Susanne G R Klotz, Anke Begerow, Evaldas Girdauskas
{"title":"Development of a core outcome set of quality indicators for enhanced recovery after surgery in minimally invasive cardiac heart valve surgery by interprofessional Delphi consensus.","authors":"Susanne G R Klotz, Anke Begerow, Evaldas Girdauskas","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae218","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae218","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>A core outcome set (COS) giving indicators of the quality of the process for minimally invasive valve surgery embedded into enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocols should be developed.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Using web-based questionnaires, a Delphi process with three rounds was conducted from January to December 2022. Prior to the rounds, a systematic database search was performed identifying potential quality parameters. Experts for the panel were selected reflecting the interprofessional nature of the ERAS protocol. In the first round, participants could make suggestions of indicators in the pre-, intra- or postoperative and rehabilitative phase. These suggestions form together with the indicators of the literature a first indicator list. In the second round, participants could rate the relevance of the indicators resulting in a condensed indicator list. The third round was performed for further condensation based on importance ranking of the remaining indicators.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Three studies could be included in the systematic literature search providing a list of 22 indicators. Twenty-one experts participated in the Delphi survey. The experts named 315 indicators in the first round. After condensation in two further rounds, the final COS consisted of 24 indicators in the categories structure, process, outcome and complications.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>A consensual minimum set of quality measurements during pre-, intra- and postoperative and rehabilitation phase for patients with minimally invasive heart surgery is now available for enhancing the quality of clinical practice and facilitating comparisons across different ERAS programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11706534/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142900815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Amir-Reza Hosseinpour, Antonio González-Calle, Oliver Stümper, David J Barron
{"title":"Is there any role for an atrial septal defect in off-loading a borderline left ventricle?","authors":"Amir-Reza Hosseinpour, Antonio González-Calle, Oliver Stümper, David J Barron","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae216","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae216","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>A small atrial septal defect with right-to-left shunt is useful for off-loading a dysfunctional right ventricle postoperatively. However, an atrial septal defect with left-to-right shunt may not be as useful for a dysfunctional left ventricle. Experimental data are limited at present. Thus, we reconsider the related physiology to guide future approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11706528/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142900886","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Single-stage surgical repair of a pre-coarctation aortic arch aneurysm and arteria lusoria.","authors":"Mouhammad Kanj, Ziad Mansour, Fadi Farhat","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae220","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae220","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Managing an adult patient with aortic coarctation and associated anomalies presents a significant surgical challenge. We present a case of an adult male with aortic coarctation, pre-coarctation distal arch 7-cm aneurysm involving the origin of the left subclavian artery, and aberrant (lusoria) right subclavian artery. He was managed with one surgical approach, consisting of right carotid-subclavian bypass, exclusion of the right subclavian artery, proximal descending aortic replacement and reinsertion of left subclavian artery, using partial cardiopulmonary bypass.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11771764/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142959906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Guillaume Guimbretière, Clément Dubost, Justin Issard, Virginie Louvain-Quintard, Xavier Jais, Samuel Dolidon, François Stephan, Daniela-Iolanda Ion, Olaf Mercier, Elie Fadel
{"title":"Suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia in pulmonary thromboendarterectomy: retrospective cohort.","authors":"Guillaume Guimbretière, Clément Dubost, Justin Issard, Virginie Louvain-Quintard, Xavier Jais, Samuel Dolidon, François Stephan, Daniela-Iolanda Ion, Olaf Mercier, Elie Fadel","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivaf001","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivaf001","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Heparin is given for anticoagulation during and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Our objective was to add to the limited data available on the incidence, management and outcomes of suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This retrospective single-centre study included consecutive patients with suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy done in 2005-2018. Confirmed heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia was defined as positive findings from both the antibody test and the platelet aggregation test. Patients with versus without confirmed heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia were compared, as well as patients with versus without heparin replacement therapy within the group with unconfirmed heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia. The platelet counts over time were compared to those in controls without suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia was suspected in 86 (6.3%) of 1360 patients and confirmed in 16 (16/86, 19%), all of whom received heparin replacement therapy and survived to intensive care unit discharge. Of the remaining 70 patients, 28 (40%) received heparin replacement therapy and less often experienced bleeding compared to the other 42 (3.6% vs 21.4%, P = 0.043). Intensive care unit mortality was 17/70 (24.3%) and was lower in the subgroup given heparin replacement therapy (10.7% vs 33.3%; P = 0.046). Confirmed heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia was associated with a sharp platelet-count drop on Day 5. In unconfirmed suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia, the early platelet-count decline was similar to that in the controls without suspected heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia, but the baseline count was lower.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Clinical features suggesting heparin-induced thrombocytopaenia after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension were associated with excess mortality. Relay heparin replacement therapy was associated with lower mortality and fewer bleeding events.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11754861/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143017511","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Jessica Seidelman, Heather Pena, Brittany A Zwischenberger
{"title":"Fine-tuning blood culture practices: implementing diagnostic stewardship in cardiothoracic surgery patients.","authors":"Jessica Seidelman, Heather Pena, Brittany A Zwischenberger","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivaf005","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivaf005","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Overusing blood cultures (BCxs) can lead to false positives, unnecessary antibiotics and increased healthcare costs. Despite studies on inpatient BCx algorithms, none have focused on cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) patients, with complex postoperative care and invasive devices. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a BCx algorithm on BCx event (BCE) rates in CTS step-down units. The study was conducted in three CTS step-down units at Duke University Hospital. The BCx algorithm, based on Seidelman et al. (2023), was implemented in June 2023. BCE rates, incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and adverse outcome IRRs were compared between pre- and post-intervention periods using ITS and χ2 tests. We analysed 4978 BCE during the study period: 3439 (893 patients) pre-intervention and 1539 (452 patients) post-intervention. BCE rates decreased [IRR = 0.78 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.74, 0.83, P-value< 0.01)] without significant differences in adverse outcomes such as central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) rates (IRR = 0.6, 95% CI 0.17, 2.30), readmission rates (IRR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.88, 1.12) or in-hospital mortality (IRR = 3.53, 95% CI 0.32, 38.90). Our study supports the beneficial effects of a BCx algorithm, which reduces unnecessary BCxs in CTS patients without compromising patient safety.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758502/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142973659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Michael Z L Zhu, Jackson Scullion, Andrie Stroebel, Cheng He
{"title":"Does methylene blue improve outcomes in patients with post-cardiac surgery vasoplegic syndrome?","authors":"Michael Z L Zhu, Jackson Scullion, Andrie Stroebel, Cheng He","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae221","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae221","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>A best evidence topic was written according to a structured protocol described in ICVTS. The question addressed was 'In patients with vasoplegic syndrome following cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, does adjunctive methylene blue improve outcomes including reduced mortality, morbidity and vasopressor requirements?'</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Ovid Medline was searched using a reported search algorithm. Articles that represented the best evidence to answer the clinical question were selected, tabulated and discussed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Seven articles were selected: 4 randomized controlled trials and 3 observational studies. Studies were single centre with sample sizes ranging from 30 to 120 patients. Two studies reported a significant reduction in mortality among patients who received adjunctive methylene blue for post-cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) vasoplegic syndrome compared with placebo or standard therapy. Four studies reported improved haemodynamic stability and reduced vasopressor requirements following methylene blue. No studies reported methylene blue-related adverse events or worse outcomes compared to controls or standard therapy. There was significant heterogeneity among the included studies in terms of the timing and dosage of methylene blue therapy as well as the definition of vasoplegic syndrome.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The summation of the best available evidence, which was limited to small clinical trials and observational studies, suggests that the adjunctive administration of methylene blue for refractory post-CPB vasoplegic syndrome is safe and may provide benefits in terms of improved haemodynamic stability, reduction in vasopressor requirements and reduced mortality. Questions surrounding the optimal timing of methylene blue administration, as prophylactic, adjunctive, or rescue therapy for vasoplegic syndrome, require further investigation.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11739618/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142900823","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Partial replacement of the tricuspid valve using cryopreserved tricuspid homograft: 20-year outcomes.","authors":"Samad Raza, Bishwo Shrestha, Fiona Doig, Peter Pohlner, Homayoun Jalali, Rishendran Naidoo","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae229","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae229","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>There is limited consensus on the optimal strategy for surgical treatment of severe tricuspid valve pathology. At our institution, we have implemented a unique technique of using a tricuspid homograft with its supporting apparatus for partial replacement of the native tricuspid valve. We now present the long-term outcomes of these patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analysed a cohort of patients who underwent partial tricuspid valve replacement using tricuspid homograft. Yearly clinical and echocardiographic follow-up was performed. Fine-Gray methods were used to estimate freedom from death and reoperation and reverse Kaplan-Meier methods were used to calculate follow-up.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fourteen patients were included (age range 15 days to 73 years). Indications included congenital anomalies (n = 9, 64%) and infective endocarditis (n = 5, 36%). The median follow-up was 17 years (95% confidence interval (CI) 10-21 years). Two patients (14%) died due to causes unrelated to the primary tricuspid valve surgery, and three (21%) underwent redo tricuspid valve operations. In the remaining cohort, seven (50%) were asymptomatic and two (14%) reported class II dyspnoea, while none had severe tricuspid regurgitation on echocardiogram. Estimated freedom from death was 93% at 10 years and 83% at 15 and 20 years, while estimated freedom from reoperation was 77% at 10, 15 and 20 years.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Partial replacement of the tricuspid valve using tricuspid homograft tissue effectively restores the anatomical conformity of the native tricuspid valve and has durable long-term survival and freedom from severe tricuspid regurgitation in patients with congenital anomalies and infective endocarditis.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11723531/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142923976","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sulayman El Mathari, Pim van Ooij, Renske Merton, Eric Schrauben, Luuk Hopman, Aart Nederveen, Marco Götte, Jolanda Kluin
{"title":"Feasibility of 4D-flow CMR for haemodynamic characterization in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy after septal myectomy with and without anterior mitral valve leaflet extension.","authors":"Sulayman El Mathari, Pim van Ooij, Renske Merton, Eric Schrauben, Luuk Hopman, Aart Nederveen, Marco Götte, Jolanda Kluin","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae210","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae210","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>The common surgical treatment in patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is septal myectomy. This involves resection of a segment of the myocardial septum and can be performed with and without concomitant anterior mitral valve leaflet extension (AMVLE). While both approaches have satisfying clinical outcomes, there is a lack of data regarding the added value of concomitant AMVLE. In particular, their impact on postoperative haemodynamics remains unexplored. Therefore, we conducted a study to assess the feasibility of utilizing four-dimensional-flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (4D-flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR)) to investigate postoperative haemodynamic differences among both surgical approaches.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this feasibility study, nine subjects underwent 4D-flow CMR evaluation, including three patients who underwent isolated myectomy, three patients with myectomy + AMVLE and three healthy controls. Primary end-points were aortic wall shear stress, left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) peak velocity and peak kinetic energy in the LVOT and ascending aorta.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results showed that patients who underwent myectomy with concomitant AMVLE exhibited (i) lower aortic wall shear stress (-21.2%), (ii) lower LVOT peak velocity (-6.3%), (iii) higher kinetic energy in the LVOT (+10.8%) and (iv) lower kinetic energy in the ascending aorta (-28.8%) compared to patients who underwent isolated myectomy.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients undergoing additional AMVLE exhibited a better trend towards the haemodynamic reference values from healthy controls compared to patients undergoing isolated myectomy. Our findings underscore the feasibility of 4D-flow CMR to assess postoperative haemodynamic differences in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients undergoing different surgical approaches. This highlights the potential of 4D-flow CMR to compare surgical strategies based on postoperative haemodynamics.</p><p><strong>Clinical registration number: </strong>Dutch National Medical Ethics Committee, registration number 2022.0078.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11852344/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142840473","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A review of nomenclature in minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting-the anarchy of terminology.","authors":"De Qing Görtzen, Ferdi Akca","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae204","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae204","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Since the development of minimally invasive coronary surgery, nomenclature has rapidly grown to distinguish each unique method. The goal of this review was to provide a comprehensive overview of the different terms used for minimally invasive coronary bypass grafting through the years.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A literature search was performed in August 2024 using the PubMed electronic database. To extract the best search results: \"minimally invasive\" and \"coronary artery bypass grafting\" were used as either keywords or MeSH terms. The term robotic was specifically included for a second search. Eligible articles for this review were articles using an abbreviation to describe minimally invasive coronary artery bypass grafting.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 2118 publications on non-robotic minimally invasive coronary procedures and 392 on robotic-assisted techniques were reviewed, describing 40 unique terms for the procedure. Procedures were grouped based on left internal mammary artery harvest and anastomosis methods: mini-thoracotomy for both harvesting and coronary anastomosis (n = 586), endoscopic harvest with mini-thoracotomy (n = 37), robotic harvest with mini-thoracotomy (n = 144) and closed-chest revascularization (n = 140). Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting was the most studied technique (486 publications, non-robotic and robotic), followed by closed-chest totally endoscopic coronary artery bypass (n = 124).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In conclusion, a wide variety of terms are used within the field of minimally invasive coronary surgery. A total of 40 different terms have been published, each describing certain specifics of the procedure. For anyone involved in the field of minimally invasive surgery, it is important to understand the differences and similarities of these procedures.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11671035/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142831020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Cynthia Nwalibe, Victory Bassey Effiom, Achanga Bill-Smith Anyinkeng, Michael Anayo James, Eben-Ezer Genda, Wambui Irungu, Frank-Awat Abaiweh, Kelechi E Okonta
{"title":"Assessment of the financial gaps in cardiothoracic surgery in Africa.","authors":"Cynthia Nwalibe, Victory Bassey Effiom, Achanga Bill-Smith Anyinkeng, Michael Anayo James, Eben-Ezer Genda, Wambui Irungu, Frank-Awat Abaiweh, Kelechi E Okonta","doi":"10.1093/icvts/ivae228","DOIUrl":"10.1093/icvts/ivae228","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>This study identified the challenges to financing cardiothoracic surgical care in Africa, highlighting the present state of funding and proffering probable solutions to adequate and effective funding in the region.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In a literature review, the authors elaborated key points, such as areas of financial funding in cardiothoracic surgery; barriers to appropriate allocation of financial resources for cardiothoracic surgery in Africa; and the needs and available resources for cardiothoracic surgery in Africa. Multiple search engines and databases were used, including but not limited to PubMed, Medline, Cochrane, Scopus and Google Scholar. Sixty articles were identified, and 50 of the 60 were used for this review.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Operations to treat cardiovascular and thoracic diseases performed on the African continent are known to be expensive. They also tend to result in significant morbidity and mortality among the affected individuals because payment is largely out of pocket and the coverage by health insurance providers is low. The establishment of cardiothoracic surgical centres and the delivery of cardiothoracic surgical care are expensive endeavours that limit access to care of patients without comprehensive health insurance or philanthropic support. These poor outcomes are attributed mainly to inadequate funding.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>We therefore have recommended advocating for increased funding and for support of policies designed to support the prioritization of cardiothoracic care within national and regional healthcare agendas in order to include cardiothoracic surgery in global and national healthcare plans. Non-governmental organizations and major industries (foreign and local) should be encouraged to invest substantial funds in building and developing cardiothoracic surgery centres in Africa.</p>","PeriodicalId":73406,"journal":{"name":"Interdisciplinary cardiovascular and thoracic surgery","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-12-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11742124/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142959903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}