Commentary: Impressive Midterm Results of Parallel Grafts in the Aortic Arch

Endovascular Outcomes in Aortic Arch Repair with Double and Triple Parallel Stent Grafts

PURPOSE

To report early and midterm outcomes of treating thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) and aortic dissection (AD) involving zone 1 and zone 0 with multiple parallel stent grafts (PSGs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From February 2011 to August 2018, 31 of 1,806 patients (1.7%) who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with double PSGs (DPSGs) (n = 20) or triple PSGs (TPSGs) (n = 11) were retrospectively reviewed. Procedures were performed in high-risk patients who had TAA or AD involving zone 1 or zone 0.

RESULTS

Fifteen patients (48.4%) who presented with symptomatic or impending rupture underwent urgent or emergent TEVAR with DPSGs or TPSGs. Nineteen patients (61.3%) were treated for zone 0 disease. Technical and clinical success rates were 70.0% for DPSG cohort and 45.5% for TPSG cohort. Intraoperative type Ia endoleak was observed in 30% of DPSG cohort and 45.5% of TPSG cohort. One patient in the DPSG cohort died of aortic sinus rupture intraoperatively. Minor stroke during the 30-day postoperative period was more frequent in the TPSG cohort (P = .042). Mean duration of follow-up was 28.9 months ± 17.7. The TPSG cohort had a higher incidence of major adverse events (72.7% vs 25.0%, P = .021). The most common adverse events were endoleaks (12.9%), endograft migration (9.7%), PSG stenosis or occlusion (6.5%), retrograde dissection (6.5%), and stroke (3.2%). Endograft migrations were more common in TPSG cohort (27.3%, P = .037). Overall mortality rate was 16.1% (5/31) perioperatively and during follow-up. There were no statistical differences in overall survival and reintervention-free survival.

CONCLUSIONS

In the context of TEVAR with multiple PSGs for aortic arch repair, TPSGs may have a high risk of major complications.

Endovascular Hybrid Repair of True Ascending Aortic Aneurysms Using Double Graft Wrapping to Prepare a Landing Zone for Ascending Aortic Stent-Graft Placement: A Cohort Study

Purpose: To describe a hybrid procedure that avoids cardiopulmonary bypass to treat patients with true ascending aortic aneurysms without a suitable proximal landing zone for endovascular repair. Material and Methods: Thirteen consecutive patients (mean age 75.9±6.5 years; 8 women) with true ascending aortic aneurysms were treated with the endovascular hybrid repair of true aortic aneurysms (EHTA) approach, which consists of a conventional sternotomy with double wrapping of the ascending aorta followed by staged stent-graft placement. Via sternotomy, a polypropylene mesh trimmed to downsize the aneurysm is placed around the dilated ascending aorta and sutured to the adventitia. A similarly trimmed polytetrafluoroethylene graft is placed loosely around the first wrap to avoid adhesions and secure the proximal landing zone. There is no need for cardiopulmonary bypass. A few days later, a standard thoracic stent-graft is deployed via either a transaxillary or transfemoral access; chimney or bypass grafts are used as needed to revascularize the supra-aortic vessels. Results: The ascending aortic diameter was reduced from a mean 5.7 cm (range 4.8-6.5) to 3.9 cm (range 3.2-4.3) after wrapping. The mean interval between surgery and stent-graft placement was 5 days. In this interval, 2 patients with significant reduction in the diameter of the ascending aorta elected to forego placement of a stent-graft. Of the 11 patients who underwent the full hybrid EHTA procedure, the ascending aortic stent-graft was combined with a chimney graft in the innominate artery in 4 cases. In 1 patient, a supra-aortic debranching procedure using a bifurcated Dacron graft to the innominate and left common carotid arteries was performed after wrapping with the polypropylene mesh. There was no mortality or neurological complication. A sternal wound infection required a prolonged hospital stay. At a mean follow-up of 13.8 months (range 3-24), there has been no death, type I endoleak, or sign of aneurysm enlargement on imaging. Conclusion: This technique permits complete endovascular exclusion of an ascending aortic aneurysm in a less invasive approach than standard open repair. Although this is only a small cohort of patients without long-term follow-up, it seems that this hybrid procedure is associated with low morbidity and mortality. It offers a beating-heart approach to treat true ascending aortic aneurysms in selected high-risk patients.