Balloon aortic valvuloplasty as a treatment option in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation

Aortic valve stenosis is the commonest encountered valvular pathology and a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in cases of severe stenosis. Definitive treatment has traditionally been offered in the form of surgical aortic valve replacement in patients with an acceptable surgical risk and more recently with the less invasive transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in those where surgery is not a viable option. Prior to the introduction of TAVI, inoperable patients were treated medically and where appropriate with balloon aortic valvuloplasty, a procedure which although effective only provided short-term relief and was associated with high complication rates especially during its infancy. Here we discuss whether balloon aortic valvuloplasty continues to have a role in contemporary clinical practice in an era where significant advances have been achieved in the fields of surgical aortic valve replacement, TAVI and postoperative care.     

Percutaneous aortic valve replacement: A novel design of the delivery and deployment system

The frontier of percutaneous aortic valve replacement is challenged by hemodynamic and anatomic obstacles in the precise positioning of the device. With vital structures such as the mitral valve apparatus and the coronary ostia on either side, the margin of error is only within a few millimeters in the placement of the percutaneous aortic valve. An optimal system of delivery and deployment of this device has yet to be made commercially available. A novel design of a system of delivery and deployment of currently investigational aortic valved‐stent is presented. In the proposed procedural and equipment strategy, the local hemodynamic and anatomic conditions are controlled to allow for precise placement of the device, and overall improvement of the patient stability and safety can be made possible. Continued efforts in innovative designs in this area are encouraged such that the percutaneous valvular intervention can become mainstay as it has in the arena of percutaneous coronary intervention.     

Aortic root replacement surgery: indications,techniques and outcomes

Aortic root pathology is a common cause of aortic insufficiency. Aortic root aneurysm and aortic dissection, if left untreated, carry significant risk of mortality and morbidity. Surgical treatment involves replacement of the aortic valve, sinuses and ascending aorta. A number of prosthetic options have been developed including composite valve–synthetic graft, xenograft, homograft and pulmonary autograft. The current review describes the two main indications for aortic root replacement surgery, aortic dissection and root aneurysm, and discusses the various operative strategies and outcomes.     

全主动脉弓置换加支架象鼻手术治疗DeBakeyⅠ型主动脉夹层瘤的护理

目的探讨行升主动脉、全弓置换加支架象鼻手术治疗DebakeyⅠ型主动脉夹层瘤的护理重点。方法 7例Debakey I型主动脉夹层瘤患者行升主动脉、全弓置换加支架象鼻手术治疗,围术期接受精心的治疗和护理,分析其临床资料。结果全部手术都成功,术后恢复顺利,无护理相关并发症出现。结论止痛、控制血压、有效的心理护理和预防并发症的发生是促进患者度过急性危险期的关键。     

Hybrid aortic arch and frozen elephant trunk reconstruction: bridging the gap between conventional and total endovascular arch repair

Introduction: Novel endovascular techniques hope to offer patients aortic arch repair with reduced morbidity compared to conventional arch surgery; however, current endovascular strategies remain challenged by the proximal seal zone, higher stroke rates, long-term durability and select anatomy. Hybrid arch repair offers patients a less invasive alternative that can treat more distal aorta than conventional arch repair yet still be performed via standard sternotomy.

Areas covered: This review will discuss the current evidence and future development of hybrid aortic arch and frozen elephant trunk reconstruction. Several approaches to hybrid arch repair are summarized, including the off-label use of thoracic endovascular stent-grafts and commercially manufactured hybrid grafts. Technical considerations and clinical outcomes with each approach will be addressed along with advantages and disadvantages.

Expert commentary: Hybrid arch repair will undergo continued refinement as our ability to provide a less-invasive alternative to conventional open arch repair grows. Evolution to allow for improved head vessel branch sizing, improved frozen elephant trunk deployment accuracy, monitoring to prevent paraplegia and utilization of intraoperative image guidance in hybrid operating rooms is necessary. The potential exists for hybrid approaches to arch pathology to completely supplant conventional surgery, while avoiding the potential deleterious complications of total endovascular repair.     

Quadricuspid aortic valve associated with aortic stenosis and regurgitation: report of a case and a review of the literature

Quadricuspid aortic valve (QAV) is a rare congenital heart valve disease, and more than half of QAV patients have severe aortic regurgitation (AR). We describe the case of a 66-year-old woman with QAV detected by transthoracic echocardiography during a medical checkup. Doppler echocardiographic examination showed mild aortic stenosis and mild AR. The patient has been under routine medical review without medication therapy. At follow-up echocardiographic examinations over a 4-year period, no significant changes in severity of aortic stenosis or AR were found. The clinical and functional characteristics of 192 cases of QAV were reviewed. The functional status of the QAV was known in 144 cases; of these, only 13 (9%) had both aortic stenosis and AR.     

A Case of Traumatic Aortic Transection Presenting With Hemorrhagic Shock

BackgroundAortic transection, or aortic rupture, is a rare diagnosis in trauma patients and carries a high mortality.Case ReportWe present the case of a 61-year-old man presenting to a Level I trauma center after being struck by a motor vehicle, found to have an aortic transection. He was initially hypotensive and resuscitated with blood products due to concern for hemorrhagic shock. Aortic injury was suspected after chest x-ray study demonstrated a widened mediastinum. Traumatic thoracic aortic transection with pseudoaneurysm was diagnosed on computed tomography of the aorta, and the patient was taken to the operating room for thoracic endovascular repair of the aorta.Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This?Diagnosis of aortic injury can be challenging, especially in trauma patients presenting with hypotension. Aortic injury must be suspected in patients presenting after a high-velocity mechanism injury. It is an uncommon cause of hemorrhagic shock in trauma patients and must be considered even if other traumatic injuries are identified, as it commonly occurs with other significant injuries. Although chest x-ray study can be useful, a negative chest x-ray study does not rule out aortic injury. Aortic injury is a time-sensitive diagnosis, and early identification is key to these patients surviving to receive definitive management in the operating room.     

Elastic properties of aorta in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether hyperpara thyroidism affects the elastic properties of aorta, calculated as aortic distensibility and aortic stiffness index. Eighteen patients with hyperparathyroidism were enrolled in the study. The control group consisted of 18 healthy subjects with similar baseline characteristics. All subjects underwent echocardiographic examination. Internal aortic root diameters were measured at 3 cm above the aortic valve by the use of two-dimensional guided M-mode transthoracic echocardiography, and arterial blood pressure was measured simultaneously from the brachial artery by sphygmomano metry. Two indexes of the aortic elastic properties were measured which are aortic distensibility and aortic stiffness index. The mean aortic stiffness index of hyperparathyroidic patients was higher (3.04 +/- 1.26 vs. 2.36 +/- 1.09; p = 0.048), and aortic distensibility was lower (15.62 +/- 5.84 vs. 22.64 +/- 14.54; p = 0.035) than the control group. The left ventricular (LV) mass index (242.44 +/- 46.3 vs. 212.8 +/- 43.97; p = 0.048), although it has failed to reach statistical significance, and LV wall stress (57.81 +/- 18.22 vs. 46.57 +/- 15.72; p = 0.08) of these patients was also higher than control group. Hyperparathyroidism increases aortic stiffness index and decreases aortic distensibility of primary hyper parathyroidic patients compared with normal population. The affected aortic elastic properties can be a factor in increased LV mass index and wall stress.     

多平面经食管超声心动图非对风湿性主动脉瓣病变的诊断价值

目的：比较多平面经食管超声心动图（MTEE）及经胸超声心动图（TTE）对非风湿性主动脉瓣病变的诊断价值,探讨对其病因及超声特点。方法：应用MTEE和TTE检查非风湿性主动脉瓣病变23例,部分病例手术资料对照,结果：MTEE显示该病变以及动脉瓣畸形、感染性心内膜炎较常见,其次为脱垂、退行性变;感染性心内膜炎所致的主动脉瓣关闭不全较严重,MTEE可清楚显示瓣叶数目、形态结构、穿孔、赘生物和钙化,准确判断瓣膜功能状况,而TTE仅能部分显示。结论：MTEE是诊断非风湿性主动脉瓣病变的最可靠的技术。     

Contemporary insights into the management of type A aortic dissection

Introduction: Acute Type A Dissection remains a surgical emergency with a relatively high operative mortality despite advances in cardiac surgical techniques and medical management over the past thirty years.

Areas covered: In this presentation we will discuss the issues surrounding diagnosis, triage, surgical treatment and perioperative medical management as well as long term surveillance of patients suffering from Acute Type A Dissection and present the literature that supports our management strategies.

Expert commentary: The ultimate goal of surgical intervention for patients with Type A Acute Aortic Dissection is an alive patient. A more complicated operation which addresses the root and arch and potentially reduces late complications should be approached with caution since it may increase the operative mortality of the procedure itself. With the recent evolution in endovascular techniques, there is hope that later complications can be reduced without increasing the risk of the primary operation. It remains to be seen whether the improved distal aortic remodeling afforded by a combined open/endovascular approach to Acute Type A Dissection will lead to decreased need for aortic reinterventions and overall long term complications of a residual descending thoracic chronic dissection.     

Management of acute type B aortic dissections

Introduction: For the last several decades, initial management of Stanford type B aortic dissections (DeBakey IIIa or IIIb) has involved medical therapy aimed at reducing blood pressure and impulse stress (Dp/dT). This concept has been indoctrinated into the medical field but is now being challenged with advancements in endovascular therapies and devices. Although there have been advances in the medical management and intensive care unit care, medical modalities alone may still pose a 25 -50% complication rate to the patients, resulting in some physicians seeking alternative approaches to reduce this risk in certain subsets of these patients.

Areas covered: This review will detail the etiology, classification, diagnosis and evolution in treatment of acute type B dissections. We will also review data from recent trials on thoracic endovascular aortic repair and its role in the management of type B aortic dissections to help determine which patients may benefit from placement of a stent graft.

Expert commentary: As we see new technologies develop and obtain long-term results with TEVAR, the paradigm of management may shift toward a more aggressive operative approach to improve on the longterm mortality of patients with type B aortic dissections.     

Non-invasive variant of Gorlin formula can be used to identify severe aortic stenosis

Summary. In recent years the continuity equation has been established as a valuable non-invasive method for calculating aortic valve area. The continuity equation cannot be used if there is calcification or sub-valvular stenosis in the left ventricle-outflow tract, because the area of the outflow trace is not circular in those cases. The authors have tested the value of a non-invasive variant of the Gorlin formula, as an alternative method of identifying severe aortic stenosis. They examined 32 consecutive patients with aortic stenosis with both methods. Seventeen patients had severe stenosis (valve area^0–7 cm²), calculated by the continuity equation. The other 15 patients had moderate stenosis (valve area 0–7–1–0 cm²). Using the non-invasive variant of the Gorlin formula, the authors were able to identify 16 of the 17 cases with severe stenosis, thus showing that the method is useful for identifying severe aortic stenosis. (P<0–001 by x²-test).     

Large Ascending Aortic Aneurysm and Severe Aortic Regurgitation in a 7-year-Old Child with Marfan Syndrome and a Review of the Literature: Marfan Syndrome in Childhood

A 7-year-old girl was admitted because of dyspnea on exertion and palpitations. Her symptoms had gradually worsened for the last 6 months. She had physical features of the Marfan syndrome. Transthoracic echocardiography showed an ascending aortic aneurysm, severe aortic regurgitation, and mildly dilated left ventricle. Because of marked aortic aneurysm and severe aortic regurgitation, the patient was treated with a beta-blocker and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor. Surgery was refused by her parents. We describe here a child with Marfan syndrome in whom significant dilatation of the ascending aorta and severe aortic regurgitation is encountered and major cardiovascular complications of Marfan syndrome were reviewed.     

Changes in diameter of the abdominal aorta with age: An epidemiological study

Rupture of abdominal aortic aneurysms is a major cause of death for men who are over 60 years old. This study invited 13,000 men aged 60 to 75 years, within the Birmingham conurbation, to have an ultrasound scan of the abdominal aorta. The scan was performed at the patients' own General Practitioner's surgery; 10,061 men were scanned. Only 3% of this population were found to have large aneurysms. An analysis of the distribution of aortic diameters in this population shows that for diameters less than 40 mm, changes in the diameter with age (previously attributed to the growth of small aneurysms) occurs for up to 25% of the population although the median diameter for each year group, 21 mm, does not increase with age. This analysis suggests that the threshold diameter at which the aorta is categorized as abnormal should be related to age, especially by those undertaking mass screening. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

32例主动脉瓣病变患者Ozaki自体心包主动脉瓣成形术的护理配合

目的 总结我院采用OZAKI自体心包主动脉瓣膜成形术治疗主动脉瓣疾病的护理配合经验。方法 收集2015年11月—2019年12月我院32例主动脉瓣病变患者,均于静脉+吸入复合全身麻醉下接受OZAKI自体心包主动脉瓣膜成形手术。手术室器械护士术前熟知手术方案及步骤,提前准备瓣膜修复器械,配合自体心包瓣叶制作及缝合等手术步骤。巡回护士准备好心包固定液,准确记录戊二醛浸泡和冲洗时间。结果 32例主动脉瓣病变患者均手术修复成功取得满意效果,无围术期死亡、无护理并发症发生。术后1周复查超声心动图,主动脉瓣血液动力学纠正效果满意。结论 手术室护士熟知并掌握OZAKI自体心包主动脉瓣膜成形手术的方法及技术特点,护理配合应注意自体心包瓣叶制作的关键步骤,以及戊二醛溶液的配制及术中妥善管理,协助外科医生顺利完成手术。     

重度主动脉瓣狭窄行瓣膜置换术后 左室流出道流速变化及影响因素分析

目的 探讨重度主动脉瓣狭窄患者行瓣膜置换术后左室流出道流速增快的发生机制及其相关因素。方法 选取76例重度主动脉瓣狭窄患者，分为联合瓣膜病组与单纯性主动脉瓣狭窄组，并把单纯性主动脉瓣狭窄组分成两组(I组：术后LVOT流速增加；II组：术后LVOT流速未见明显增加)。术前记录患者左室舒张末期内径、室间隔厚度、是否合并主动脉瓣畸形、LVOT流速、左室射血分数等，并在术后常规随访超声心动图。结果 26例联合瓣膜病组患者行AVR后，2例发生LVOT流速增加，50例单纯性AS患者中则有18例出现此现象；对于单纯性主动脉瓣狭窄患者，两组患者之间LVEDD、室间隔厚度与LVEDD比值有统计学差异。对于单纯性AS术后左室流速增加的18例患者，术后1周内流速增加最快，6个月左右流速大都能恢复正常。结论 主动脉瓣狭窄患者行瓣膜置换术后左室流出道流速增快发生率较高，流速变化呈现先增加后降低的趋势，大多数术后6个月左右回复正常；多发生于术前为单纯性主动脉瓣狭窄的患者；并且与左室舒张末期内径大小、室间隔厚度与左室舒张末期内径比值相关，与术前主动脉瓣跨瓣压差、是否畸形、术后假体瓣膜性质等无关。     

急性主动脉夹层动脉瘤早期诊断问题──附21例病例报告

急性主动脉夹层动脉瘤发病急骤，临床表现复杂，相当多的病例易漏诊、误诊，本文分析21例急性主动脉夹层动脉瘤临床特征和诊断情况，根据经治经验、提出急诊早期对本症的诊断线索，并对各种诊断方法作了初步评价。     

经食道心脏超声评价主动脉顺应性

以经食道心脏超声技术检测４６例患者主动脉顺应性。结果显示，随年龄增高而有相应主动脉内径增宽、主动脉搏动幅度和顺应分数减低、主动脉压力相关牵引张强度和非压力相关硬化指数加。高血压状态与上述主动脉顺应性参数亦有较好相关性。认为经食道心脏超声检测主动脉顺应性具有一定临床实用价值。     

超声心动图诊断先天性单叶主动脉瓣

目的 探讨超声心动图诊断先天性单叶主动脉瓣的价值。方法 回顾性分析20例在我院接受超声心动图检查并诊断为单叶主动脉瓣的患者资料。结果 20例均出现不同程度主动脉瓣瓣膜功能障碍,其中6例（6/20,30.00%）表现为单纯主动脉瓣狭窄,3例（3/20,15.00%）表现为单纯主动脉瓣反流。2例（2/20,10.00%）为无交界型,舒张期未见关闭线;18例（18/20,90.00%）为交界型,闭合线呈逗点样,附着点多位于1~7点钟位置。17例升主动脉狭窄后扩张。9例伴其他心内畸形,4例有并发症。结论 超声心动图可早期诊断先天性单叶主动脉瓣畸形,实时动态显示单叶瓣的几何形态、启闭情况,定量评价其狭窄及反流程度,为选择治疗方式及评估预后提供依据。