Progress of the treatment for extended aortic aneurysms; is the frozen elephant trunk technique the next standard in the treatment of complex aortic disease including the arch?

Patients with extensive aortic aneurysms involving the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and the descending aorta are still considered to be a challenge for many cardiovascular surgeons. The introduction of the elephant trunk technique by Borst et al. in 1983 has greatly facilitated surgery on this kind of pathology and this technique has been recognized as a standard modality for treatment of extended aortic aneurysms. As a next step, the frozen elephant trunk technique has been introduced in some institutes in the late 1990s. With this technique, surgery is performed through a median sternotomy, and an endovascular stent-graft is placed into the descending aorta in an antegrade fashion through the opened aortic arch. Then the ascending aorta and the aortic arch are replaced conventionally. The frozen elephant trunk technique enables one-stage repair of extended aortic aneurysms in a certain patient cohort with similar operative mortality as with the conventional elephant trunk technique, in which a second-stage operation is a prerequisite. Although the surgical strategy should be adjusted specifically to each patient's individual pathology, the frozen elephant trunk technique may become the next standard treatment for extended aortic aneurysm instead of its conventional variant.     

Near-infrared spectroscopy for noninvasive evaluation of chest wall ischemia immediately after left internal thoracic artery harvesting

OBJECTIVE: The conclusions remain controversial about whether the sternal blood flow is preserved or diminished after internal thoracic artery (ITA) harvesting for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), especially in diabetic patients. We investigated the blood supply of the chest wall noninvasively using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) immediately after CABG. METHODS: The study group comprised 30 patients who underwent CABG using a skeletonized left ITA through median sternotomy. As a control group, three nondiabetic patients undergoing valve surgery through median sternotomy were also included. On arrival of the patient in the intensive care unit immediately after surgery, two reflectance sensors were placed on the bilateral parasternal regions at the fourth intercostal space to record regional oxygen saturation (rSO(2)) and hemoglobin index (HbI) continuously approximately for 17 h. RESULTS: The differences in right and left values (R-L rSO(2) and R-L HbI) were significantly greater in the diabetic patients than in the nondiabetic patients (3.74% +/- 2.47% vs. 1.98% +/- 1.67 %, p = 0.036; and 0.28 +/- 0.19 vs. 0.13 +/- 0.13, p = 0.020). The R-L HbI was significantly greater in the on-pump patients than in the off-pump patients, although there was no significant difference in R-L rSO(2). Both R-L rSO(2) and R-L HbI were similar among the control, nondiabetic, and off-pump patients. CONCLUSION: The technique of NIRS enables noninvasive, continuous monitoring of chest wall perfusion immediately after ITA harvesting. Our study using NIRS showed a decrease in blood flow and oxygen metabolism of the hemisternum after LITA harvest in diabetic CABG patients.     

颈段、胸上段食管癌的外科治疗

目的总结外科手术治疗颈段、胸上段食管癌（肿瘤上极距胸廓入口下方≤3cm）的临床经验,以提高手术疗效,减少术后并发症的发生。方法回顾性分析我院收治的142例颈段、胸上段食管癌患者的临床资料,其中行食管癌根治术122例,姑息切除术15例,总手术切除率为96.5%,探查术5例。主要重建手术术式包括：单纯剥脱胃代食管术、结肠代食管术、空肠代食管术、胸大肌皮瓣重建术;右胸-上腹-颈三切口胃代食管术、全喉切除＋胃代食管术、管胃代食管术,左胸-颈两切口、胃代食管术。结果住院死亡5例,其中2例死于肺部感染,1例结肠坏死致严重感染,1例姑息切除后胃气管漏致肺部感染,1例胃大量反流误吸。9例患者食管上切端发现癌残留。8例颈段食管癌和21例胸上段食管癌患者术后发生并发症,主要包括空肠坏死、结肠坏死、喉返神经损伤、肺部感染、吞咽功能障碍、食管反流。随访117例,随访率85.4%（117/137）,随访时间1～5年;失访20例。术后1、3、5年生存率分别为72%,48%和31%。Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳa期患者的5年生存率分别为82.3%,61.2%,25.0%和5.0%。结论颈段和肿瘤上极距胸廓入口下方≤3cm的胸上段食管癌患者的手术治疗在手术方式、切除范围、术后并发症的防治、术后功能保留和恢复等方面尚需进一步探讨。     

上胸段脊柱病变的前路与后路手术治疗

目的观察比较前、后手术入路治疗上胸段脊柱病变的疗效。方法选择上胸段脊柱病变56例,其中肿瘤27例,结核23例,陈旧性外伤6例,分别经前、后路病灶切除减压、植骨,大部分(48例)辅以内固定。随访6～48个月。结果本组均安全度过围手术期,3例术后发生乳糜漏,4例出现喉返神经牵拉伤所致一过性声音嘶哑,4例出现一过性膈神经刺激引起的呃逆症状。48例术后神经功能有不同程度改善,8例无明显改善。随访期间1例于1个月后双侧肺炎死亡,2例局部肿瘤复发,2例局部结核复发,1例肿瘤细胞全身转移死亡。均无断钉及内固定脱落。结论对上胸段脊柱病变正确选择应用前、后入路手术可暴露病变部位,彻底清除病灶。     

经胸骨柄“U”形切除入路治疗上胸椎爆裂骨折并截瘫

目的探讨经胸骨柄“U”形切除入路治疗上胸椎爆裂骨折的可行性及临床疗效。方法12例上胸椎爆裂骨折并截瘫患者，全部采用经胸骨柄“U”形切除入路行伤椎次全切除减压、植骨、颈椎前路钢板内固定术。结果随访1～7年，椎间植骨均愈合好，内固定无松动、断裂，无切口感染、颈前血肿、窒息、气胸、乳糜漏、肺部感染等并发症。9例术后感觉、运动神经功能均有不同程度改善。Frankel分级：术前A级6例术后恢复至B级1例、C级2例、3例无明显改善；B级1例恢复至C级；C级3例恢复至D级2例、E级1例；D级2例恢复至E级。结论经胸骨柄“U”形切除入路解决了低位下颈椎前方入路因胸骨柄遮挡带来的操作不便，又可避免切断胸骨、锁骨的相关并发症。通常能显露至T4，并能在直视下完成T3及以上椎体的前方减压、植骨和钢板内固定，是治疗上胸椎爆裂骨折理想的手术入路。     

胸椎黄韧带骨化症临床研究

目的 探讨胸椎黄韧带骨化症的诊断特点及改良手术的疗效。方法 总结我院从1995～2005年收治的28例胸椎黄韧带骨化症的患者并对其手术疗效加以分析。结果28例患者全部获得随访，随访时间6～36个月，平均23个月。术后JOA评分为6～11分，平均9．3分，恢复率为73．6％，优良率为84．5％。结论临床表现结合CT及MRI检查是诊断胸椎黄韧带骨化症的有效手段，改良的外科手术方式安全可靠，手术疗效佳。     

自制L型骨块复位器在治疗胸腰椎爆裂性骨折致骨块椎管内占位的应用

目的探讨自制L型骨块复位器在治疗胸腰椎爆裂性骨折致骨块椎管内占位中的应用方法。方法对24例胸腰椎爆裂性骨折患者,先用AF系统撑开恢复损伤节段的高度,再采用自制L型骨块打入复位器,使突出骨块复位,行AF系统骨折固定。结果24例均获随访,平均14（12-24）月。疗效评价：优20例,良1例,差3例,优良率为87.5%。术后1年Frankel分级：A级3例,为术前A级T12骨折者,余21例均可下地步行,其中1例术前B级的T12骨折患者出现痉挛步态,经锻炼后逐渐缓解。24例均于术后1年取出内固定。结论对胸腰椎爆裂性骨折致骨块椎管内占位患者,应用自制L型骨块复位器复位疗效好,安全可靠,可操作性强,值得推广。     

椎弓根螺钉系统内固定治疗胸腰椎骨折

目的　分析椎弓根螺钉在胸腰椎骨折中的临床应用及疗效。方法　采用 3种椎弓根螺钉系统治疗 3 5例 ,随访 6个月～ 4年 ,平均 2年。结果　伤椎前缘平均高度由术前 4 2 %提高到术后93 5 % ,后缘由术前 94 %提高到术后 98% ,后凸角由术前 2 7 6°降低到术后 5 2°,椎管面积从术前69 %提高到术后 95 % ;神经功能按Frankel分级标准 ,较术前改善Ⅱ级以上。结论　椎弓根螺钉系统内固定是治疗胸腰段脊柱损伤的有效方法之一.     

无骨折脱位型胸脊髓损伤的诊治分析

目的 通过7例无骨折脱位型胸脊髓损伤的治疗分析,提高对该病的诊治水平。方法 本组7例按Frankel脊髓损伤分级：A级2例,B级2例,C级3例。其中5例行了MRI检查。手术治疗2例,保守治疗5例。结果 经10个月至8年2个月随访,4例完全恢复,2例部分恢复,1例无恢复。结论 MRI检查对无同骨折脱位型胸脊髓损伤的诊治具有重要意义;不完全性无骨折脱位型胸脊髓损伤的疗效满意。     

胸骨柄开窗前方显露上胸椎的解剖学及临床可行性观察

目的:探讨胸骨柄开窗入路治疗上胸椎疾患的可行性。方法:采用10%福尔马林浸泡的成人尸体40具行大体观察,测量胸骨柄相关数据,根据测量结果,对9例颈胸段椎体病变患者行前路胸骨柄开窗,病灶清除、脊髓减压、植骨、内固定,其中8例患者行胸骨柄重建。术后行食道钡餐造影检查颈胸段前方植骨块、钢板、螺钉等与食道的关系,并随访该组患者的临床疗效。结果:胸骨柄开窗呈广口瓶形,双侧胸锁关节内缘是开窗的最狭窄部位。9例患者经胸骨柄开窗入路均顺利完成手术,2例出现一过性声音嘶哑,术后钡餐造影显示造影剂均顺利通过钢板、螺钉前方。随访2～5年,平均3.3年,8例患者胸骨柄开窗处愈合,未出现开窗部位慢性疼痛和神经血管损伤及双上肢无力;1例患者术中未行胸骨柄重建,显示胸骨柄区域有轻微塌陷。未见钢板、螺钉松动。结论:经胸骨柄开窗行上胸椎前方显露可保留锁骨和胸锁关节、术后重建胸骨柄等结构,能满足上胸椎(T1～T4)前方的显露。