BACKGROUND:
In previous work from a single center, Technical Performance Score (TPS), a tool that assesses technical adequacy of repair, has been shown to be strongly associated with outcomes in congenital cardiac surgery. We sought to validate the efficacy of TPS in a multicenter environment.
METHODS:
All patients (1 day to 62 years) who were discharged from January 1 to December 31, 2011; and who underwent 9 congenital cardiac procedures (Arterial switch operation [84], Bidirectional Glenn [75], Atrioventricular canal repair [135], Fontan [97], Arch repair on pump [58], Stage I Procedure [85], Pulmonary valve replacement [116], Tetralogy of Fallot repair [112], and Ventricular septal defect repair [163]); from 5 centers were included. Based on echocardiograms (echo) prior to discharge or death, and unplanned reinterventions at surgical site; TPS was assigned using previously established criteria. Case complexity was determined by RACHS-1 category. Outcomes included (a) major postoperative adverse events (AE) excluding unplanned reinterventions, (b) length of ventilation, and (c) postoperative hospital stay. Adjusted analysis used logistic/linear regression to determine odds ratio (OR) and regression coefficient (b) for each outcome.
RESULTS:
There were 925 hospital discharges: 418 (45%) were RACHS-1 category 2, 295 (32%) category 3, 85 (9%) category 4, 86 (9%) category 6 and the cohort included 41 (4%) adults. TPS were as follows: 491 (53%) class 1-optimal, 263 (28%) class 2-adequate, 131 (14%) class 3-inadequate and 40 (4%) had no TPS assigned because of a lack of or incomplete echos (NA). There were 26 (2.8%) deaths (81% of deaths were in class 3) and 105 (11%) adverse events. Occurrence of major adverse events, ventilation time and hospital length of stay were all significantly higher in class 3 (Figure). On multivariable analysis adjusting for age, RACHS-1, prematurity, and presence of non-cardiac anomalies; Class 3 TPS was associated with a higher odds of AE (OR 7.4, CI 4.1-13.2, p<0.001), longer ventilation (b 1.9, CI 1.6-2.2, p<0.001), and hospital stay (b 1.6, CI 1.4 to 1.8, p<0.001).
CONCLUSION:
TPS predicts outcomes after congenital heart surgery in a multicenter cohort, and can serve as quality assessment tool. Outcomes may be favorably influenced by focusing on technical excellence.
The Congenital Heart Technical Skill Study: Rationale and Design
