title: Hospital cost savings and other advantages of sutureless vs stented aortic valves for intermediate-risk elderly patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes and hospital costs of using sutureless aortic valves vs conventional stented aortic valves.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 2007 and 2011, 52 elderly patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis in our center had a sutureless valve inserted. From among 180 patients who had a stented valve inserted during the same period, 52 patients were matched to the sutureless group, based on age, gender, and operation type. We compared clinical outcomes and hospital costs between the two groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sutureless group had a higher Euroscore (logistic Euroscore I) risk (12.8 vs 9.7; p = 0.02), with significantly shorter aortic cross-clamp (ACC) time (p < 0.01), cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (p < 0.01), intensive care unit stay (p < 0.01), intubation time (p < 0.01), and overall hospital stay (p = 0.05). The sutureless group also revealed a significant hospital cost saving of approximately 8200€ (p = 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical and hemodynamic outcomes of using the sutureless bioprosthesis were excellent. The reduced ACC and CPB times had a favorable effect on the duration of intubation and intensive care stay, resulting not only in faster recovery and discharge home, but also in a significant hospital cost reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Tomoyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Minami
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sainte
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Herbert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: De Praetere
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rega
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Flameng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verbrugghe
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Hospitals Leuven, U.Z. Leuven, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium. bart.meuris@uzleuven.be.|Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium. bart.meuris@uzleuven.be.
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Meuris
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000601:surgery*; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D017046:Cost Savings / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D015607:Stents / Q000191:economics*; D000071062:Sutureless Surgical Procedures / Q000191:economics*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aortic stenosis; Aortic valve replacement; Hospital cost; Sutureless valve