Combined myocardial revascularization and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Myocardial infarction remains the leading cause of early and late deaths after abdominal aortic reconstruction in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm. Our approach for the past 4 years has been combined myocardial revascularization with abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in patients with good left ventricle performance. From July 1984 through June 1989, 128 patients underwent abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Seventeen patients underwent combined abdominal aortic reconstruction with coronary artery bypass grafting. One patient died (5.9%). The remaining patients are all well at current follow-up. Our experience shows that patients with coronary artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm may have both lesions safely repaired as a single operative procedure.     

Myocardial revascularization with combined aortic and mitral valve replacements

Although the results of coronary artery bypass grafting plus single aortic or mitral valve replacement have been documented, the risk of myocardial revascularization with combined aortic and mitral valve replacement is not well defined. We present a series of 33 consecutive patients undergoing myocardial revascularization with combined aortic and mitral valve replacement during a period of almost seven years. There were 21 men and 12 women with a mean age of 67 years. All patients had congestive heart failure, and 21 (64%) had angina pectoris. Mean New York Heart Association functional classification was 3.4; eight patients (24%) had ejection fractions less than 0.40, and 13 patients (41%) had cardiac indices less than 2.0 L/min/m2. All operations were performed with hypothermic crystalloid potassium cardioplegia. The number of coronary arteries grafted varied from one to four (mean, 1.7 grafts per patient). Four patients died while in the hospital (12.1%). There were no perioperative myocardial infarctions. At a follow-up of 2 to 80 months (mean 40.7 months), death had occurred in eight (27.6%) of the 29 hospital survivors. Actuarial survival rate at 72 months was 60.7%. Although no preoperative factors predicted late death, early deaths were related significantly to severe mitral regurgitation, low ejection fraction, high New York Heart Association classification and extensive coronary artery disease (p less than 0.05). Myocardial revascularization with combined aortic and mitral valve replacement can be performed with an acceptable early mortality rate but with an appreciable late mortality rate.     

Late results of coronary bypass in patients with infrarenal aortic aneurysms. The Cleveland Clinic Study.

Cardiac catheterization was performed in a prospective series of 1000 patients under consideration for elective peripheral vascular reconstruction at the Cleveland Clinic from 1978-1982. Of these, 246 patients (mean age: 68 years) presented primarily because of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) and are eligible for subsequent evaluation 3-7 years (mean: 4.6 years) after entrance into the study. Severe, surgically correctable coronary artery disease (CAD) was documented in 78 patients (32%) in the AAA group, and 70 patients (28%) received myocardial revascularization with four fatal complications (5.7%). A total of 56 patients in this subset had staged aneurysm resection, usually during the same hospital admission after coronary bypass, with a single death (1.8%) caused by cerebral infarction. The overall operative mortality rate for 126 coronary and AAA procedures was 4%. A total of 59 additional patients (25%) died during the late follow-up interval, including 14 patients (5.9%) with cardiac events and eight patients (3.4%) with ruptured aneurysms. The cumulative 5-year survival rate (75%) and cardiac mortality rate (5%) after coronary bypass reflected traditional parameters (preoperative ventricular function, completeness of revascularization) and are nearly identical to the results calculated for patients having normal coronary arteries or only mild to moderate CAD. In comparison, the cumulative survival and cardiac mortality rates in a small subset of patients with severe, uncorrected coronary involvement currently are 29% (p = 0.0001) and 34%, respectively. These data support the conclusion that selected patients who require elective resection of AAA also warrant myocardial revascularization to enhance perioperative risk and late survival.     

Influence of Coronary Artery Disease on Operative Mortality and Long-Term Survival After Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Purpose This retrospective study was conducted to evaluate the effects of coronary artery disease (CAD) on short- and long-term survival after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.Methods One hundred consecutive patients underwent elective AAA repair between 1991 and 2002. Coronary angiography was performed in all patients, revealing significant coronary artery lesions in 47 (47%). Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) was performed in 11 patients, 20 (median) days before the abdominal surgery. Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair was performed 60 (median) days after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in five patients, and both procedures were performed simultaneously in two patients.Results The in-hospital mortality rate for AAA repair was 1.0%, but there was no cardiac-related operative morbidity or mortality. The 96 patients discharged were followed up for a mean period of 2.9 years (range 3–143 months). The cumulative survival rates after 1, 2, 3, and 5 years were 98%, 95%, 88%, and 77%, respectively. Only one patient (1%) died of myocardial infarction. There was no significant difference in the long-term survival of the CAD and non-CAD patients.Conclusions These results emphasize the importance of routine coronary angiography and subsequent coronary revascularization to improve early and late survival rates after AAA repair.     

Aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass. Results in 1,492 patients, with particular reference to patients with complicating features

During a 33-month period ending June, 1972, 1,492 patients underwent aortocoronary saphenous vein bypass (ACB). The early mortality with ACB alone was 7.1%, while mortality was more than double (14 of 86 patients died) when ACB was combined with resection or plication of a ventricular aneurysm. Twenty of 84 patients died in the early period following combined ACB and valve resection. One patient among 8 who had concomitant resection of an ascending aortic aneurysm died after operation. Factors that increased mortality in this series were advanced age, female sex, high coronary artery scores, left main coronary artery lesions, high left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, left ventricular dysfunction, congestive heart failure, the requirement for endarterectomy to perform the anastomosis, and recent acute myocardial infarction. Actuarial data from patients who underwent ACB without concomitant procedures show an annual attrition rate of 2.7% per year, which compares to rates of 4, 6, and 10% for patients with single, double, and triple coronary disease treated without operation. In 311 men and women under the age of 70 who had a coronary artery score below 13 and none of the other risk factors, the early mortality was 1.6% (5 patients) and the late mortality was 1.0% (3 patients).     

Outcome of concomitant renal artery reconstructions in patients with aortic aneurysm and occlusive disease

The question remains as to whether patients presenting with aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) or abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) have similar outcomes when concomitant renal artery reconstructions are performed. In this study, we analyzed our experience with simultaneous aortic and renal reconstructions using a retroperitoneal approach. Over a 5-year period, all patients with either AAAs > 5 cm or symptomatic AIOD who were found to have high-grade renal artery stenosis and who underwent aortic reconstructions with concomitant renal revascularization were analyzed through our vascular surgery registry. Morbidity and mortality were quantitatively evaluated. Data were analyzed using the chi-square test. A total of 1,133 patients with AAA (n = 832) and AIOD (n = 301) underwent aortic reconstructions. Two hundred thirty-one patients had 283 concomitant renal revascularizations, including bypass, reimplantation, and endarterectomy, for high-grade (> 70%) renal artery stenosis via a left retroperitoneal approach. The mortality rate of AAA repair with and without renal revascularization was 2.3% (4/178) and 1.5% (10/654), respectively, and that of aortobifemoral bypass for AIOD with and without renal revascularization was 5.7% (3/53) and 2.8% (7/248), respectively. Of the 7 deaths in patients requiring aortic and renal reconstructions, 4 occurred in patients with bilateral renal revascularization. Transient renal insufficiency, ischemic colitis, and cardiopulmonary failure occurred in 5.6%, 2.2%, and 9.6% of patients with AAA repair and in 5.7%, 0%, and 9.4% of patients with AIOD. Two patients developed acute occlusion of their renal bypasses; one was successfully revised, whereas the other led to a nephrectomy. In patients with AAAs, AIOD, and high-grade renal artery stenosis, simultaneous aortic and renal reconstructions can be performed through a retroperitoneal approach with a limited and acceptable mortality. With concomitant renal and aortic procedures, patients with AIOD have a higher mortality when compared with those with AAAs, although this difference is not statistically significant.     

Optimal timing of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair after coronary artery revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: The authors ascertained the optimal timing of repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) after coronary artery revascularization. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Cardiac events are the most common cause of death after elective repair of AAA. Preoperative coronary revascularization has significantly reduced postoperative cardiac complications after elective AAA repair. Currently, most patients undergo repair of asymptomatic AAA within 6 months after the coronary revascularization. METHODS: The authors performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent repair or scheduled repair of an asymptomatic AAA within 6 months after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) between March 1988 and October 1993. RESULTS: There was no mortality in the group of patients (n = 14) who underwent repair of AAA simultaneously or within 14 days of coronary revascularization. In contrast, there was a significantly increased mortality rate of 3 of 9 (33%) in patients scheduled to undergo repair of the AAA more than 2 weeks after coronary revascularization (p < 0.05). All nonsurvivors died between 16 and 29 days after CABG, and died as a result of ruptured AAA. CONCLUSION: Elective AAA repair should be undertaken simultaneously or within 2 weeks of coronary artery revascularization because of an increased risk of postoperative AAA rupture seen after this time period. In addition, simultaneous or early postoperative AAA repair does not increase the overall operative risk.     

Coronary malperfusion due to type A aortic dissection: mechanism and surgical management

BACKGROUND: Coronary malperfusion associated with aortic dissection is relatively rare, but when it occurs, it is fatal to the patient. To salvage such moribund patients, aggressive coronary revascularization concomitant with aortic repair is essential. We review the surgical results and mechanism of malperfusion in a group of 12 patients with coronary malperfusion caused by type A aortic dissection, and we discuss our surgical approach. METHODS: Between March 1990 and March 2003, 12 patients (6.1%) from a total of 196 consecutive patients with acute type A aortic dissection undergoing surgery suffered coronary malperfusion associated with the dissection. There were 4 men and 8 women (mean age, 60.8 +/- 8.3 years). Nine patients had acute myocardial infarction due to dissection before surgery, and 3 patients suffered coronary malperfusion after aortic declamping. RESULTS: Hospital mortality rate was 33.3% (4 patients). The mortality rate was higher than that in patients without coronary malperfusion (33.3% vs. 8.2%, p = 0.019). Three patients could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass, and 1 patient died of heart failure in the intensive care unit. Involved coronary arteries included the right coronary artery (8 patients), left coronary (2 patients), and both (2 patients). Mechanisms of coronary obstruction were compression (2 patients), coronary dissection (7 patients), and coronary disruption (3 patients). Coronary artery bypass grafting was performed concomitant with aortic repair. CONCLUSIONS: Acute type A aortic dissection with coronary involvement is associated with high mortality rate, aggressive coronary revascularization and early aortic repair with simple techniques are necessary to salvage these critically ill patients.     

Treatment strategy for patients with concomitant thoracic or abdominal aortic aneurysm and noncardiovascular disease

Therapeutic planning for patients with concomitant thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) or abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and noncardiovascular disease such as cerebral aneurysm, carotid artery stenosis, or lung, intraabdominal or urologic tumor should be considered based on the combination of the two different conditions, the size of aneurysm, or the severity of noncardiovascular disease. The aims of this paper are to review the therapeutic plans for concomitant TAA or AAA and noncardiovascular disease. In patients with concomitant TAA or AAA and cerebral aneurysm, carotid artery stenosis, and concomitant TAA and intraabdominal or urologic tumor, the surgical procedures have usually been staged with the repair of cerebral aneurysm, or carotid artery stenosis, the resection of intraabdominal or urologic tumor performed first, followed by the repair of TAA or AAA. Simultaneous surgical treatment has been performed for most patients with concomitant TAA and lung tumor, and concomitant AAA and intraabdominal or urologic tumor. The issue of performing simultaneous pulmonary resection and repair of AAA in patients with concomitant lung tumor and AAA remains controversial. Endovascular grafting of TAA and AAA can be performed with relatively low procedure-related morbidity and mortality rates in selected patients.     

Morbidity with retroperitoneal procedures during endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

PURPOSE: Retroperitoneal iliac procedures can enable successful endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in patients who otherwise would not be anatomically eligible. The purpose of this study was to determine perioperative outcome with adjunctive retroperitoneal procedures compared with standard bilateral femoral exposure. METHODS: Between August 1997 and November 2002, 164 patients underwent elective endovascular AAA repair at a single university medical center. Anatomic, demographic, and early postoperative outcome data gathered prospectively were analyzed. Thirty-two patients (20%) underwent 38 separate adjunctive retroperitoneal procedures. Indications included small external iliac arteries (16 of 32 patients; 50%) and concomitant iliac aneurysm that precluded fixation of the endograft limbs in the common iliac arteries (16 of 32 patients; 50%). The 38 procedures consisted of 8 iliac conduits only, 14 iliac conduits with iliofemoral bypass grafts, and 16 hypogastric revascularization procedures. Data for the study patients were compared with data for 132 patients who underwent endovascular AAA repair through femoral incisions. Primary end points were hospital length of stay, and early morbidity and mortality. RESULTS: Retroperitoneal procedures enabled an additional 14% of patients with AAA to undergo endovascular techniques. However, there was a significantly higher proportion of women and patients at high risk for anesthesia (American Society of Anesthesiologists class IV or higher) in the group who underwent retroperitoneal procedures. On average, retroperitoneal procedures were associated with 2.6-fold greater blood loss, 82% longer procedure time, 1.5 days additional hospital stay, and 1.8-fold higher rate of perioperative complications, compared with endovascular AAA repair with femoral exposure alone. In contrast, early mortality was similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Adjunctive retroperitoneal procedures during endovascular AAA repair are associated with increased risk for complications and longer hospital length of stay, compared with AAA repair with standard femoral exposure only. They do not, however, increase early mortality, even in patients at high risk, and enable a larger subset of patients with AAA to undergo endovascular repair.     

Influence of ischemic heart disease on early and late mortality after aortic reconstruction for abdominal aortic aneurysm and aortoiliac occlusive disease

A retrospective study was undertaken to assess the influence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) on the early and late mortality of patients undergoing elective repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) or aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD). The patients were divided into IHD and non-IHD groups on routine clinical grounds. Among 157 patients with AAA, postoperative myocardial infarction occurred in 12.8% of the IHD group compared with 0.9% of the non-IHD group (P less than 0.05). The late mortality rate in the IHD group was higher than in the non-IHD group (p less than 0.05), and the mortality rate from myocardial infarction was 30% in the IHD group compared with 13% in the non-IHD group. Among 119 patients with AIOD, clinical evidence of IHD was found in 24 patients and extra-anatomical bypass was performed in 54% of these patients, compared with 35% of the patients in the non-IHD group. There was no occurrence of postoperative myocardial infarction. This study shows that an aggressive diagnostic approach should be taken for patients with AAA who have clinical evidence of IHD and that reevaluation of IHD should be performed in patients with AIOD after aortic reconstructive surgery.     

Simultaneous off-pump coronary revascularization with pulmonary resection or vascular surgery

Patients who require coronary artery bypass grafting and who also have vascular disease or lung malignancy constitute a high-risk group, and their management remains controversial. Combining off-pump coronary surgery (OPCAB) with peripheral artery revascularization or lung resection is an attractive proposition, as it avoids the risks associated with cardiopulmonary bypass. This paper presents the results of 26 such combined procedures consisting of simultaneous OPCAB and peripheral revascularization or lung resection, between April 2001 and March 2003. Twenty underwent concomitant carotid endarterectomy and OPCAB, four underwent aortobifemoral bypass and OPCAB, and two underwent pneumonectomy and OPCAB. There was no in-hospital mortality. Prolonged ventilatory support was necessary in one patient who had a lung resection. The median postoperative length of stay in the Intensive Care Unit was 1.3 days (range 1 to 6) and the median length of hospital stay was 5.7 days (range 4 to 16 days). Off-pump coronary surgery clearly has a place for patients with peripheral vascular disease or pulmonary malignancy who additionally require myocardial revascularization.     

Koinzidenz eines Bauchaortenaneurysmas mit Pathologien viszeraler Hohlorgane

The management of patients suffering from abdominal aortic aneurysms with concomitant intestinal disease is demanding. Surgical procedures have to be evaluated meticulously with regard to morbidity and priority. We retrospectively investigated early and late results of nine patients (eight males, one female) with coincidental aortic and intestinal surgery during the last 9.5 years. The average age was 77 years (range 67-85). One-stage procedures were undertaken twice with implantation of aortic grafts to replace abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). During these emergency procedures, an aortoduodenal fistula was repaired in one case and resection of an ischemic segment of the sigmoid colon was resected in another. Seven two-stage procedures were performed as elective surgery. Five AAA were excluded before the intestinal repair. In two cases of urgent visceral pathologies, colon resection was done first, followed by elimination of the AAA. In case of elective surgery, two-stage procedures seem to be safe and effective. However, in certain emergent cases, one-stage procedures with implantation of vascular grafts in combination with colon or bowel surgery might also be justified.     

Routine use of the internal mammary artery for aorto-coronary bypass surgery

Internal mammary artery (IMA) grafts have excellent long-term patency rate and result in improved late survival. Conventional use of IMA was only for selected cases. Elder or acute myocardial infarction case had been excluded from IMA use. During past 30 months we extended the indication of the IMA use for all the ACB case. The present study was undertaken to assess the possibility of routine use of the a IMA for aorto-coronary bypass (ACB). From Nov. 1987 through May 1990, we performed consecutive 110 ACB with the protocol "routine use of the IMA for all the ACB surgery". The 78 men and 32 women (29%) had a mean age of 64 years old (range 38 to 80 years old). Thirty-five patients (32%) were 70 years of age or older. Eighty-four patients had stable angina, nineteen patients had unstable angina, seven patients had acute myocardial infarction. IMA was used in 106 patients (96%). An average of 3.6 coronary arteries per patient were bypassed, and 1.6 distal anastomosis per patient were made with IMA. Combined cardiac surgery was performed in 8 cases (ventricular septal rupture repair: 2 cases, coronary endarterectomy: 4 cases, left ventricular aneurysm resection: 1 case, mitral commissurotomy: 1 case). Post operative complication due to IMA use were infrequent and operative mortality was 6.3%. In summary, routine use of the IMA for ACB surgery was possible method as if in high risked cases (elder or poor left ventricular function). We believe this method result in improved late result. We concluded routine use of the IMA for ACB was possible and usefull method.     

Endovascular versus open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm with concomitant malignancy

BACKGROUND: The management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and concurrent malignancy is controversial. This study retrospectively assessed the outcome of endovascular repair (EVAR) and open repair (OR) for the treatment of AAA in patients undergoing curative treatment for concomitant malignancies. METHODS: All patients who underwent surgery for a nonruptured infrarenal AAA of > or =5.5 cm and concomitant malignancy between 1997 and 2005 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Identified were 25 patients (22 men; mean age, 70.3 years) with nonruptured infrarenal AAA of > or =5.5 cm (mean size, 6.4 cm) and concomitant malignancy amenable for curative treatment. EVAR was used to treat 11 patients, and 14 underwent OR. The EVAR patients had a smaller mean aneurysm size (5.9 cm vs 6.8 cm; P = .006) than the OR patients. The mean cumulative length of stay for all patients who received treatment for both AAA and cancer was 12.8 days (range, 4 to 26) for EVAR and 18.2 days (range, 9 to 42 days) for OR. In the EVAR group, no patients died perioperatively; in the OR group, three patients died perioperatively (21.4%; P = NS). Postoperative complications occurred in one patient in the EVAR group and in seven in the OR group for a morbidity rate, respectively, of 9.1% and 50% (P = .04). One late complication (9.1%) occurred in the EVAR group. The mean follow-up was 37.7 months (range, 16 to 60 months) in the EVAR group and 29.6 months (range, 11 to 55 months) in the OR group. At 1 and 2 years, survival rates were 100% and 90.9% in the EVAR group and 71.4% and 49% in the OR group (log-rank P = .103) CONCLUSIONS: With low morbidity and mortality, EVAR is a safe technique for the treatment of AAA in patients with concomitant malignancy and could be considered as an alternative to OR.     

Surgical stress in perioperative period of combined off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

OBJECTIVES: It is still controversial whether we should choose simultaneous operation or two-staged operation for patients who need both coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Some reports suggest that combined CABG without cardiopulmonary bypass and AAA repair is less invasive than those with cardiopulmonary bypass. We estimated surgical stress of combined off pump CABG and AAA repair (CABG + AAA) in perioperative period compared with simple AAA repair retrospectively. METHODS: Seven patients (mean 60 years) underwent simultaneous operation of off pump CABG and AAA repair in our institution. We gathered data associated with circulatory, respiratory, renal function, recovery, and so on. We also examined postoperative complication and mortality. RESULTS: All parameters, except operation time and amount of catecholamine used, were not significantly different between the two groups. There were no operative mortality and only a slight morbidity in CABG + AAA. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that careful circulatory management with adequate transfusion and catecholamine use under precise monitoring is necessary during operation, but recovery after surgery, complication, and mortality in this combined operation are almost equivalent to those of simple AAA repair. We suggest that combined operation of CABG and AAA repair can be performed effectively.     

Current results of elective aortic reconstruction for aneurysmal and occlusive disease

Decisions to resect small aortic aneurysms or employ non-operative treatment for aorto-iliac occlusive disease must depend on current rather than historical surgical results. To assess current morbidity and mortality, we reviewed 200 consecutive aortic resections in two groups of patients treated from 1981 to 1989: those undergoing elective aortofemoral bypass for occlusive disease (AFB, no. 100) or resection of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA, no. 100). Indications for AFB included claudication (54%), rest pain (32%), and gangrene (13%). AAA size ranged from 3 to 14 cm (mean 6.5 +/- 2.4 cm); 45% presented with abdominal or back pain. Patients undergoing AFB were younger (AFB 61.5 +/- 10 years vs AAA 68.7 +/- 8.9 years) with a higher incidence of some atherosclerotic risk factors, diabetes mellitus 30% vs 10%, tobacco use 77% vs 49%, hyperlipidemia 21% vs 7%; p less than 0.001). Coronary artery disease (CAD) was more prevalent in AAA patients (49% vs 34%; p less than 0.001). Postoperative mortality was not different in occlusive or aneurysmal disease (3% AFB vs 2% AAA), nor was the occurrence of serious complications such as myocardial infarction (2% vs 1%) or pulmonary embolism (2% vs 3%). Improvements in patient selection, perioperative care and surgical technique have lowered the mortality of elective aortic surgery. Given the current standard of care, an aggressive approach to AAA even in high risk patients is appropriate. The low morbidity of AFB for occlusive disease mandates a critical appraisal of less effective nonoperative therapies.     

Concomitant colorectal cancer and abdominal aortic aneurysm: evolution of treatment paradigm in the endovascular era

BACKGROUND: Although the incidence of patients presenting with concomitant colorectal cancer (CRC) and abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is low, current treatment strategies in patients with both lesions remains controversial. Given recent advances in endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR), we sought to analyze the surgical outcomes of patients with concomitant CRC and AAA. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective chart review was performed on all patients with CRC and AAA between December 1984 and July 2007. RESULTS: A total of 108 patients with concomitant CRC and AAA were identified. Forty-six patients presented with symptomatic or obstructing CRC, which was treated with colectomy followed by either open AAA repair (n=35, group A) or EVAR (n=11, group B). Thirty-eight patients underwent either open AAA (n=26, group C) or EVAR (n=12, group D) first, followed by staged CRC resection. Eight patients underwent combined CRC and open AAA repair (group E). The time delays after CRC resection to AAA repair in groups A and B were 42 and 35 days (NS), respectively. The time delays after open AAA or EVAR procedures before CRC resection in groups C and D were 115 days and 12 days (p < 0.0001), respectively. Two patients in group B developed sigmoid ischemia after EVAR and were treated with sigmoid resection. Increased perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were noted in group C (p < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with concomitant colorectal cancer and AAA, the symptomatic lesion should be a treatment priority. Because EVAR results in early recovery and a shorter convalescence compared with open aneurysmorrhaphy, this modality offers potential treatment benefits in patients with suitable anatomy who have concomitant CRC. But EVAR treatment should be offered with caution because of the risk of sigmoid ischemia caused by inferior mesenteric artery occlusion.     

Right atrial versus aortic root perfusion with blood cardioplegia

The efficacy of coronary sinus cardioplegia administered into the right atrium has not been fully defined. Thirty-two consecutive patients undergoing elective myocardial revascularization were prospectively assigned to receive cold blood cardioplegia exclusively into the aortic root (15 patients) or the right atrium (17 patients). The two groups were similar with respect to age, ventricular function, severity of coronary disease, cross-clamp time, and mean infusate volume and temperature. Completeness of revascularization was greater in the aortic root cardioplegia group (p less than 0.007). The mean septal temperature and time to achieve electromechanical arrest was greater in the right atrial cardioplegia group (p less than 0.05). The right ventricular temperature and the release of myocardial isoenzyme were similar in both groups. Left and right ventricular stroke work index was preserved equally in both cohorts. Volume loading studies performed immediately after termination of bypass suggested better left ventricular function in the aortic root cardioplegia group. Myocardial performance with a loading challenge assessed late postoperatively was superior in the right atrial cardioplegia group (p less than 0.05). There were no differences between the groups with respect to clinical outcome. The data suggest that right atrial cardioplegia (1) possesses clinical safety equal to aortic root cardioplegia, (2) possesses inferior ventricular septal cooling, and (3) yields adequate preservation of both the right and left ventricles. We conclude that right atrial cardioplegia possesses no apparent advantage over aortic root delivery in the setting of elective myocardial revascularization.     

Simultaneous operation of off pump coronary artery bypass and abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Objectives: Coronary artery disease (CAD) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) commonly coexist. However, each disease treatment complicates the management of the other. In this study, we evaluate whether a simultaneous operation of AAA repair and off pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) would be safe and acceptable, compared with either procedure alone. Subjects and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent simultaneous AAA repair and OPCAB (AAA/OPCAB, n=18), compared AAA repair alone (AAA, n=239) and OPCAB alone (OPCAB, n=137) from June 1999 to December 2003. There were no significant differences with regard to age or gender, but the AAA/OPCAB group had significantly larger aneurysms (60.6 vs. 53.2 mm) and significantly lower ejection fractions (EF) (54.9 vs. 60.3%). Results: The patients in the AAA/OPCAB group underwent a significantly longer operative time than AAA, OPCAB (403 vs. 360,296 minutes, respectively), there was significantly greater blood loss (726 vs. 426, 462 ml), and more transfusion required (8.13 vs. 1.69, 2.8 units). The number of bypass grafts in AAA/OPCAB group (1–5 per patients) was significantly smaller (1.78 vs. 2.93). The AAA/OPCAB patients had a significantly longer hospital stay than the AAA (38 vs. 22 days), but was not significantly longer than the OPCAB. There were no significant differences with regard to the morbidity and mortality rate among the three groups. Conclusion: This study suggests that the simultaneous operation of AAA and OPCAB can be done with the same morbidity and mortality as independent surgical procedures. Key words: coronary artery bypass grafting, abdominal aortic aneurysm, off pump coronary artery bypass, simultaneous operation