Combination of aortic stent-graft and arterial embolization for ruptured bronchial artery aneurysm

Bronchial artery aneurysm is a rare condition. Rupture of bronchial artery aneurysm can cause a critical hemorrhage. We report a case of ruptured bronchial artery aneurysm mimicking a clinical picture of aortic dissection with right hemothorax. The patient was treated with a combination of an aortic stent-graft and arterial embolization. Recovery was uneventful and the patient's follow-up result in 1 year was well. Combination treatment is feasible and accurate for ruptured bronchial artery aneurysm. The present study is among the few in which an aortic stent-graft has been used for a bronchial artery aneurysm.     

Saccular aneurysm of the aortic cusp associated with discrete subaortic stenosis

A 54-year-old male who experienced a syncopal episode underwent aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis and regurgitation. The aortic valve was incompetent as a result of thickening of the left coronary cusp and noncoronary cusp. In addition a saccular aneurysm was indicated on the left coronary cusp. A shelf of tissue protruding at right angles from the ventricular septum was particularly prominent below the right coronary cusp, resulting in subvalvular stenosis. The cause of the saccular aneurysm was most likely caused by the long-term effects of the jet stream instigated by discrete subaortic stenosis.     

A giant unruptured aneurysm of the sinus of Valsalva together with ectasia of the left coronary artery

A sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is defined as a dilatation of the aortic sinuses, between the aortic valve annulus and the sinotubular junction. They are rare and most frequently involve the right coronary sinus. We report a case of an unruptured giant sinus of Valsalva aneurysm in a patient associated with ectasia of the left main stem and left anterior descending coronary artery. The patient was successfully treated with aortic root replacement using a biologic conduit.     

The completion Bentall procedure

Patients that have undergone aortic valve replacement may subsequently present with an aortic root aneurysm, but with a normally functioning prosthetic valve. We describe our method of replacing the aortic root while retaining the existing aortic valve as the "completion Bentall procedure."     

Combined open and endovascular repair of a syphilitic aortic aneurysm

The use of endovascular stent grafts in the repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms has provided an alternative means of treatment, particularly in the high-risk patient who may not tolerate conventional open repair. The combination of conventional surgery and endovascular repair may allow for successful treatment in patients with anatomy unsuitable for repair entirely by endovascular means alone. We present the case of a patient with a syphilitic thoracic aortic aneurysm involving the aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta. He underwent a staged repair with an elephant trunk reconstruction of the aortic arch followed by endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta. This is the first reported case of the repair of a syphilitic aneurysm by means of endovascular techniques.     

Balloon-assisted deployment prevents endograft misalignment during hybrid aortic arch repair

Misaligned deployment refers to eccentric flaring of the bare stent portion of the endograft that causes proximal device retroflexion resulting in suboptimal graft placement. A 71-year-old woman with 6.8-cm distal aortic arch aneurysm underwent hybrid repair with combination of open aortic arch debranching and subsequent thoracic endovascular aortic repair. During endograft deployment, misaligned opening occurred; this was corrected by using a balloon-assisted graft deployment. Follow up imaging continues to demonstrate complete aneurysm exclusion. Misaligned deployment is a clinical challenge; we hereby present a previously undescribed technique to accommodate this limitation of the current endograft technology.     

Aortic root vasculitis associated with Cogan's syndrome

Cogan's syndrome is characterized by nonsyphilitic interstitial keratitis and an audiovestibular disorder resembling Meniere disease. We report a patient with progressive congestive heart failure due to massive aortic and mitral insufficiency coupled with aortitis leading to an ascending aortic aneurysm. The patient underwent successful aortic root replacement and mitral valve repair.     

Gonococcal ascending aortitis with penetrating ulcers and intraluminal thrombus

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is an uncommon pathogen causing bacterial aortitis. We describe a patient with a bicuspid aortic valve and known ascending aortic aneurysm who presented with fever and chest pain. Imaging demonstrated complex penetrating ulcers in the proximal ascending aorta. The patient underwent a modified Bentall procedure, resection of the ulcers, and ascending aortic reconstruction. Pathologic examination and culture of the aortic specimens revealed the infectious cause.     

Transcatheter repair of combined ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm and aortic arch aneurysm through a cardiac transapical approach

We describe a new surgical technique performed in a heart-transplanted patient who underwent transcatheter repair of combined ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm and aortic arch aneurysm. The endografts were deployed through a left ventricular transapical approach by using a left mini-thoracotomy after previous debranching of the brachiocephalic vessels.     

Ascending Aorta Syphilitic Aneurysm Presenting as a Dystrophic Disease

A 37-year-old female originating from Central Africa presented with cardiac failure, aortic insufficiency and aortic root dilatation of supposed dystrophic origin. Left coronary ostial dilatation and dense adhesions between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk at operation were the only unusual features. However, pathological examination evoked a syphilitic disease and serology confirmed luetic infection. The diagnosis and the therapeutic approach are discussed. Syphilitic aneurysms belong to the protohistory of vascular surgery (1), but, in the antibiotherapy era, tracking a syphilitic aneurysm is like fishing for coelacanth. When this pathology mimics a dystrophic aneurysm, diagnosis and therapeutic attitude becomes hazardous and justifies the present report.     

Transforming growth factor-beta receptor type II mutation in a patient with bicuspid aortic valve disease and intraoperative aortic dissection

We report on a patient with familial bicuspid aortic valve disease operated on for proximal aortic aneurysm. The surgery was complicated by intraoperative aortic dissection. Multi-generational genetic analysis demonstrated a mutation in the transforming growth factor-beta receptor type II gene. This case confirms the clinical hypothesis that the proximal aortic disease has a genetic origin in some bicuspid aortic valve patients.     

Ascending aorta syphilitic aneurysm presenting as a dystrophic disease

A 37-year-old female originating from Central Africa presented with cardiac failure, aortic insufficiency and aortic root dilatation of supposed dystrophic origin. Left coronary ostial dilatation and dense adhesions between the aorta and the pulmonary trunk at operation were the only unusual features. However, pathological examination evoked a syphilitic disease and serology confirmed luetic infection. The diagnosis and the therapeutic approach are discussed. Syphilitic aneurysms belong to the protohistory of vascular surgery, but, in the antibiotherapy era, tracking a syphilitic aneurysm is like fishing for coelacanth. When this pathology mimics a dystrophic aneurysm, diagnosis and therapeutic attitude becomes hazardous and justifies the present report.     

Late disruption of a Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis used for repair of sinus of Valsalva aneurysm of noncoronary cusp

We present a case of disruption of the porcine aortic wall of the 27-mm Freestyle stentless bioprosthesis 5 years after the subcoronary implantation to exclude the sinus of Valsalva aneurysm of the noncoronary cusp. At the urgent reoperation, the inflow suture line was found to be intact, and therefore a new stented valve was sutured with the inflow Dacron cuff after removal of ruptured valve. The subcoronary implantation technique creates a cavity between the prosthetic and native aortic walls filled with hematoma. The outflow suture line dehiscence caused blood flow into the cavity, porcine aortic wall rupture, and leaflet destruction.     

Alternative surgical approach to repair of the ascending aorta

We describe a case of complete endovascular repair of the ascending aorta using a transfemoral approach. A 59-year-old man with a history of two previous sternotomies experienced an ascending aortic pseudoaneurysm arising from the graft-to-graft anastomosis of a previous DeBakey type I aortic dissection repair. A custom-made Zenith TX2 (William Cook Europe ApS, Bjaeverskov, Denmark) thoracic aortic aneurysm endovascular graft, designed specifically for the ascending aorta, was introduced through the left femoral artery and deployed under a rapid ventricular pacing protocol to achieve precise placement between the sinotubular junction and the aortic arch.     

Ascending aortic dissecting aneurysm with isolated right pulmonary arterial medial intramural hematoma

On rare occasions, acute aortic dissection may cause pulmonary artery obstruction when there is aortic rupture with hemorrhage into the common adventitia of the aorta and pulmonary artery. We report an extremely unusual case of an ascending aortic dissecting aneurysm associated with an isolated medial intramural hematoma in the right pulmonary artery in an 86-year-old woman with clinical manifestations mimicking pulmonary embolism. We believe that this rare pulmonary arterial complication of aortic dissection without involvement of the common adventitia has not been previously described.     

Hybrid arch repair including supra-aortic debranching on the descending aorta

A 49-year-old patient with an anastomotic pseudoaneurysm in the aortic arch was considered at high risk for conventional surgery through a median sternotomy because he had previously undergone several operations to treat aortic dissection and had a deep sternal infection after one procedure. Therefore, a hybrid repair was performed. Stent grafts were placed bridging two previously implanted aortic prostheses, which were in the ascending aorta and descending aorta, respectively. The supra-arch vessels were perfused by means of an extra-anatomic bypass from the descending aorta. The aneurysm was completely excluded from the blood flow, and the patient had no serious complications.     

Surgical treatment of an aortopulmonary artery fistula complicating a syphilitic aortic aneurysm

Spontaneous rupture of an aortic aneurysm into the pulmonary artery is unusual and is rarely reported in the literature. The case of a patient with a syphilitic aneurysm of the ascending aorta perforated into the pulmonary artery is presented. In an attempt to define the best surgical treatment for this complication the literature has been comprehensively reviewed.     

Aneurysm of the aorta treated by wiring: case report of a 38-year survival.

A patient with a syphilitic aneurysm of the aorta treated by the insertion of wire is presented. The patient remained well for almost 40 years, but finally succumbed after rupture. The autopsy findings are discussed. To our knowledge, this represents the longest reported survival after treatment of an aortic aneurysm by wiring.     

Ruptured syphilitic ascending aortic aneurysm; report of a case

Syphilitic cardiovascular disease has become a rarity today. It most commonly affects the ascending aorta and aortic arch. A case is reported of a 50-year-old female with a ruptured syphilitic ascending aortic aneurysm who underwent an emergency operation. The patient was emergently admitted with complaint of severe dyspnea, circulatory shock due to cardiac tamponade was observed in the emergency room. Bentall's procedure was performed. Intraoperative findings showed multi-cystic dilatation of an aortic root. Penetration was existed on right side posterior wall of an aortic root. Postoperative pathological examination of the aneurysmal wall revealed the characteristic finding of syphilitic aortitis. The postoperative course was uneventful and the patient has been doing well at period of 3 years after operation.     

Unruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm involving all three sinuses

In contrast to generalized aneurysmal dilatation of the aortic root, discrete sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is an uncommon condition most often affecting the right coronary sinus. We recently treated a patient without the known connective tissue disorder having discrete aneurysms of all three sinuses.