Vitals: Outcomes and Volumes in Adult Cardiac Surgery, Including Valve and Aorta Surgery

Below we share recent volumes and clinical outcomes for leading cardiac surgery categories in Cleveland Clinic’s Heart, Vascular and Thoracic Institute.

ADULT CARDIAC SURGERY

Mortality Remains Low Even as Volumes Rise

Over the past 18 years, mortality for adult cardiac surgery procedures at Cleveland Clinic has substantially trended downward even as volumes rise and case complexity increases.

3-Star Performance

Cleveland Clinic received the highest Composite Quality Rating (three stars) for these operations in the latest Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) Adult Cardiac Surgery Database report, for the three-year period ending in June 2024:

_{CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting; AVR = aortic valve replacement; MVRR = mitral valve repair/replacement}

2024 Operative Mortality*

_{*From 1/1/24 through 12/31/24.
STS = Society of Thoracic Surgeons; CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting; AVR = aortic valve replacement; MV = mitral valve}

VALVE AND AORTA SURGERY

Isolated Aortic Valve Replacement (AVR)

0.0%

operative mortality for isolated surgical AVR in 2024 (N = 382)
(vs. 1.5% STS predicted mortality)

1.8%

operative mortality for surgical AVR + CABG in 2024 (N = 171)
(vs. 3.7% STS predicted mortality)

0.7%

procedural mortality for transcatheter AVR in 2024 (N = 667)
(no predicted rate available)

Isolated Mitral Valve Repair

0.2%

operative mortality in 2024 (N = 460)
(vs. 0.6% STS predicted mortality)

Isolated Mitral Valve Replacement

1.1%

operative mortality in 2024 (N = 181)
(vs. 3.4% STS predicted mortality)

Aorta Surgery*

2.1%

operative mortality in 2024 (N = 1,379)
(no predicted rate available)

0.9%

operative mortality for elective cases in 2024 (N = 1,143)
(no predicted rate available)

_{*Aorta surgery data are from the STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database and do not include vascular surgery cases.
STS = Society of Thoracic Surgeons; CABG = coronary artery bypass grafting}

Cleveland Clinic Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Chair Marc Gillinov, MD, recently gave a high-level overview of 2024 volumes and outcomes in adult cardiac surgery at Cleveland Clinic's most recent Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Annual Report. Watch his 3.5-minute presentation in the video below.

To explore more presentations from Cleveland Clinic's Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery Annual Report -- including volume/outcome overviews in valve, aorta, coronary artery and reoperative surgeries -- click here.