Early reoperation for iatrogenic left main stenosis after aortic valve replacement: a perilous situation

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis secondary to direct ostial cannulation during aortic valve replacement still occurs and is a morbid situation due to the difficulties of early reoperation and in providing adequate myocardial protection. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed and identified seven patients with an iatrogenic LMCA stenosis, after 2158 aortic valve replacements (AVR) (0.3%) in our institution since 1987. RESULTS: All patients with LMCA stenosis after AVR had undergone direct ostial cannulation with self-inflating balloon cannulas at the time of AVR. At reoperation for LMCA stenosis, severe ischemia developed in one patient and injury to cardiac structures occurred in four patients. Four patients suffered a perioperative myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure developed in two patients at late follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: LMCA stenosis following coronary ostial cannulation at the time of AVR is a rare yet morbid complication. Reoperation for this condition is fraught with a high operative morbidity rate and poor long-term outcome. Prevention of this complication is quintessential, avoiding ostial cannulation with self-inflating balloons.     

Successful repair of supravalvular aortic stenosis with ostial stenosis of the left coronary artery using Brom’s three patch technique

Stenotic lesion of the left coronary artery is an unnoticed but complicating feature of supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). We present successful repair of SAS with left coronary ostial stenosis. A 9-year-old girl was diagnosed as Williams syndrome associated with SAS. She had no symptoms of angina but cardiac catheterization revealed severe stenosis of the left coronary artery ostium. We adopted Brom’s three patch technique, which could enlarge the aortic root and ostial lesion of left coronary artery inclusively. This method is also ideal regarding restoration of the aortic root geometry.     

Patch Angioplasty for Isolated Ostial Stenosis of the Left Main Coronary Artery

Abstract Background: Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is recognized as the treatment of choice for left main coronary artery stenosis (LMCA) with excellent results. Patch angioplasty is an alternative method in selected cases for ostial stenosis of the LMCA. However, the long‐term outcome data of this surgical technique are lacking. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term outcome of patients treated by patch angioplasty using saphenous vein for ostial stenosis of the LMCA. Methods: Nineteen patients underwent vein patch angioplasty for ostial LMCA stenosis between 1995 and 2005 at our institution. On three of them simultaneous aortic valve replacement was carried out and on one patient concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting of the right coronary artery was performed. Patients were followed up clinically and by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 5.11 ± 3.34 years (range 0.6–10 years). Results: The early postoperative course was uneventful in all patients. There were no in‐hospital deaths. In the late course, three patients died from unrelated causes three and a half, four, and six years after surgery. Importantly, at the time of follow‐up the MRI revealed no restenosis or aneurysmatic coronary formation. All patients were in excellent clinical condition at follow‐up. Conclusions: Surgical patch angioplasty with saphenous vein for isolated ostial LMCA stenosis is a safe operative technique with good long‐term results. MRI is able to adequately depict the operative result of left main coronary ostium reconstruction.     

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.     

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 treatment of the left circumflex coronary artery from the pulmonary artery in an adult patient

We report an exceptional case of ischemic heart disease due to the origin of the left coronary circumflex artery from the pulmonary artery in a 50-year-old woman. She had undergone surgery for aortic coarctation when she was 16 years old. This abnormality was associated with other congenital defects such as tunnel subaortic stenosis, small aortic valve annulus, numerous left ventricular false tendons, and aortic bicuspid valve. Cardiac surgery verified the origin of the left circumflex from the pulmonary artery. The left internal mammary artery was positioned on the obtuse marginal coronary branch. Her clinical state was moderately improved 3 months after surgery.     

Transesophageal echocardiography evaluation and follow-up of left main coronary artery patch angioplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Isolated ostial stenosis of the left main coronary artery is a rare but serious condition. The treatment is surgical with two options: coronary artery bypass grafting or surgical angioplasty of the left main coronary artery. Assessing surgical results as well as follow-up were traditionally done by angiography. METHODS: We describe the use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for evaluating and follow the surgical left main coronary artery (LMCA) angioplasty results in eight patients with isolated ostial left main stenosis. RESULTS: All patients were alive and free of ischemic events 8 months to 7 years post-surgery. TEE demonstrated a widely opened left main coronary artery with a good flow. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical angioplasty is an alternative option for treating ostial LMCA stenosis. TEE is an additional excellent non-invasive technique for assessing left main anatomy pre- and postoperatively, as well as being on of the quality control tools for evaluating new surgical techniques.     

Mid-term outcome of surgical coronary ostial plasty: our experience

The conventional coronary artery bypass procedure that uses venous or arterial conduit for isolated critical stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) restores a less physiological perfusion of the myocardium and uses an appreciable length of bypass material. Coronary ostial plasty has been described as an alternative surgical technique in proximal obstructive coronary artery disease without calcifications. Here we report 23 patients (15 males and 8 females aged 37-78 years; mean age 57 years) who underwent surgical ostial plasty. Ostial reconstruction with fresh pericardial patch was performed in all patients: 15 patients with LMCA stenosis, 6 patients with right coronary (RC) ostial stenosis, and 2 patients with both RC artery and LMCA stenosis. In seven cases, coronary artery bypass grafting was added for contralateral distal stenosis with a total of five arterial conduits and six venous grafts. One patient died; the ostial plasty and grafts were patent at necropsy. Thallium-201 myocardial scintigraphy under stress at 30 days to 6 months after operation demonstrated good myocardial perfusion in 21 of 22 patients. Coronary angiography at follow-up (49 +/- 8 months) demonstrated good surgical ostial plasty results in 21 of 22 patients and good coronary flow in 19 of 22 patients; angiographic study at mid-term follow-up revealed only one failure of the surgical ostial plasty technique associated with venous graft obstruction. In 2 other patients CABG failure due to venous graft obstruction (1 patient) or distal stenotic lesions of the left coronary artery (1 patient) was noted. The overall successful outcome of the surgical ostial plasty was 22 of 23. We believe that surgical angioplasty of the coronary ostia may be used in the presence of proximal noncalcified obstructive lesions as an alternative technique, which offers a more physiological revascularization; it also spares grafting material and allows subsequent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty or coronary artery bypass surgery.     

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.     

Extensive patch angioplasty of the left main ostial stenosis using a rhombic-shaped pulmonary autograft

A rhombic shaped pulmonary autograft patch was applied to enlarge an ostial stenosis of the left main coronary artery (LMCA) in a 25-year-old woman diagnosed with vasculitis syndrome. The patch increased the width of the ostial stenosis and made a funnel-shaped connection. At eighteen months of follow-up, a coronary angiogram by computed tomography showed no restenosis at the LMCA. The rhombic-shaped pulmonary autograft patch might be an ideal shape and material for angioplasty of the ostial stenosis of the LMCA.     

Repair of left main coronary ostial stenosis using autologous aortic tissue

Abstract Background: Patch angioplasty is one of the several surgical options for patients with left main coronary ostial stenosis. It restores native antegrade blood flow in the left main coronary artery (LMCA) and does not leave the patient with graft‐dependent retrograde perfusion. Various direct techniques have been described for left coronary ostioplasty. Herein, we described the use of autologous aortic tissue in the surgical treatment of left main coronary ostioplasty, and reported the short‐ and long‐term outcomes of the patients. Methods: Between January 2003 and December 2010, 11 patients (nine males and two females) underwent surgical patch angioplasty for LMCA ostial stenosis using autologous aortic tissue as the patch material. Results: All patients survived the operation, and there were no significant postoperative complications. The follow‐up period was 44.09 ± 30.26 months (range, 1–94 months), and no deaths or restenoses were observed during follow‐up. Conclusions: The use of autologous aortic tissue as an onlay patch for reconstruction of left main coronary ostial stenosis is safe and free of major complications. This tissue is a reasonable material for treating selected types of LCMA patients. (J Card Surg 2011;26:586‐590)     

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.     

Syphilitic coronary ostial stenosis. Case reports

Two young Coloured men with proven syphilitic coronary ostial stenosis had severe angina pectoris unresponsive to conventional medication. One underwent an aortic valve replacement for severe aortic insufficiency associated with subtotal ostial occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA), which was corrected by an aortocoronary bypass graft; the left coronary artery (LCA) ostium was normal and patent. The other patient had total occlusion of the LCA ostium which resulted in an extensive transmural anteroseptal and anterolateral myocardial infarction; the RCA ostium was unaffected and the aortic valve appeared normal. He was considered unsuitable for cardiac surgery and continued to receive anti-anginal drug therapy with quite satisfactory improvement in symptoms. Non-atheromatous coronary artery disease must always be sought for and excluded when a non-White patient presents with symptoms of ischaemic heart disease. Although atheromatous coronary artery involvement is becoming increasingly prevalent among 'westernized' Black and Coloured subjects, it is still relatively unusual in comparison with the extremely high incidence in the White population.     

Surgery for calcific aortic root stenosis in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

A 35-year-old female with homozygous familial hyperlipidemia (IIa) was referred to our hospital for an operation against supravalvular and valvular aortic stenosis. She had been treated with low-density lipoprotein apheresis for 20 years, and total cholesterol ranged between 200 and 400 mg/dl under this treatment. She had undergone percutaneous coronary intervention for ostial stenosis of the right coronary artery three times since the age of 19. Unenhanced three-dimensional computed tomography showed supravalvular stenosis, funnelling and heavily calcified aorta. An operation was performed under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest without aortic cross clamping. After the ascending aorta had been replaced with a one-branched vascular graft, arterial perfusion was resumed. The stenosed ascending aorta was resected at the sinotubular junction. Because the aortic root was still extremely small, the noncoronary sinus and the commissure between left and right coronary cusp were incised, and the aortic root was enlarged with linguiform vascular-graft patches. A 21-mm mechanical valve was implanted. The postoperative course was uneventful.     

Successful repair of supravalvular aortic stenosis using Steinberg 3 sinuses reconstruction; report of a case

Steinberg method is a modification of Doty extended aortoplasty for supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). This modification entails placement of an additional patch in the left coronary sinus. A 3-year-old boy was diagnosed as SAS with aortic valvular stenosis. He was noticed a systolic murmur from 1 month after his birth. Echocardiography showed left ventricular hypertrophy, and pressure gradient of 80 mmHg was measured between the ascending aorta and the left ventricle. Cardiac catheterization revealed severe aortic stenosis at the sino-tubular (ST) junction. We adopted Steinberg 3 sinuses reconstruction. After this operation, there was no pressure gradient at ST junction although aortic valvular stenosis remained and mild aortic valve regurgitation newly developed. As this method can produce a symmetric aortic root, it may reduce aortic valve deformity especially on the left coronary cusp.     

Classification of left main coronary obstruction--feasibility of surgical angioplasty and survival after coronary artery bypass surgery

Angiographies of 384 patients who had coronary artery bypass surgery because of left main coronary artery (LMCA) obstruction during 1970-1989 were reviewed by analysing the pathology, feasibility of surgical angioplasty and survival. Complete LMCA occlusion was found in 2%, proximal ostial stenosis in 9%, mid-shaft stenosis in 24%, circular stenosis in 25% and distal bifurcation stenosis in 40% of the patients. Patients with an ostial stenosis were younger, more often women with less coronary artery disease and less calcified obstructions. Surgical angioplasty could have been an option in 22% of the patients. Early mortality was higher in patients with (4.7%) than in those without (1.9%) LMCA obstruction. The relative risk (RR) of early death was 1.9 (95% CL 1.1-3.5) after adjustment for patient characteristics. Similarly, the RR at 10 years was 1.3 (95% CL 1.0-1.6). LMCA obstruction was associated with an early and long-term increased mortality after surgery compared to patients without LMCA obstruction.     

A case report of aortitis syndrome with massive aortic regurgitation (AR), and ostial stenosis of the right coronary artery

A 55-year-old female with massive aortic regurgitation and ostial stenosis of the right coronary artery due to aortitis syndrome was reported. The patient was admitted to the hospital with anterior chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. Retrograde aortogram showed massive aortic regurgitation and selective coronary angiogram revealed ostial stenosis of the right coronary artery. She was treated with aorto-coronary bypass (A-C bypass) and aortic valve replacement (AVR) with St. Jude Medical prosthetic valve. At operation, ostial stenosis of the right coronary artery due to aortitis syndrome was confirmed. Aortic valve replacement with a prosthetic valve and saphenous vein grafting to the distal right coronary artery were performed. Steroid therapy was started immediately after the operation. She recovered well and no complications was recognized after the operation.     

Endarterectomy and graft replacement of severely calcified (porcelain) ascending aorta with coronary ostial involvement in a patient requiring aortic valve replacement.

We report a successful aortic valve replacement within an extensively calcified (porcelain) aorta, involving the left coronary artery ostium. Clamping such an aorta can result in embolization, dissection, and mural laceration. A 72-year-old female presented with a severely calcified and stenotic aortic valve with a peak pressure gradient of 101 mmHg. Computed tomography demonstrated extensive calcification of the ascending aorta. Coronary angiogram showed a 50% ostial left coronary artery stenosis. Under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, the aorta was transected at the proximal arch and distal graft anastomosis was performed. This was followed by endarterectomy of the porcelain ascending aorta and the left coronary ostium. Aortic valve replacement, proximal aortic graft anastomosis, and a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) with the left internal thoracic artery (LITA) anastomosed to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) were then performed in a sequential manner.     

Left mainstem coronary artery ostial stenosis--death after angiography. A report of 5 cases

Death directly related to selective coronary arteriography in 5 patients with a history of unstable angina pectoris during the period 1975-1985 is reported. Four different cardiologists were involved. A feature common to all the cases was the presence of significant ostial stenosis of the left mainstem coronary artery (LMCA); 2 patients had haemodynamically important obstruction of a dominant right coronary artery (RCA) ostium, while 2 others had total occlusion in the proximal part of a dominant RCA. The RCA in the last case was angiographically normal and non-dominant. Collateral coronary blood flow was fairly sparse in most cases and in 4 left ventricular dysfunction of varying degree was present. All patients developed severe hypotension and electromechanical dissociation after arteriography while still in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Resuscitation efforts were uniformly unsuccessful. Autopsy on 1 patient demonstrated extensive obstructive coronary atherosclerosis with a massive acute anterior myocardial infarction. Cardiac catheterization poses an extremely high risk for this subgroup of patients with LMCA disease, as does selective coronary arteriography. The possible role of catheter-provoked coronary vasospasm of the LMCA is suggested; a recently introduced soft-tipped cardiovascular catheter may be more appropriate in this setting.     

Congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis; report of a case

We experienced a successful surgical case of extended aortoplasty by means of Doty's method (two sinus reconstruction) for congenital supravalvular aortic stenosis (SAS). Case was 12-year-old boy, who had no complaint except heart murmur. The retrograde aortography demonstrated localized stenosis just above the aortic valve, and it was an hour-glass type. The preoperative peak systolic pressure gradient between the left ventricle and ascending aorta was 56 mmHg, which was improved postoperatively. This case showed excellent results. Doty's aortoplasty was favorable method for SAS without deformity of aortic valve and coronary obstruction.