Observational Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2014; 20(35): 12608-12614
Published online Sep 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i35.12608
Cardiac surgery in patients with liver cirrhosis: Risk factors for predicting mortality
Cheng-Hsin Lin, Ron-Bin Hsu
Cheng-Hsin Lin, Ron-Bin Hsu, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei 100, Taiwan
Author contributions: Lin CH and Hsu RB contributed equally to the manuscript, drafting the article and revised it critically; all authors approved the final version for publication.
Correspondence to: Ron-Bin Hsu, MD, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, No.7, Chung-Shan S. Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan. ronbin@ntuh.gov.tw
Telephone: +886-2-2312-3456 Fax: +886-2-23410933
Received: October 28, 2013
Revised: December 25, 2013
Accepted: February 16, 2014
Published online: September 21, 2014
Core Tip

Core tip: Patients with liver cirrhosis are considered high-risk for cardiac surgery. Information on risk factors to predict operative results was limited. We sought to evaluate the operative results of cardiac surgery in cirrhotic patients and to find the predictors of early and late mortality. Child-Turcotte-Pugh (Child) classification and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score were used to assess the severity of liver cirrhosis. Advanced liver cirrhosis with Child B and C and high MELD score should not preclude patients from cardiac surgery. Preoperative serum bilirubin, the EuroSCORE, and coronary artery bypass grafting are major predictors of early and late mortality.