Longitudinal follow-up by MR angiography reveals progressive dilatation of the distal aorta after aortic root replacement in Marfan syndrome

OBJECTIVES

To define and compare growth rates of the distal aorta in Marfan patients with and without aortic root replacement using serial MR angiography (MRA).

METHODS

We retrospectively included 136 Marfan patients with a total of 645 MRAs who underwent a median of five MRAs (range: 2-13) at 1.5 T and 3 T in annual intervals. Of these, 41 patients (34.8 ± 12 years) had undergone aortic root replacement. The remaining 95 patients (29.0 ± 17 years) still had a native aorta and served as the control group. Thoracic aortic diameters were independently measured at eleven predefined levels. Estimated growth rates were calculated using a mixed effects model adjusted for sex, age, BMI, and medication.

RESULTS

Marfan patients with aortic root replacement revealed the highest mean estimated growth rate in the proximal descending aorta (0.77 mm/year, CI: 0.31-1.21). Mean growth rates at all levels of the distal thoracic aorta were significantly higher in patients with aortic root replacement (0.28-0.77 mm/year) when compared to patients without aortic root replacement (0.03-0.07 mm/year) (all p < 0.001). Antihypertensive medication, gender, and BMI had no significant impact on the distal aortic growth rates.

CONCLUSION

Distal thoracic aortic diameters increase at a significantly higher rate in Marfan patients with aortic root replacement compared to Marfan patients without aortic root replacement. Further studies are warranted to investigate if the increased growth rate of the distal thoracic aorta after aortic root replacement is caused by altered hemodynamics due to the rigid aortic root graft or due to the general genetic disposition of post-operative Marfan patients.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

High growth rates of the distal aorta after aortic root replacement underline the need for careful life-long aortic imaging of Marfan patients after aortic root replacement.

KEY POINTS

• Aortic growth rates in Marfan patients with aortic root replacement are highest in the mid-aortic arch, the proximal- and mid-descending aorta. • Growth rates of the distal thoracic aorta are significantly higher in Marfan patients with aortic root replacement compared to Marfan patients without aortic root replacement. • Antihypertensive medication, gender, and BMI have no significant impact on distal aortic growth rates in Marfan patients.

Blunt traumatic aortic injury in the elderly population

OBJECTIVE

Blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in trauma patients. Although outcomes for BTAI have been described in younger patient populations, elderly patients may present with different patterns of injury and have unique factors contributing to morbidity and mortality. This study aims to describe patterns of presentation and management in elderly patients presenting with BTAI using a nationwide database.

METHODS

Patients aged 65 years and older with BTAI from 2007 through 2016 were identified from the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program database. Baseline demographics, initial physiologic variables, and clinical outcomes were extracted from the database. Our primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. An adjusted Poisson generalized regression model was used to compare rates of mortality for thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), open repair, and nonoperative management.

RESULTS

During the study period, 1322 patients aged 65 years and over sustained BTAI and survived past triage. Mean age was 74.7 years, and 60% were male. There were low incidence rates of concomitant major head (9.4%), spine (3.1%), and abdominal (5.7%) injuries. Three hundred fifty (26.5%) underwent TEVAR, 58 (4.4%) open repair, and 914 (69.1%) were managed nonoperatively. Utilization of TEVAR increased from 13.1% to 32.7% from 2007 to 2015, with subsequent decline to 19.9% in 2016 in favor of nonoperative management. Age, gender, and mean Injury Severity Scores (ISS) did not significantly differ by management. In-hospital mortality for the entire cohort was 37.9%. In an adjusted Poisson generalized regression model using inverse probability of treatment weighting controlling for age, race, gender, ISS, and hypotension, TEVAR was associated with the lowest mortality rate (1.31 deaths/100 person-years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17-1.46) compared with open repair (2.53; 95% CI, 2.32-2.75; P < .001) and nonoperative management (3.91; 95% CI, 3.60-4.25; P < .001). There was a higher incidence of acute kidney injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and surgical site infection in the TEVAR group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study describes the management of and outcomes for BTAI in the elderly population. The majority of patients did not undergo operative repair, which was associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality. In an adjusted analysis, TEVAR was associated with the lowest mortality rate, compared with open repair and nonoperative management.

Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair With Subclavian Revascularization for Symptomatic Nonaneurysmal Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery

Aberrant right subclavian artery is a common aortic arch anomaly that can cause dysphagia as a result of compression by the aberrant artery. For patients with an aneurysm associated with an aberrant right subclavian artery, surgical or endovascular intervention is a well-described treatment. However, for patients with a nonaneurysmal aberrant right subclavian artery, treatment with thoracic endovascular aortic repair has been limited. We describe the use of thoracic endovascular aortic repair and subclavian revascularization to treat esophageal stricture in a patient with a symptomatic nonaneurysmal aberrant right subclavian artery. The patient's dysphagia was successfully relieved after the operation.

Vasorelaxant effect of osthole on isolated thoracic aortic rings in rats

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of osthole on isolated thoracic aortic rings, and to determine the potential mechanism of action.

METHODS

Thoracic aortas were isolated from Wistar rats, and were suspended in tissue organ chambers for vascular tension measurement. The effect of cumulative osthole (10－?, 10－?, 10－?, 10－?, and 10－? mol/L) on endothelium-intact and endothelium-denuded thoracic aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE, 10－? mol/L) or KCl (6 × 10－? mol/L) was recorded. Histomorphological changes of thoracic aorta were analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin. The effects of different osthole concentrations on endothelium-intact aortic rings, which were pre-inhibited with the non-selective nitric oxide synthase inhibitor L-Arg(NO2)-OMe·HCl (3 × 10－4 mol/L), endothelium-derived nitric oxide synthase inhibitor Nω-nitro-L-arginine (3 × 10－4 mol/L), guanylate cyclase inhibitor 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3-α] quinoxaline-1-one (10－5 mol/L), cyclooxygenase inhibitor indometacin (10－5 mol/L), and the Ca2+-activated potassium channel inhibitor tetraethylammonium nitrate (10－5 mol/L), and then contracted with PE, were examined. Aortic rings incubated with osthole (10－5 mol/L), phentolamine (10－5 mol/L), or verapamil (10－5 mol/L) in Ca2+-free Krebs-Henseleit solution (KHS) were stimulated with PE or KCl.

RESULTS

There was a dose-dependent increase in vasorelaxation of isolated thoracic aortic rings (both with and without endothelium) with increasing osthole concentration. Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that osthole significantly improved thoracic aorta ring morphology. Compared with the control group, there were also significant differences after incubation with L-Arg(NO2)-OMe·HCl, Nω-nitro-L-arginine, and 1H-[1,2,4] oxadiazolo [4,3-α] quinoxaline-1-one (P < 0.05 for all). The relaxation rate of the rings in the osthole group incubated with indometacin and tetraethylammonium nitrate were similar to controls. In Ca2+-free KHS, the PE-induced contraction was similar between the osthole (4.37% ± 0.41%) and control (4.21% ± 1.33%) groups. However, after cumulative CaCl2 (0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 mmol/L), the Ca2+-induced contraction was significantly inhibited in the osthole and phentolamine groups compared with controls (P < 0.05). After cumulative CaCl2 was added to Ca2+-free KHS (high K+ concentration), the contraction rate was significantly higher than both of the control and the osthole groups (P < 0.05). The contraction rate in the osthole group was higher than the verapamil group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Osthole has a vasorelaxant effect on isolated rat thoracic aortic rings, via inhibition of both receptor-operated and voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels in arterial smooth muscle, leading to decreased Ca2+ influx, and via inhibition of nitric oxide release on arterial endothelial cells.

Aortic stiffness in aortic stenosis assessed by cardiovascular MRI: a comparison between bicuspid and tricuspid valves

Objectives

To compare aortic size and stiffness parameters on MRI between bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) and tricuspid aortic valve (TAV) patients with aortic stenosis (AS).

Methods

MRI was performed in 174 patients with asymptomatic moderate-severe AS (mean AVAI 0.57 ± 0.14 cm²/m²) and 23 controls on 3T scanners. Valve morphology was available/analysable in 169 patients: 63 BAV (41 type-I, 22 type-II) and 106 TAV. Aortic cross-sectional areas were measured at the level of the pulmonary artery bifurcation. The ascending and descending aorta (AA, DA) distensibility, and pulse wave velocity (PWV) around the aortic arch were calculated.

Results

The AA and DA areas were lower in the controls, with no difference in DA distensibility or PWV, but slightly lower AA distensibility than in the patient group. With increasing age, there was a decrease in distensibility and an increase in PWV. After correcting for age, the AA maximum cross-sectional area was higher in bicuspid vs. tricuspid patients (12.97 [11.10, 15.59] vs. 10.06 [8.57, 12.04] cm², p < 0.001), but there were no significant differences in AA distensibility (p = 0.099), DA distensibility (p = 0.498) or PWV (p = 0.235). Patients with BAV type-II valves demonstrated a significantly higher AA distensibility and lower PWV compared to type-I, despite a trend towards higher AA area.

Conclusions

In patients with significant AS, BAV patients do not have increased aortic stiffness compared to those with TAV despite increased ascending aortic dimensions. Those with type-II BAV have less aortic stiffness despite greater dimensions. These results demonstrate a dissociation between aortic dilatation and stiffness and suggest that altered flow patterns may play a role.

Key Points

• Both cellular abnormalities secondary to genetic differences and abnormal flow patterns have been implicated in the pathophysiology of aortic dilatation and increased vascular complications associated with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV).

• We demonstrate an increased ascending aortic size in patients with BAV and moderate to severe AS compared to TAV and controls, but no difference in aortic stiffness parameters, therefore suggesting a dissociation between dilatation and stiffness.

• Sub-group analysis showed greater aortic size but lower stiffness parameters in those with BAV type-II AS compared to BAV type-I.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00330-018-5775-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Incidental Finding of a Large Mobile Aortic Arch Mass during Conventional Angiography

Thromboembolism occurs commonly in general practice and leads to significant health burden. Apart from cardiac sources, aortic atherosclerotic plaques contribute considerably to thromboembolism. A 63-year-old diabetic hypertensive woman referred to our center due to exertional chest pain unresponsive to optimal medical therapy and underwent coronary angiography. Owing to resistance during guide-wire advancement, an aortography was performed. Aortic arch injection demonstrated a large suspended mass distal to the left subclavian artery with free movement in the descending thoracic aorta. Echocardiography revealed widespread atherosclerotic changes in the aortic arch with a large hypermobile mass. Dual-source multi-slice (2 × 128:256) computed tomography angiography of the whole aorta revealed a large floating mass (in favor of a thrombus) in the distal portion of the arch. The patient underwent coronary artery bypass grafting due to severe coronary artery disease. The intra-aortic mass, which was actually a large atherosclerotic plaque, was resected at the same session. She was discharged uneventfully and during a 1-year follow-up, she had no embolic events.

Unusual Presentation of a Penetrating Aortic Arch Injury

A 27-year-old man was admitted with a penetrating injury at the mid-manubrium. Computed tomographic (CT) angiography showed a filling defect in the aortic arch. This was evaluated as a sign of injury and the patient underwent an emergency operation. No active bleeding or clot was found in the mediastinum during the operation. The laceration point was between the innominate and the left carotid artery posteriorly. The injury was approached using hypothermic circulatory arrest. Aortotomy and exploration showed a 2-cm-long full-thickness aortic injury with an overlying clot. A filling defect on angiography as a sign of a penetrating arch injury has never been reported previously, but was the main pathological finding on CT angiography in our case. The aorta is a high-pressure system and injuries to it should be treated aggressively.

[Progress and challenge of Stanford type A aortic dissection in China]

In recent 20 years, the rapid development of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection in China has been mainly due to three aspects: (1) the refined classification of aortic dissection based on Stanford classification, (2) right axillary artery canal and selective cerebral perfusion technology become basic cardiopulmonary bypass strategy for Stanford type A aortic dissection, and (3) total aortic arch replacement and descending aortic stent graft surgery (Sun's surgery) become the standard treatment of Stanford type A aortic dissection. However, there are still many problems in the diagnosis and treatment of aortic dissection in China, such as: (1) unstandardized, lack of comprehensive guidelines of aortic dissection, (2) immature, perioperative organ protection and intraoperative blood protection technology remains a big flaw, and (3) it takes a long time to get patient prepared for surgery. In conclusion, as to the issue of the management of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection, there will be a long way for Chinese doctors to go. Peers should pay more attention to this problem and take more efforts, so that the outcome of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection surgical patients can be improved.

[Experience of Sun's procedure for chronic type B dissection with aortic arch involvement]

Objective: To study the surgical treatment of chronic type B dissection with aortic arch involvement using Sun's procedure. Methods: Between February 2009 and December 2015, 29 patients [20 males, 9 females, with a mean age of (41±12) years, range 24-64 years] with type B dissection with aortic arch involvement underwent Sun's procedure. Sixteen patient had a history of hypertension. Marfan syndrome was observed in 9 cases, coronary artery disease in 3 cases, mitral regurgitation in 3 patients, cerebrovascular disease in one patient. Twenty-two patients suffered proximal aortic arch disease, 4 cases experienced history of aortic root procedure and 2 subjects had history of pregnancy. Four patients had aortic arch malformation. Results: One case suffered from massive cerebral infarction after surgery and died in another hospital. Concomitant procedures included mitral valve replacement in 3 cases, coronary artery bypass grafting in 3 patients, reconstruction of the right aberrant subclavian artery in one patient. Ventilator support exceeding 24 hours obseved in 2 patients. One of them recieved continuous renal replacement therapy and recovered before discharge. Spinal cord injury was obseved in one case, brain infarction in one patient and pericardial drainage in one case. Two patients required tracheotomy. During 12-94 (43±23) months' follow-up, thoracoabdominal aortic replacment was performed in 4 patients, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in 2 subjects and repair of perivalvular leakage in one patient. Conclusions: Sun's procedure obtained satisfactory results in patients with chronic type B dissection with aortic arch involvement. Concomitant repair of proximal aortic arch lesions and distal type B dissection can be adopted using Sun's procedure.

[Prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy undergoing surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection]

Objective: To evaluate prognostic factors for in-hospital mortality in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) undergoing surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection. Methods: Retrospective analysis were conducted for 60 patients diagnosed with AKI requiring CRRT undergoing surgery for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection at Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2015 to September 2016. There were 43 male and 17 female patients with an mean age of (50±14) years. Demographic characteristics, diagnosis, perioperative periodrelated data, clinical parameters during CRRT were collected to set up a database. The patients were divided into survival group and non-survival group according to in-hospital mortality. The prognostic factors of mortality in-hospital after AKI requiring CRRT were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression analysis regression. Results: In the 60 adult patients who had received CRRT, 21 patients (35.0%) died. There were significant differences between died and survival patients on proportion of age>60 years (χ(2)=6.851, P=0.003), lactic acid levels at 12-hour after CRRT (t=-3.631, P=0.004), lactic acid levels at 24 hours after CRRT (t=-2.986, P=0.032), proportion of body mass index >25 kg/m(2) (χ(2)=5.660, P=0.041), cardiopulmonary bypass time (t=-2.720, P=0.001). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that age≥60 years (OR=16.450, 95% CI: 2.172 to 84.589); high lactic acid levels at 12-hour after CRRT (OR=1.719, 95% CI: 1.998 to 2.960) and long cardiopulmonary bypass time (OR=1.028, 95% CI: 1.004 to 1.052) (all P<0.05) were independent prognostic factors of in-hospital mortality. Conclusions: Age ≥60 years, high lactic acid levels at 12-hour after CRRT and long cardiopulmonary bypass time were independent prognostic factors of patients with AKI requiring CRRT after aortic surgery. Proper identification and management shall improve the prognosis of patients.

[Clinical practice and thoughts on the strategy of root reconstruction for Stanford type A aortic dissection]

The strategy of root reconstruction for Stanford type A aortic dissection (AAD) includes resection of the intimal tear site, correction of concomitant aortic valve dysfunction and amendment of coronary lesion. Supracommissural tube graft replacement is a well-adopted and convenient procedure for most patients, although its application is limited when distinct sinus expansion and severe intimal damage is present. Composite valve conduit replacement (Bentall procedure) is suitable for patients with overt sinus damage. However, a fraction of patients with functional aortic valve will be unnecessarily put into risks for prosthetic complications. Valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR), which includes aortic root remodeling (Yacoub procedure) and reimplantation (David procedure) techniques, has the advantage of retaining autologous aortic valve while guaranteeing resection of damaged vessel segments.The Yacoub procedure is relatively convenient but harbors long-term risk for annulus expansion, while the David procedure demonstrates long-term benefit but may be too demanding to be operated in emergent scenario as AAD. The last decade has witnessed worldwide endeavors to investigate the treatment strategy for aortic root, especially the VSRR approach. The preliminary results are encouraging and demonstrating improvements for both mid- and long-term outcomes of AAD, which enables standardized and personalized surgical management for these patients.

[Progress of problems related to the reconstruction of aortic arch in acute type A aortic dissection]

Aortic arch reconstruction is one of the most challenging operations in aortic surgery. Anatomical abnormalities of the aortic arch, including bovine aortic arch, aberrant right subclavian artery, and single vertebral artery have direct impact on the choice of surgical procedures and methods of brain protection.The risk of aortic arch reconstruction and the difficulty of operation, it is possible to avoid the injury of patients by strictly grasping the indication of operation. Intraoperative arterial cannulation and brain protection strategies are directly related to the success of the operation. This article makes a brief review of the above problems in the reconstruction of the aortic arch, hoping to be helpful to the cardiovascular surgeon.

[Late reoperations after repaired Stanford type A aortic dissection]

Objective: To summarize the experience of reoperations on patients who had late complications related to previous aortic surgery for Stanford type A dissection. Methods: From August 2008 to October 2016, 14 patients (10 male and 4 female patients) who underwent previous cardiac surgery for Stanford type A aortic dissection accepted reoperations on the late complications at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University. The range of age was from 41 to 76 years, the mean age was (57±12) years. In these patients, first time operations were ascending aorta replacement procedure in 3 patients, ascending aorta combined with partial aortic arch replacement in 4 patients, aortic root replacement (Bentall) associated with Marfan syndrome in 3 patients, aortic valve combined with ascending aorta replacement (Wheat) in 1 patient, ascending aorta combined with Sun's procedure in 1 patient, Wheat combined with Sun's procedure in 1 patient, Bentall combined with Sun's procedure in 1 patient. The interval between two operations averaged 0.3 to 10.0 years with a mean of (4.8±3.1) years. The reasons for reoperations included part anastomotic split, aortic valve insufficiency, false aneurysm formation, enlargement of remant aortal and false cavity. The selection of reoperation included anastomotic repair, aortic valve replacement, total arch replacement and Sun's procedure. Results: Of the 14 patients, the cardiopulmonary bypass times were 107 to 409 minutes with a mean of (204±51) minutes, cross clamp times were 60 to 212 minutes with a mean of (108±35) minutes, selective cerebral perfusion times were 16 to 38 minutes with a mean of (21±11) minutes. All patients survived from the operation, one patient died from severe pulmonary infection 50 days after operation. Three patients had postoperative complications, including acute renal failure of 2 patients and pulmonary infection of 1 patient, and these patients were recovered after treatment. Thirteen patients were finally recovered from hospital. The patients were followed up for 16 to 45 months, and no aortic rupture, paraplegia and death were observed in the follow-up. Conclusions: Patients for residual aortic dissection after initial operations on Stanford type A aortic dissection should be attached great importance and always need emergency surgery, but the technique is demanding and risk is great for surgeons and patients, which need enough specification and accurate on aortic operation. More importantly, the Sun's procedure also should be performed on the treatment of residual aortic dissection or distal arch expansion, and obtains the short- and long-term results in the future.

[Clinical analysis of different root treatment methods in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection]

Objective: To discuss the perioperative and follow-up results of different surgical methods for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection patients and analyzed the results. Methods: The clinic data of 351 acute Stanford type A aortic dissection patients received surgical therapy at Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Nanjing University Medical School Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2008 to December 2015 were analyzed retrospectively. There were 272 male and 79 female patients, aging from 22 to 83 years with a mean age of (52±13) years. According to root size, aortic valve structure and the status of dissection involvement, these patients were devided into three major groups: 218 cases with root reconstruction using Dacron felts, 34 cases with root reconstruction concomitant with aortic valve resuspension repair and 99 cases in with Bentall procedure. Proper shape based on the status of dissection involvement of Dacron patch was cut and put between the middle and outerlayer of aorta, then inside the inner layerone band Dacron felt was sutured with the aorta and the new middle layer with Dacron patch as mentioned above. In some cases the prolapsed aortic valve was re-suspended to the aortic cusp. Clinical outcomes among the 3 procedures were compared by χ(2) test, Fisher's exact test, t test and analysis of variance. Results: Cardiopulmonary bypass, cross-clamp, and circulatory arrest times of all the patients were (250±78), (171±70) and (31±10) minutes, respectively. The 30-day mortality was 9.2%(33/351), while no difference among the 3 procedures (9.6%, 8.8% and 9.1%). In the average follow-up time of (26.0±23.0) months (range from 0.5 to 90.0 months), survival rates were similar among the 3 procedures (77.7%, 77.4% and 77.8%). Only one patient received redo Bentall procedure because of severe aortic regurgitation and dilated aortic root (diameter of 50 mm). Conclusions: The indication of root management of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection is based on the diameter of aortic root, structure of aortic leaflets, and the dissection involvement. For most acute Stanford type A aortic dissection patients, aortic root reconstruction is a feasible and safe method.

Prenatal diagnosis of aberrant right subclavian artery in an unselected population

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) among unselected fetuses and to evaluate its association with chromosomal abnormalities and other congenital anomalies.

Methods

In all, 7,547 fetuses (gestational age, 20 to 34 weeks) were examined using routine antenatal sonography at our institution between April 2014 and September 2015. The right subclavian artery was assessed using grayscale and color Doppler ultrasonography in the transverse 3-vessel and tracheal view, and confirmed in the coronal plane.

Results

ARSA was found in 28 fetuses (0.4%). Further, 27 of these 28 fetuses were euploid (96.4%). Trisomy 18 was the only chromosomal anomaly (3.6%) found in the study sample. ARSA was an isolated finding in 23 of the 28 cases (82.1%). In the remaining three cases (10.7%), ARSA was accompanied with extracardiac anomalies. Other cardiac defects were present in three cases (10.7%).

Conclusion

Isolated ARSA does not seem to be associated with a significantly increased risk of aneuploidy. However, the possibility of fetal karyotyping, which is a more invasive procedure, should be discussed in the light of the overall risk of the fetus.

Early and Midterm Results Following Interventional Coarctoplasty: Evaluation of Variables that Can Affect the Results

Background and Objectives

Stent coarctoplasty has been approved as the treatment of choice for adult patients with coarctation of the aorta. We have evaluated the early and midterm clinical and procedural results after interventional coarctoplasty. Also, variables that can affect these results were evaluated.

Subjects and Methods

Gathering clinical, angiographic and procedural data, we evaluated the pre-specified outcomes, including procedural success, complications, the incidence of hypertension after coarctoplasty etc., after the procedure. The effect of pre-specified variables including aortic arch shape, coarctation type and etc. on the procedural result was evaluated.

Results

Between February 2005 through March 2014, 133 stent coarctoplasty procedures were performed. Median age was 23.5 years old (interquartile range [IQR]:19-28), and 105 (71.9%) were male. Nearly all of the patients were undergone stent coarctoplasty, mostly with cheatham platinum (CP) stents. There was no association between aortic arch morphology and acute procedural complications. Balloon length more than 40 mm (p=0.028), aorta diameter at the site of Coarctation larger than 2.35 mm (p=0.008) was associated with higher rate of restenosis during follow-up. Comparison between the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) before and after coarctoplasty showed a significant reduction in the prevalence of HTN (117 [91.4%] vs. 95 [74.2%] p<0.001).

Conclusion

Stent coarctoplasty is a low-risk procedure with favorable early and delayed outcomes. Most mortality is related to the patient's comorbid conditions and not to the procedure.

Anesthetic Management in Complex Arch Surgery: Debranching of Innominate and Left Common Carotid Arteries in Extensive Aortic Dissection without Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Aortic dissection begins with the formation of a tear in the aortic intima, and it directly exposes an underlying diseased medial layer to the driving force of the intraluminal blood. This blood penetrates the diseased medial layer and cleaves the media longitudinally, thereby dissecting the aortic wall. Herein, we report the case of a 38-year-old woman, who presented with chest pain and dyspnea. After physical examination, laboratory evaluation, echocardiography, and CT-angiography, extensive aortic dissection was diagnosed involving the innominate and left common carotid arteries. Accordingly, the debranching of the aortic arch arteries was performed. During the procedure, the patient was monitored with bilateral regional cerebral tissue oximetry. The patient did not show any signs of complications either in the postoperative period or at postoperative three-month weekly follow-up or at subsequent monthly follow-up for the past year.

Endovascular stent in traumatic thoracic aortic dissection

Traumatic thoracic aortic injury is typically fatal. However, recent improvements in pre-hospital care and diagnostic modalities have resulted in an increased number of patients with traumatic aortic injury arriving alive at the hospital. Also, the morbidity and mortality associated with endovascular repair are significantly lower than with conventional open surgery in traumatic thoracic aorta injury. We experienced two cases of successful management of traumatic thoracic aortic dissection with endovascular stents caused by traffic accidents.

Aortic Arch Replacement with Moderate Hypothermia and a Modified Three-PUMP Circuit

A strategy employing moderate hypothermia for the replacement of the aortic arch is proposed to avoid the complications of profound hypothermic circulatory arrest. Two patients underwent the complete replacement of the aortic arch using three pumps - for the brain, thoracoabdominal aorta, and heart, respectively. There were no complications and the patients were extubated uneventfully. The method preserved the auto-regulation of the cerebral blood flow without high vascular resistance.

Successful treatment of a ruptured aortic arch aneurysm using a hybrid procedure

Aortic rupture has a high mortality rate and can be considered a medical emergency. The standard treatment for aortic rupture is surgical repair. An aortic stent graft for a ruptured descending aorta is considered an effective alternative treatment. However, an aortic stent graft is difficult when the aortic aneurysm is in the aortic arch due to supra-aortic vessels. We report on a patient with a ruptured aortic arch aneurysm treated with a hybrid procedure, which involved a carotid to carotid bypass operation and an aortic stent graft. A 71-year-old male patient visited our cardiovascular center suffering from hemoptysis. The chest CT and aortography showed a 9 cm sized aortic arch aneurysm 0.5 cm distal to the left subclavian artery and a hemothorax in the left lung. The patient refused to undergo a full open operation. We performed a carotid to carotid bypass in advance, and two pieces of aortic stent grafts were placed across the left carotid artery and left subclavian artery. The follow up CT showed the aortic stent grafts, no endoleaks and no thrombus in the aortic arch aneurysm. The patient was discharged from the hospital without complication.

Association between plaque thickness of the thoracic aorta and recurrence of atrial fibrillation after ablation

Background and Objectives

Several predictors of recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation have been identified, including age, type of AF, hypertension, left atrial diameter and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the atherosclerotic plaque thickness of the thoracic aorta is associated with a recurrence of AF after circumferential pulmonary vein ablation (CPVA).

Subjects and Methods

Among patients with drug-refractory paroxysmal or persistent AF, 105 consecutive (mean age 58±11 years, male : female=76 : 29) patients who underwent transesophageal echocardiography and CPVA were studied. The relationships between the recurrence of AF and variables, including clinical characteristics, plaque thickness of the thoracic aorta, laboratory findings and echocardiographic parameters were evaluated.

Results

A univariate analysis showed that the presence of diabetes {hazard ratio (HR)=3.425; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.422-8.249, p=0.006}, ischemic heart disease (HR=4.549; 95% CI, 1.679-12.322, p=0.003), duration of AF (HR=1.010; 95% CI, 1.001-1.018, p=0.025), type of AF (HR=2.412, 95% CI=1.042-5.584, p=0.040) and aortic plaque thickness with ≥4 mm (HR=9.514; 95% CI, 3.419-26.105, p<0.001) were significantly associated with the recurrence of AF after ablation. In Cox multivariate regression analysis, only the aortic plaque thickness (with ≥4 mm) was an independent predictor of recurrence of AF after ablation (HR=7.250, 95% CI=1.906-27.580, p=0.004).

Conclusion

Significantly increased aortic plaque thickness can be a predictable marker of recurrence of AF after CPVA.

A case of type B dissecting aneurysm involving right sided aorta with Kommerell's diverticulum

A right-sided aortic arch (RAA) is a rare congenital anomaly, and Stanford type B dissection aneurysms involving this anomaly is also uncommon. Surgical approaches to dealing with an RAA are complicated by the unusual anatomical features of the condition. Here we report the case of a 47-year-old male who had a type B dissecting aneurysm involving an RAA with Kommerell's diverticulum. Graft replacement was successfully performed with an uneventful postoperative course.