2.3 | Outcomes and follow-up
Early post-operative outcomes were in-hospital mortality (from all
causes) and major perioperative complications.
Late post-operative outcomes were all-cause mortality and need for
reoperation.
Major perioperative complications were defined as a composite endpoint
including at least one of the following in-hospital variables: low
cardiac output syndrome (persistent cardiac index below 2.0L/min/m2 with
use of high dose catecholamines and/or mechanical circulation support),
myocardial infarction (Troponin values > 10 times the 99th
percentile of upper reference limit in association with new Q waves),
severe arrhythmia (arrhythmia with hemodynamic instability and need for
urgent/emergent treatment), stroke, reoperation for bleeding, acute
renal failure with need for haemodialysis, pulmonary complications
(including pneumonia, respiratory failure with need for long-time
invasive ventilation, non-invasive ventilation or reintubation) and
sepsis (systemic inflammatory response syndrome in response to an
infectious process).
Clinical records and National Data Base were used for long term
follow-up. Median follow-up for survival was 3.8 years (IQR: 1.8-7.4)
for 98% of patients and freedom from reoperation was 1.8 years
(IQR:0.25-5.4) for 94.5%.