Efficacy of Aortic Valve Replacement with Ascending Aorta Grafting under Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest for the Patients with Shaggy/Calcified Aorta / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Purpose : The aim of this study is to evaluate the outcome of aortic valve replacement (AVR) with ascending aorta grafting under hypothermic circulatory arrest for patients with shaggy/calcified ascending aorta based on preoperative and intraoperative assessment of ascending aorta. Methods : From April 2010 to July 2019, 133 patients with aortic stenosis underwent AVR. Based on preoperative computed tomography and intraoperative epi aortic ultrasound, 121 patients were able to have their aorta clamped (C-AVR), while clamping was not possible for 12 patients due to shaggy/calcified in the ascending aorta (Asc-AVR). In Asc-AVR, ascending aorta was replaced to the vascular graft under hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion followed by AVR. Results : Although operative time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were prolonged and blood transfusion volume was significantly high in Asc-AVR, there were no significant differences in postoperative complications. Although postoperative MRI revealed two silent strokes, no symptomatic neurologic complications occurred in Asc-AVR. Five-year survival rates between groups were comparable (64.2% in Asc-AVR vs. 79.9% in C-AVR, p=0.420). Replacement of ascending aorta was not a risk factor of late death. Conclusion : AVR with ascending aorta grafting under hypothermic circulatory arrest based on preoperative and intraoperative assessment of ascending aorta is an acceptable method for patients with shaggy/calcified aorta.

A Case of Descending Graft Replacement of the Anastomotic Aneurysm Using Simple Hypothermic Retrograde Cerebral Circulation 9 Years after Surgery of the Distal Aortic Arch / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Anastomotic aneurysm was diagnosed in a 77-year-old man following graft replacement of the distal aortic arch aneurysm using the inclusion method in 1991, Enhanced CT demonstrated the aneurysm of the distal anastomotic site with a maximum diameter of 5cm between the graft and the aneurysmal wall. On left thoracotomy the aneurysm was found to severely adhere to the lung, so it was difficult to dissect its adhesion and clamp the proximal aorta. The rectal temperature was cooled to 18°C with the aid of femoro-femoral bypass. We anastomosed the previous graft-end to the new graft with one side branch during simple hypothermic retrograde cerebral circulation (RCC). RCC time was 16min and the distal end was anastomosed to the descending thoracic aorta. Though it took a long time to undertake systemic cooling and rewarming, intraoperative bleeding was small and the postoperative course was satisfactory without cerebral complication.

A Successful Case of Endovascular Stent Graft Treatment to Sealed Rupture of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in an Elderly Patient / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

We carried out endovascular stent graft implantation in a patient aged 89 years to sealed rupture of an infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. He had received left ilio-femoral bypass, femoro-femoral cross over bypass and bilateral femoro-popliteal bypass due to ASO in 1989. The infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm accompanied with a large hematoma was 4cm in maximum diameter and reached 4cm above the bifurcation. There was extravasation into the retroperitoneal space at the proximal aortic neck. We made a stent graft from a Z stent (30mm, 7.5cm) and straight thin-walled (0.15mm) graft (24mm). It was introduced at just below the left renal artery through a 22 F delivery sheath by the femoral cut-down approach. Following this procedure he had no leaks and the abdominal aortic aneurysm was excluded by stent graft.