Dissecting Aneurysm of the Infrarenal Abdominal Aorta: Report of a Case

A primary abdominal aortic dissection is exceedingly rare, especially in the absence of blunt abdominal trauma. We herein report a case of aortic dissection with aneurysmal dilatation (dissecting aneurysm) of the infrarenal abdominal aorta in a 61-year-old female patient, and discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic management of this rare disorder. Received: April 16, 2001 / Accepted: November 20, 2001     

Endovascular Stent Graft Repair of Aortic Dissection Type B Extending to the Aortic Arch

Objective

To analyse our experience with endovascular stent graft repair of descending aorta dissections that require supraaortic branch vessel revascularisation.

Design

Retrospective study.

Methods

From 2001 to 2009, 22 consecutive patients with the above dissections were retrospectively analysed. Inclusion requirement: aortic landing zone proximal to the left subclavian artery of less than 15 mm. Hybrid, scalloped or fenestrated endovascular stent grafts were selected based on dissection characteristics. Annual follow-up visits (median 27.1 months) included computed tomography angiography. End points include progressive pathology, complications and survival rates.

Results

Surgery was successful in all except for one operative complication. Two patients died within 30 days after surgery, one to cerebral infarction and the other to myocardial infarction. No postoperative complications occurred in the remaining patients. Thrombosis formed in the aortic false lumen of the graft exclusion segment in all patients. The maximum diameter of this segment decreased in 18 patients and was stable in two. In 19 patients, blood flow remained in the false lumen distal to the exclusion area not covered by stent. Patency was seen at mid- and long-term follow-up, without proximal endoleak, graft displacement or deaths.

Conclusion

Endovascular stent graft methods show promise in endovascular stent graft repair of proximal descending aortic dissections involving the distal arch.     

累及主动脉弓部病变的完全腔内治疗:95例中长期随访结果

目的探讨完全腔内技术治疗累及主动脉弓部病变的中长期随访结果。方法回顾性分析2010年1月~2017年12月95例应用完全腔内技术处理累及主动脉弓部病变的临床资料,其中烟囱支架技术81例,“开窗”技术8例(原位4例,体外4例),分支支架技术6例。结果共植入胸主动脉覆膜支架主体95枚,重建主动脉弓部分支动脉124支,其中无名动脉7支,左颈总动脉36支,左锁骨下动脉81支。2例原位开窗失败中转烟囱技术重建分支。术中Ⅰ型内漏11例(11.6%),其中5例弹簧圈栓塞后消失,6例轻微内漏随访观察。技术成功率91.6%(87/95)。围术期死亡3例(3.2%),一过性截瘫1例(1.1%),脑梗死2例(2.1%),急性心肌梗死2例(2.1%),急性肺损伤1例(1.1%)。存活92例中随访83例,随访率90.2%。1例术后4个月死于脑梗死,1例术后6个月因多器官功能衰竭死亡,其余81例随访时间28~106(58.9±17.9)月,其中73例>36个月。8例因Ⅰ型内漏行二次手术栓塞,未见支架移位、狭窄、闭塞等并发症。结论通过多种完全腔内技术重建各主动脉弓部的分支血管,为累及主动脉弓部病变提供微创治疗机会,中长期随访结果满意。     

非原位主动脉瓣置换术治疗主动脉瓣环严重毁损性病变的方法与疗效

目的总结非原位主动脉瓣置换术(AVR)的方法和疗效。方法 2008年3月至2010年12月第二军医大学长海医院收治5例主动脉瓣环严重毁损患者,男4例,女1例;平均年龄46.3(38～53)岁。AVR术后并发严重瓣周漏再次手术4例(白塞氏病2例、大动脉炎2例),严重主动脉瓣感染性心内膜炎1例。术中发现主动脉瓣环严重毁损,无法施行常规AVR,改行非原位AVR,即将人工主动脉瓣环固定的位置提高到毁损的主动脉瓣环以上,固定人工瓣环的缝线从主动脉腔外进针、腔内出针。必要时行冠状动脉旁路移植术(CABG)。结果 5例手术患者均顺利康复出院,无出血再次手术或其它并发症。术后5例患者均获得随访,生存良好,心功能分级(NYHA)Ⅰ～Ⅱ级;分别于术后6个月(4例)、1年(2例)和3年(1例)行主动脉心脏三维CT成像(CTA)检查,均未见有主动脉根部瘤或假性动脉瘤形成,显示左心室流出道延长,左、右冠状动脉形态良好。心脏超声心动图检查均未发现有瓣周漏。结论对主动脉瓣环毁损严重的患者采用非原位AVR,人工瓣膜固定可靠,可以防止术后并发瓣周漏或根部假性动脉瘤。     

Final Results of the Prospective European Trial of the Endurant Stent Graft for Endovascular Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Objectives

The Endurant Stent Graft System (Medtronic Vascular, Santa Rosa, CA) is specifically designed to treat patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm, including those with difficult anatomies. This is the 1-year report of a prospective, non-randomised, open-label trial at 10 European centres.

Methods

Between November 2007 and August 2008, 80 patients were enrolled for elective endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) with the Endurant; 71 with moderate (≤60°) and nine with high (60–75°) infrarenal aortic neck angulation. Safety and stent-graft performance were assessed throughout a 1-year follow-up period.

Results

The device was successfully delivered and deployed in all cases. All-cause mortality was 5% (4/80), with one possibly device-related death. Serious adverse events were comparable between the high and moderate angulation groups. There were no device migrations, stent fractures, aortic ruptures or conversions to open repair. Maximal aneurysm diameter decreased >5 mm in 42.7% of cases. A total of 28 endoleaks were observed (26 type II, two undetermined). Three secondary endovascular procedures were performed for outflow vessel stenosis, graft limb occlusion and iliac extension, resulting in a secondary patency rate of 100%. No re-interventions were required in the high angulation group.

Conclusions

The Endurant Stent Graft was successfully delivered and deployed in all cases and performed safely and effectively in all patients, including those with unfavourable proximal neck anatomy.     

肾动脉水平以下腹主动脉瘤外科治疗的若干问题(附461例报告)

提高肾动脉水平以下腹主动脉瘤手术的安全性。方法：总结１９６０年１月～２００１年３月４６１例腹主动脉瘤切除、人造血管移植及腹主动脉瘤腔内隔绝术的经验。结果：随着腹膜后途径和小切口等技术的应用,动脉瘤近端血流控制、动脉瘤切除以及缝合修补和腔内隔绝术等方法的更新,使手术危险性明显降低,手术死亡率４．８％,５年存活率达７４．４％。结论：手术技术和麻醉监护的进步,使腹主动脉瘤的外科治疗变得更安全、迅速和方便。     

Development of a Symmetric Canine Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model With Clinical Relevance for Endovascular Graft Studies

This study was designed to develop a large-animal model to study and validate transluminally placed endovascular grafts and related techniques for treating abdominal aortic aneurysms with minimal trauma. In four dogs, a segment of infrarenal abdominal aorta was dissected and an endarterectomy was performed through an aortotomy to remove the entire intima of this controlled aortic segment. The opening was patched with chemically processed bovine pericardium, and an identical patch was applied after aortotomy of the opposite side of the aorta. Aortic diameter and flow were measured before and after the procedure. Angiograms were obtained just before retrieval. All dogs recovered quickly with no complications. Aortic diameter increased approximately 2.7-fold. Aneurysm size and shape remained stable until the end of the experiments at 4 or 8 weeks. Gross and histologic studies for 4- and 8-week specimens were similar. Factor VIII/von Willebrand factor staining showed complete reendothelialization of the endarterectomized wall, with a moderate degree of intimal hyperplasia. The patch material retained its acellular nature and its surface was covered with thrombus or fibrinous material mixed with blood cells and inflammatory cells. Thus, this model is feasible and suitable for endovascular graft healing studies.     

覆膜血管支架治疗DebakeyⅢ型主动脉夹层

目的探讨覆膜血管支架治疗DebakeyⅢ型主动脉夹层的疗效。方法2001年6月～2006年7月,经CT增强扫描确诊DebakeyⅢ型主动脉夹层31例。切开右或左侧股动脉置入覆膜血管内支架,封堵原发破口,置入后重复造影检查。结果支架置入全部成功,术后即可造影27例无内漏,4例轻度内漏。术后早期1例出现左上肢缺血,1例截瘫,其余患者无支架移位与远端脏器缺血。术后半年复查CT增强扫描,31例均示支架段内假腔消失,血栓形成。术后半年4例轻度内漏均好转;1例术后4年出现支架近端严重内漏,行开胸手术治疗。结论覆膜支架腔内修复术是治疗DebakeyⅢ型主动脉夹层的有效方法,但远期效果有待进一步观察。     

Endovascular Stent-graft Placement in Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection in China

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to summarise data about endovascular stent-graft placement for patients with type B aortic dissection (type B-AD) in China.MethodsAll published series in Chinese on endovascular stent-graft placement for type B-AD from 1999 through 2008 were identified. Thirty-five studies, involving a total of 1498 patients, were included in this review.ResultsProcedure success was reported in 89.4 ± 1.7% of the patients. Overall complications were reported in 16.6 ± 1.2% of the patients. Major complications were reported in 1.7 ± 0.2%, with neurological complications in 0.5 ± 0.1%. In-hospital mortality was 2.0 ± 0.4%. The mean follow-up was 24.0 ± 16.1 months.ConclusionEndovascular stent-graft placement is technically feasible with high procedure success and relatively low complication rate in selected patient groups with type B-AD. Both short- and mid-term outcomes appear to be favourable.     

Endovascular Treatment of Ruptured Infrarenal Aortic and Iliac Aneurysms

The rates of postoperative local surgical complications (e.g. wound-infection, abscess, anastomotic leakage) and the postoperative mortality have markedly decreased over the past decades. However the occurrence of general medical complications (e.g. cardio-pulmonary or renal dysfunction, nosocomial infections, thromboembolism) after abdominal surgery is still frequent with an incidence of 20–60% (1–6).

“Fast-track”-surgery, also called “Fast-track”-rehabilitation or “ERAS” (enhanced recovery after surgery) programme, is a combination of different pre-and intraoperative measures, which have been mainly validated in elective colonic surgery, but they can be principally employed in all surgical settings. With this approach it is possible to accelerate the postoperative convalescence and reduce the rate of general complications markedly (4, 7–10).     

Peripheral Seeding of Mycotic Aneurysms from an Infected Aortic Stent Graft

Aortic stent graft infection is rare and there are no reported cases of seeded peripheral mycotic aneurysms complicating this condition. We describe the case of a 54 year old man who developed a late stent graft infection at three years, resulting in the peripheral seeding of three mycotic aneurysms with two incidents of rupture. He was successfully treated with extra-anatomic bypass of the aorta and both surgical and endovascular repair of his peripherally seeded mycotic aneurysms.     

Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Complicated by Persistent Endotension After Endovascular Repair: Report of a Case

Endoleak and endotension may prevent the successful exclusion of an aneurysm after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR). The pressurization in the excluded aneurysm sac caused by endotension may lead to rupture of the aneurysm; however, the cause of endotension and its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We report a case of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) complicated by persistent endotension after EVAR. Although no endoleaks were found on conventional double-phase computed tomographic scans, a thrombosed endoleak existed in the side branch and attachment site of the endograft. After treating the undetectable thrombosed endoleaks, physical examination revealed that the pressure of the excluded aneurysm had diminished, with shrinkage of the aneurysm. This case report suggests that a high-pressure undetectable type I or type II endoleak could be a major cause of endotension. Thus, postoperative evaluation of the attachment site of an endograft is important after EVAR.     

Changes of the Infrarenal Aortic Segment After Conventional Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

OBJECTIVES: to delineate the natural history of the residual infrarenal aortic segment after conventional abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. DESIGN: open prospective study. PATIENTS AND METHODS: between 1990 and 1997, 100 patients, who underwent conventional infrarenal AAA repair at our department, were followed annually by means of colour duplex ultrasonography. Data from 76 patients who had at least 3 scans were analysed. RESULTS: mean duration of follow-up was 4.7 years (range: 3-8 years). The residual infrarenal aorta dilated a mean of 0.57 mm annually. No patient required reoperation. There was no significant correlation between dilatation and any of the recorded risk factors except for the initial neck diameter (p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: conventional AAA surgery is durable so that surveillance, during the first 5 postoperative years, is not justified in terms of cost-effectiveness. The impact of such a dilatation on endovascular AAA repair requires further investigation.     

Endovascular Repair of Complicated Acute Type-B Aortic Dissection with Stentgraft: Early and Mid-term Results

Objectives

To analyse the experience of a single centre and evaluate the early and mid-term results of endovascular repair of complicated acute type B aortic dissection with stentgrafts.

Method

From July 2002 to January 2009, 45 patients (12 women, 33 men) with complicated acute type B aortic dissection (mean age, 42.6 years; range, 31–47 years) were treated with Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR). Indications for treatment included rupture in 6(13%), hemathorax with impending rupture in 27(60%), malperfusion syndrome in 11 (22%), and transient paraplegia in one patient (2.2%). Five kinds of commercially available thoracic stentgrafts were used. Follow up was 100% during a period of 13 months (range, 1–36 months).

Results

Technical success (coverage of the primary tear site) was achieved in all 45 patients(100%) including deliberate partial or total coverage of the LSA in 7 patients (15.6%). The 30-day and in-hospital mortality was 4.4% including one late rupture case. Overall survival was 95.6% at 1 and 3-years’ follow-up. None of the patients with malperfusion required adjunct distal stents All hemothoces resolved within 3 months including 5 patient required thoracentesis and one had tube thoracostomy. And 7 patients required temporary dialysis In-hospital complications occurred in 26.7% of patients and re-intervention was required in one patient and no patient had postoperative paraplegia Postoperative CT angiography showed 25 patients (58.1%) with complete thrombosis of the false lumen and re-expansion of the true lumen.

Conclusions

Endovascular repair of complicated acute type B aortic dissection with stentgraft is proven to be a technically feasible and effective in this relatively difficult patient cohort, The short and mid-term efficacy are persuasive, however, the long-term efficacy needs to be evaluated further.     

Endovascular Treatment of Thoracic Aortic Pathology: Feasibility and Mid-term Results

OBJECTIVE: to report our experience with 21 consecutive patients treated with a thoracic stent-graft.DESIGN: retrospective analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between October 1998 and February 2002, 21 patients (12 male), mean age 55.6 years (range 19-86 years), were treated for aorticortic pathology localized to the descending aorta (18 patients), the aortic arch (2 patients) and the ascending aorta (1 patient) and comprising true aneurysms (8 patients), false aneurysms (6 patients), traumatic rupture (4 patients), mycotic aneurysms (2 patients), and ruptured aneurysm (1 patient). Plain chest X-rays and computed tomography was performed at 3, 6 and 12 months postoperatively and then annually. RESULTS: the median (range) operation time was 85min (50-305min), hospital stay 6 days (3-63 days) and follow-up 24 months (5-44 months). Complications occurred in 5 patients and comprised intraoperative migration (1), type I endoleak (1), type II endoleak (1), ischemic myelopathy (1), pneumonia (2), suture granuloma (1) and common femoral artery dissection (1). CONCLUSIONS: stent-grafting can be successfully employed to treat a wide range of thoracic aortic pathologies with a mortality, morbidity and resource utilization that is considerably less than that associated with conventional surgery. However, long term follow-up on safety and efficacy is needed.