Postperfusion coronary stenosis

A patient is described who had left main coronary artery stenosis four months after aortic valve replacement. He was seen with unstable angina, and subsequent catheterization revealed stenosis of a previously normal left main coronary artery. The diagnosis, treatment, and means of prevention are discussed.     

A case of aortitis syndrome with left coronary ostial stenosis and aortic regurgitation treated by transaortic coronary endarterectomy and aortic valve replacement

A case, 23-year-old female of aortitis syndrome with left coronary ostial stenosis and aortic regurgitation was reported. The coronary angiography showed critical stenosis of the left coronary ostium with intact main stem and its branches. The aortogram revealed aortic regurgitation of grade III, and multiple obstructive or stenotic lesions on the left common carotid artery, the origin of the left renal artery, the inferior mesenteric artery and the abdominal aorta. After improvement of inflammatory findings by steroid therapy during 2 months, transaortic coronary endarterectomy and aortic valve replacement with 21 mm Bj?rk-Shiley valve were performed successfully. Postoperative course was uneventful. Coronary angiography performed at the 57th day after the operation showed complete removal of the left coronary ostial stenosis, and aortography showed no evidence of perivalvular leakage of the aortic valve prosthesis. The indication of transaortic coronary endarterectomy and the technique used to avoid aortic valve detachment which may be caused by recurrence of aortitis were discussed in this paper.     

Surgical Management of Supravalvar Aortic Stenosis with Coronary Artery Involvement

Abstract Supravalvar aortic stenosis is characterized by an obstruction of the left ventricular outflow tract distal to the aortic valve. Its association with left main coronary artery stenosis is well known but right coronary artery involvement has not been reported. We describe two cases of supravalvar aortic stenosis with coronary artery stenosis and its surgical management . (J Card Surg 2012;27:678‐681)     

Aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis due to congenital bicuspid aortic valve with abnormal positioning of coronary orifice, pseudotendon, and persistent left superior vena cava, report of a case

A patient was a 65-year-old female who had a complaint of palpitation was diagnosed aortic valve stenosis due to congenital bicuspid aortic valve with pseudotendon by the echocardiographic examination. We suspected left single coronary artery by the aortography and the coronary artery angiography. Aortic valve replacement and resection of pseudotendon was performed with Carbomedics supra-annular aortic valve (21 A). During surgery, persistent left superior vena cava was detected. High-posterior take-off right coronary artery was casually detected at aortic closure. Ventricular fibrillation due to insufficient supply of cardioplegic solution at right coronary area frequently occurred after cardio-pulmonary bypass and percutaneous cardiopulmonary support was required. The patient was discharged 32 days after the operation. Preoperative and intraoperative evaluation was important in the case of aortic valvular disease.     

Iatrogenic coronary artery stenosis following aortic valve replacement.

Until recnetly, coronary arterial perfusion was one of the best methods to protect myocardium during aortic valve replacement. However, the insertion of perfusion cannulas may produce immediate traumatic lesions and late stenosis of the coronary arteries, with grave consequences. Two patients with normal coronary arteries prior to operation developed obstruction of the maximal left main coronary artery following aortic replacement. One of these patients represents the first case of iatrogenic coronary arterial stenosis in which the aortic valve was replaced with a porcine bioprosthesis. Accelerating angina pectoris and ventricular arrhythmias were the presenting clinical manifestations. Aorta-coronary bypass grafting to the left anterior descending and circumflex coronary arteries was successfully performed in one patient, while the other patient died before investigative procedures could be undertaken. Any patient whose aortic valve has been replaced and who develops angina pectoris a few months after operation should be suspected of having developed stenosis of the proximal coronary artery. Coronary angiography should be perfomed promptly. Once the lesion is recognized, the operaiton should be performed posthaste because these lesions are life threatening owing to their proximal location and rapid evolution.     

Successful combined minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass and transapical aortic valve implantation

Transapical aortic valve implantation is indicated in high-risk patients with aortic stenosis and peripheral vascular disease requiring aortic valve replacement. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass grafting is also a valid, minimally invasive option for myocardial revascularization in patients with critical stenosis on the anterior descending coronary artery. Both procedures are performed through a left minithoracotomy, without cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross-clamping, and cardioplegic arrest. We describe a successful combined transapical aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive direct coronary bypass in a high-risk patient with left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and severe aortic valve stenosis.     

Left Main Coronary Artery and Supravalvular Aortic Stenosis in Adult: Treatment with Ostial Patchplasty and Modified Brom Procedure

Abstract   Left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis accompanying to supravalvular aortic stenosis is a very uncommon, serious congenital abnormality. Aortic valve leaflet fusions and intimal thickening of the aortic valve leaflets and coronary artery are the underlying pathologies for the LMCA stenosis. We operated on a 21-year-old male patient for supravalvar aortic stenosis with LMCA ostial stenosis. We enlarged the LMCA with a pericardial patch (ostial plasty) and reconstructed the aortic root with a modified Brom procedure. Postoperative course was uneventful; echocardiographic evaluation revealed a normal functioning aortic valve with a normal left ventricular function. Gradient at left ventricular outflow tract was decreased a great deal. Although supravalvular aortic stenosis with LMCA stenosis is a very rare congenital abnormality, this clinical entity can be successfully corrected with detailed and selected surgical procedures.     

Surgical management of congenital obstruction of the left main coronary artery with supravalvular aortic stenosis

OBJECTIVE: Stenosis of the left main coronary artery is a recognized complicating feature of supravalvular aortic stenosis. We have retrospectively identified three anatomic subtypes of left main coronary obstruction in patients with supravalvular aortic stenosis, each necessitating a distinct surgical approach. METHODS: From 1991 to 1998, 9 patients underwent surgical repair of supravalvular aortic stenosis and left main coronary stenosis. Five patients (group 1) had obstruction from near-circumferential thickening of the left main ostium, 2 patients (group 2) had restricted coronary flow due to fusion of an aortic valve leaflet to the supravalvular ridge, and 2 patients (group 3) had diffuse narrowing of the left main coronary artery. Group 1 patients were treated with patch aortoplasty encompassing the left main ostium and supravalvular aortic stenosis. Group 2 patients were treated with excision of the fused leaflet from the aortic wall and patch aortoplasty. Group 3 patients were treated with bypass grafting and aortoplasty. RESULTS: Surgical strategy was determined by coronary angiography and intraoperative assessment of coronary anatomy. There was 1 early death. All surviving patients underwent echocardiography with or without postoperative catheterization. The mean postoperative supravalvular gradient for 7 patients was 8 mm Hg (range 2-15 mm Hg). One patient required reoperation for a residual aortic gradient as a result of aortic arch involvement. No evidence of left main coronary artery stenosis was seen in groups 1 and 2; bypass grafts were patent in group 3 patients at a mean follow-up of 54.8 months. CONCLUSION: Three subtypes of left main coronary stenosis with supravalvular aortic stenosis are described. Each anatomic type mandates an individual surgical approach. Favorable surgical outcomes are achievable with each category.     

Aortocoronary bypass for coronary ostial stenosis following aortic valve replacement: a report of successfully treated case

A 62-year-old man underwent aortic valve replacement with a Medtronic-Hall valve (21 mm) for aortic stenosis and regurgitation with normal coronary arteries. An intermittent selective coronary perfusion with metal tip cannula was employed for both the coronary arteries. Postoperative course was uneventful. However, he began to complain of chest pain six months later. Cardiac catheterization and coronary arteriography revealed a normally functioning valve with 75% stenosis at the main trunk of the left coronary artery. Coronary bypass grafting using a saphenous vein was successfully performed to the left anterior descending coronary artery and the circumflex of the coronary artery. Whenever this fatal complication of the coronary ostial stenosis is recognized, earlier coronary revascularization should be recommended to save the severely ill patient.     

Coronary flow velocity waveforms in aortic stenosis and the effects of valve replacement

In 6 patients with pure aortic stenosis, the flow velocity waveforms in the left anterior descending coronary artery were studied using an 80-channel 20-MHz pulsed Doppler velocimeter before and immediately after aortic valve replacement. All patients showed normal coronary arteriograms. The left anterior descending coronary artery flow velocity waveform in aortic stenosis was characterized by a reverse flow in the first half of systole and a slowly increasing diastolic inflow. After aortic valve replacement, the reverse flow in the first half of systole disappeared in all patients, but an end-systolic reverse flow was discerned in 5 of 6 patients. The increasing rate of the diastolic inflow was augmented in all patients. After aortic valve replacement, the time from onset of diastole to the diastolic peak velocity was shortened from 176.8 +/- 28.8 to 90.5 +/- 18.8 ms (p less than 0.01), and the diastolic peak velocity increased from 90.5 +/- 28.0 to 122.5 +/- 17.2 cm/s (p less than 0.05). Blood pressure and heart rate, however, did not change significantly before and after valve replacement. These changes in the left coronary artery velocity waveforms after valve replacement suggest the beneficial effects of removal of aortic stenosis on human coronary artery inflow.     

Oblique aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting for severely calcified narrow aortic root with unstable angina

We report an 84-year-old woman diagnosed with aortic stenosis and regurgitation with a severely calcified narrow aortic root and left main coronary artery trunk stenosis with triple-vessel coronary artery disease. Emergency aortic valve replacement and triple coronary artery bypass grafting were successful. The aortic annulus was small and heavily calcified, and the ascending aorta, the sinus of valsalva and the anterior leaflet of the mitral valve were severely calcified. A St. Jude Medical valve 19A (St. Jude Medical Inc., St. Paul, MN) was inserted obliquely along the noncoronary sinus. This technique is a useful alternative in cases where the patient's life is at risk in situations involving severe extensive calcification of a narrow aortic root.     

Iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis following aortic valve replacement: two cases report

Two cases of iatrogenic left main coronary artery stenosis (ICOS) following aortic valve replacement (AVR) are documented. The first patient began to have chest pain due to myocardial ischemia 7 months after AVR. Angiographically, the ostium of her left coronary artery was severely stenotic. She refused coronary bypass grafting. She died of myocardial infarction due to ICOS, 23 months after AVR. Histologically, a loose cellular connective tissue was found around the stenotic coronary arterial lumen. The other patient had chest pain 4 months after aortic and mitral valve replacement. The ICOS was diagnosed angiographically. After she had coronary bypass grafting, she was free from myocardial ischemic symptoms. The onset of myocardial ischemic symptoms in the first six months after AVR is highly suggestive of ICOS, and urgent coronary angiography is recommended and, if proximal stenosis of the coronary arteries is diagnosed, coronary bypass grafting should be performed.     

Surgical treatment and their long-term results of the ascending aortic lesions involving coronary arteries

Seventeen patients underwent surgical treatment of the ascending aorta, aortic valve, and coronary artery as well. Diagnosis of 13 patients were annulo-aortic ectasia, 3 had dissecting aneurysm (type I: 2, type II: 1), and one had supra-valvular aortic stenosis. In annulo-aortic ectasia, Bentall's method was carried out in 11 cases, and Cabrol's operation was performed in 3, one of the latter group had received Bentall's procedure 4 years prior to the second operation. One patient died of acute myocardial infarction 3 days following operation, who had severe stenosis of the left anterior descending artery not detected by preoperative angiography. During long-term follow up, 2 patients died of cardiac failure. Three patients had dissection of the ascending aorta and coronary artery (right coronary artery: 2, left coronary artery: 1). The aorta was reconstructed, aortic valve was replaced, and coronary artery was revascularized with saphenous vein graft. They have been alive and well up to post operative 6 years. Right coronary ostioplasty as well as aortic valve replacement and extended aortoplasty were attempted in one patient with Williams' syndrome. This patient had been well until sudden death which occured 11 months after the operation.     

Surgical management of left coronary artery ostial atresia and supravalvar aortic stenosis.

Congenital atresia of the left main coronary artery ostium is a rare lesion, particularly when found in association with supravalvar aortic stenosis. This report describes the preoperative evaluation and surgical management of this lesion found in conjunction with a quadricuspid aortic valve in a 5-year-old child. Patch aortoplasty and left internal thoracic artery to left anterior descending coronary artery bypass were performed to correct this lesion.     

Coronary ostial stenosis after aortic valvuloplasty (comprehensive aortic root and valve repair)

Comprehensive aortic root and valve repair (CARVAR) surgery using specially designed aortic rings was introduced as a new surgical technique for aortic valve disease. We present five consecutive cases of iatrogenic coronary ostial stenosis after CARVAR surgery in patients with aortic stenosis. The preoperative coronary angiography confirmed that all the patients had normal coronary arteries. They underwent aortic valvuloplasty by aortic leaflet extension and insertion of specially designed inner and outer rings at the level of the sinotubular junction. Within 6 months after surgery, all the patients complained of resting chest pain and dyspnea with changes of electrocardiography. Repeated coronary angiography demonstrated right coronary artery (RCA) ostial stenosis in one patient and left main (LM) ostial stenosis in the other four patients. Intravascular ultrasonography demonstrated severe ostial stenosis and extensive echogenic tissue in the extravascular area. Four patients with LM ostial disease successfully underwent coronary bypass graft surgery, and percutaneous coronary intervention with stenting was performed in one case of RCA ostial stenosis. Because the mechanism of this complication is not fully confirmed, more clinical study is required to confirm the safety issues of CARVAR surgery.     

Surgical angioplasty of left main coronary stenosis complicating supravalvular aortic stenosis.

We successfully treated obstruction of the main coronary artery, not aortic valve leaflet adhesion to the intimal shelf, complicating supravalvular aortic stenosis by modifying the Brom aortoplasty. An autologous pericardial patch was used to enlarge the left main coronary artery as well as the stenotic aorta. This modification allows simple and effective restoration of coronary blood flow, while maintaining the Brom procedure's merit of achieving anatomic geometry of the aortic root in such patients.     

Embolic occlusion of the left main coronary artery following an isolated aortic valve replacement

Coronary occlusion after aortic valve replacement due to embolization is a rare complication. We report the case of a patient who developed acute heart failure due to occlusion of the left main coronary artery following an aortic valve replacement. Successful treatment was achieved with emergent coronary bypass surgery.     

Combined off-pump transapical transcatheter aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation has been shown to be an effective treatment for severe aortic stenosis in high-risk surgical patients. Many of these patients have significant coexisting coronary artery disease. We report the first case of combined off-pump transapical aortic valve implantation and minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass via a left mini-thoracotomy in an 82-year-old man with significant comorbidities. This combined procedure is technically feasible and can be performed safely in selected patients with aortic stenosis and left anterior descending artery lesion that is not suitable for percutaneous intervention.     

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement in patients with anomalous left circumflex coronary artery

The anomalous left circumflex artery can be a risk for coronary stenosis or obstruction during transcatheter aortic valve replacement; however, the best procedural management has not been clarified. We describe three patients with severe aortic valve stenosis as well as anomalous left circumflex artery. In the first patient, a coronary guidewire with balloon was placed before deploying a SAPIEN 3 transcatheter heart valve, as protection from the coronary occlusion or stenosis. For the second and third patients, no coronary protection was used. All procedures were completed safely and no complications were detected at one‐year follow‐up.     

Selective antegrade cardioplegic perfusion complicated by left main stem dissection

Selective antegrade coronary artery perfusion is a commonly used procedure to obtain myocardial preservation during cardiac surgery. This report describes a patient operated for severe aortic valve stenosis and insufficiency, mitral valve and tricuspid insufficiency. Cardioplegia was administered by selective antegrade coronary artery blood perfusion. Antegrade blood cardioplegia was complicated by dissection of the left coronary main stem. The dissection induced a myocardial infaction and the patient finally died due to heart failure.