Rupture of a dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm into the pulmonary artery: successful surgical repair

A rare complication of dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysms is rupture into a cardiac chamber or great vessel with fistula formation. A case of congestive heart failure caused by a chronic DeBakey type I dissecting aortic aneurysm that ruptured into the pulmonary artery is reported. Surgical repair involved closure of the fistula followed by graft replacement of the ascending aorta and transverse aortic arch. A review of the literature revealed no previous reports describing successful repair of this lesion. A clinical picture consistent with concomitant aortic dissection and biventricular heart failure, especially when a continuous cardiac murmur is present, suggests the diagnosis of an aortopulmonary arterial fistula caused by a ruptured dissecting thoracic aortic aneurysm. Various imaging studies confirm the diagnosis.     

主动脉手术并同期冠状动脉旁路移植术的临床总结

目的总结行主动脉手术同期行冠状动脉旁路移植术的临床经验。方法回顾分析1997年11月至2004年8月,36例同期行主动脉手术和冠状动脉旁路移植术患者的临床资料。36例中,主动脉夹层19例,主动脉瘤17例。年龄(57±12)岁。其中急性A型主动脉夹层10例,术中探查见冠状动脉开口受累7例,冠状动脉为索条状2例,1例在外院行冠状动脉造影检查发现;慢性A型主动脉夹层7例,术中发现冠状动脉开口受累2例,冠状动脉呈索条状3例,术前造影检查发现冠状动脉病变2例;B型主动脉夹层2例;真性主动脉瘤均为术前冠状动脉造影检查发现冠状动脉病变。移植血管共57支,其中动脉6支,静脉51支。结果平均体外循环时间(157±54)m in,心肌阻断时间(98±31)m in。围手术期死亡5例(均为A型主动脉夹层),分别为低心排血量综合征、心源性休克并发多脏器功能衰竭3例,脑疝1例,内脏缺血坏死1例。术后发生并发症2例,发生率为6%,分别为二次开胸止血和呼吸功能衰竭气管切开。结论主动脉夹层累及冠状动脉和冠状动脉本身的病变严重影响预后。对年龄>50岁的主动脉瘤患者,于术前常规行冠状动脉造影检查,行单纯主动脉瘤手术并同期行冠状动脉旁路移植手术安全、可靠。     

Successful repair for a giant coronary artery aneurysm with coronary arteriovenous fistula complicated by both right- and left-sided infective endocarditis

We report a rare case of a 65-year-old woman who underwent an emergent lifesaving heart operation for an undiagnosed right coronary artery aneurysm with a coronary arteriovenous fistula complicated by active infective endocarditis, which affected the aortic valve, mitral valve, and coronary sinus. We performed direct closure of the coronary arteriovenous fistula, ligation of the right coronary artery aneurysm, double coronary artery bypass grafting, and double valvular replacement. Five years after the operation, she had no sign of congestive heart failure or infection, and was not receiving antibiotics.     

Aorto-Right Atrium Fistula Caused by Detachment After Bentall's Operation: Report of a Case

A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital for treatment of right heart failure 16 years after undergoing Bentall's operation with a Cabrol shunt procedure. Various investigations showed detachment of the coronary artery and graft. We surmised that the heart failure was caused by a massive left to right shunt between a pseudoaneurysm of the wrapping aortic wall and the right atrium. Intraoperatively, we found a small fistula between the wrapping aortic wall and the right atrium, with complete closure of Cabrol shunt. We performed regrafting of the ascending aorta and reconstruction of the coronary ostium under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course. Detachment of the coronary ostium is a common long-term complication of Bentall's operation, but a Cabrol shunt between the wrapping aortic wall and the right atrium rarely causes congestive heart failure. A fistula between a pseudoaneurysm and the right atrium is even more unusual.     

Left ventricular–right atrial communication by perforation of the atrioventricular portion of the membranous septum and severe aortic valve regurgitation caused by infective endocarditis

We report the case of acquired left ventricle (LV) to right atrial (RA) communication through an aneurysm of the atrioventricular septum caused by infectious endocarditis. A severe aortic valve regurgitation and destruction of the aortic valve was detected by echocardiography. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed a flail aortic valve with vegetation and abnormal shunt flow from the LV to RA with ruptured aneurysm of the membranous septum. An abscess cavity of the aortic ring was introduced. Because of worsening congestive heart failure, the patient underwent emergency aortic valve replacement and patch closure of the communication of the membranous septum. The patient’s postoperative course was uneventful.     

Surgical treatment for a patient with respiratory failure due to annulo-aortic ectasia and aortic arch aneurysm

It is not always easy to determine the causes of preoperative respiratory failure when either cardiac failure due to annuloaortic ectasia (AAE) or compression of the bronchus by aortic arch aneurysm are involved. A 64-year-old man was admitted to the emergency room of our hospital because of dyspnea and disturbance of consciousness. The findings of chest X-ray, UCG and CT scan on admission revealed AAE and aortic arch aneurysm, so we performed an emergency operation using Bentall's procedure. In spite of improvement of the cardiac failure after operation, hypercapnemia still remained, which was considered to be due to compression of the bronchus by the aortic arch aneurysm. Therefore, at the second stage, resection and replacement of the aortic arch aneurysm was performed with the aid of selective cerebral perfusion. After this operation, he could be weaned from the respirator.     

腔内隔绝术联合开窗技术治疗累及主动脉弓部的Stanford B型夹层动脉瘤的临床研究

目的 总结腔内隔绝术联合开窗技术治疗累及主动脉弓部的Stanford B型夹层动脉瘤的可行性和手术效果.方法 采用腔内隔绝术联合开窗技术治疗10例累及主动脉弓部的Stanford B型夹层动脉瘤.腔内隔绝术联合开窗技术封堵夹层破口,保留主动脉弓全部分支8例,保留头臂干及颈总动脉2例.手术均在局部麻醉下完成,覆膜支架开窗在术中进行.结果 患者术中造影无内漏,术后无死亡,2例左锁骨下动脉封堵的患者未出现神经系统并发症.随访中,开窗支架通畅,无移位,保留的主动脉弓分支动脉通畅,降主动脉真腔扩大,假腔血栓化并缩小.结论 对于累及主动脉弓部的Stanford B型夹层动脉瘤,腔内隔绝术联合开窗技术治疗是安全有效的治疗方法.     

Minimized mortality and neurological complications in surgery for chronic arch aneurysm: axillary artery cannulation, selective cerebral perfusion, and replacement of the ascending and total arch aorta

OBJECTIVE: Cerebral complication is still a major concern in surgery for arteriosclerotic aortic arch disease. For preventing this complication, axillary artery cannulation, selective cerebral perfusion, and replacement of the ascending and arch aorta were applied to thoracic aortic aneurysm involving aortic arch. METHOD: From May 1999 to July 2002, consecutive 39 patients with true aneurysm (29 patients) or chronic aortic dissection (10 patients) involving aortic arch underwent replacement of the ascending and arch aorta with an elephant trunk under hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass through the axillary artery cannulation and selective cerebral perfusion. The brain was continuously perfused without any intermission through the axillary artery. Concomitant operation included coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in two patients, aortic valve replacement (AVR) in one, Bentall operation in two, mitral valve replacement (MVR) in one, and aortic valve sparing operation in one. Patient age at operation was 40-84 (72 + 9) years and 24 of them were older than 70 years of age. RESULTS: There was one operative death (2.5%) due to bleeding from the left lung, and one hospital death due to respiratory failure. Postoperative permanent neurological dysfunction was found in one patient (2.5%). Two patients presented temporary neurological dysfunction (5%). Thirty-six of the 39 patients were discharged from hospital on foot. CONCLUSION: Continuous perfusion through the axillary artery with selective cerebral perfusion and replacement of the ascending and arch aorta may minimize cerebral complication leading to satisfactory results in patients with chronic aortic aneurysm involving aortic arch.     

Arch aneurysm after coronary artery bypass grafting, report of a case

A 63-year-old woman had undergone graft replacement for abdominal aortic aneurysm in 1992, and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) using saphenous vein grafts in 1995. At that time arch aneurysm (4.7 cm) was pointed out. Chest computed tomography (CT) showed dilated arch aneurysm (7 cm) in 2000. We performed an operation for arch aneurysm. As the bypass graft to obtuse marginal branch was close to aneurysm, aortic closs clamp was impossible. So we injected potassium chloride to aortic root and cardiac arrest was obtained. Total arch replacement for arch aneurysm was performed and postoperative course was uneventful.     

Application of clinically valid cardiac risk factors to aortic aneurysm surgery

The operative outcome of 97 consecutive nonruptured infrarenal aortic aneurysms is analyzed regarding clinically identifiable cardiac risk factors. Clinically evident coronary artery disease was present in 45 patients (46%). Operative mortality was 4% (four cardiac deaths) with an additional 4% nonfatal postoperative myocardial infarction rate. All cardiac complications occurred in patients with clinically evident coronary artery disease, while no mortality occurred in 52 patients lacking a preoperative history of myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, or angina. Preoperative risk factors having a significant negative influence on outcome include a history of prior myocardial infarction and compensated congestive heart failure. Few patients with aneurysms who have clinical evidence of coronary artery disease are indicated for coronary arteriography and bypass prior to aneurysm repair. Furthermore, indications for invasive cardiac screening of the patient with an aneurysm who lacks cardiac symptoms are limited.     

Mid-term outcome of aortic arch operation for true aneurysms; using an axillary artery perfusion

To prevent cerebral infarction during perioperative period, we have used an axillary artery for systemic perfusion and selective cerebral perfusion for aortic arch operation. Since 1996, 34 aortic arch operations were performed in our institution. Simultaneous 5 CABGs, 4 AVRs, 2 aortic root replacements and 1 MVR were performed. There were 2 hospital deaths (5.9%, sepsis and acute heart failure) and only 1 (2.9%) cerebral infarction. There were no deaths in patients over 75 years of age and in patients with extensive aneurysm which were replaced by 2-staged operation. Overall 3 years survival was 94.1% with no further death. We conclude that aortic arch operation through an axillary artery perfusion and with hypothermic selective cerebral perfusion can be performed with very low mortality and morbidity.     

Surgical resection of the giant right coronary artery aneurysm

A 74‐year‐old man had undergone two‐vessel coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 19 years ago, with the left internal mammary artery (LITA) to the left anterior descending artery and the saphenous vein graft (SVG) to the posterior descending artery. In outpatient care, a thoracic aortic aneurysm was suspected by the chest X‐ray. In the computed tomography, appeared the distal arch aortic aneurysm, abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and giant right coronary artery aneurysm (rCAA). The diameter of rCAA was 70 mm and it oppressed the right atrium and ventricle of the heart. The patient was referred to our hospital. After the initial treatment of distal arch aneurysm and AAA, surgical treatment for the rCAA was performed. The rCAA was resected completely and CABG with new SVG was performed without cardiopulmonary bypass. The histopathology of rCAA wall revealed that the etiology was an atherosclerotic change. The postoperative course was good, the oppressed right heart system was released and the hemodynamics of the tricuspid valve showed improvement.     

Aneurysm of right-sided cervical arch: surgical removal and graft replacement.

Right-sided cervial aortic arch is a rare congenital anomaly which may cause respiratory symptoms or dysphagia. In the past, surgical correction of the cervical arch has not been attempted except in one patient in whom an erroeous diagnosis of aneurysm of the innominate artery led to an unsuccessful operation. A case is reported of a 39-year-old woman with an extensive fusiform aneurysm of a right-sided cervical arch. The arch aneurysm was successfully removed surgically and normal circulation was restored to the arch vessels. At the same operation, a ventricular septal defect was repaired with the aid of temporary cardiopulmonary bypass.     

Stent grafting technique using Matsui-Kitamura (MK) stent for patients with aortic arch aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: Although several methods of stent-grafting for patients with aortic arch aneurysm have been reported, these methods have been associated with several complications such as endoleak and migration. We developed a new method using Matsui-Kitamura (MK) stent-graft following extra-anatomic arch vessels bypass by selective cerebral perfusion (SCP) under left heart bypass (LHB). METHODS: Between December 2001 and December 2003, 12 patients with aortic arch aneurysm were treated according to this new method. All patients were male with an average age of 71.3+/-6.4 years. There were 5 patients with severe pulmonary dysfunction, 4 with renal dysfunction, one with severe cardiac dysfunction and 3 with preoperative cerebral infarction. Under SCP using LHB, the extra-anatomic arch vessel bypass was established. The MK stent-graft was delivered into the aortic arch. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was concomitantly performed in one patient. RESULTS: There were no cases of endoleak, migration or hospital death. One patient, who had a past history of cerebrovascular disease, suffered a minor stroke, and one patient, who was performed CABG to the mid-left anterior descending branch (LAD) using the left internal thoracic artery (LITA), presented paraparesis. Although two patients of chronic renal failure underwent scheduled CHDF on account of using the contrast medium during the procedure, all of them were weaned from hemodialysis. However, there were no other postoperative complications such as, respiratory failure or cardiac dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular stent grafting EVSG using the MK stent with extra-anatomic arch vessel bypass under SCP using LHB could be a useful and less invasive method for patients with aortic arch aneurysm who are at a high surgical risk.     

A case report of surgical treatment of acute aortic dissection (DeBakey III B) in association with thoracic aortic aneurysm]

This is a case report of 63-year-old man suffering from DeBakey III B acute dissection in association with thoracic aortic aneurysm. He had been following up for hypertension and thoracic aortic aneurysm. He was brought to the hospital by city ambulance complaining of sudden onset of severe back pain. Emergency operation was carried out. It revealed aneurysm of 90 mm in diameter located just distal to the aortic arch and an intimal tear or entry of the dissection located distal to the left subclavian artery. A low porosity Dacron graft was interposed between the distal aortic arch and middle portion of the thoracic descending aorta using inclusion technique. Systemic circulation was bypassing external iliac vein to artery using pump-oxygenator during aortic clamping. His postoperative course was uneventful. In review of the literature, association of the atherosclerotic aneurysm and acute dissection occurred approximately 5% in the cases of aortic dissection with increasing risk of aneurysmal rupture.     

Emergency operation in impending rupture of aortic arch dissecting aneurysm--a case report of dissecting aortic aneurysm with adhesion to the lung after lobectomy

Successful surgical treatment of impending rupture of a aortic arch dissecting aneurysm in a 59-year-old man was reported. The aneurysm was tightly adhered to the lung, because he had a previous history of lobectomy. In this case, the permanent aortic bypass with permanent aortic clamp as a means of exclusion procedure of the aortic aneurysm was effective. The postoperative course was uneventful. In the emergency operation for aortic arch aneurysm, operative procedure should be selected by operative findings and risk.     

Saccular aneurysm in the right-sided aortic arch: A successfully corrected case

We report the surgical treatment of a rare case of true aortic aneurysm in a right-sided aortic arch. A 49-year-old female patient with obstructive respiratory problems demonstrated a true aneurysm with a diameter of 58 mm located at the right-sided aortic arch between the right carotid artery and right subclavian artery. Surgery was successfully performed by replacing the arch including the aneurysm with a prosthetic graft. The positions of true aneurysms in the right-sided aortic arch can be divided into two subtypes: first, the transverse arch between the right carotid artery and right subclavian artery, and second, the base of the subclavian artery, the Kommerell's diverticlum. The region is informative for consideration of the surgical approach toward aneurysms of this entity. (J Vasc Surg 1997;25:941-4.)     

Surgical treatment for aortic aneurysms associated with coronary artery disease-selection of bypass conduit

Graft replacement for arch aneurysms and concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were performed in four consecutive patients over a three-year period between March 1995 and October 1998. The etiology of the aneurysms was atherosclerosis in all the patients. One early death as a result of a cerebellar infarction occurred on the 74th postoperative day. In all cases, respiratory failure frequently occurred after surgery. In a recent case, the internal mammary artery was used as a graft conduit to the left anterior descending artery (LAD). Both artery and vein grafts were anastomosed to coronary arteries during the initial core cooling. Selective cerebral perfusion was carried out during the reconstruction of the transverse aortic arch and its branches. The left subclavian artery was anastomosed first to secure perfusion to the LAD. To achieve sufficient myocardial protection and obtain good postoperative hemodynamics, CABG was simultaneously performed at the time of aortic aneurysm repair in cases complicated with coronary artery disease.     

Surgical case of aortic root and thoracic aortic aneurysm after the Wheat procedure.

A 52 year-old man underwent aortic valve replacement and ascending aortic replacement (Wheat procedure) for acute dissection (Stanford type A) and aortic regurgitation (grade 3/4). At that time, the aortic root was slightly dilated at about 45 mm and the descending aorta was within a normal range at about 35 mm. Forty months after the initial operation, a follow-up chest enhanced computed tomography showed an aortic root aneurysm about 60 mm in diameter, a thoracic aortic aneurysm about 70 mm in diameter and chronic aortic dissection. First we performed the Bentall procedure, innominate artery and left common carotid artery replacement by 12 mm, and 10 mm Hemashield grafts during selective cerebral perfusion. After 10 weeks, we carried out aortic arch, descending aorta and left subclavian artery replacement. The postoperative course was uneventful and postoperative examination demonstrated a good surgical result. Histological findings of the aortic aneurysm wall showed cystic medial necrosis, but Marfan's syndrome was excluded clinically. We could diagnose aortic root aneurysm by regular follow-up chest enhanced computed tomography (CT) and echocardiography. Therefore, cases with slight dilation of the aortic root in the Wheat procedure should undergo regular follow-up evaluation by chest enhanced CT and echocardiography.     

Simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery

It is common to encounter patients with coexisting aortic arch aneurysm and abdominal aortic lesions. We conducted simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery in 3 patients having such lesions. Mean operative time was 511 minutes and no in-hospital mortality occurred. Postoperative respiratory failure was observed in an 80-year-old patient who recovered and all three patients were discharged in good condition. No other postoperative complication was seen. Simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery may thus offer advantages to patients with such double aortic lesions if it can be conducted safely.