Treatment of Takayasu's aortitis with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and wall stent--a case report

Heart Disease in Pregnancy 4

Ischemic heart disease and cardiomyopathy in pregnancy are both rare. Therefore, a high level of suspicion is required by the obstetric caregiver when women complain of the often vague symptoms that are indicative of these conditions. Early diagnosis, consultation with a cardiologist, and aggressive therapy are the keys to reducing morbidity and mortality. Women who suffer myocardial infarction in pregnancy should be stabilized, and delivery within the first two weeks post event should be avoided if possible. Women who completely recover from peripartum cardiomyopathy can be reassured when considering future pregnancies. Pregnancy should be considered contraindicated in women with Class H diabetes, and efforts should be made to establish reliable contraception. This is the fourth in a series of five articles reviewing in detail the assessment and management of specific cardiac disorders in pregnancy.

Feasibility of angioplasty and stenting for abdominal aortic lesions adjacent to previously stented visceral artery lesions in patients with Takayasu arteritis

Two young female patients with Takayasu arteritis presented with symptomatic long-segment abdominal aortic stenosis in the vicinity of previously deployed celiac and renal artery stents that projected markedly into the narrowed aortic lumen. Crushing or distortion of the visceral artery stents during aortic angioplasty was avoided by performing simultaneous or alternating balloon dilatations in the aorta and in the visceral artery stents. Consequently, the visceral artery stents remained patent and shortened longitudinally, allowing unhindered deployment of Wallstents in the adjacent aorta and abolition of a pressure gradient across the aortic lesions. Access to side branches covered by the Wallstent was obtained without difficulty, enabling the performance of balloon dilatation in multiple side branches and ostial stent deployment in a renal artery. These techniques could increase the scope of endovascular therapy in the treatment of patients with Takayasu arteritis.

Arterite de Takayasu e gravidez

A arterite de Takayasu é uma doença inflamatória crônica, idiopática que afeta a grandes vasos como a aorta e seus principais ramos. Esta doença é uma causa rara de hipertensão em mulheres em idade fértil. Este artigo discute a abordagem clínica multidisciplinar necessária ao acompanhamento de gestantes com esta síndrome.

Occlusive thromboaortopathy (Takayasu disease): clinical and angiographic features and a brief review of literature

The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic criteria and angiographic classifications of Takayasu arteritis by presenting the clinical, angiographic, and prognostic findings and a prospective follow-up of 78 patients. Occlusive thromboaortopathy or Takayasu arteritis is a large vessel vasculitis. The disease is systemic with an autoimmune and genetic etiology. The complete clinical and angiographic manifestations are reported for 78 cases based on diagnostic criteria of the American College of Rheumatology with a mean 6 +/- 3.2 years follow-up. The mean age was 34.7 and female:male ratio was 3.6:1. According to National Institute of Health criteria, 61.5% of patients were in the acute phase of disease with systemic symptoms such as fever, weight loss, malaise, and elevated C-reactive protein levels. Immunologic markers, such as antinuclear antibody and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies, were negative. The tuberculin test result was positive in 47%. Vascular bruit was present in 89%. Almost all patients had stenoses, occlusions, or aneurysmatic changes of the aorta and its main branches. Hypertension was detected in 58% and left ventricular hypertrophy was initially present in 22 (28%) patients. The angiographic manifestations were classified as type I, cervicobrachial type with 20 cases (25.6%); type II, thoracoabdominal type with 13 cases (16.6%); type III, peripheral type with 10 cases (12.8%); and type IV, generalized type with 35 cases (44.8%). The coronary arteries were involved in 6 cases, pulmonary arteries in 11 initially 5 in follow-up (16 cases), and renal arteries in 28 cases, respectively. A good correlation of the clinical manifestations and the prognosis was observed. During follow-up, five patients suffered from myocardial infarction, six had cerebrovascular accident, seven patients underwent aortic valve replacement, and six patients died (mortality rate, 7.6%). The specificity and sensitivity of diagnostic criteria were 94% and 76%, respectively. In contrast to ours and Nasu's classification in the new classification of Numano, some angiographic types and subtypes of Takayasu arteritis are not present in our patients.

Isolated supradiaphragmatic descending thoracic aorta stenosis in a Takayasu's disease: surgical cure

A 21-year-old male patient presented with a typical middle aortic syndrome. Echography disclosed a severe narrowing of the lower thoracic aorta with parietal thickening. The isolated character of the lesion was confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging and aortography. The surgical cure was realized by a Dacron bypass between the upper thoracic descending aorta and the juxta-diaphragmatic thoracic aorta. Aortic biopsy confirmed Takayasu's disease. Postoperative course was uneventful with normalized blood pressure. The therapeutic options, surgery versus percutaneous dilatation and stent, are discussed.