The Impact of Epiaortic Ultrasound utilization in patients undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Objective: To assess whether use of epiaortic ultrasound for assessment of aortic calcification impacts the rate of postoperative stroke following coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods: This was a retrospective study using an institutional database of CABGs performed from 2010 to 2023. All patients undergoing isolated index CABG were included. Patients were dichotomized according to the use of epiaortic ultrasound for intraoperative aortic assessment. Postoperative stroke rates were compared, and multivariable logistic regression for postoperative stroke was performed. Cox regression was performed for the multivariable analysis of mortality.

Results: A total of 10,049 patients underwent isolated index CABG. Intraoperative epiaortic ultrasound was utilized in 1,572 (15.6%) of these patients. The STS predicted risk of stroke was 1% and did not differ between the two groups. Postoperative stroke occurred in 13 patients in the epiaortic ultrasound group (0.8%) versus 116 patients in the group in which epiaortic ultrasound was not used (1.4%, p=0.08). On multivariable logistic regression, use of epiaortic ultrasound was not associated with a reduced odds of postoperative stroke (OR 0.62, 95% CI 0.34-1.14, p=0.12). Epiaortic ultrasound use was also not significantly associated with hazards of mortality on Cox regression (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.38, p=0.12). Postoperative stroke was significantly associated with an increased hazard of death (HR 2.25, 95% CI: 1.61-3.14, p<0.001).

Conclusion: Stroke rates after CABG were 0.8% and 1.4% with and without the use of epioartic ultrasound, respectively. The current study did not find an independent association between epiaortic ultrasound use and postoperative stroke.