Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms: remote aortic occlusion for the general surgeon

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has completely transformed the treatment of elective aneurysmal disease, but endovascular surgeons have been slow to adopt these techniques for ruptured aneurysms. There are endovascular skills and management techniques that are valuable to both vascular and general surgeons in the emergent setting. An endovascular approach to this disease process does not preclude open repair, and remote aortic occlusion can serve as an integral adjunct for general surgeons approaching a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.     

Treating iliac aneurysm using the Nellix Endovascular Sac Sealing System

As endovascular treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms has become established, there has been growing focus on treatment of the aneurysmal iliac artery. Isolated, large iliac aneurysms >30 mm pose a risk of rupture, but, in addition, 20% to 30% of abdominal aortic aneurysms are associated with iliac aneurysmal dilatation, which can compromise long-term outcomes. Endovascular solutions are evolving and until recently have utilized standard stent graft technology. The endovascular aortic sealing system was introduced as a new, effective method for the treatment of infrarenal aortic aneurysms. In this article, we present our recent extended use of the Nellix system, with or without a combination of adjuvant endovascular techniques, in the treatment of 84 common iliac artery aneurysms. The results support the use of endovascular aortic sealing system in endovascular therapy for aneurysmal iliac pathologies. Different endovascular sealing techniques for the treatment of common iliac artery aneurysms, re-interventions, and extended follow-up are also discussed.     

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.     

Hybrid approach to complex thoracic aortic aneurysms in high-risk patients: surgical challenges and clinical outcomes

BACKGROUND: Endovascular therapy is a less invasive alternative treatment for high-risk patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms. However, this technology alone is often not applicable to complex aneurysmal morphology. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of hybrid strategies in high-risk patients who are otherwise unsuitable for endovascular therapy alone. METHODS: During an 18-month period, 31 high-risk patients (mean age, 69 years; range, 52-89 years) underwent combined open and endovascular approaches for complex aneurysms, including 16 patients with ascending and arch aneurysms and 15 patients with aneurysms involving visceral vessels. Among them, 11 patients had histories of aneurysm repairs. To overcome the anatomic limitations of endovascular repairs, various adjunctive surgical maneuvers were used, including aortic arch reconstruction in 3 patients, supra-aortic trunk debranching in 13 patients (including 8 patients who required aortas as inflow sources), and visceral vessel bypasses in 15 patients (including 10 patients who required bypasses to all 3 visceral branches). Additionally, carotid artery access was obtained in 1 patient, and iliac artery conduits were created in 12 patients. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved in all patients. There was one perioperative death (3.2%) due to postoperative bleeding. Two patients (6.4%) had immediate type II endoleaks, which were resolved by the 1-month follow-up. Other procedure-related complications occurred in three patients (9.6%), including renal bypass thromboses in two patients and retroperitoneal hematoma, which was successfully managed conservatively, in one patient. During a mean follow-up of 16 months, two patients died of unrelated causes, whereas the remainder of patients were asymptomatic, without aneurysm enlargement. CONCLUSIONS: Our study highlights how hybrid strategies incorporating surgical and endovascular approaches can be used successfully in treating patients with complex thoracic aortic aneurysms. This combined approach potentially expands the field of endovascular stent grafting and is an attractive solution for patients with poor cardiopulmonary reserves.     

Hybrid laparorobotic debranching and endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm

Surgical debranching and endovascular repair is an attractive hybrid approach in high-risk patients with thoracoabdominal aneurysms unsuitable for conventional open repair. Vascular laparorobotic technology is an evolving field in the treatment of aortoiliac and aneurysmal disease. Herein we present a case in which hybrid laparorobotic debranching and endovascular repair was performed in a patient with a symptomatic 7 cm thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm extent III. The laparorobotic approach was utilized for iliac artery exposure and suturing of the proximal anastomosis of the debranching graft. The technique was also useful in limiting the extent of the abdominal incision in a patient with severe comorbidities. Advantages of computer-assisted robotic vascular reconstruction include a high-resolution three-dimensional field of view and technical precision for vascular dissection and anastomosis.     

Investigation and treatment of a complicated inflammatory aortoiliac aneurysm

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms (IAAAs) account for 5% to 10% of all abdominal aortic aneurysms, occurring primarily in males. Their true etiology is unknown. Symptoms and signs of IAAA are so variable that they present to a wide range of specialties. There is debate in the literature whether IAAA is a manifestation of systemic autoimmune disease. We describe the case of a young female patient with complicated inflammatory aortoiliac aneurysmal disease, illustrating diagnostic and treatment challenges that remain. Our patient had a positive autoantibody screen, raised erythrocyte sedimentation rate, positive enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot test, and saccular aneurysms, including infective and inflammatory etiologies in her differential diagnosis. Early diagnosis is crucial to limit disease progression, morbidity, and mortality. Medical management is important to address the underlying disease process, but a combination of endovascular and open surgical intervention is often necessary for definitive treatment. Available evidence offers plausibility for benefit of endovascular intervention over open repair.     

Endovascular treatment of the thoracic aorta

Open surgical repair has been considered the mainstay of therapy for thoracic aortic aneurysms, both elective and emergency procedures alike. Recent advances in endovascular technology have made endovascular stentgraft placement a therapeutic modality that is minimally invasive and potentially a safer treatment for aneurysmal disease of the descending thoracic aorta. Moreover, this technology may be appropriate for other diseases of the thoracic aorta, including traumatic disruptions and dissections. There appears to be an increase in the diagnosis, and therefore incidence, of these various thoracic aortic pathologies, owing both to improvement in imaging capabilities and longer life expectancies. In distinction to endovascular repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysms, the evolution of thoracic stentgrafts has progressed more slowly as there has yet to exist a clinically proven device after 10 years of clinical trials. However, the enthusiasm for this technology persists, for it may indeed hold the potential for the greatest patient benefit as conventional open surgical repair continues to offer serious morbidity and mortality rates. This paper reviews the current status of thoracic aortic stentgrafts, including recent clinical studies, device failures and refinements, and future directions.     

Pan-aortic hybrid treatment of mega-aorta syndrome

Hybrid procedures combining traditional open and newer endovascular techniques are increasingly used to treat complex aortic disease. We present a novel approach for total aortic replacement, including hybrid repair of the arch and thoracoabdominal aorta, in a patient with "mega-aorta syndrome." A two-stage approach using a valve-sparing aortic root replacement, total arch replacement (stage I elephant trunk), and left carotid-axillary bypass was used to treat the root, proximal-mid arch, and left subclavian aneurysmal pathology. This was followed by a hybrid distal arch/Extent II thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair 3 months later. After 15 months follow-up, the patient remains asymptomatic with an intact repair, no endoleak, and normal ventricular and aortic valve function. This case demonstrates a novel "pan-aortic" hybrid approach for repair of extensive thoracic aortic disease.     

Aortic Arch. The Final Frontier in Cardiac Surgery

ABSTRACT

Aortic arch pathologies such as acute aortic dissection and aneurysmal disease represent surgical challenges. Various emerging techniques and surgical prostheses have expanded the therapeutic armamentarium over the last years with one principal objective; to simplify the operation and reduce the surgical time. Besides the classic elephant trunk which has been regarded as an evolutionary leap in the treatment of extensive thoracic disease, other novel surgical approaches such as the frozen elephant trunk, the thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) and the hybrid open branched stent grafts have been introduced. This brief review aims to evaluate the surgical alternatives used in the management of complex aortic arch and proximal descending aorta pathologies with particular consideration given to the contemporary approaches which endorse single stage operation.     

Endovascular repair of a ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in a patient with an ascending aortic aneurysm: hybrid open arch reconstruction with simultaneous thoracic stent-graft deployment within elephant trunk

Endovascular repair of the thoracic aorta is now widely practiced. The extension of this technique to emergent settings is in evolution. Pathology of the ascending and transverse aortic arch may preclude thoracic aortic stent grafting due to the lack of a proximal seal zone. Several hybrid open/endovascular approaches have been described. We recently encountered the difficult case of a contained rupture of a 6.8 cm descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 60-year-old patient with aneurysmal degeneration of the ascending and transverse aortic arch. This patient was treated with a hybrid approach of open ascending and transverse arch reconstruction along with simultaneous stent-graft repair of the descending thoracic aorta. The open repair established an excellent proximal landing zone by use of the "elephant trunk" technique. This technique also allowed direct suture fixation of the stent graft to the arch graft to prevent stent-graft migration. This hybrid surgical approach was successful and avoided the cumulative morbidity that a left thoracoabdominal approach would have added to the sternotomy. Further creative uses of these hybrid techniques will undoubtedly serve a larger role in the treatment of thoracic aortic pathology.     

Anaesthesia for abdominal vascular surgery

Abdominal vascular surgery is required for aneurysmal and symptomatic occlusive disease of the aorta. Abdominal aortic aneurysms account for more than 8,500 deaths per year in England and Wales. Most deaths occur as a result of rupture of the abdominal aortic aneurysm, which has an overall mortality of 80%. These deaths are potentially preventable because elective repair of the abdominal aorta can be performed with an operative mortality of less than 7%. This article reviews the current indications and anaesthetic practices for open and endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.     

Endovascular graft treatment of aortic aneurysms: future perspectives]

Endovascular graft treatment of aortic aneurysms, first clinically applied by Parodi et al., has gained popularity. Although it was initially limited to high-risk patients, its indications have been gradually expanded. From literature and our own experience, the future of this method is discussed. The concept of this method is to place the intravascular stent graft in the aneurysm, excluding the aneurysmal sac and maintaining the arterial blood flow, thus preventing further dilatation and possible rupture in the future. However, these were some cases in which aneurysms, excluded completely during surgery became patent due to endoleak years after the procedure. A prospective study of abdominal aortic aneurysms, which compared endovascular graft and conventional open repair, demonstrated less major morbidity with the former but no difference in mortality, Considering those and the fact that long-term results of conventional surgical treatment have been satisfactory, the current indications for stent grafting should be limited to high-risk patients. For thoracic aortic aneurysms, endovascular treatment may become a useful alternative for those with localized as well as dissecting aneurysms because of the high perioperative morbidity accompanying conventional open repair. In summary, most patients with aortic aneurysms are senile and may have concomitant multiple organ failure. Less invasive, intravascular stent grafting has a definite role in the management of some patients with aortic aneurysms.     

Tips for successful outcomes for descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm procedures

The continuing evolution of endovascular approaches to the repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms necessitates careful evaluation of the safety and efficacy of these alternative therapies as they compare to the "gold standard" of open surgical repair. The purpose of this report is to present our approach to conventional open surgical repair of these aneurysms. Routine surgical modalities include use of moderate systemic heparinization, mild permissive hypothermia, and sequential aortic clamping. For extensive thoracoabdominal and select descending aortic procedures, additional modalities are used. The multimodal approach to organ protection during surgical treatment of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysms has evolved substantially over the past 20 years. Experienced surgical centers now have much lower mortality and morbidity rates for these operations than previously reported. Current management strategies enable patients to undergo conventional open aneurysm repairs with excellent early survival and acceptable morbidity.     

Hybrid-fenestrated aortic aneurysm repair: a novel technique for treating patients with para-anastomotic juxtarenal aneurysms

This article describes a novel technique that combines off-label endovascular methods with an open surgical debranching procedure to facilitate repair of a para-anastomotic juxtarenal aortic aneurysm. We present a case of recurrent aortic aneurysmal disease 10 years after infrarenal tube graft repair. The aneurysm was treated in two stages; first by retrograde aortobirenal bypass with a bifurcated graft. Subsequently, fenestrated endografting was performed with a custom-altered TX-2 thoracic stent graft (COOK, Bloomington, IN), with fenestrations for both the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries. As compared with a purely open approach, this technique offers an alternative for managing juxtarenal aneurysms with less physiologic insult.     

Do branched and fenestrated devices have a role in chronic type B aortic dissection?

Morbidity and mortality after conventional open repair of post-dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) remain high despite the improvement of results. Recently, "hybrid" open de-branching procedures combined with endovascular stent-grafting of the atherosclerotic thoracic aortic aneurisms have been performed, as an alternative approach. However, patients with significant cardiac, pulmonary or renal comorbidities, may represent an unfit cohort also for such hybrid procedures, and, of consequence, may be resigned to medical treatment. Recent experiences with fenestrated and branched stent-grafts have opened new opportunities in the treatment of extensive aortic aneurysms involving the visceral and renal arteries, particularly in case of atherosclerotic aneurysms. Post-dissection thoracoabdominal aneurysms present with additional challenges such as narrow true lumen at the level of the visceral vessels origin, and the lack of a stable distal landing zone. In this report, we discuss the role of fenestrated and branched stent-grafts as feasible treatment of post-dissecting TAAA.     

Brachial, radial, and ulnar arteries in the endovascular era: choice of intervention

To say that endovascular techniques have revolutionized treatment of aortic aneurysms is an understatement. These same techniques and principles are now being applied to peripheral aneurysms. Because of the small diameter of the arteries in the arm, the relative scarcity of true aneurysms of these arteries, and the fact that these arteries are readily accessible, open surgery remains the mainstay of therapy. On the other hand, nonsurgical approaches are playing an important role in the treatment of peripheral pseudoaneurysms and aneurysmal changes associated with arterial and venous access. This article reviews the natural history, treatment, and outcomes of aneurysms of the radial, brachial, and ulnar arteries. We will also focus on interventional treatment of pseudoaneurysms.     

Successful shrinkage of distal arch and proximal descending aortic aneurysm after transaortic endovascular stent-grafting.

OBJECTIVES: Although endovascular stent-grafting is available for atherosclerotic thoracic aneurysms, it is unknown whether the excluded thrombosed aneurysms shrink. We evaluated serial changes in distal aortic arch or proximal descending aortic aneurysms excluded space after transaortic stent-grafting. METHODS: Thirty-four patients with true distal aortic arch or proximal descending thoracic aortic aneurysms were treated by stent-grafts introduced via proximal arch aortic incisions. Follow-up included computed tomographs (CT) every 6 months in 31 patients. The maximum dimensions for excluded space and aneurysmal diameters were measured and evaluated to determine whether the aneurysmal space had decreased or shrunken following this alternative procedure. RESULTS: Two hospital deaths (5.9%) were caused by a cerebral embolism and a peri-operative myocardial infarction. Another case died from pneumonia a year after surgery. Thirty-one cases (91%) survived during follow-up, but one case suffered from paraplegia (2.9%). The follow-up period ranged from 10 to 72 months (average 39.3+/-27.2 months). There were no aneurysmal ruptures during follow-up. Post-operative serial CTs showed a disappearance or a significant shrinkage of the excluded aneurysmal space in 30 of the 31 cases (97%); one case suffered endoluminal leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Transaortic endovascular stent-grafting is feasible for distal aortic arch or proximal descending aortic aneurysms. The excluded aneurysmal space disappears or shrinks after successful stent-graft placement.     

Medikamentöse Therapie zur Risikoreduktion und Progressionshemmung nicht interventionspflichtiger abdomineller Aortenaneurysmen

Background

An ultrasound screening examination is highly effective in the detection of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in males above the age of 65 years. Patients with small AAAs (diameter Objectives The effectiveness of medicinal treatment approaches on the overall cardiovascular risk and on the growth and rupture rate of small AAAs was analyzed.

Material and methods

This article presents and discusses the currently available literature on the effectiveness of medicinal treatment of small AAAs.

Results

Statins, beta blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors reduce cardiovascular mortality in patients with AAAs and statins also reduce the growth rate of AAAs.

Conclusion

Screening programs must implement strategies to improve total cardiovascular prognosis of patients with small AAAs.     

Hybrid repair of aortic arch aneurysm

Hybrid repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm has been used with increasing frequency over the past decade, as indications for endovascular therapy have continued to expand. Hybrid techniques may avoid and limit the morbidity and mortality associated with sternotomy or thoracotomy, mechanical circulatory support, and hypothermic arrest. We present the case of a patient with extensive aortic aneurysmal disease initially needing open ascending aortic and subsequent thoracoabdominal repair. However, owing to continued enlargement of the aortic arch, hybrid extrathoracic, extra-anatomic complete aortic arch debranching and transcatheter endografting was ultimately pursued with favorable midterm results.     

Aortoenteric fistula: a late complication of endovascular repair of an inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm

Endovascular repair provides a reasonable alternative to open repair for the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms in select cases. Although the endovascular approach may be preferable for inflammatory aneurysms, aggressive surveillance is needed to monitor for long-term complications. A 61-year-old man underwent endovascular exclusion of a symptomatic inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm with an AneuRx bifurcated aortic prosthesis. He presented with gastrointestinal bleeding 51/2 months later and was found to have an aortoenteric fistula involving the third portion of the duodenum. The aneurysm had expanded significantly at the proximal neck. The patient underwent successful removal of the device, aortic ligation, and extraanatomic bypass. Aortoenteric fistula is a rare but now established complication of endovascular aneurysm repair. The pathophysiology in these cases remains unclear. The presence of inflammation and endoleak may predispose to further aneurysmal degeneration.