Outcomes of recurrent laryngeal nerve injury following congenital heart surgery: A contemporary experience

Objective

Injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve can lead to significant morbidity during congenital cardiac surgery. The objective is to expand on the limited understanding of the severity and recovery of this iatrogenic condition.

Design

A six-year retrospective review of all congenital heart operations at a single institution from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2013 was performed. All patients with documented vocal cord paralysis on laryngoscopic examination comprised the study cohort. Evaluation of time to vocal cord recovery and need for further surgical intervention was the primary focus.

Results

The incidence of post-operative vocal cord paralysis was 1.1% (32 out of 3036 patients; 95% confidence interval: 0.7–1.5%). The majority were left-sided injuries (71%). Overall rate of recovery was 61% with a median time of 10 months in those who recovered, and a total follow up of 46 months. Due to feeding complications, 45% of patients required gastrostomy tube after the injury, and these patients were found to have longer duration of post-operative days of intubation (median 10 vs. 5 days, p = 0.03), ICU length of stay (50 vs. 8 days, p = 0.002), and hospital length of stay (92 vs. 41 days, p = 0.01). No pre-operative variables were identified as predictive of recovery or need for gastrostomy placement.

Conclusion

Recurrent laryngeal nerve injury is a serious complication of congenital heart surgery that impacts post-operative morbidity, in some cases leading to a need for further intervention, in particular, gastrostomy tube placement. A prospective, multi-center study is needed to fully evaluate factors that influence severity and time to recovery.     

甲状腺肿瘤手术喉返神经损伤10例分析

目的 探讨甲状腺手术引起喉返神经损伤的原因和预防措施。方法 回顾分析我院手术治疗的606例甲状腺肿瘤病人。结果 10例出现一侧不同部位，不同原因引起的喉返神经损伤。结论 甲状腺肿瘤手术为避免喉返神经损伤，应强调严格按照外科间隙解剖。细心操作，严密止血，熟悉喉返神经的解剖和变异，掌握喉返神经的解剖方法。是否解剖喉返神经应具体问题具体分析。     

头臂血管成形术治疗成人主动脉弓及头臂血管发育不良

目的:总结并探索主动脉弓及头臂血管发育不良的手术治疗方式。方法:2009年2月至2011年12月,北京安贞医院大血管中心对4例主动脉弓及头臂血管发育不良的患者行主动脉弓成形术治疗,手术均采用右侧腋动脉和股动脉及右心房插管建立体外循环,在深低温停循环选择性脑灌注下进行,沿主动脉弓长轴靠近头臂血管根部横行切开主动脉弓,切口两端达正常段,再纵形剖开3枝头臂血管开口及近段(狭窄段)前壁,分别将无名动脉和左颈总动脉、左颈总动脉和左锁骨下动脉相邻血管壁连续缝合在一起,将3枝血管融合成一个共同腔的后壁,再用人工血管片作为前壁补片加宽主动脉弓及头臂血管共同腔,以完成对发育不良的主动脉弓和头臂血管的手术矫治。结果:患者术后均恢复顺利,复查结果显示主动脉弓及头臂血管形态良好,上下肢压差<20 mmHg(1 mmHg=0.133 kPa)。结论:将发育不良的头臂血管近段剖开融合成一个共同腔,再用人工血管片加宽可理想地矫正主动脉弓及头臂血管发育不良。     

Left ventricular and aortic catheterization and angiography via a patent ductus arteriosus: A new technique

A new “transductal” technique of aortic arch and left ventricular angiography in patients with patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is described by introducing the catheter to the aortic arch from the pulmonary artery via the PDA. Over a 4-year period, 44 infants and children with complicated PDA underwent cardiac catheterization with this technique at our institution. Twenty-five of the 30 in the group with PDA alone and 12 of 14 in the group with associated cardiac defects had successful aortic arch catheterization and angiography, an 84% success rate. No complications were encountered during the procedure. The technique offers a safe alternative to retrograde arterial catheterization in patients with PDA who have other associated lesions.     

Interventional treatment for acute cerebral infarction with large vessel occlusion combined with aortic arch interruption: A case report

Rationale:Aortic arch interruption is a type of congenital vascular malformation that is often observed in childhood. Most children die of congestive heart failure due to rapid deterioration. Children can only survive to adulthood if they have extremely rich collateral circulation. Cases of acute cerebral infarction with large vessel occlusion receiving interventional treatment in adult patients with interrupted aortic arch have not been reported.Patient concerns:A 55-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation and smoking but without a family history of stroke was admitted to our hospital with a 5-hour history of left limb weakness and speech difficulties.Diagnoses:Emergency brain computed tomography showed a large cerebral infarction in the right frontal temporal parietal lobe. He was suspected to have aortic arch interruption in the early stage of endovascular interventional therapy through the femoral artery approach, and was converted to the transradial artery pathway. The aortic arch was disconnected, and the right internal carotid artery was occluded.Interventions:Considering the possibility of cardiogenic embolism, a middle catheter was used for thrombus aspiration of the right internal carotid artery. After removal of the dark red thrombus was removed, the right internal carotid artery was successfully recanalized.Outcomes:The patient recovered well after the operation. However, the patient and his family refused further treatment for aortic arch interruption. The modified Rankin Scale score was 0 at 3 months and 1 year of follow-up which meant that he recovered quite well.Lessons:Adult patients with acute cerebral infarction with large vessel occlusion are rarely complicated with aortic arch interruption, and emergency thrombectomy via the radial artery approach is feasible.     

A case of complete double aortic arch visualized by transthoracic echocardiography

A case of double aortic arch that was well visualized using transthoracic echocardiography is reported. A 38‐year‐old man underwent transthoracic echocardiography for the evaluation of dyspnea. A suprasternal view of transthoracic echocardiography showed the ascending aorta bifurcate to left and right aortic arches, with blood flow from the ascending aorta to bilateral aortic arches. The diagnosis of right side–dominant double aortic arch was made, and the patient's symptom was conceivably related to compression of the trachea due to a vascular ring. This report indicates the potential usefulness of transthoracic echocardiography for noninvasive detection of double aortic arch in adults.     

Hepatic artery stenosis angioplasty and implantation of Wingspan neurovascular stent: A case report and discussion of stenting in tortuous vessels

BACKGROUND Hepatic artery stenosis is a complication of orthotopic liver transplant occurring in 3.1%-7.4%of patients that can result in graft failure and need for retransplantation.Endovascular therapy with angioplasty and stenting has been used with a high degree of technical success and good clinical outcomes,but tortuous hepatic arteries present a unique challenge for intervention.Suitable stents for this application should be maneuverable and conformable while also exerting adequate radial force to maintain a patent lumen.CASE SUMMARY Herein we report our experience with a neurovascular Wingspan stent system in a challenging case of recurrent hepatic artery stenosis and discuss the literature of stenting in tortuous transplant hepatic arteries.CONCLUSION Wingspan neurovascular stent is self-expanding,has good conformability,and adequate radial resistance and as such it could be added to the armamentarium of interventionalists in the setting of a tortuous and stenotic transplant hepatic artery.     

Successful minimal approach transcatheter aortic valve replacement in an allograft heart recipient 19 years post transplantation for severe aortic stenosis: A case report

BACKGROUND Aortic stenosis is one of the rare valvular complications in a transplanted heart.Over the past 8 years, transcatheter approach for aortic valve replacement(TAVR) has been slowly evolving to be the preferred approach in these patient population when compared to the surgical approach. We report a second case in the United States with successful transfemoral minimal approach with minimal sedation for TAVR in a heart transplant recipient 19 years post transplantation for severe symptomatic calcified aortic stenosis.CASE SUMMARY We present a case of 73-year-old male who has undergone successful minimal approach transcatheter aortic valve replacement in an allograft heart. Patient had received orthotopic heart transplantation 19 years ago for non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Follow up transthoracic echocardiograms as per routine protocol did not show any aortic valve disease until 15 years post transplantation.Aortic valve was noted to be mildly sclerotic at that time and gradually progressed to severe symptomatic aortic stenosis over the next 4 years. Patient had complaints of worsening shortness of breath that limited his functional capacity. Overall his post heart transplantation period has been mostly uneventful except for allograft non occlusive vasculopathy and aortic stenosis.His Society of Thoracic Surgery risk score was 12.205% and he was considered to be a high-risk surgical candidate by surgeon. Decision was made to undergo transcatheter aortic valve replacement.CONCLUSION With the improved survival of these patients, we think it is time to look intopathophysiology of valvular disease in transplant heart recipients. Some other unanswered questions include, underlying donor and recipient risk factors for valvular diseases in heart transplant recipients.     

Double aortic arch with atretic left arch distal to the origin of left subclavian artery accompanied by dyspnea: A case report and literature review

Double aortic arch with atretic left arch distal to the origin of left subclavian artery is a rare type of vascular ring, and it can be easily confused with the right aortic arch with mirror branching. We provided a rare case of a 10‐month‐old infant with dyspnea. Echocardiography showed a suspicious double aortic arch with atretic left arch distal to the origin of left subclavian artery, which was confirmed intra‐operatively. We summarize ultrasonic image characteristics of the disease and combine it with computed tomography angiography, bronchoscopy, and clinical symptoms in order to improve the detection rate and treatment strategy.     

Bentall procedure for retrograde type A dissection after endovascular repair in type A aortic dissection: A case report

Rationale:The management of retrograde type A dissection (RTAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type A aortic dissection (TAAD) has rarely been reported. We report the management of RTAD after TEVAR with in situ fenestration for TAAD.Patient concerns:A 59-year-old man with TAAD had undergone TEVAR with in situ fenestration 4 months prior to presenting to our emergency room complaining of acute chest and back pain. Computed tomography angiography showed RTAD starting from the proximal endograft and extending to the aortic root.Diagnosis:The patient was diagnosed with RTAD.Interventions:We performed only the Bentall procedure, and the patient did not require total arch replacement. We removed the bare spring of the proximal endograft and anastomosed the prosthetic graft with the endograft and the native ascending aortic wall.Outcomes:The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient remained asymptomatic for 3 years after surgery. Computed tomography angiography at the 3-year follow-up showed no perivalvular or anastomotic leakage.Lessons:RTAD after TEVAR for TAAD was safely and effectively treated by anastomosing the prosthetic graft with the endograft and the native ascending aortic wall instead of total arch replacement.     

Neonatal cholestasis and hepatosplenomegaly caused by congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1: A case report

BACKGROUND Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia type 1(CDA1) is an autosomal recessive disorder of ineffective erythropoiesis, resulting in increased iron storage. CDA1 is usually diagnosed in children and adolescents but can rarely present in the neonatal period with severe anemia at birth. There are no prior reports of neonatal liver histologic findings of CDA1. We report a case of CDA1 in a newborn presenting with severe anemia, cholestasis and liver failure, where liver biopsy helped confirm the diagnosis.CASE SUMMARY A term infant, born via emergency Cesarean section, presented with cholestasis,hepatosplenomegaly, multiorgan failure and severe anemia at birth. A prior pregnancy was significant for fetal demise at 35 wk without autopsy or known etiology for the fetal demise. Parents are both healthy and there is no history of consanguinity. On further evaluation, the patient was found to have severe ferritin elevation and pulmonary hypertension. An extensive infectious and metabolic work-up was negative. Salivary gland biopsy was negative for iron deposition. At 2 wk of age, a liver biopsy showed findings consistent with CDA1.A genome rapid sequencing panel revealed novel variants in the CDAN1 gene.The patient's liver dysfunction, cholestasis and organomegaly resolved, however she remains transfusion-dependent.CONCLUSION We report liver pathology findings of CDA1 with a novel genetic mutation for the first time in a newborn.     

Suicide left ventricle following protamine: A case report

A patient with severe aortic stenosis and left ventricular hypertrophy underwent a transcatheter aortic valve replacement. The patient's blood pressure significantly dropped after protamine administration. A diagnosis of suicide left ventricle post-valve replacement was made. The diagnosis and management of the protamine reaction are detailed. This case highlights the need to slowly infuse protamine sulfate and monitor for adverse events.     

First splenic rupture following an endoscopic esophageal myotomy: A case report

BACKGROUND The occurrence of splenic rupture is extremely rare during an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Although infrequent, splenic rupture is a known complication secondary to colonoscopy. However, occurrence of splenic rupture after peroral endoscopic myotomy(POEM) has never been reported to date.CASE SUMMARY We describe a case of a splenic rupture following a POEM for recurrent achalasia in a patient who previously had a Heller myotomy. Splenic rupture remains very uncommon after an upper gastro-intestinal endoscopic procedure. The most plausible cause for this rare splenic injury appears to be the stretching of the gastro-splenic ligament during the endoscopy. A previous surgery may be a risk factor contributing to this complication.CONCLUSION The possibility for the occurrence of specific complications, such as splenic rupture, does exist even with the development of advanced endoscopic procedures, as presented in the present case after POEM.     

Left main coronary artery bifurcation angioplasty and stenting after aortic valve replacement: a case report

A 43-year-old young lady had closed mitral valvotomy (CMV) in 1994 and aortic valve replacement (AVR) in June 2007. Shortly thereafter, she presented with unstable angina in October 2007 with on-going pain and haemodynamic instability. Coronary angiogram showed tight left main bifurcation stenosis in a left dominant system. Having had open heart surgery (AVR) recently, and being on oral anticoagulation, with on-going ischaemia and unstable haemodynamics, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was considered the most suitable option. She underwent successful PCI with two drug-eluting stents (T-stenting) to left main bifurcation through transradial approach and intra-aortic balloon support. Clinically she remained symptom free and coronary angiogram after 5 months and 15 months of follow-up showed patent stents. This case demonstrates the acute effectiveness of PCI for the treatment of critical left main disease following open heart surgery in patients who are not appropriate surgical candidates.     

原发性主动脉食管瘘一例报道并文献复习

正原发性主动脉食管瘘是由于动脉壁糜烂、溃疡,穿破邻近食管所致,临床上罕见,Salmon 1843年正式报道首例,至1998全世界报道的病例不超过250例~[1,2],超过80%为主动脉肠瘘,主动脉食管瘘极为罕见~[3]。因发病凶险,诊断困难,极易误诊,死亡率高。我院2017年5月确诊1例,通过复习该病例诊治经过,并结合文献报道的15例,探讨该病的临床     

Repeat full-thickness resection device use for recurrent duodenal adenoma: A case report

BACKGROUND Endoscopic full-thickness resection of adenomas or subepithelial tumors is a novel and promising endoscopic technique. There have been several recent studies of full-thickness resection device (FTRD) use in the colon, but data regarding its use and efficacy in the duodenum are still limited.CASE SUMMARY A 64-year-old female underwent resection of a recurrent adenoma of 7 mm in size in the duodenum after FTRD use for an adenoma eight months prior. The biopsies revealed a low-grade adenoma. The adenoma was removed using the gastroduodenal FTRD, and the pathology results revealed clear margins. Except for minor bleeding that was treated by argon plasma coagulation, no further complications occurred.CONCLUSION Repeat use of the FTRD appears to be a safe and efficacious approach for the treatment of recurrent duodenal lesions. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the long-term safety and utility of repeat FTRD use after Endoscopic full-thickness resection.     

Fatal cerebellar stroke following emergency endovascular stent grafting of a leaking thoracic aortic aneurysm: A case report

Stent-grafting of thoracic aortic diseases has developed as an alternative therapeutic modality in thoracic aneurysm management. Postprocedural complications include mortality, endoleaks, paraplegia and stroke. Other complications that may arise in cases of overstenting the origin of the left subclavian arther include left upper limb ischemia, subclavian steal syndrome and stroke. Posterior circulation strokes due to vertebral artery insufficiency have been reported in the past. In the present case, a fatal stroke caused by a cerebellar infarct culminating in the death of a patient with a leaking thoracic aortic aneurysm is reported. Medical personnel as well as patients should be aware of this possible complication. Vigilance in assessing the contralateral cerebral circulation before the procedure is a prerequisite in less acute circumstances.     

Successful hepatic resection for recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after lenvatinib treatment: A case report

BACKGROUNDLenvatinib has been shown to be noninferior to sorafenib regarding prognosis and recurrence rate in patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who have not received prior systemic chemotherapy. In patients treated with lenvatinib, 40% of cases achieved sufficient tumor reduction to make potential surgery possible. However, the outcomes of such surgery are unknown. We report a successful case of hepatic resection for recurrent HCC after lenvatinib treatment.CASE SUMMARYA 69-year-old man underwent right anterior sectionectomy for HCC in segment 8 of the liver. Ten months later, he was found to have an intrahepatic HCC recurrence that grew rapidly to 10 cm in diameter with sternal bone metastases. After confirming partial response to lenvatinib administration for 2 mo, a second hepatectomy was performed. Pathological examination showed that 80% of the tumor was necrotic. The patient did not develop any adverse effects under lenvatinib treatment. He was discharged at 25 d after surgery. Radiation therapy for bone metastases continued to be given under lenvatinib, and the patient has remained alive for 1 year after the second hepatectomy.CONCLUSIONThe prognosis of patients with recurrent HCC may be improved by liver resection combined with prior lenvatinib therapy.     

Cholangiocarcinoma after flow diversion surgery for congenital biliary dilatation: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND Pancreaticobiliary maljunction(PBM) can be classified into two categories, PBM with congenital biliary dilatation(CBD) or PBM without biliary dilatation, and the management of PBM is often controversial. The treatment for PBM with CBD is prophylactic flow diversion surgery, and some authors have reported that the incidence of cancer after extrahepatic bile duct excision is less than 1%. A very rare case of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma 6 years after flow diversion surgery for PBM with CBD is reported.CASE SUMMARY A 30-year-old man was diagnosed as having PBM with CBD, Todani classification type IVA, because of abnormal liver enzyme profiles. He underwent flow diversion surgery and cholecystectomy, and the specimen showed adenocarcinoma foci, p T1, p Stage IA. Five and a half years passed without any recurrence of bile duct cancer. However, 6 years after his operation, computed tomography showed a gradually growing nodule in the bile duct.Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography showed high uptake, and magnetic resonance imaging showed restricted diffusion signals. On double balloon enteroscopy, the nodule at the posterior bile duct-jejunum anastomosis was directly visualized, and its biopsy specimen showed adenocarcinoma. The patient underwent right lobectomy and biliary reconstruction. The pathological diagnosis was intraductal papillary neoplasm with high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia, p Tis, p N0, p Stage 0. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful, and he has had no recurrence up to the present time.CONCLUSION This case suggests the necessity of careful observation after flow diversion surgery, especially when PBM with CBD is detected in adulthood.