Project description:We report successful total debranching thoracic endovascular aortic repair using the elephant trunk insertion technique without hypothermic circulatory arrest for a 56-year-old man who developed aortic arch dissection and ascending aortic aneurysm. In the first step, an elephant trunk graft was inserted into the ascending aorta under cardiopulmonary bypass, and a branched prosthetic graft was attached to the ascending aorta. The left common carotid artery and brachiocephalic artery were sequentially anastomosed to the branched graft. The second step was thoracic endovascular aortic repair covering the elephant trunk to the distal arch. Postprocedure digital subtraction angiography showed no endoleaks or false lumen.
Project description:BackgroundTranscatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a viable treatment option for managing aortic prosthetic valve dysfunction. Although the transfemoral approach is the most commonly used and preferred treatment strategy for TAVR, complex vascular access, such as aortic aneurysm, severe tortuosity, and shaggy aorta, is challenging.Case summaryAn 87-year-old man, who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement for aortic stenosis using a 21-mm Carpentier-Edwards Perimount Valve, presented with New York Heart Association functional Class III dyspnoea. He was diagnosed as having severe symptomatic structural valve deterioration of a bioprosthetic aortic valve. Computed tomography revealed a tortuous and shaggy descending aorta with a saccular aneurysm in the aortic arch. Simultaneous transfemoral valve-in-valve TAVR and Zone 2 thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with debranching were successfully performed using a 22-Fr 65-cm sheath. Although the patient developed paraplegia due to transient spinal cord ischaemia associated with TEVAR, he fully recovered with vasopressor therapy.DiscussionTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on simultaneous successful 'valve-in-valve' TAVR and debranching TEVAR using the transfemoral approach. This case demonstrated the feasibility of single-stage transfemoral TAVR and TEVAR in a high-risk patient with multicomponent disease.
Project description:BackgroundThe frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique was developed to facilitate the two-stage surgery of extensive pathologies of the thoracic aorta and is now routinely applied in acute and chronic aortic syndromes.MethodsFrom 11/2006 to 07/2017, 68 patients underwent aortic arch repair using the FET technique. Patients received either the Jotec E-vita Open graft (n =?57) or the Vascutek Thoraflex hybrid prosthesis (n =?11). Both, group 1 (acute aortic dissection type A and B; symptomatic penetrating aortic ulcer) and group 2 (aortic aneurysm; chronic aortic dissection) included 34 patients each.ResultsEarly mortality was 13.2% (14.7% in group 1 vs. 11.7% in group 2, p =?0.720). Neurological complications occurred in 12 patients (17.6%) (stroke: 8.8 vs. 11.7%; p =?0.797 and spinal cord injury: 8.8 vs. 5.9%; p =?0.642 in groups 1 vs. 2 respectively). Cardiopulmonary bypass time and cross clamp time were significantly longer in group 1 (252.2?±?73.5 and 148.3?± 34?min vs. 189.2?±?47.8 and 116.3?± 34.5?min; p?<? 0.001). The overall 1-, 3- and 7-year-survival was 80.9, 80.9 and 74.2% with no significant differences between groups 1 and 2. Expansion of true lumen after FET implantation was significant at all levels in both groups for patients with aortic dissection. One-, 3-, and 7-year-freedom from secondary (re-)intervention for patients for aortic dissection was 96.9, 90.2 and 82.7% with no significant differences between groups 1 and 2; p =?0.575.ConclusionThe FET technique can be applied in acute aortic syndromes with similar risks regarding adverse events or mortality when compared to chronic degenerative aortic disease. Postoperative increase in true lumen diameter mirrors decrease of false lumen diameter, goes along with favorable midterm outcome and prolongs freedom from secondary interventions in acute aortic dissection.
Project description:Background: This study was aimed to investigate the incidence, risk factors, and outcomes of patients with postoperative hepatic dysfunction (PHD) after frozen elephant trunk (FET) for type A aortic dissection (TAAD). Method: A retrospective study was performed with 492 patients who underwent FET for TAAD between 2015 and 2019. Independent risk factors for PHD were determined by multivariate mixed-effect logistic analysis with surgeon-specific factor as a random effect. Results: The incidence of PHD was 25.4% (n = 125) in our cohort. Patients with PHD presented higher early mortality (10.4 vs. 1.1%, p < 0.001), rates of acute kidney injury (42.4 vs. 12.8%, p < 0.001), and newly required dialysis (23.2 vs. 3.0%, p < 0.001) compared with those without PHD. Moreover, with the median follow-up period of 41.3 months, the survival curve was worse in patients with PHD compared with no PHD group (log-rank p < 0.001), whereas it was similar after excluding patients who died within 30 days (log-rank p = 0.761). Multivariable analyses suggested that PHD was predicted by preoperative aspartate transferase [odds ratio (OR), 1.057; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.036-1.079; p < 0.001], celiac trunk malperfusion (OR, 3.121; 95% CI, 1.008-9.662; p = 0.048), and cardiopulmonary bypass time (OR, 1.014; 95% CI, 1.005-1.023; p = 0.003). Retrograde perfusion (OR, 0.474; 95% CI, 0.268-0.837; p = 0.010) was associated with a reduced risk of PHD. Celiac trunk malperfusion was an independent predictor for PHD but not associated with early mortality and midterm survival. Conclusions: PHD was associated with increased early mortality and morbidity, but not with late death in midterm survival. PHD was predicted by preoperative aspartate transferase, celiac trunk malperfusion, and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time, and retrograde perfusion was associated with a reduced risk of PHD.
Project description:We here describe a complex case of a 75-year-old man presenting with contained rupture of an aortic arch aneurysm in the presence of a second thoracic aortic aneurysm. He was managed with emergent total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk. Another stent-graft was used to achieve hemostasis at the distal anastomosis. He later underwent TEVAR extension to manage his second aneurysm in a staged fashion. This case demonstrates a number of important concepts in the evolving interaction between open and endovascular therapies of the aortic arch, particularly in the emergent setting.
Project description:We here describe a complex case of a 75-year-old man presenting with contained rupture of an aortic arch aneurysm in the presence of a second thoracic aortic aneurysm. He was managed with emergent total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk. Another stent-graft was used to achieve hemostasis at the distal anastomosis. He later underwent TEVAR extension to manage his second aneurysm in a staged fashion. This case demonstrates a number of important concepts in the evolving interaction between open and endovascular therapies of the aortic arch, particularly in the emergent setting.
Project description:BACKGROUND:Acute Stanford type A aortic dissection is often fatal, with a high mortality rate and requiring emergency intervention. Salvage surgery aims to keep the patient alive by addressing severe aortic regurgitation, tamponade, primary tear, and organ malperfusion and, if possible, prevent the late dissection-related complications in the proximal and downstream aorta. Unfortunately, no optimal standard treatment or technique to treat this disease exists. Total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk technique plays an important role in treating acute type A aortic dissection. We aim to describe a modified elephant trunk technique and report its short-term outcomes. METHODS:From February 2018 to August 2019, 16 patients diagnosed with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection underwent surgery with the modified frozen elephant trunk technique at Xiamen Heart Center (male/female: 9/7; average age: 56.1?±?7.6?years). All perioperative variables were recorded and analyzed. We measured the diameters of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending aorta on the bifurcation of the pulmonary and abdominal aortas and compared the diameters at admission, before discharge, and 3?months after discharge. RESULTS:Fifteen patients (93.8%) had hypertension. The primary tears were located in the lesser curvature of the aortic arch and ascending aorta in 5 (31.3%) and 9 patients (56.3%), respectively, and no entry was found in 2 patients (12.5%). The dissection extended to the iliac artery and distal descending aorta in 14 (87.6%) and 2 patients (12.5%), respectively. The duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), cross-clamping, and antegrade cerebral perfusion were 215.8?±?40.5, 140.8?±?32.3, and 55.1?± 15.2?min, respectively. Aortic valve repair was performed in 15 patients (93.8%). Bentall procedure was performed in one patient (6.3%). Another patient received coronary artery repair (6.3%). The diameters at all levels were greater on discharge than those on admission, except the aortic arch. After 3?months, the true lumen diameter distal to the frozen elephant trunk increased, indicating false lumen thrombosis and/or aortic remodeling. CONCLUSIONS:The modified frozen elephant trunk technique for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection is safe and feasible and could be used for organ malperfusion. Short-term outcomes are encouraging, but long-term outcomes require further investigation.
Project description:Total arch replacement using the frozen elephant trunk procedure is performed for true lumen expansion of the descending aorta in patients with type A acute aortic dissection. However, the remodelling effect of the frozen elephant trunk on the dissected descending aorta is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of the frozen elephant trunk on postoperative descending aortic remodelling after surgery. Between December 2012 and January 2020, we retrospectively investigated 24 patients who underwent total arch replacement using the frozen elephant trunk for type A acute aortic dissection. Remodelling of the descending aorta was evaluated using computed tomography. The aortic remodelling effect, based on aortic true lumen ratio, was determined for (i) DeBakey type (type I versus type III retrograde); (ii) thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair reintervention status (reintervention versus no reintervention); and (iii) stent length of the frozen elephant trunk (60 vs 90 mm). Postoperative true lumen ratio significantly increased in the type I dissection group. The true lumen ratio in the no-reintervention group, which had many patients with the type I dissection, significantly increased after the frozen elephant trunk. Aortic remodelling due to the frozen elephant trunk can be expected after type I acute aortic dissections.
Project description:Aortic morphology is associated with age, with the diameter being larger in older people. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a treatment for aortic diseases, such as aortic dissection. When evaluating patients, aortic elongation could interfere with the classification of TEVAR complications. The longitudinal change in aortic length has not been studied in detail. In patients receiving thoracic endovascular aortic repair between 2007 and 2013, we determined the aortic length between the sinotubular junction, left common carotid artery, subclavian artery, and celiac artery on their first five annual follow-up computed tomography (CT) exams. Using the immediate post-TEVAR follow-up CT as the comparison reference and a lengthening of the aortic segment by 10 mm or more as the definition of elongation, 16 of 41 (39%) showed elongation between the innominate artery and celiac artery. When compared with the immediate follow-up CT, a higher proportion of patients showed elongation at the fifth year's follow-up CT than the first year's follow-up CT (p < 0.01), and the average lengthening per year was 1.7 mm. There was progressive lengthening of the aorta after TEVAR.
Project description:BackgroundTotal aortic arch replacement (TAR) with frozen elephant trunk (FET) requires hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) for 20 min, which increases the surgical risk. We invented an aortic balloon occlusion (ABO) technique that requires 5 min of HCA on average to perform TAR with FET and investigated the possible merit of this new method in this study.MethodsThis retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent TAR and FET (consisting of 130 cases of ABO group and 230 cases of conventional group) in Fuwai Hospital between August 2017 and February 2019. In addition to the postoperative complications, the alterations of blood routine tests, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) during in-hospital stay were also recorded.ResultsThe 30-day mortality rates were similar between ABO group (4.6%) and conventional group (7.8%, P = 0.241). Multivariate analysis showed ABO reduced postoperative acute kidney injury (23.1% vs. 35.7%, P = 0.013) and hepatic injury (12.3% vs. 27.8%, P = 0.001), and maintained similar cost to patients (25.5 vs. 24.9 kUSD, P = 0.298). We also found that AST was high during intensive care unit (ICU) stay and recovered to normal before discharge, while ALT was not as high as AST in ICU but showed a rising tendency before discharge. The platelet count showed a rising tendency on postoperative day 3 and may exceed the preoperative value before discharge.ConclusionsThe ABO achieved the surgical goal of TAR with FET with an improved recovery process during the in-hospital stay.