Emergent Endovascular Repair of a Ruptured Ascending Aorta Pseudoaneurysm With Thoracic Aortic Stent Graft.

Pseudoaneurysm of the ascending aorta is a rare complication of cardiac surgery due to tissue degeneration at the site of graft anastomosis, aortotomy, or extracorporeal circulation cannulation. We describe the case of a patient who developed an ascending aorta pseudoaneurysm after coronary artery bypass graft surgery, which initially required percutaneous closure with an atrial septal defect occlusion device. However, three years later the patient presented again with active external bleeding secondary to pseudoaneurysm enlargement and rupture, which was emergently repaired by percutaneous endovascular repair with a thoracic aortic stent graft. At one-year follow-up the patient is in good conditions and asymptomatic.

Outcomes of chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with prior coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Insights from the LATAM CTO registry.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcomes of chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with and without prior coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. BACKGROUND: Data on the outcomes of CTO PCI in patients with versus without CABG remains limited and with scarce representation from developing regions like Latin America. METHODS: We evaluated patients undergoing CTO PCI in 42 centers participating in the LATAM CTO registry between 2008 and 2020. Statistical analyses were stratified according to CABG status. The outcomes of interest were technical and procedural success and in-hospital major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCE). RESULTS: A total of 1662 patients were included (n = 1411 [84.9%] no-CABG and n = 251 [15.1%] prior-CABG). Compared with no-CABG, those with prior-CABG were older (67 ± 11 vs. 64 ± 11 years; p < 0.001), had more comorbidities and lower left ventricular ejection fraction (52.8 ± 12.8% vs. 54.4 ± 11.7%; p = 0.042). Anatomic complexity was higher in the prior-CABG group (J-CTO score 2.46 ± 1.19 vs. 2.10 ± 1.22; p < 0.001; PROGRESS CTO score 1.28 ± 0.89 vs. 0.91 ± 0.85; p < 0.001). Absence of CABG was associated with lower risk of technical and procedural failure (OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.43-0.85 and OR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.40-0.83, respectively). No significant differences in the incidence of in-hospital MACCE (3.8% no-CABG vs. 4.4% prior-CABG; p = 0.766) were observed between groups. CONCLUSION: In a contemporary multicenter CTO-PCI registry from Latin America, prior-CABG patients had more comorbidities, higher anatomical complexity, lower success, and similar in-hospital adverse event rates compared with no-CABG patients.

Multicenter experience with the antegrade fenestration and reentry technique for chronic total occlusion recanalization.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of antegrade fenestration and reentry (AFR) for chronic total occlusion (CTO) recanalization in a multicenter registry. BACKGROUND: Adoption of antegrade dissection/reentry (ADR) for CTO recanalization has been limited, and novel ADR techniques are needed. METHODS: AFR involves the balloon-induced creation of multiple fenestrations between the false and true lumen. A targeted true lumen reentry is subsequently achieved with a low tip-load polymer-jacketed guidewire. Following the initial description and dissemination of AFR, patients undergoing AFR-based CTO recanalization at nine centers were included in the present registry. Study endpoints were AFR success, procedural success, and target-lesion failure (TLF) on follow-up. RESULTS: We included 41 patients. Mean J-CTO score was 2.5 ± 1.4. In 80.5% of cases, AFR was performed after failed antegrade wire escalation. Another ADR technique was used before AFR in one-third of cases. AFR achieved distal true lumen reentry in n = 27/41 (65.9%) cases. In n = 14/41 (34.1%) cases with AFR failure, use of alternative techniques led to successful CTO recanalization in eight additional patients. The overall technical and procedural success rates were 85.4% and 82.9%, respectively. No AFR-related complications were observed. One-year TLF rate was 8.3% overall, with no differences between successful and failed AFR. CONCLUSIONS: We report on AFR feasibility in a multicenter registry of patients undergoing CTO recanalization. We observed a moderate success rate, coupled with the absence of complications. Moreover, even a failed AFR attempt did not preclude the use of alternative techniques to achieve recanalization. Further studies should confirm and extend our findings.