Hybrid-procedures for the treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms and dissections.

AIM: The conventional open repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysms and dissections remains complex and demanding and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We present our experience of hybrid open and endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aneurysms and dissections. METHODS: Within an experience of 226 aortic stent-grafts between 1998 and April 2006, 6 of the patients (median age 60 years, range 35 to 68 years) with thoracoabdominal aneurysms (Crawford type I, II, III, and V) were treated with a combined endovascular and open surgical approach. Five men and one woman, with median aneurysm diameter of 75 mm (range 70-100 mm), received revascularization of the renal arteries, the superior mesenteric artery, and the coeliac trunk accomplished via transperitoneal bypass grafting. Aneurysmal exclusion was then performed by stent-graft deployment. RESULTS: The entire procedure was technically successful in all patients. The patients were discharged a median of 9 days after the operation, while the postoperative studies revealed the patency of the vessels and no evidence of type I endoleak or secondary rupture of the aneurysm. During follow up (1 to 22 months) spiral-CT scanning revealed distinct shrinkage of the aneurysm, no graft migration or endoleak and patency of all revascularised vessels, except one renal artery in two patients. No patient experienced any temporary or permanent neurological deficit, and no dialysis was necessary. CONCLUSION: The combined endovascular and open surgical approach is feasible, without cross clamping of the aorta and with minimized ischemia time for renal and visceral arteries, and seems to be an appropriate strategy for patients with a thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm or dissection.     

Debatable questions in the surgical treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms

Some controversies in the surgical approach to thoracic aortic aneurysms are discussed. The author recommends: to perform echocardiography in patients with aortic aneurysms for detection of intracardiac pathology which may complicate the postoperative course; to combine thoracic aortography with selective coronary angiography in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm for diagnosis of coronary artery disease; to operate asymptomatic fusiform aneurysm that measure twice or more the size of the normal aorta; to resect and replace dissections of the ascending aorta during cardio-pulmonary bypass; and to use active shunts during resection of the descending and thoraco-abdominal aneurysm.     

Aneurysm of the coeliac artery

A case of coeliac artery aneurysm associated with multiple splanchnic artery aneurysms is reported. This abnormality involved the gastroepiploic and hepatic arteries. The coeliac artery was ligated at laparotomy and the liver revascularized by direct anastomosis of the common hepatic artery to the aorta. Arteriography on the fifth postoperative day showed a satisfactory result. The surgical problems associated with aneurysms of the coeliac artery are reviewed. Copyright © 1996 The International Society for Cardiovascular Surgery.     

When is safe to cover the left subclavian and celiac arteries. Part II: celiac artery

Endovascular repair of thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms became apparent as an alternative to open repair. When the distal landing zone proximal to celiac artery is inadequate, a traditional open surgical approach with thoracoabdominal aortic replacement concomitant with visceral and renal bypasses is necessary. Alternatively, either an abdominal hybrid procedure with debranching of the visceral vessels with subsequent thoracic stent graft placement or complete endovascular aneurysm exclusion with branched stent grafts is required. Extending the distal landing zone might be possible by covering the celiac artery origin. In this article, the authors review the anatomy of the celiac artery (SA) and the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and consequences of CA coverage as scenery for a discussion of the ramifications of CA coverage during endovascular thoracic aortic repair (TEVAR). Summarizing the currently available literature, we will demonstrate the feasibility of covering the celiac artery based on a diagnostic algorism.     

Double renal chimney graft using only femoral approach

Endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is a minimally invasive treatment that can be offered to most patients with an aortic aneurysm. Patients who are rejected from standard EVAR often have more extensive aortic pathology and more medical comorbidities. The advent of fenestrated and branched stent grafts gives us an opportunity to treat the most demanding aortic aneurysms endovascularly. Fenestrated stent-grafts, however, are costly and time-consuming to manufacture, which limits their applicability, especially in the emergency setting. The chimney graft is a stent placed parallel to the aortic stent-graft to preserve flow to a vital aortic branch that was overstented to obtain an adequate seal. The technique can be used as a planned operation but also as a rescue procedure to salvage a side branch unintentionally covered during EVAR. As visceral branches of the aorta are usually directed caudally these vessels are, therefore, preferably catheterized from a brachial approach. We describe a case of a successful positioning of the chimney graft using only the femoral approach. The only femoral approach to position a renal chimney graft isn't recommended for the routine procedure but it is proved to be useful in selected case and when other treatment options are excluded.     

Endovascular repair for a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm with a stent-graft covering the celiac artery: Report of two cases

An adequate landing zone for fixation and sealing is necessary for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). This report presents two cases of a successful EVAR for thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAA) with a stent-graft covering the celiac artery (CA) to secure a distal landing zone. Case 1 was a 61-year-old man with a chronic traumatic descending TAA 12 mm away from the CA. Case 2 was a 79-year-old man with a descending TAA proximal to the CA. Preoperative angiography and computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a normal visceral blood flow including the peripancreatic arteries. Endovascular aneurysm repair with coverage of the CA was performed in both cases. Angiography after the EVAR demonstrated good blood flow to the CA branches via the peripancreatic arteries and a CT scan showed thrombosed aneurysms. Both patients were discharged without any abdominal symptoms. Endovascular aneurysm repair with a stent-graft covering the CA may therefore be an acceptable endovascular approach in treating selected TAA patients with a limited distal landing zone.     

Hybrid one-stage approach to extensive atherosclerotic aneurysm of thoracoabdominal aorta

We report a 62-year-old man with an atherosclerotic Crawford type II aneurysm involving both common iliac arteries who underwent surgical revascularization of the visceral vessels and renal arteries from the ascending aorta and subsequent endovascular aneurysmal exclusion. Computed tomography imaging at 2 years showed complete exclusion of the aneurysm throughout the thoracoabdominal aorta, confirming the successful antegrade revascularization of visceral vessels and renal arteries. A hybrid approach to thoracoabdominal aneurysms using antegrade visceral and renal revascularization from the ascending aorta before endovascular repair is technically feasible and might constitute an attractive alternative to conventional surgical treatment.     

腹主动脉腔内修复术后II型内漏的栓塞治疗：附3例报告

目的:探讨腹主动脉腔内修复术(EVAR)后Ⅱ型内漏的治疗方法。方法:回顾性分析2011—2016年中南大学湘雅医院血管外科治疗的3例EVAR术后比较严重的Ⅱ型内漏患者的临床资料,1例胸腹主动脉瘤行杂交手术(开放手术重建内脏血管+EVAR)后瘤体继续增大,检查发现为腹腔干动脉反流性内漏;另外2例均为腹主动脉瘤行EVAR术后肠系膜下动脉反流性内漏。结果:腹腔干动脉反流性内漏患者用Interlock可解脱弹簧圈系统栓塞,另外2例采用普通弹簧圈栓塞。3例栓塞均获得成功,内漏消失。结论:EVAR术后Ⅱ型内漏采用不同的入路栓塞是行之有效的方法。     

Recent advances in thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair remains a formidable challenge to vascular surgeons. The traditional repair of thoraco-laparotomy with aortic cross-clamping is associated with a high morbidity and mortality despite significant advances in perioperative critical care, anaesthetic and surgical techniques.The advent of the endovascular revolution has shown a marked paradigm in the approach to all aneurysm repairs. As a logical progression from the open repair, the St Mary's visceral hybrid repair combines traditional open techniques (retrograde visceral and renal revascularisation via mid-line laparotomy) with endovascular stent grafting, thereby avoiding the need for thoracotomy and aortic cross-clamping. In specialist centres, the results have been encouraging and easily comparable to the open repair. The technique has been used in several centres around the world and represents a robust, transferrable method of repairing thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms.Stent-grafting technologies have reached a point of sophistication that wholly endovascular methods of repairing thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms are being performed in several centres around the world. Although these stent grafts have to be customised to the individual patient and are only suitable for certain types of aneurysmal anatomies, they represent the future of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.We review the history of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, the exciting advances in their treatment and discuss our approach to the management of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms in the 21st century.     

Juxtarenal infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Special diagnostic and therapeutic considerations.

Juxtarenal infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms are defined as those aneurysms that involve the infrarenal abdominal aorta adjacent to or including the lower margin of renal artery origins. The misinterpretation of findings at exploratory operation or special studies may suggest renal artery involvement and result in abandonment of operation and/or referral to distant centers, thus delaying treatment. This report is concerned with 101 patients with a median age of 68 who had such aneurysms, all referred with a diagnosis of renal or visceral arterial involvement either after exploratory operation (32), because of aneurysmal size (12), or due to misinterpretation of special studies (57). Computed tomographic (CT) scans, ultrasounds, and aortograms in the anterio-posterior projection frequently suggested renal artery involvement due to the fact that the upper end of aneurysm frequently lay over the renal artery origins due to infrarenal aortic elongation and buckling of the aorta at the renal artery level. The true nature of the lesion was best demonstrated by aortography performed in the lateral position. The operation producing the best results was one performed through a midline abdominal incision. The aorta is cross-clamped at the diaphragm and the proximal anastomosis is performed from inside the aneurysm at the renal artery level. The graft then is clamped and the other clamp removed to restore flow in the visceral vessels while the distal anastomosis is completed. Early survival occurred in 93% of patients employing the operation, despite the fact that other conditions frequently were present: renal insufficiency in 19, rupture in seven, renal artery occlusive disease in 20, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in 34, and hypertension in 77.     

Prevention of paraplegia secondary to operations on the aorta

Prevention of paraplegia during operations on the aorta requires knowledge of the blood supply to the spinal cord. The great radicular artery of Adamkiewicz (RAD) plays a major role in the supply to the anterior spinal artery which nourishes the anterior two-thirds of the cord. The RAD usually arises from an intercostal artery between T9-T12 but may arise higher or in 10% of patients from a lumbar artery. Temporary interruption of flow by crossclamping, hypotension, or permanent interruption of the RAD are factors in the etiology of paraplegia. In resection of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms, the thoracic aorta should not be crossclamped without an external bypass. The bypass should be nonthrombogenic to avoid necessity for anticoagulation and attendant hemorrhagic problems. Bypass flow is ideally controlled by a pump with continuous monitoring of the proximal and distal pressures to provide normal distal flow to the cord. As many intercostal and high lumbar arteries as possible should be preserved by retaining the distal posterior wall of the aneurysm. Preoperative selective catheterization of the distal thoracic intercostal or proximal lumbar vessels can delineate critical supply to the cord and should become part of the routine workup of patients being considered for surgery of the distal thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aorta. Knowledge of the location of the RAD may permit its avoidance or reinsertion into a graft. Avoidance of the RAD may be particularly applicable with infrarenal aneurysms when a large lumbar artery is seen just above or below a renal artery. Here, avoidance of all but brief suprarenal clamping and resection of the aneurysm below the feeding RAD may help to avoid paraplegia.     

Treatment of a celiac artery aneurysm with endovascular stent grafting--a case report

As a result of more sophisticated and more commonly performed investigative procedures, aneurysms of the visceral abdominal vasculature, including celiac artery aneurysms, are increasingly recognized. Traditional therapy for visceral artery aneurysms has been limited to open aneurysmectomy or aneurysmorrhaphy to prevent catastrophic aneurysmal rupture. However, these procedures are associated with significant postoperative morbidity and mortality despite technical successes. High complication rates are likely related to poor preoperative conditions among the patient population typically presenting with these visceral artery aneurysms. This report introduces an alternative therapy for visceral artery aneurysms and highlights the potential for catheter-based interventions. This case report depicts a 61-year-old morbidly obese woman diagnosed with a 10-centimeter celiac artery aneurysm during investigation of upper abdominal pain. Given the patient's poor medical condition, punctuated by hemodynamic instability, open operation was avoided, and percutaneous embolization was not feasible owing to a large aneurysm neck. Therefore, inflow to the celiac artery aneurysm was excluded by placing a modular stent graft component within the abdominal aorta at the celiac artery orifice. During the intervening 12 months since stent graft deployment, the aneurysm sac diameter has steadily decreased, as determined by serial computed tomography scans. This report underscores the potential for catheter-based techniques to offer new therapeutic options for patients with visceral artery aneurysms. Careful individualization is required given the highly variable size, location, and character of such lesions.     

Repair of type IV thoracoabdominal aneurysm with a combined endovascular and surgical approach.

We report an unusual case of type IV Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm (TAA) with Superior Mesenteric Artery (SMA), celiac artery, and bilateral renal artery aneurysms in a patient who underwent an earlier repair of two infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA) ruptures. Because of the presence of the visceral artery aneurysms and the earlier operation through the retroperitoneum, standard surgical treatment via a retroperitoneal approach with an inclusion grafting technique was considered difficult. A combined surgical approach achieving retrograde perfusion of all four visceral vessels and endovascular grafting allowing exclusion of the TAA was accomplished. Complete exclusion of the aneurysm and normal perfusion of the patient's viscera was documented by means of follow-up examinations at 3 and 6 months. The repair of a type IV TAA with a Combined Endovascular and Surgical Approach (CESA) allowed us to manage both the aortic and visceral aneurysms without thoracotomy or re-do retroperitoneal exposure and minimized visceral ischemia time. If the durability of this approach is confirmed, it may represent an attractive alternative in patients with aneurysmal involvement of the visceral segment of the aorta.     

Experimental development of an endovascular graft for thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

AIM: Current treatment of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms is surgical. Despite significant advances in surgical technique and anesthetic management, significant morbidity and mortality remain associated with their repair. In compliance with principles of reducing postoperative morbidity, we developed a thoraco-abdominal endovascular graft in experimental models of type III and type IV thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm. This device had to preserve the vascularization of the visceral arteries while ensuring full aneurysmal exclusion. METHODS: Six implantations of the endovascular graft were performed. This graft was a modular system, made of: 1) a custom made main body containing 4 prosthetic visceral branches, 2) 4 self-expandable stent-grafts connecting prosthetic visceral branches with visceral arteries, 3) a custom made tubular endovascular graft connecting the main body with one of the iliac arteries. RESULTS: On angiographic controls, full aneurysmal exclusion was achieved while maintaining visceral artery perfusion. At the end of each procedure, the experimental model was opened. Macroscopic examination showed harmonious thoraco-abdominal endovascular graft deployments, without abnormal component constraint or kinking. There was no discordance between macroscopic and angiographic RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: Our experimental work led to the development of a thoraco-abdominal endovascular graft, demonstrating feasibility of thoraco-abdominal aneurysm endoluminal treatment on an in vitro model close to the anatomical conditions observed in human pathology.     

A case of ruptured aneurysm of the thoraco-abdominal aorta associated with Beh?et's disease

A 41-year-old male with incomplete type of Beh?et's disease was operated on because of ruptured aneurysm of the thoraco-abdominal aorta. A saccular pseudoaneurysm developed by rupture of the aortic wall involved the left postero-lateral portion of the supra-renal abdominal aorta. The defect in the aneurysm was closed using Dacron patch. The post-operative course was uneventful. However, seven months after discharge, the patient developed severe back pain at midnight, and was referred to our institution. On physical examination, a pulsatile mass was found in the right epigastric area. CT and DSA showed saccular pseudoaneurysm at the patch anastomotic site. Extra-anatomic long bypass grafting was performed from the ascending aorta to the infra-renal abdominal aorta. The abdominal aorta was occluded just below the diaphragm and the supra-renal portion of the aorta. Reconstruction of coeliac artery and superior mesenteric artery was made using branch grafts attached to the long graft. Surgical treatment of the complicated Beh?et's disease should include extra-anatomic bypass, especially in the re-operative cases of ruptured aneurysm of the aorta.     

Successful resection of superior mesenteric artery aneurysm. A case report and review of the literature

Superior mesenteric artery aneurysms are rare, comprising only 8% of all visceral artery aneurysms. Aneurysms at the site are very susceptible to rupture, irrespective of size and may be difficult to manage even in the case of elective surgery. In the absence of serious complicating factors, the treatment of choice is excision of the aneurysm and reconstruction of the artery, if necessary, to maintain patency. We report the successful resection of an aneurysm and the subsequent reconstruction of the superior mesenteric artery which was directly anastomosed to the aorta after resection of an aneurysm.     

Leaking thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm in Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome is a congenital disorder of the connective tissue involving the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems. Cardiovascular complications account mainly for the reduced life expectancy of patients with Marfan syndrome. Thoracic aortic aneurysms usually occur as a result of proximal aortic dissection but aneurysms of the descending aorta are infrequent. We report on a patient with rupture of an extensive thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm (Crawford type III) with a concomitant chronic thoracic aortic dissection (Stanford type A), treated successfully with aneurysmectomy and visceral artery reconstruction. Subsequent surgical intervention for the concomitant chronic thoracic aortic dissection was also performed. The importance of life-long surveillance of the cardiovascular system is highlighted.      

Thoracic aneurysm expansion secondary to collateral supplies via thyrocervical trunk and intercostal arteries in a patient after thromboexclusion.

A case of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm complicated after permanent clamping of the descending aorta (thromboexclusion) is reported. Angiographic and operative findings were: (1) a pseudo-aneurysm right at the distal anastomosis of previous intrathoracic bypass for pseudo-coarctation of the aorta filled by left ninth intercostal artery, which was supplied by the left internal thoracic artery; and (2) the cervical and thoracic spinal cord were supplied by the left vertebral artery and the mediastinal branch of the left thyrocervical trunk. This rare cause of a thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm and the significance of the subclavian artery as a source of spinal cord blood supply are discussed.     

Transluminal thrombin injection and exclusion of a paramesenteric abdominal aortic aneurysm

Surgical repair of aortic aneurysms involving the visceral arteries carries high morbidity and mortality in poor surgical candidates. With current technology, visceral artery involvement generally precludes endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms. We report on a patient with a large abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm involving the origin of the superior mesenteric artery. This aneurysm was successfully repaired by transluminal thrombin injection of the sac and exclusion with balloon expandable covered stents placed in the aorta.