Guidelines for reporting morbidity and mortality after cardiac valvular operations

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Surgery
• Medical Device Technology
• Clinical Guidelines

Background:

• The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) and American Association of Thoracic Surgery (AATS) initiated a review of 1988 guidelines.
• Cardiac valvular procedures have significantly evolved since the initial guidelines were published.
• Existing guidelines required updates to clarify definitions related to prosthetic heart valve morbidity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To update and clarify definitions for prosthetic heart valve morbidity.
• To establish standardized terminology for reporting outcomes of cardiac valve operations.
• To facilitate comparative analysis of different surgical techniques and patient cohorts.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing "Guidelines" on prosthetic heart valve morbidity.
• Consideration of recommendations from other relevant bodies.
• Development of updated definitions for "operated valve" encompassing various valve types and procedures.

Main Results:

• The term "operated valve" now includes prosthetic, bioprosthetic, repaired native, allograft, and autograft valves.
• Acknowledged that patient variables significantly influence outcomes, alongside operated valve factors.
• Emphasized that guidelines facilitate analysis but do not preclude detailed patient-specific investigations.

Conclusions:

• The updated definitions and reporting suggestions aim to standardize the analysis of cardiac valve surgery results.
• These guidelines serve to facilitate comparisons between different surgeons, patient cohorts, and techniques.
• Investigators are encouraged to report both operated valve factors and relevant patient variables for comprehensive outcome assessment.