Objectives : We analyzed the mortality and morbidity of congenital heart surgery in Japan by using the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JCVSD). Methods : Data regarding congenital heart surgery performed between January 2013 and December 2014 were obtained from JCVSD. The 20 most frequent procedures were selected and the mortality rates and major morbidities were analyzed. Results : The mortality rates of atrial septal defect (ASD) repair and ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair were less than 1%, and the mortality rates of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair, complete atrioventricular septal defect (AVSD) repair, bidirectional Glenn, and total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) were less than 2%. The mortality rates of the Norwood procedure and total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC) repair were more than 10%. The rates of unplanned reoperation, pacemaker implantation, chylothorax, deep sternal infection, phrenic nerve injury, and neurological deficit were shown for each procedure. Conclusion : Using JCVSD, the national data for congenital heart surgery, including postoperative complications, were analyzed. Further improvements of the database and feedback for clinical practice are required.

A 44-year-old man who received left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation for end-stage heart failure due to dilated cardiomyopathy suffered from mediastinitis. Computed tomography confirmed mediastinitis. His mediastinum was reopened and irrigated. Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was applied to the wound without closing the chest. This system enabled the patient to receive early physical rehabilitation. One year after LVAD implantation, under NPWT, the patient could walk in the general ward, and was waiting for cardiac transplantation. We used some useful materials for NPWT including a coatable non-alcoholic film, flexible sealing sheet, soft exudate absorber, in order to control wound clean, keep air-tight, prevent damage to the skin and to reduce mediastinal instability. LVAD implantation is usually performed as a bridge to transplantation or recovery. One of the most critical complications is intractable mediastinitis. We described a successful infection control of LVAD related mediastinitis with the NPWT.

The JCVSD (Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database) was organized in 2000 to improve the quality of cardiovascular surgery in Japan. Web-based data harvesting on adult cardiac surgery was started (Japan Adult Cardiovascular Surgery Database, JACVSD) in 2001, and on congenital heart surgery (Japan Congenital Cardiovascular Surgery Database, JCCVSD) in 2008. Both databases grew to become national databases by the end of 2013. This was influenced by the success of the Society for Thoracic Surgeons' National Database, which contains comparable input items. In 2011, the Japanese Board of Cardiovascular Surgery announced that the JACVSD and JCCVSD data are to be used for board certification, which improved the quality of the first paperless and web-based board certification review undertaken in 2013. These changes led to a further step. In 2011, the National Clinical Database (NCD) was organized to investigate the feasibility of clinical databases in other medical fields, especially surgery. In the NCD, the board certification system of the Japan Surgical Society, the basic association of surgery was set as the first level in the hierarchy of specialties, and nine associations and six board certification systems were set at the second level as subspecialties. The NCD grew rapidly, and now covers 95% of total surgical procedures. The participating associations will release or have released risk models, and studies that use 'big data' from these databases have been published. The national databases have contributed to evidence-based medicine, to the accountability of medical professionals, and to quality assessment and quality improvement of surgery in Japan.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Certification ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Humans ; Japan* ; Patient Safety ; Quality Improvement* ; Social Responsibility ; Thoracic Surgery

Objectives : We analyzed the mortality and morbidity of congenital heart surgery in Japan by using Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JCVSD). Methods : The congenital heart surgery performed between January 2017 to December 2018 were obtained from JCVSD. From the data obtained, the most frequent twenty procedures were selected, and the mortalities and major morbidities were analyzed. In addition, all the procedures were classified into STAT Mortality Categories and mortalities in each category were also analyzed. Results : The mortality of ASD repair and VSD repair were 0% and 0.2% respectively. The mortality of TOF repair, complete AVSD repair, Rastelli operation, CoA complex repair, bidirectional Glenn, TCPC were 2-3%. The mortality of systemic to pulmonary shunt was 4.9%, and the mortality of TAPVC repair and Norwood procedure were 11.1% and 15.7% respectively and not different from the results of 2015-2016. The mortalities according to the STAT categories 1-5 were 0.3%, 2.7%, 2.9%, 5.9% and 15.5% respectively and comparable to those of STS database (2013-2016). Conclusion : The analysis of the JCVSD-congenital data revealed the mortality rate of major surgical procedures for congenital heart disease performed in Japan in 2017-2018, the frequency of complications, and the mortality rate by STAT Mortality Categories. We believe that these statistics will play an important role as a basis for trends in Japan and for comparison of results with other countries.

Methods : We collated the nationwide data on congenital heart operations performed between January 2015 and December 2016 from the Japan Cardiovascular Surgery Database (JCVSD). The mortality and morbidity data for the 20 most-frequently performed procedures were analyzed. We also classified the surgical centers into three groups, according to the number of cardiopulmonary cases over a year and estimated the institution-wise distribution of major operations. Results : The mortality rate of the ASD and VSD repair procedures was ＜1%, while the mortality rate of procedures including TOF repair, complete AVSD repair, Rastelli operation, CoA complex repair, bidirectional Glenn and TCPC was found to be between 2-3%. The mortality rate of surgeries such as the Norwood procedure and TAPVC repair was comparably higher (＞10%). These complicated procedures were mainly performed at the surgical institutes handling a large volume of cases. Conclusion : Using the JCVSD, the nationwide data of congenital heart surgery, including postoperative complications, were analyzed.