Completed Perioperative and Cardiac Surgery Research

As part of its Perioperative and Surgery Research program, PHRI has completed landmark clinical trials that have advanced understanding of surgical care and informed practice worldwide. The completed studies highlighted below address key questions related to cardiac surgery, patient safety, and postoperative outcomes, and continue to influence clinical decision‑making and guidelines in perioperative care.

LAAOS III

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Study III

The LAAOS III trial was a landmark international randomized clinical study assessing whether surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage during cardiac surgery reduces the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. More than 4,800 patients from 27 countries participated while already undergoing indicated cardiac surgery.

The trials showed that left atrial appendage occlusion performed during surgery reduced the risk of stroke by approximately one‑third, without increasing perioperative complications, establishing the procedure as an effective stroke‑prevention strategy in this population.

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SIRS

Steroids In Cardiac Surgery

The SIRS trial was a large international randomized clinical study evaluating whether perioperative corticosteroids reduce major complications in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. The trial examined outcomes related to postoperative inflammation and organ injury, including acute kidney injury.

The SIRS trial demonstrated that routine use of perioperative steroids did not reduce major clinical complications or improve key postoperative outcomes, providing strong evidence against their routine use in cardiac surgery.

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LAAOS III

Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Study III

SIRS

Steroids In Cardiac Surgery

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