Salvage surgery for recurrent transdiaphragmatic thymoma in a patient not eligible for chemotherapy.

The recurrence rate following thymoma surgery has been reported to be as high as 29%. In cases of localized recurrence, complete resection can result in prolonged patient survival. However, surgery is rarely considered in cases of invasive recurrent thymomas with high disease burden. Here, we present the case of a woman with type B2 thymoma (Masaoka-Koga stage IVa) treated with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. The disease recurred 6 years later, with invasion of the left lung and the 12th thoracic vertebra, as well as extension into the retroperitoneum. Due to the development of chemotherapy-associated toxicity, she underwent surgery with complete tumor resection and has remained free of disease at a 12-months follow-up. Radical surgery for recurrent invasive thymoma extending through the diaphragm is a feasible and safe therapeutic option in highly selected patients who are not eligible for systemic treatments.

Complete Surgical Resection of a Giant Invasive Thymoma with Right Pneumonectomy and Graft Reconstruction of the Superior Vena Cava and Left Brachiocephalic Vein: A Case Report.

Background: Complete surgical resection represents one of the most important prognostic factors for thymomas. However, surgery is usually not considered when there is invasion of the pulmonary hilum and mediastinal veins because of technical considerations or potential perioperative morbidity and mortality. Case Presentation. We present the case of a 37-year-old woman with a giant thymoma infiltrating the superior vena cava, left brachiocephalic vein, and most of the right lung. Following 3 cycles of chemotherapy with minimal tumour response, she was hospitalised with COVID-19 and refused further systemic treatment. She subsequently underwent surgery after a thorough preoperative evaluation. Surgical resection of the tumour was performed with concomitant right pneumonectomy and reconstruction of the superior vena cava and left brachiocephalic vein using expanded-polytetrafluoroethylene grafts through a median sternotomy combined with a clamshell incision. Histopathological analysis of the resected specimens demonstrated a type B2, Masaoka-Koga stage IVa thymoma that was completely resected. Following an uneventful course, she was discharged home on the ninth postoperative day with anticoagulation therapy. She has remained free of disease or adverse events after a 12-month follow-up. Conclusions: Complete surgical resection of invasive thymomas with concomitant pneumonectomy and venous graft reconstruction is a feasible and safe procedure. Careful patient selection and adequate postoperative anticoagulation are crucial for successful clinical outcomes.

Surgical management of the aortic arch in patients with inherited aortopathy.

Surgical management of the aortic root and ascending aorta has seen an evolution over the past 50 years. Despite the widely available guidelines for management of the aortic root and ascending aorta, including in those with connective tissue disease and inherited aortopathies, there are generally no clear guideline indications for when to intervene on the aortic arch in these patients. This perhaps may be related to the fact that whilst the majority of acquired aortopathies, and also in non-syndromic aortopathies such as in bicuspid aortic valve, size criteria are utilized to decide on when to intervene, the use of size criteria may not be appropriate in those with syndromic inherited aortopathies. The aim of the present mini review is to provide a general overview and guidance for the surgical management of patients with inherited aortopathies.

Early and long-term outcomes of conventional and valve-sparing aortic root replacement.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the early and long-term outcomes of conventional aortic root (ARR) and valve-sparing root replacement (VSRR) using a standard perioperative and operative approach. METHODS: We present prospectively collected data of 609 consecutive patients undergoing elective and urgent aortic root surgery (470 ARR, 139 VSRR) between 2006 and 2020. Primary outcomes were operative mortality and incidence of postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes were long-term survival and requirement for reintervention. Median follow-up was 7.6 years (range 0.5-14.5). RESULTS: 189 patients (31%) had bicuspid aortic valves and 17 (6.9%) underwent redo procedures. Median cross-clamp time was 88 (range 54-208) min with cardiopulmonary bypass of 108 (range 75-296) min. In-hospital mortality was 10 (1.6%), with transient ischaemic attacks/strokes occurring in 1.1%. In-hospital mortality for VSRR was 0.7%. 12 patients (2.0%) required a resternotomy for bleeding and 14 (2.3%) received haemofiltration. Intensive care unit and hospital stay were 1.7 and 7.0 days, respectively. During follow-up, redo surgery for native aortic valve replacement was required in 1.4% of the VSRR group. Overall survival was 95.1% at 3 years, 93.1% at 5 years, 91.2% at 7 years and 88.6% at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: ARR and VSRR can be performed with low mortality and morbidity as well as a low rate of reintervention during the period of long-term follow-up, if performed by an experienced team with a consistent perioperative approach. This series provides contemporary evidence to balance the risks of aortic aneurysms and their rupture at diameters of <5.5 cm against the risks and benefits of surgery.

Improving outcomes of surgery in advanced infiltrative thymic tumours: the benefits of multidisciplinary approach.

BACKGROUND: For stage III or IVa thymic tumours, a multimodality approach is recommended. The role of surgery is to achieve complete resection. AIM: To present the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for stage III or IVa thymoma. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients undergoing open surgery for stage III or IVa thymoma between 2016 and 2020 at a single centre was performed. Preoperative imaging, treatment plan, surgical approach, and postoperative outcomes were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients underwent surgery for thymoma. Patients with clinical stage I/II thymoma or minimally invasive thymectomy were excluded. Thirteen patients with clinical stage III or IVa were included. Median sternotomy approach was used in four patients, of which one was redo sternotomy; a hemi-clamshell in four; and a combination of approaches in the remaining five patients. There was no postoperative mortality. Four patients had postoperative complications. Complete resection was achieved in all but two patients. At a median follow-up of 17.9 months, all patients were alive with no evidence of recurrence except one who died 4 months after surgery from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia. CONCLUSIONS: Surgery for stage III and IVa thymoma is safe and can be achieved with complete macroscopic resection. To obtain adequate exposure of all structures involved in the tumour, combined surgical approaches can be used with no increased morbidity. The majority of patients, even after extrapleural pneumonectomy, did not receive adjuvant radiotherapy and had no evidence of local relapse.

Surgical aortic valve replacement in the era of transcatheter aortic valve implantation: a review of the UK national database.

OBJECTIVES: To date the reported outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) are mainly in the settings of trials comparing it with evolving transcatheter aortic valve implantation. We set out to examine characteristics and outcomes in people who underwent SAVR reflecting a national cohort and therefore 'real-world' practice. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data of consecutive people who underwent SAVR with or without coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery between April 2013 and March 2018 in the UK. This included elective, urgent and emergency operations. Participants' demographics, preoperative risk factors, operative data, in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications and effect of the addition of CABG to SAVR were analysed. SETTING: 27 (90%) tertiary cardiac surgical centres in the UK submitted their data for analysis. PARTICIPANTS: 31 277 people with AVR were identified. 19 670 (62.9%) had only SAVR and 11 607 (37.1%) had AVR+CABG. RESULTS: In-hospital mortality for isolated SAVR was 1.9% (95% CI 1.6% to 2.1%) and was 2.4% for AVR+CABG. Mortality by age category for SAVR only were: <60 years=2.0%, 60-75 years=1.5%, >75 years=2.2%. For SAVR+CABG these were; 2.2%, 1.8% and 3.1%. For different categories of EuroSCORE, mortality for SAVR in low risk people was 1.3%, in intermediate risk 1% and for high risk 3.9%. 74.3% of the operations were elective, 24% urgent and 1.7% emergency/salvage. The incidences of resternotomy for bleeding and stroke were 3.9% and 1.1%, respectively. Multivariable analyses provided no evidence that concomitant CABG influenced outcome. However, urgency of the operation, poor ventricular function, higher EuroSCORE and longer cross clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times adversely affected outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical SAVR±CABG has low mortality risk and a low level of complications in the UK in people of all ages and risk factors. These results should inform consideration of treatment options in people with aortic valve disease.

Multimodality Imaging in Transcatheter Mitral Interventions.

Multimodality imaging is of imperative value for the planning and guidance of transcatheter mitral valve interventions. This review employs the value of different imaging modalities and future implications for clinical practice.

Contraceptive implant migration to the lung.

A 27-year-old female presented with a 'missing' contraceptive implant. Chest imaging demonstrated a 4-cm linear opacity in a subsegmental branch of the pulmonary artery to the left lower lobe consistent with a migrated contraceptive implant. A mini-thoracotomy and arteriotomy was performed. The artery was opened distally to its third division. However, it was not possible to retrieve the implant, and the decision was made to proceed to segmentectomy. After resection, it was noted that the foreign body had significantly endothelialised within the wall of the artery and required sharp dissection for removal. This is the first case report to demonstrate the complete endothelialisation and subsequent difficulty in removal of an embolised contraceptive implant. We hope this report adds to the growing body of literature to guide management of this extremely rare but serious complication.

Surgery for recurrent thymoma during the COVID-19 pandemic: a narrative review.

Patients who have undergone surgical resection of thymoma may present later with recurrence of disease. This is most commonly in the pleural cavity. Surgery for recurrent thymoma has been shown to have a survival advantage. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a reduction in capacity for routine healthcare provision. We present the outcomes of patients undergoing surgery for recurrent thymoma during the COVID-19 pandemic and our protocols to allow surgery to be performed during this time. Retrospective review of patients undergoing surgery for recurrent thymoma between March 2020 and the March 2021 at a single centre was performed. Preoperative demographic data, postoperative outcomes and the incidence of complications or postoperative COVID-19 infection were assessed. Over a 4-year period, and under the care of a single surgeon, 7 operations were performed for recurrent thymoma. Of these, three patients were operated during the COVID-19 pandemic. All patients had a history of myasthenia gravis (MG) and all patients presented with disease recurrence in the pleural cavity. No patients had post-operative complications and no patients tested positive for COVID-19 in the pre or postoperative period. Complete macroscopic resection was achieved in all patients. Surgery for recurrent thymoma can be performed safely and complete macroscopic resection can be achieved. It is possible to offer surgery with low risk of perioperative COVID infection and related morbidity and mortality. Given the benefits seen in survival and disease-free survival, we believe surgery for recurrent thymoma should continue to be advocated even during the current viral pandemic.

Elective lung cancer surgery in the COVID-19 era: how do we do it?

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused significant mortality around the world and the focus has been on reducing the number of infections. In order not to compromise treatment of oncology patients, reducing the number of patients with COVID-19 undergoing treatment is mandatory. We reviewed the experience of the National Institute of Cancer in Milan and compared it with our experience.

The role of fractional flow reserve in coronary artery bypass graft surgery: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) measures the drop in perfusion pressure across a stenosis, therefore representing its physiological effect on myocardial blood flow. Its use is widespread in percutaneous coronary interventions, though its role in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery remains uncertain. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate current evidence on outcomes following FFR-guided CABG compared to angiography-guided CABG. METHODS: A literature search was conducted following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines to identify all relevant articles. Patient demographics and characteristics were extracted. The following outcomes were analysed: repeat revascularization, myocardial infarction (MI) and all-cause mortality. Pooled relative risks were analysed and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using random-effects models; P-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Heterogeneity was assessed with Cochran's Q score and quantified by I2 index. RESULTS: Nine studies with 1146 patients (FFR: 574, angiography: 572) were included. There was no difference in MI or repeat revascularization between the 2 groups (relative risk 0.76, 95% CI 0.41-1.43; P = 0.40, and relative risk 1.28, 95% CI 0.75-2.19; P = 0.36, respectively). There was a significant reduction in all-cause mortality in the FFR-guided CABG group compared to angiography-guided CABG, which was not specifically cardiac related (relative risk 0.58, 95% CI 0.38-0.90; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: There was no reduction in repeat revascularization or postoperative MI with FFR. In this fairly small cohort, FFR-guided CABG provided a reduction in mortality, but this was not reported to be due to cardiac causes. There may be a role for FFR in CABG, but large-scale randomized trials are required to establish its value.

Does the Aortic Annulus Dilate After Aortic Root Remodeling?

BACKGROUND: The 2 main techniques of valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSRR) are remodeling and reimplantation. There is concern that the aortic annulus, which is not stabilized in remodeling technique, may dilate over time and cause aortic regurgitation. Our aim was to assess whether the aortic annulus dilates after VSRR with remodeling technique without aortic annuloplasty. METHODS: Data on patients undergoing elective or urgent VSRR remodeling technique between 2005 and 2018 were collected. Patients undergoing arch and emergency surgery for acute type A aortic dissection were excluded. Preoperative aortic annulus diameter was measured by transthoracic echocardiography, and this was compared with the annulus diameter measured from the most recently available transthoracic echocardiography. The requirement for reintervention during follow-up was recorded. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2018, 98 patients underwent VSRR. Sixty-six (67.3%) had Marfan syndrome or Loeys-Dietz syndrome. Median age was 60 (interquartile range, 18-68) years and 71 (72.4%) were men. Median cross-clamp and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 122 (interquartile range, 104-164) minutes and 138 (interquartile range, 121-198) minutes, respectively. Median intensive care unit and hospital stay were 1 day and 6 days, respectively. No patients suffered perioperative stroke. There was no in-hospital mortality. At median follow-up of 7.1 years (interquartile range, 5-129 months), mean postoperative annular diameter was 25.7 mm, from 24.2 mm preoperatively (P = .403). One patient required aortic valve replacement during follow-up. Freedom from moderate or severe aortic regurgitation was 97%. CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant aortic annular dilatation in selected patients undergoing remodeling VSRR. Our data do not support routine use of annuloplasty in patients with annular diameter less than or equal to 25 mm.

Sutureless aortic valve prostheses.

Conventional surgical aortic valve replacement (AVR) is the 'gold standard' for treatment of severe or symptomatic aortic valve stenosis. The increasing age of patients and increasing comorbidities has led to the development of procedures to minimise operative time and reduce risks of surgery. One method of reducing operative times is the use of sutureless aortic valves (SU-AVR). We examine the current literature surrounding the use of SU-AVR. Alternatives to AVR are SU-AVR, sometimes referred to as rapid deployment valves, or transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). TAVI has been demonstrated to be superior over medical therapy in patients deemed inoperable and non-inferior in high and intermediate-risk patients compared with surgical AVR. However, the lack of excision of the calcified aortic valve and annulus raises concerns regarding long-term durability and possibly thromboembolic complications. TAVI patients have increased rates of paravalvular leaks, major vascular complications and pacemaker implantation when compared with conventional AVR. SU-AVR minimises the need for suturing, leading to reduced operative times, while enabling complete removal of the calcified valve. The increase in use of SU-AVR has been mostly driven by minimally invasive surgery. Other indications include patients with a small and/or calcified aortic root, as well as patients requiring AVR and concomitant surgery. SU-AVR is associated with decreased operative times and possibly improved haemodynamics when compared with conventional AVR. However, this has to be weighed against the increased risk of paravalvular leak and pacemaker implantation when deciding which prosthesis to use for AVR.

Patient-prosthesis mismatch following aortic valve replacement.

Patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM) occurs when an implanted prosthetic valve is too small for the patient; severe PPM is defined as an indexed effective orifice area (iEOA) <0.65 cm2/m2 following aortic valve replacement (AVR). This review examines articles from the past 10 years addressing the prevalence, outcomes and options for prevention and treatment of PPM after AVR. Prevalence of PPM ranges from 8% to almost 80% in individual studies. PPM is thought to have an impact on mortality, mainly in patients with severe PPM, although severe PPM accounts for only 10-15% of cases. Outcomes of patients with moderate PPM are not significantly different to those without PPM. PPM is associated with higher rates of perioperative stroke and renal failure and lack of left ventricular mass regression. Predictors include female sex, older age, hypertension, diabetes, renal failure and higher surgical risk score. PPM may be a marker of comorbidity rather than a risk factor for adverse outcomes. PPM should be suspected in patients with persistent cardiac symptoms after AVR when there is high prosthetic valve velocity or gradient and a small calculated effective orifice area. After exclusion of other causes of increased transvalvular gradient, re-intervention may be considered if symptoms persist and are unresponsive to medical therapy. However, this decision needs to consider the available options to relieve PPM and whether expected benefits justify the risk of intervention. The only effective intervention is redo surgery with implantation of a larger valve and/or annular enlargement. Therefore, focus needs to be on prevention.

Haemodynamic assessment of bicuspid aortic valve aortopathy: a systematic review of the current literature.

Both genetic and haemodynamic theories explain the aetiology, progression and optimal management of bicuspid aortic valve aortopathy. In recent years, the haemodynamic theory has been explored with the help of magnetic resonance imaging and computational fluid dynamics. The objective of this review was to summarize the findings of these investigations with focus on the blood flow pattern and associated variables, including flow eccentricity, helicity, flow displacement, cusp opening angle, systolic flow angle, wall shear stress (WSS) and oscillatory shear index. A structured literature review was performed from January 1990 to January 2018 and revealed the following 3 main findings: (i) the bicuspid aortic valve is associated with flow eccentricity and helicity in the ascending aorta compared to healthy and diseased tricuspid aortic valve, (ii) flow displacement is easier to obtain than WSS and has been shown to correlate with valve morphology and type of aortopathy and (iii) the stenotic bicuspid aortic valve is associated with elevated WSS along the greater curvature of the ascending aorta, where aortic dilatation and aortic wall thinning are commonly found. We conclude that new haemodynamic variables should complement ascending aorta diameter as an indicator for disease progression and the type and timing of intervention. WSS describes the force that blood flow exerts on the vessel wall as a function of viscosity and geometry of the vessel, making it a potentially more reliable marker of disease progression.

The influence of prolonged intensive care stay on quality of life, recovery, and clinical outcomes following cardiac surgery: A prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay on quality of life and recovery following cardiac surgery. METHODS: Quality of life was assessed using the Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF36). The Postoperative Quality of Recovery Scale was used to assess quality of recovery, disability, and cognition after ICU discharge over 12 months' follow-up. Prolonged ICU stay was defined as ≥3 postoperative days. Mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events were recorded up to 12 months. RESULTS: For quality of life, the physical component improved over time in both groups (P < .01 for both groups), as did the mental component (P < .01 for both groups). The long ICU group had lower physical and mental components over time (both P values < .01), but by 12 months the values were similar. The overall quality of recovery was lower for the long ICU group (P < .01). Likewise, we found higher rates of recovery in the normal ICU group than in the long ICU group in terms of emotive recovery (P < .01), activities of daily living (P < .01), and cognitive recovery (P = .03) but no differences in terms of physiologic (P = .91), nociceptive (P = .89), and satisfaction with anesthetic care (P = .91). Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (P < .01), 30-day mortality (P < .01), and length of ward stay (P < .01) were all higher with prolonged ICU stay. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with prolonged ICU stay have lower quality of life scores; however, they achieve similar midterm quality of recovery, but with reduced survival, increased major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, and longer hospital length of stay.

Fate of the Aortic Arch Following Surgery on the Aortic Root and Ascending Aorta in Bicuspid Aortic Valve.

BACKGROUND: Recent guidelines support more aggressive surgery for aneurysms of the ascending aorta and root in patients with bicuspid aortic valve. However, the fate of the arch after surgery of the root and ascending aorta is unknown. We set out to assess outcomes following root and ascending aortic surgery and subsequent growth of the arch. METHODS: Between 2005 and 2016, 536 consecutive patients underwent surgery for aneurysm of the root and ascending aorta; 168 had bicuspid aortic valve. Patients with dissection were excluded. Arch diameter was measured before and after surgery, at 6 months and then annually. RESULTS: Of 168 patients, 127 (75.6%) had aortic root replacement and 41 (24.4%) had ascending replacement. Mean age was 57 ± 12.8 years, 82.7% were men, and 5 operations were performed during pregnancy. There was 1 (0.6%) hospital death. One (0.6%) patient had a stroke and 1 (0.6%) had resternotomy for bleeding. Median intensive care unit and hospital stays were 1 and 6 days, respectively. Follow-up was complete for 94% at a median of 5.9 years (range, 1 to 139 months). Aortic arch diameter was 2.9 cm preoperatively and 3.0 cm at follow-up. There was 97% freedom from reoperation and none of the patients required surgery on the arch. CONCLUSIONS: Prophylactic arch replacement during aortic root and ascending aortic surgery in patients with bicuspid aortic valve is not supported. Our data do not support long-term surveillance of the rest of the aorta in this population.