Does Routine Stress-Thallium Cardiac Scanning Reduce Postoperative Cardiac Complications?

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Abstract
Prophylactic cardiac revascularization in patients with ischemic myocardium could reduce postoperative cardiac complications after aortic reconstruction. However, the effectiveness of this approach has not been documented. Stress-thallium scanning can identify patients with ischemic myocardium. Morbidity and mortality after aortic reconstruction appears to be largely caused by co-existent coronary artery disease, and patients who have had recent cardiac revascularization have few postoperative cardiac complications. Preoperative stress-thallium scanning was evaluated prospectively in 146 patients undergoing aortic reconstruction. Patients with positive studies underwent coronary artertography and cardiac revascularization, when appropriate. Postoperative cardiac complications and long-term survival in these patients were compared with results from 172 similar patients undergoing aortic reconstruction without stress-thallium scanning. Results also were analyzed to determine predictors of postoperative cardiac events. Forty-one per cent of patients undergoing stress-thallium testing underwent coronary arteriography, and 11.6% had cardiac revascularization. In contrast, 14.7% of patients treated without stress-thallium testing had coronary arteriography, and 4.1% had revascularization (p < 0.01). Despite this, cardiac mortality, serious cardiac complications, and long-term cardiac mortality were similar in both groups. Only advanced age and intraoperative complications (but not a positive stress-thallium test) predicted postoperative cardiac events. Preoperative stress-thallium testing confirmed a high incidence of significant coronary artery disease in patients undergoing aortic reconstruction, but prophylactic cardiac intervention does