Emergency Endografting for Spontaneous Thoracic Aortic Rupture

Spontaneous rupture of the thoracic aorta is rare. We present a 76-year-old man who developed spontaneous rupture of the aortic arch associated with massive periaortic hematoma and hypovolemic shock. Because the site of rupture could not be identified, emergency hybrid endovascular aortic repair to shield a long segment of the aorta was performed according to the extent and density of periaortic hematoma on axial CT scans. His blood pressure improved just after deployment of the endograft. Rapid diagnosis by CT and prompt control of aortic hemorrhage by endografting salvaged this patient. Three-dimensional (3D) volume-rendered CT images are useful for identifying the site of aortic rupture, but may not be available in an emergency.     

Ross procedure in an infant weighing 4.5 kg

A 6 month-old male infant (weight: 4.5 kg) with congenital aortic stenosis underwent aortic valve replacement with a pulmonary autograft (Ross procedure). The right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) was reconstructed with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)-valved equine pericardial conduit. At the age of 5, re-RVOT reconstruction with an equine pericardial patch bearing a PTFE monocusp was required because of severe pulmonary stenosis resistant to 2 attempts of percutaneous transluminal pulmonary valvotomy. Currently, at the age of 8, the degree of aortic regurgitation is trivial and the pulmonary autograft is free of functional deterioration despite somatic growth.     

Hybrid Repair of Aortic Arch Aneurysm

Background: Conventional surgical repair of the aortic arch using cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest still carries a substantial rate of mortality and morbidity especially myocardial injury, and predicts a high incidence of permanent neurological injury.

Endovascular stent-graft placement has been developed as an effective treatment modality in various diseases of the descending aorta. Technological improvements nowadays allow deployment in the distal arch in most instances. However, in case of total involvement of the aortic arch endovascular Sg repair, the challenge is to maintain blood flow to the brain and upper extremities, that may require covering one or more aortic branches in order to establish a secure proximal landing zone, and to ensure complete exclusion of the lesion.

The aim of this study is to report our ongoing experience with endovascular treatment of aortic arch aneurysms. Methods: During two years, 16 patients were treated with thoracic stent-grafts, after aortic arch debranching for repair of aortic arch aneurysm. All patients were at high risk for open repair and not candidates for standard endovascular repair due to inadequate proximal landing zones.

Device design and implant strategy were on the basis of evaluation of aortic morphology with spiral CT. Stent grafts were inserted to repair the arch after supra-aortic vessel transposition was performed. Follow-up was 100% complete (mean 18 ±2.5 months, range 12–24 months). Follow-up included clinical examination, chest X-ray and computed tomography at discharge, 6 months after stent-graft placement and yearly thereafter.

Results: Primary technical success rate was 100%. Patency of all endografts and conventional bypasses was 100%. No endoleak or graft migration was observed. There were no neurological complications. Surgical conversion was never required.

Conclusion: Hybrid aortic arch repair is technically challenging but feasible. This novel approach may be an alternative to standard open procedures in high-risk patients and emergency cases. However, the promising early results need to be confirmed by longer follow-up and larger series.     

Long-term outcomes after the paediatric Ross and Ross-Konno procedures

 Open in a separate windowOBJECTIVESThe Ross procedure is an attractive option for the management of aortic valve disease in paediatric patients. We reviewed our experience with the paediatric Ross procedure to determine survival and freedom from reoperation in the third decade after surgery.METHODSWe reviewed the data of 124 paediatric patients [71% male, median age at time of surgery 11.1 years (interquartile range 6–14.8 years); 63.7% bicuspid aortic valve], who underwent the Ross procedure at 2 tertiary centres from April 1991 to April 2020. The Ross-Konno procedures were performed on 14 (11.3%) patients. Deaths were cross-checked with the national health insurance database, and survival status was available for 96.8% of the patients. The median follow-up time was 12.1 years (interquartile range 3–18 years).RESULTSThere were 3 early and 6 late deaths. All early deaths occurred in patients aged <1 year at the time of surgery. The 25-year survival was 90.3%. Actuarial freedom from reoperation (linearized rates in parentheses) was as follows: Autograft reoperation was 90.8% (0.48%/patient-year) and right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) reoperation was 67% (2.07%/patient year) at 25 years. The univariable Cox-proportional hazard analysis revealed younger age at time of surgery (P < 0.001), smaller implanted valve size (P < 0.001) and the use of a xenograft rather than a homograft (P < 0.001) as predictors of RVOT reoperation. At multivariable Cox-proportional hazard analysis, only age was an independent risk factor for RVOT reoperation (P = 0.041).CONCLUSIONSThe Ross and the Ross-Konno procedures are associated with good outcomes in paediatric patients. Reoperation of the RVOT is frequent and associated with younger age.     

The Ross procedure: state of the art 2011

The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature and practice of the Ross concept of using the autologous pulmonary valve to replace a diseased aortic valve. The potential advantages and disadvantages of these operations will be evaluated in the context of alternative options and relative risks. The different surgical techniques of subcoronary and full root methods will be discussed and important technical aspects reviewed. Long-term outcomes will be described to the extent these are available, including recent publications describing a survival advantage for the Ross. Brief discussions will be presented regarding hemodynamics, child-bearing, endocarditis, and the use of the Ross in pediatric patients as well as biological adaptability of the living pulmonary autograft.     

Surgery for aortic dissection involving an aberrant right subclavian artery

On diagnosis of Stanford type A acute aortic dissection with an aberrant right subclavian artery, emergency operation was performed. Aortic arch replacement was undertaken with additional ‘elephant trunk’ procedure to cover the entry site and decrease the blood flow through the false lumen. We consider this technique will become one of the effective procedures for acute aortic dissection involving an aberrant right subclavian artery.     

Surgical treatment for cardiovascular lesions of patients with Marfan syndrome

OBJECTIVE: Without treatment, the life expectancy of patients with Marfan syndrome is reduced by the associated cardiovascular abnormalities. In this study, we reviewed our experience of the surgical treatment of this condition to identify the primary indication for surgical repair and the optimal surgical management. METHODS: Between January 1986 and December 2000, 44 patients underwent surgery for Marfan syndrome at Shizuoka City Hospital. There were 28 male and 16 female patients, with a mean age of 40.9 +/- 15.0 years. Nineteen of the patients had developed type A dissection of the aortic arch. Three patients underwent remodelling of the aortic root. Ten patients required multiple repeat surgical interventions. RESULTS: There were four early and five late deaths. The survival rate at 1, 5, and at 10 years was 90.9%, 80.5%, and 74.3%, respectively. Freedom from postoperative events, which included cardiac death, additional surgery, and new or repeat aortic dissection at 1, 5, and at 10 years was 93.0%, 69.1%, and 53.2%, respectively. Among patients having type A dissection, the mean annual enlargement in the diameter at the level of the proximal descending aorta was 4.0 +/- 4.0 mm. Postoperative echocardiography with Doppler studies was performed in series on patients who had received remodelling of the aortic root, with subsequent mild aortic regurgitation in 2 patients and moderate regurgitation in 1 patient. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated postoperative studies with CT scans and earlier surgical intervention before the onset of aortic dissection are mandatory for improvement in the long-term survival rate of patients with Marfan syndrome. A valve-sparing procedure for a deformed aortic valve is promising, although the long-term results are not yet clear.     

Endovascular Repair for Ruptured AAA: A Literature Review

The reduced physiological impact of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) compared with conventional open repair has been demonstrated. If this technique could be used routinely in patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) it may reduce the high peri-operative mortality.

This review of the literature identified the current experience with EVAR of ruptured AAA. Only a small number of case series with selected patients are reported. These patients were selected for their haemodynamic stability, and their suitable aneurysm morphology. The overall anatomic suitability rates for EVAR reported, suggest an applicability of 58% to 80% from an intent-to-treat experience.

The average post-operative mortality rate was 24%, ranging from 9 to 45% and may reflect increasing experience and patient selection.

Important lessons have been learned from these first experiences that help to define a clear position of EVAR as an additional therapeutic option for ruptured AAA.     

Konno Procedure for Congenital Aortic Stenosis with a Single Coronary Artery from the Left Coronary Sinus

A right coronary artery originating from the left coronary sinus and traversing anteriorly is thought to be one of the contraindications for a Konno aortoventriculoplasty in congenital aortic stenosis because this procedure necessitates incision of the right ventricular outflow tract. The case of a 5-year-old girl with congenital aortic stenosis associated with a single coronary artery, successfully treated surgically by the Konno procedure and right coronary artery reimplantation, is reported. Preoperatively there was a pressure gradient between the left ventricle and the ascending aorta of 109 mmHg, which disappeared postoperatively. A postoperative angiography showed a patent right coronary artery.     

保留主动脉瓣主动脉根部置换术的研究进展

多年以来,主动脉瓣和主动脉根部置换术被认为是主动脉根部瘤的标准治疗方法。随着人们对主动脉瓣置换术后并发症危害性认识的增加,和对主动脉瓣根部解剖及生理特点认识的深入,保留主动脉瓣主动脉根部置换技术有了较大发展。我们主要介绍主动脉瓣关闭不全的病因和分类、主动脉瓣保留技术及临床结果。     

Lifetime management of aortic valve disease: Aligning surgical and transcatheter armamentarium to set the tone for the present and the future

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has already received the green light for high-, intermediate- and low-risk profiles and is an alternative for all patients regardless of age. It is clear that there has been a push towards the use of TAVR in younger and younger patients (<65 years), which has never been formally tested in randomized controlled trials but seems inevitable as TAVR technology makes steady progress. Lifetime management as a concept will set the tone in the field of the structural heart. Some subjects in this scenario arise, including the importance of optimized prosthetic hemodynamics for lifetime care; surgical procedures in the aortic root; management of structural valve degeneration with valve-in-valve procedures (TAVR-in-surgical aortic valve replacement [SAVR] and TAVR-in-TAVR) and redo SAVR; commissural alignment and cusp overlap for TAVR; the rise in the number of surgical procedures for TAVR explantation; and the renewed interest in the Ross procedure. This article reviews all these issues which will become commonplace during heart team meetings and preoperative conversations with patients in the coming years.