Aneurysms of the thoracic aorta after correction of aortic coarctation

Six patients with thoracic-aorta aneurysms, developing at different dates after the correction of aortic coarctation and making up 19.6% of all aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta, were investigated and underwent surgery. Aneurysm resection and prosthesis implantation were the method of choice. This operation was performed in 4 patients. Mean aortic occlusion time was 45 min. There were no fatal outcomes or paraplegia. The results were good in all patients.     

Left ventricular volume after correction of isolated aortic coarctation in neonates

To determine the capacity of the left ventricle to expand after biventricular repair of left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction, we studied pre- and postoperative echocardiographic variables from 14 infants (< 2 months old) who underwent successful repair of isolated aortic coarctation. We show that in this lesion, LV volume is a dynamic entity, and that the left ventricle achieves a larger cavity size once surgery relieves compression and normalizes loading conditions.     

成人型主动脉缩窄的外科治疗

目的:总结成人型主动脉缩窄的外科治疗经验。方法:自2007年2月至2007年6月,我们采用胸-腹主动脉转流治疗5例成人型主动脉弓缩窄。结果:本组患者无手术死亡及严重并发症。术后上肢血压明显下降,上下肢血压差由术前平均72 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)降至-4 mmHg。未见人工血管并发症。结论:成人型主动脉缩窄手术治疗效果满意;手术方式的选择应根据病变的具体情况和术者经验而定;胸-腹主动脉转流术是一种安全有效的治疗方式。     

Exercise capacity and exercise hypertension after surgical repair of isolated aortic coarctation

There are contradictory reports whether exercise capacity is reduced in patients on long-term follow-up after coarctation repair. Data from unselected patient groups are missing. In a cross-sectional, long-term follow-up study of a tertiary congenital cardiology referral center, 260 patients (30.2+/-11.4 years old, 84 women), after surgical repair for isolated aortic coarctation (age at surgery 11.5+/-11.2 years), underwent a symptom-limited exercise test. Peak workload was 180+/-52 W, significantly less than the age- and height-related reference values (p<0.0005). A peak workload under 80% of expected was found in 200 patients (77%). Exercise performance of the patients was independent from age at surgery, type of surgery, or the systolic brachial-ankle blood pressure difference. The only exercise-limiting factor found was the chronic administration of diuretics to treat hypertension (p=0.005). Exercise hypertension, defined as a systolic blood pressure >2 SD above the load-dependent reference value, was found in 73 patients (28%). It was independently related to the systolic brachial-ankle blood pressure difference (p<0.0005) and diuretics administration (p=0.037). In conclusion, most patients after coarctation repair have a reduced exercise performance. This reduction is not related to the surgical results. Particularly, as these patients are at risk of early atherosclerosis, exercise should be promoted as primary prevention after restenosis, aortic or cerebral aneurysms, and severe exercise hypertension are ruled out.     

Plasma renin activity in coarctation of the aorta before and after surgical correction.

In 37 patients with coarctation of the aorta, arterial blood pressure and ambulant plasma renin activity (PRA) were determined before and, in 15 patients, after surgical correction. The systolic blood pressure was raised in all the cases and the diastolic pressure was raised in 30 patients. Ambulant PRA was increased in 11 patients when compared with normal subjects of similar age. Twelve of the 15 operated patients had a significant decrease of systolic pressure after operation. Eight had raised PRA, and in 7 of these PRA fell to normal after operation and the blood pressure also fell; in 1 patient the decrease of PRA was unaccompanied by a fall in blood pressure. Though there was no significant correlation between the changes in blood pressure and PRA after operation it seems possible from our results that the renin-angiotensin system may be activated and contribute to the raised arterial pressure which occurs in patients with aortic coarctation.     

Acquired aortic coarctation due to posttuberculotic gibbous formation

This is a report on a rare case of acquired stenosis of the descending thoracic aorta resulting from an extreme posttuberculotic gibbous formation. The unusual anatomical relationship precluded conventional alleviation of the stenosis which was bridged ultimately with a graft producing a satisfactory functional result.     

Respiratory syncytial virus as a trigger of a pulmonary hypertensive crisis after operative correction of aortic coarctation

We discuss a 9-month-old male baby, submitted to surgery for correction of aortic coarctation, who showed severe bronchospasm, hypoxaemia, and cardio-respiratory arrest, and who died on the fifth postoperative day. The autopsy revealed histological signs of severe pulmonary vasoconstriction, possibly as a consequence of hypoxaemia secondary to bronchiolitis due to infection with the respiratory syncytial virus. This supposition was confirmed when viruses were detected in pulmonary tissue by immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy.     

Impact of transverse aortic arch hypoplasia after surgical repair of aortic coarctation: an exercise echo and magnetic resonance imaging study

Our sub study was designed to analyze the cost effectiveness of two alternative treatment strategies with a view to improved allocation of the limited therapeutic resources. To that effect we conducted detailed analysis of the related costs and other relevant data collected in the course of the HOT CAFE study.MethodsThe prospective costs related to 205 patients randomly assigned to rhythm or rate control were traced over a 12 month period. Since, both strategies produced similar clinical outcomes a cost minimization analysis was undertaken. The cost of diagnostic and treatment procedures, including hospitalization, outpatient visits, drugs and physicians consultations were estimated for both groups.ResultsThe study population comprised 205 patients (mean age 60.8 year; 35% females). A hundred and one patients were randomly assigned to the rate control group with the pharmacological heart rate frequency optimization treatment combined with Holter monitoring. A hundred and four patients were randomized to sinus rhythm (SR) restoration with its subsequent maintenance with sequential antiarrhythmic drug treatment. There was no significant difference in the composite primary end-point (all-cause mortality, number of thromboembolic and major bleeding events). The hospital admissions rate was significantly higher in the rhythm control than the rate control arm (202 vs. 5, respectively). The conservative strategy involving pharmacological ventricular rate control proved to be less costly than rhythm control (€1225 vs. €2526; p < 0.001). The main cost driver behind the established difference was the cardioversion related hospitalization.ConclusionsThe cost effectiveness appraisal seems to have supported the rate control strategy as less costly due to the lower hospitalization rate as a major cost carrier.     

Evaluation of aortic coarctation after surgical repair: role of magnetic resonance imaging and Doppler ultrasound.

OBJECTIVE--To compare the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and Doppler ultrasound with that of cross sectional echocardiography and oscillometric blood pressure measurement for the evaluation of aortic coarctation after surgical repair. DESIGN--Prospective study. Aortic diameters measured by cross sectional echocardiography, MRI, and angiography (selected cases) and functional data determined by physical examination, oscillometric blood pressure measurement, and continuous wave Doppler. SETTING--Tertiary referral centre. PATIENTS--40 patients aged 2-28 years (mean 10.6 years) who had had surgical correction of aortic coarctation (mean follow up 5.7 years). RESULTS--In all patients MRI gave diameter measurements of the aortic arch and the thoracic aorta whereas in half of them cross sectional echocardiographic measurement of the isthmic region failed. The correlation coefficient for aortic diameters measured by MRI and angiography was 0.97 and that between MRI and echocardiography was 0.89. Peak velocities in the descending aorta correlated better with residual narrowing of the aortic isthmus or distal aortic arch or both than systolic blood pressure gradients between the upper and lower limbs. A peak velocity of < 2 m/s in the descending aorta during systole excluded important restenosis. Prolongation of anterograde blood flow during diastole always indicated a morphological abnormality--either important restenosis or aneurysmal dilatation. CONCLUSIONS--MRI was better than cross sectional echocardiography for imaging the aortic arch after coarctation repair and measuring its diameter. Peak velocity in the descending aorta correlated better with residual stenosis than did the systolic blood pressure gradient between the upper and lower limbs and this index could be used to indicate a need for MRI.     

Percutaneous treatment of late‐aortic pseudoaneurysm resulting from surgical repair of aortic coarctation

We describe the case of a 38‐year‐old woman who presented with symptoms of chest pain and shortness of breath that had worsened over the previous 6 months and was found to have a large pseudoaneurysm (PSA) of the thoracic aorta. She underwent surgical repair of aortic coarctation at the age of 16 and a revision of her bypass graft at age 28 when she presented with hemoptysis due to aortic PSA and aortobronchial fistula. Our cardiothoracic surgical team deemed a third surgery very high risk; therefore, she was referred to us for percutaneous repair of aortic PSA. We describe the successful treatment of the PSA using a technique of microcoil embolization and Amplatzer® vascular plug (AGA Medical Corp., Plymouth, MN).© 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Redo sternotomy for extra-anatomical correction of aortic coarctation and mitral repair in an adult after failed endovascular treatment

Recently, extra-anatomical bypass surgery has been widely used in complicated adult aortic coarctation cases with concomitant intracardiac repair. Stent implantation has been widely used for primary aortic coarctation as well. The procedure has been shown to be effective with long term follow ups. However, failed stent implantations like stent fracture and dislodgement may complicate the clinical status and subsequent surgical procedure. Extra-anatomic bypass can provide effective results and lower morbidity in cases with concomitant intracardiac problems and stent failure. Here we present an adult aortic coarctation patient who had undergone a Bentall operation and two unsuccessful stent implantations for recurrent aortic coarctation. The patient then got an extra-anatomic bypass for aortic coarctation and concomitant mitral valve commissurotomy through median sternotomy.