Adding the Missing Link-Integration of Anesthesia and Perfusion Variables into Europe's Largest Congenital Cardiac Surgery Outcomes Database: Methods and First List of Candidate Variables by an ECHSA-EACTAIC-EBCP Collaboration.

OBJECTIVES

Numerous databases exist in the field of cardiac surgery across Europe, but none of them combine the entire captured data of all clinical specialties involved in the care process of patients, including anesthesia and perfusion. To fill this gap, the European Congenital Heart Surgeons Association (ECHSA) and the European Association for Cardiovascular Anesthesia and Intensive Care along with the European Board of Cardiovascular Perfusion propose to build a database module for Anesthesia and Perfusion data collected during congenital cardiac surgery and interventional procedures and coupling these data within the existing largest congenital cardiac surgery database in Europe-the ECHSA Congenital Cardiac Database (ECHSA-CCDB). This report will review the state of the development of this database module to date and propose an initial set of variables for collection. The report also outlines the methodology to be followed for the final selection of variables and sets a course for the start of data collection. The scope of procedures to be captured includes pediatric cardiac surgery operations with or without cardiopulmonary bypass and interventional cardiology procedures.

DESIGN

Descriptive study/methods study.

SETTING

Congenital cardiac surgery/cardiology/anesthesiology.

PARTICIPANTS

Congenital cardiac anesthesiologists, surgeons, and perfusionists.

INTERVENTIONS: None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN

RESULTS

We discuss a literature review, survey, and panel meetings for the development of an anesthesia and perfusion variables module being integrated into ECHSA-Congenital Cardiac Database by identifying the first set of variables to be available for outcome research in surgical operations and transcatheter interventional cardiology procedures across Europe.

CONCLUSIONS

This multisocietal collaboration will lead to the most comprehensive approach to patient outcome research in congenital cardiac surgery and Interventional Cardiology in Europe to date. The article describes the initial concept of the modules and the process steps used to identify candidate variables for anesthesia outcomes in the setting of congenital cardiac surgery.