John E Mayer

BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Medicare database complements The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database by providing information about long-term outcomes and cost. This study demonstrates the feasibility of linking STS data to CMS data and examines the penetration, completeness, and representativeness of the STS database.

METHODS: Using variables common to both STS and CMS databases, STS operations were linked to CMS data for all CMS coronary artery ...

Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion results in both ventricular and endothelial dysfunction. We have found that the endothelial defect is a reduced vasodilator response to an intraarterial infusion of acetylcholine that is likely due to reduced nitric oxide release, and we have hypothesized that reduced endothelial nitric oxide production contributes to postischemic cardiac dysfunction. However, others report that nitric oxide is deleterious after ischemia. We therefore examined the ...

BACKGROUND: An intramural coronary is an uncommon but potentially significant risk factor for transfer of the coronary arteries as part of the arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries. Preoperative diagnosis is advantageous because it helps prevent accidental injury to the intramural coronary artery during transection of the aortic root and excision of the coronary artery ostium from the aorta. Therefore, we investigated the reliability of two-dimensional ...

OBJECTIVES: Neonatal surgery for tetralogy of Fallot and truncus arteriosus requires reconstruction of the right ventricular outflow tract. Although the method of reconstruction is often dictated by the individual anatomy, choices exist. This review examines the durability and outcomes of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction in the neonate.

METHODS: This is a retrospective review of all 278 neonates with the diagnosis of tetralogy of Fallot and truncus arteriosus undergoing ...

OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify predictors of structural valve deterioration after pulmonary valve replacement in patients with tetralogy of Fallot.

METHODS: A retrospective review of 227 patients with tetralogy of Fallot who underwent stented bioprosthetic pulmonary valve replacement at Children's Hospital Boston between 1994 and 2009 was performed. Patient and valve characteristics were assessed as potential predictors of structural valve deterioration by using univariate and ...

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for aortopulmonary collateral vessels in patients who have undergone a bidirectional Glenn or Fontan procedure, or both.

BACKGROUND: Aortopulmonary collateral vessels are frequently observed angiographically in patients after a bidirectional Glenn or Fontan procedure. These vessels may provide a source of pulmonary blood flow competitive with anterograde cavopulmonary flow.

METHODS: We performed a ...

OBJECTIVE: Amplatzer (AGA Medical Corporation, Plymouth, Minn) septal and vascular occluder devices have significantly altered the care of patients with congenital heart disease. The relative frequency and consequence of complications resulting from the attempted placement of such devices, however, have not been well assessed. The purpose of this study is to use large databases to assess the frequency and severity of such complications and compare them with those of surgical atrial ...

BACKGROUND: Hypothermic circulatory arrest is a widely used support technique during heart surgery in infants, but its effects on neurologic outcome have been controversial. An alternative method, low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass, maintains continuous cerebral circulation but may increase exposure to known pump-related sources of brain injury, such as embolism or inadequate cerebral perfusion.

METHODS: We compared the incidence of perioperative brain injury after deep hypothermia and ...

OBJECTIVES: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database has been linked to the Social Security Death Master File to verify "life status" and evaluate long-term surgical outcomes. The objective of this study is explore practical applications of the linkage of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Adult Cardiac Surgery Database to Social Securtiy Death Master File, including the use of the Social Securtiy Death Master File to examine the accuracy of the Society of Thoracic ...

OBJECTIVE: Previous publications using nonconcurrent series of patients indicate improved survival for patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) undergoing stage I palliation with a right ventricle to pulmonary artery conduit (NW-RVPA) vs. a modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (NW-BT). We compared postoperative outcomes in a concurrent series of patients with HLHS undergoing an NW-BT procedure vs. NW-RVPA procedure.

DESIGN: Perioperative data from 66 consecutive patients who ...

After modified Fontan procedures with atriopulmonary anastomoses or right atrium-right ventricle conduits, some patients have progressive exercise intolerance, effusions, arrhythmias, or protein-losing enteropathy. Theoretic advantages of a lateral atrial tunnel cavopulmonary anastomosis and published clinical results suggest that conversion of other Fontan procedures to the lateral atrial tunnel may afford clinical improvement for some patients. Eight patients (8 to 25 years old) with ...

BACKGROUND: "Repair" of many congenital cardiac defects requires the use of conduits to establish right ventricle to pulmonary artery continuity. At present, available homografts or prosthetic conduits lack growth potential and can become obstructed by tissue ingrowth or calcification leading to the need for multiple conduit replacements. Tissue engineering is an approach by which cells are grown in vitro onto biodegradable polymers to construct "tissues" for implantation. A tissue ...

BACKGROUND: Long-term outcomes of repair of tetralogy of Fallot associated with complete atrioventricular septal defect are seldom reported. We report our survival and reintervention outcomes over a 29-year time period.

METHODS: Between March 1979 and April 2008, 61 patients with the combined cardiac defect of atrioventricular septal defect and tetralogy of Fallot were surgically managed. Trisomy 21 was present in 49 (80%) patients. Primary repair was performed in 36 patients at a median ...

PURPOSE: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (STS-CHSD) is the largest Registry in the world of patients who have undergone congenital and pediatric cardiac surgical operations. The Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society Database (CHSS-D) is an Academic Database designed for specialized detailed analyses of specific congenital cardiac malformations and related treatment strategies. The goal of this project was to create a link between the STS-CHSD and the ...