Posessing nearly three decades of experience as a leading cardiothoracic surgeon in Florida, Dr. Hartmuth Bittner is the founder of the Gulf Coast Cardiothoracic Surgery Institute in Tampa, Florida, where he specializes in minimally invasive techniques. Additionally, Dr. Hartmuth Bittner is a longtime member of the Society for Thoracic Surgeons (STS).
A recent study highlighted by the STS shows that frailty is an important factor in determining the overall risk for patients undergoing surgical procedures to address mitral valve disease. For the purposes of the study, researchers followed more than 50,000 patients who had procedures, nearly 8 percent of which were identified as being frail.
The study revealed that frail patients had postsurgical complications more than 30 percent more often when compared to those who weren’t frail. Additionally, they were more than twice as likely to be discharged to a location other than their home, and more than 9 percent more likely to be readmitted for complications within a month of the procedure. Frail patients also had to stay an average of 2 weeks longer in the hospital after mitral valve disease surgery.
Researchers say that frailty should be a strong consideration in determining the overall risk to patients who may be candidates for the surgery, though there isn’t a universal set of criteria by which to attribute frailty across a wide spectrum of patients. Some typical indicators, however, are weak grip strength, low weight, decreased activity, and trouble walking.
A recent study highlighted by the STS shows that frailty is an important factor in determining the overall risk for patients undergoing surgical procedures to address mitral valve disease. For the purposes of the study, researchers followed more than 50,000 patients who had procedures, nearly 8 percent of which were identified as being frail.
The study revealed that frail patients had postsurgical complications more than 30 percent more often when compared to those who weren’t frail. Additionally, they were more than twice as likely to be discharged to a location other than their home, and more than 9 percent more likely to be readmitted for complications within a month of the procedure. Frail patients also had to stay an average of 2 weeks longer in the hospital after mitral valve disease surgery.
Researchers say that frailty should be a strong consideration in determining the overall risk to patients who may be candidates for the surgery, though there isn’t a universal set of criteria by which to attribute frailty across a wide spectrum of patients. Some typical indicators, however, are weak grip strength, low weight, decreased activity, and trouble walking.
