Society of Thoracic Surgeons shares new risk calculator for complex aortic procedures
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) has published a new risk calculator focused on ascending aorta and aortic root surgeries.
Aortic operations are on the rise in the United States, according to STS, and now represent about 11% of all major cardiac surgeries performed in the country. However, evaluating the operative risk for some of these procedures remains a challenge.
“This risk calculator fills a critical gap for cardiothoracic surgeons treating complex aortic pathology,” STS President Joseph F. Sabik III, MD, surgery chair at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, said in a statement. “It empowers surgeons to have more transparent, productive conversations with patients and families about surgical risks and benefits, leading to better-informed decision making.”
STS reviewed the STS National Database to build the risk calculator, tracking data from more than 67,000 patients. The goal was to create a resource that helps surgeons plan ahead of these advanced operations, learning as much as possible ahead of time to ensure the patient receives the best care possible.
The new resource delivers risk estimates for four different procedural groups:
- Bentall procedures involving aortic valve replacement
- Ascending aorta plus aortic valve replacement
- Valve-sparing root replacement
- Isolated ascending aorta surgery
“This new tool is not only a clinical asset, but also a catalyst for research,” Sabik added. “It will support the design and evaluation of new clinical trials and studies, especially those comparing open aortic surgery to less invasive alternatives, a critical and growing area of interest in cardiovascular care.”
The new risk calculator is available here.
Additional STS risk calculators are available here. Last October, STS released new risk calculators for esophagectomy and pulmonary resection.
Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.