was to perform retrospective analysis of fast-track coronary artery bypass grafting at our institute to identify risk factors for prolonged hospital stay. A secondary goal was to identify and compare survival statistics with those published in literature.We performed a retrospective analysis of patients enrolled in our fast-track coronary artery bypass protocol. There were 709 patients with a mean age of 58.85 ± 8.9 years; 572 were men. The mean EuroSCORE II was 2.02% ± 2.64%. Of these 709 patients, 538 (76%) met the requirements for discharge within 100 hours.Prolonged ventilation or reintubation, major pulmonary complications, gastrointestinal and neurological complications were the strongest predictors of fast-track failure. Persistent atrial fibrillation, postoperative transient renal impairment, requirement for noninvasive ventilation > 3 times, sternal wound infection, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, preoperative intraaortic balloon pump for chest pain or ST changes, preoperative severe left ventricular dysfunction, preoperative severe renal impairment, and peripheral arterial disease were also found to be significant risk factors for fast-track failure. Cumulative survival at 66 months of follow-up was 90.2% ± 0.02%.The risk factors listed above were associated with fast-track failure. Smoking cessation helps to nullify the factor of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Intraoperative elective insertion of a balloon pump does not affect the fast-track protocol. Survival was comparable to that described in the literature.
The aim of this case series is to review the effect of recombinant activated factor VIIa (rFVIIa) on refractory haemorrhage, despite aggressive treatment with conventional blood products and medications at our institution. All patients undergoing cardiac surgery who received rFVIIa as rescue therapy for persistent uncontrollable haemorrhage were studied. We examined coagulation immediately before and after rFVIIa was given; international normalized ratio (INR), activated partial thromboplastin (APTT) fibrinogen and platelet levels, in addition to the use of red cell and non-red cell blood products, morbidity and mortality. Thirty patients (0.6%) received 31 doses of rFVIIa for bleeding refractory to conventional treatment. Twenty received rFVIIa in theatre after primary surgery, three after re-exploration and eight in the intensive care unit (ICU). Hospital mortality was 6.5% (2/30) and there were no documented thromboembolic phenomena. There was significant reduction in red blood cell and product transfusion before and after rFVIIa administration (P<0.001). There was significant correction in coagulation parameters after rFVIIa. Recombinant FVIIa appears to be safe, and is effective in reducing red blood cell and product transfusion requirements and may impact on early and late outcomes in this small complex subgroup of patients.