Aneurysms of the ascending aorta with aortic valve incompetence

Twelve out of 14 patients with aneurysm of the proximal ascending aorta (AA) combined with aortic valve incompetence (AI) were operated upon by replacement of both the aneurysm and valves by prostheses. Eight of the patients operated on (67%) survived and are living free of symptoms 3 months to 3 years after operation. The operative technique and complications are discussed.     

Thoracic aortic aneurysm associated with pseudocoarctation of the aorta

Pseudocoarctation is a rare anomaly in the descending thoracic aorta. A 44-year-old man experienced sudden onset of back pain for 5 days prior to admission. Computed tomography showed kinking and stenosis in the distal aortic arch with a distal aneurysm. The patient underwent emergency surgery, with a diagnosis of impending rupture. The aneurysm was lobular with a very thin wall. Pseudocoarctation is rare and most often is asymptomatic. However, the aneurysm should be treated surgically, and the area of stenosis resected.     

Type B aortic dissection associated with coarctation of the aorta

We describe a case of acute type B dissection associated with coarctation of the aorta, a rare pathological combination. An intimal tear was located just distal to the coarctation. Aortic dilatation started below the coarctation and extended to the level of the diaphragm. We performed descending aorta replacement from the distal aortic arch to the level of the 9th intercostal arteries through a left posterolateral thoracotomy in the fifth intercostal space. Arterial cannulations were placed on the right femoral artery and just proximal to the coarctation site in the descending aorta. To preserve the patent 10th and lower intercostal arteries, longitudinal plication of dilated pseudo-lumen was applied from the distal cut end to the level of the diaphragm. The postoperative course was uneventful.     

Ascending aorta dissection associated with bicuspid aortic valve

Aortic dissection etiology involve many factors that are difficult to identify clearly. We report a 47-year-old man who underwent a Bentall operation with reattachment of bypass grafts for a dissecting aneurysm (DeBakey type II) 4 years after combined triple coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral valve replacement. This case appeared to be associated with factors leading to dissecting aneurysm although it remains unclear which was more influential congenital bicuspid aortic valve or proximal anastomosis of venous grafts or both. This case suggests the need to consider appropriate timing in surgical intervention for cases of congenital bicuspid aortic valves and the selection of additional aortic valve replacement in initial surgery.     

Radiotherapy-induced aortic valve disease associated with porcelain aorta

Mediastinal irradiation has been reported to induce cardiac disease such as pericarditis, valvular dysfunction, conduction abnormalities, accelerated arteriosclerosis of the coronary arteries, and also calcifications of the ascending aorta. We herein describe a case of radiotherapy-induced porcelain aorta and aortic valve disease and their surgical treatment. The patient was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (MG) in 1965 (Osserman’s type II), and mediastinal irradiation was performed in 1970 for treatment of thymic tumor associated with MG. Thirty years after radiation therapy, complete atrioventricular block and aortic valve disease with severe calcification of the ascending aorta and aortic arch (porcelain aorta) were detected on echo cardiogram and cardiac catheterization. A permanent pacemaker was implanted via the left subclavian vein and aortic valve replacement was performed under extracorporeal circulation established by selective cerebral perfusion and balloon occlusion instead of aortic cross-clamping. As no risk factors of arteriosclerosis such as hypercholesterolemia, hyperglycemia and hypertension were apparent, we concluded that the aortic valve disease and porcelain aorta were primarily induced by radiotherapy.     

Replacement of the abdominal aorta with an aortic homograft in a patient with an aortic dissection

The use of aortic and femoral homografts in early vascular surgery has been abandoned for the more successful and abundant synthetic substitutes. With the recent introduction of cryopreservation, homograft use has again met with improved success. A 40-year-old man who had a DeBakey Type I aortic dissection initially underwent replacement of the aortic root with a pulmonary homograft. Subsequently, in the presence of an intraabdominal infectious process, progressive mesenteric and lower limb ischemia was treated by replacing the abdominal aorta with an aortic homograft. Thirty-six months postoperative the patient has a functioning gastrointestinal tract and no vascular insufficiency of the lower extremities and no evidence of degeneration of the homograft. Further laboratory studies should be undertaken using the newer and improved cyropreserved homograft in the presence of, or potential for, an intraabdominal infectious process. Presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Southwestern Surgical Congress, LaQuinta, California, April 22–25, 1990.     

Surgical management of aneurysm of the ascending aorta with aortic insufficiency

Surgical therapy for aneurysm of the ascending aorta with aortic incompetence consists of replacement with a composite graft valve prothesis and implantation of the coronary ostia over the graft. Four patients underwent this operation with excellent long term results in three patients. The fourth patient died suddenly six months after the operation. The possible cause of this sudden death and modifications in technique which may have prevented this are discussed.     

Endometrial stromal sarcoma invading the abdominal aorta treated with aortic replacement

Endometrial stromal sarcomas are extremely rare tumors with few reports describing invasion of major blood vessels. Tumors that primarily involve the abdominal aorta or invade the vessel secondarily are uncommon. Outcomes from radical tumor resection and aortic reconstruction are thus poorly understood. We present a rare case of a symptomatic recurrent endometrial stromal sarcoma with encasement of the infrarenal abdominal aorta requiring en bloc tumor resection and in situ aortic replacement.     

Concomitant replacement of the aortic root and aortic arch with or without secondary thoracoabdominal aorta replacement

Objectives: Extensive aortic replacement, such as concomitant aortic root and arch replacement, thoracoabdominal aortic repair, and complete thoracic aorta replacement, remains controversial. We studied surgical morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing concomitant aortic root and arch replacement, and those undergoing secondary replacement of the thoracoabdominal aorta after this preceding procedure.Subjects and Methods: Between January, 1987 and March 1999, 21 patients (mean age: 52 years) underwent concomitant aortic root and arch replacement involving 3 surgical procedures—aortic root replacement with composite graft and arch (n=12), aortic root replacement with valve sparing and arch (n=4), or aortic root replacement with composite graft and arch and elephant trunk (n=5).Results: Overall hospital mortality was 4.8%. Six patients (mean age: 42 years) underwent secondary thoracoabdominal aorta replacement after the concomitant root and arch procedure. The mean time until secondary surgery was 9.5 months. There was 1 hospital death.Conclusion: Concomitant replacement of the aortic root and arch, or secondary replacement of the thoracoabdominal aorta after concomitant root and arch replacement can be conducted with low surgical morbidity and mortality.     

Reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta

OBJECTIVE: To review the experience with reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1991 to 2000, 237 patients underwent reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta. The study consisted of 188 men and 49 women, with a mean age of 51 years. The operation was urgent or emergent in 44% of cases. Many patients (42%) were in New York Heart Association Class IV, and 24 had active infective endocarditis. The ascending aorta was replaced previously in 46 patients, while the remaining patients had aneurismal dilation. An aortic valve sparing operation was performed in 14 patients and aortic valve replacement in 223. The ascending aorta was replaced in all patients as follows: as a composite graft in 166 and supracoronary in 71. Mechanical valves were used in 145 (61%) patients. RESULTS: The operative mortality was 9%. Postoperative complications were common and 30% of patients suffered an adverse event (death or complication). No independent predictor of operative mortality could be identified but urgent/emergent surgery, advanced functional class, infective endocarditis, coronary artery disease, and replacement of the transverse aortic arch were associated with higher operative mortality by chi-square analysis. The survival at 5 years was 74%+/-4% for patients who had composite replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta. CONCLUSIONS: Reoperations on the aortic valve combined with replacement of the ascending aorta can be performed with acceptable operative risk and good mid-term survival.     

An aortic valve-sparing operation for patients with aortic incompetence and aneurysm of the ascending aorta.

A number of patients who require an operation for complications of annuloaortic ectasia, such as aortic incompetence or aneurysm of the aortic root (or both), have normal aortic valve leaflets. We have treated these patients by excising the aneurysmal portion of the ascending aorta and sinuses of Valsalva but by leaving the aortic valve leaflets and some arterial wall attached to the left ventricular outflow tract. The aortic valve is reimplanted inside a collagen-impregnated tubular Dacron graft, similar to what is done for implantation of an aortic valve homograft. The coronary arteries are also reimplanted. This operation was performed in 10 patients. All patients had annuloaortic ectasia and five had the stigmata of Marfan syndrome. Four patients had acute aortic dissection. There were no operative deaths, but one patient required composite replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta because of persistent aortic incompetence. Postoperative Doppler echocardiography revealed normal aortic valve function in six patients and mild incompetence in three. The preliminary results of this new operation are encouraging. Further investigation is necessary to establish the best size, shape, and type of material that should be used to replace the aortic root while preserving the aortic valve.