title: Impact of Operator Experience and Volume on Outcomes After Left Main Coronary Artery Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the impact of operator experience on prognosis after left main coronary artery (LM) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
  
  
  
  LM PCI can be technically challenging and potentially risky considering the amount of supplied myocardium.
  
  
  
  Consecutive patients who underwent unprotected LM PCI at a single institution were included and compared according to whether the primary operator was an experienced, high-volume LM operator (defined as an operator who performed at least 15 LM PCIs per year for at least 3 consecutive years) or not. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards models are presented.
  
  
  
  From January 2004 to December 2011, a total of 1,948 patients underwent unprotected LM PCI by 25 operators. Of these, 7 operators (28%) were considered experienced, and 18 (72%) were considered less experienced, with an overall mean experience of 12.0 ± 11.5 LM PCIs per year. LM PCI was performed in 1,422 patients (73%) by experienced operators and in 526 patients (27%) by less experienced operators. Patients treated by experienced operators had more complex and extensive coronary artery disease. Unadjusted and adjusted risks for cardiac death were lower for patients who were treated by experienced operators, both at 30-day (unadjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 0.23; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09 to 0.60; p = 0.003; adjusted HR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.09 to 0.59; p = 0.003) and 3-year (unadjusted HR: 0.53; 95% CI: 0.32 to 0.89, p = 0.02; adjusted HR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.29 to 0.84; p = 0.009) follow-up. Discrimination improved when operator experience was added to Cox proportional hazards models containing the SYNTAX (Synergy Between PCI With Taxus and Cardiac Surgery) score (integrated discriminatory index = 0.004, p = 0.03) or SYNTAX score II (integrated discriminatory index = 0.007, p = 0.02). No significant interaction was detected between operator experience and distal bifurcation LM lesion, 2-stent bifurcation stenting, and intravascular ultrasound use (p > 0.10 for all).
  
  
  
  Patients who underwent LM PCI by high-volume and experienced operators had better short- and long-term prognoses. Operator experience is an important factor in a complex intervention such as LM PCI.
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York; Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden.
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Redfors
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: yangyjfw@126.com.
authors.forename: Yuejin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Shubin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiao
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yongjian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jilin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Haibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jue
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Changdong
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.affiliation: Fu Wai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Disease, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. Electronic address: gaorunlin@citmd.com.
authors.forename: Runlin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Research Foundation, New York, New York; New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York; Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Morristown Medical Center, Morristown, New Jersey.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Généreux
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000209:etiology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D059032:Learning Curve; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology; D062645:Percutaneous Coronary Intervention / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000401:mortality; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: SYNTAX score; left main coronary artery; quality of care; stents