Treatment of aortic isthmus atresia with a covered stent

Long-term follow-up after recanalisation of aortic arch atresia

AIMS

Aortic arch atresia (AAA) is one of the rarest obstructive defects. The presence of this anomaly in adult age is uncommon. The typical anatomic feature consists of a complete occlusion of the membranous obstruction resulting in an acquired atresia without flow continuity between the proximal and distal segments. This feature is important in determining the feasibility of percutaneous intervention. The aim of the present study was to share long-term follow-up data of adult patients with AAA requiring percutaneous interventions for the management of this rare anomaly involving five different centres.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Retrospective data of 19 patients (12 males, 63.2%, mean age 32.2±18.9 years) diagnosed with AAA treated in five different centres between 1999 and 2017 were collected. All patients underwent percutaneous recanalisation by (1) radiofrequency (RF) system (five patients, 26.3%), (2) extra-stiff guidewire (12 patients, 63.2%), and (3) transseptal needle (two patients, 10.5%). All procedures were subsequently followed by covered stent implantation. Two patients developed complications during the procedure and one of them died. Over a median follow-up of 4.94 years, four (21%) patients were able to be weaned from medications for hypertension. All the patients underwent reassessment for recurrence or restenosis during the follow-up. Seven (36.8%) patients underwent successful stent dilatation with a balloon. After the intervention, one patient experienced a late complication; however, one patient died due to an unknown cause believed to be unrelated to the previous recanalisation procedure.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous treatment of AAA is feasible with good long-term survival. This study reports the largest case series so far available in the literature.

A Case Series Describing Percutaneous Management of Aortic Isthmic Atresia

Aortic isthmic atresia is a severe form of aortic coarctation where there is loss of luminal communication at the aortic isthmus. The primary approach for correcting aortic isthmic atresia has been surgical repair of the coarctation. A small number of case series have shown that percutaneous correction of aortic isthmic atresia is possible. We describe 3 cases of aortic isthmic atresia that was successfully treated using a percutaneous approach. Our cases ranged in age between 42 and 51 years, and they all had hypertension. In our case series, 2 patients were successfully treated with radiofrequency perforation and 1 patient had anterograde recanalization performed using a stiff wire. Our patients have been followed up for between 2 and 4 years post-procedure, and they continue to do well. The success of percutaneous management in this case series adds to the small but increasing amount of data available in support of endovascular management of aortic isthmic atresia in adult patients.

Aortic rupture during stenting for recurrent aortic coarctation in an adult: live-saving, emergency, NuDEL all-in-one covered stent implantation

We report a case of successful, life-saving implantation of a covered Cheatham Platinum stent, an all-in-one NuDEL catheter system, in an adult with aortic rupture after bare-metal stenting for re-coarctation of the aorta.

Percutaneous treatment of adult isthmic aortic coarctation: acute and long-term clinical and imaging outcome with a self-expandable uncovered nitinol stent

BACKGROUND

To present perioperative and long-term results of percutaneous treatment of adult isthmic coarctation of the aorta by means of a self-expandable closed-web uncovered nitinol stent (Sinus-XL, Optimed, Esslingen, Germany).

METHODS AND RESULTS

Preoperative, perioperative, and long-term clinical and computed tomographic angiography data were collected and analyzed prospectively. A total of 52 consecutive patients were treated with the Sinus-XL stent. Mean age was 36.6 (21-67) years, peak invasive trans-coarctation of the aorta gradient was 54.7 ± 9.9 mm Hg, and upper body hypertension unresponsive to medical treatment was present in all patients. Mean stent diameter and length were 24.2 mm (22-28 mm) and 70.4 mm (40-80 mm), respectively. Eight patients (15.4%) required coarctation of the aorta predilatation. All patients underwent poststent dilatation with a noncompliant balloon. Postoperative peak gradient (3.3 ± 2.5 mm Hg) was reduced significantly (P < 0.001) and minimal aortic diameter was increased significantly (4.6 ± 1.9 versus 18.6 ± 2.5 mm; P < 0.001). All patients were discharged home (mean hospitalization, 3.5 days). At follow-up (47.6 months; 12-84), 1 (1.9%) noncardiovascular mortality was reported. Aortic computed tomography confirmed the absence of stent collapse and secondary migration and documented stability in aortic diameter (18.3 ± 2.7 mm). Thirty patients (57.7%) were completely weaned-off antihypertensive medications and their use dropped from 2.6 to 0.9 drugs/patient (P < 0.001). Ankle-brachial pressure index increased from 0.75 to 0.98 (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Adult coarctation of the aorta treatment by means of a self-expandable uncovered stent is safe and durable. The peculiar stent design maintains adequate localized radial strength over time with minimal trauma on the adjacent aortic wall and negligible device-related complications. Blood pressure control optimization is immediate and persistent even at long-term follow-up.

Atretic aortic coarctation in a 32-year-old woman diagnosed after her third pregnancy, treated percutaneously using a covered stent

Atretic aortic coarctation is a severe form of coarctation of aorta, where there is loss of luminal communication at the site of aortic isthmus. We present a case of a 32-year-old woman who had long-standing, treatment-resistant hypertension. She had three pregnancies. The third pregnancy ended in premature labor of a newborn female infant who was found to have severe coarctation of aorta. This diagnosis in the newborn child prompted proper evaluation of the mother, who was found to have atretic coarctation. The woman was treated successfully using a covered Advanta V12 stent (Atrium, Hudson, NH, USA), after percutaneous needle puncture of the atretic isthmus. Anatomical orientation of the aorta at the site of coarctation and its relationship to the safety of needle puncture approach are discussed. This case brings an old lesson to the table, where proper evaluation of severe, treatment-resistant hypertension in adults should include screening for secondary causes. <Learning objective: Evaluation of severe and resistant systemic hypertension in adults should include screening for aortic coarctation. Pregnancy in women with coarctation of aorta carries significant risk to both the woman and the fetus. Atretic coarctation is a severe form of coarctation where there is complete obstruction of aortic isthmus. This can be treated successfully by percutaneous approach using covered stents.>.

Stenting Options for Coarctation of the Aorta

The narrowing of the lumen in coarctation of the aorta can be relieved with a high degree of immediate success by transcatheter methods. All methods are associated with immediate and longer-term complications, including dissection, aneurysm formation, and recoarctation. The introduction of the use of covered stents in aortic coarctation is encouraging because the material cover provides additional protection to the acutely disrupted aortic wall and can provide long-term protection of the dilated segment and the downstream area of poststenotic dilation. This review discusses the currently available options for stenting aortic coarctation.

The role of stents in the treatment of congenital heart disease: Current status and future perspectives

Intravascular or intracardiac stenoses occur in many forms of congenital heart disease (CHD). Therefore, the implantation of stents has become an accepted interventional procedure for stenotic lesions in pediatric cardiology. Furthermore, stents are know to be used to exclude vessel aneurysm or to ensure patency of existing or newly created intracardiac communications. With the further refinement of the first generation of devices, a variety of "modern" stents with different design characteristics have evolved. Despite the tremendous technical improvement over the last 20 years, the "ideal stent" has not yet been developed. Therefore, the pediatric interventionalist has to decide which stent is suitable for each lesion. On this basis, currently available stents are discussed in regard to their advantages and disadvantages for common application in CHD. New concepts and designs developed to overcome some of the existing problems, like the failure of adaptation to somatic growth, are presented. Thus, in the future, biodegradable or growth stents might replace the currently used generation of stents. This might truly lead to widening indications for the use of stents in the treatment of CHD.