Management of the left subclavian artery during endovascular stent grafting for traumatic aortic injury - a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: Traumatic thoracic aortic injuries are serious and may be associated with high morbidity and mortality. Endovascular stent grafting is now an established treatment option which often requires proximal landing zone extension through left subclavian artery (LSA) origin coverage. This in turn can lead to downstream ischaemic complications which may be lessened by LSA revascularisation. This study investigates the consequence of LSA coverage and potential benefit of revascularisation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Systematic literature review of studies between 1997 and 2010 identified 94 studies incorporating 1704 patients. Chronological trends in LSA management practice for trauma were sought. Designated outcomes of interest were prevalences of left arm ischaemia, stroke, spinal cord ischaemia, endoleak, stent migration, need for additional procedure and mortality. These outcomes were compared in patients with and without LSA coverage (taking account of the degree of coverage). The impact of revascularisation on these outcomes was also explored. Statistical analysis included examination with Chi-Square or Fisher's tests as appropriate. RESULTS: Isolated total LSA coverage without revascularisation increases the prevalence of left arm ischaemia [prevalence of 4.06% versus 0.0% (p < 0.001)]; stroke [prevalence of 1.19% versus 0.23% (p = 0.025)]; and need for additional procedure [prevalence of 2.86% versus 0.86% (p = 0.004). In contrast there were no reported cases of stroke, spinal cord ischaemia, endoleak, stent migration or mortality when the LSA origin was only partially covered. When the LSA territory was revascularised, again no cases of left arm ischaemia, stroke, spinal cord ischaemia, endoleak, or mortality were reported. CONCLUSION: Current evidence suggests that LSA coverage in patients undergoing endovascular stent grafting of the thoracic aorta for trauma should be avoided where possible to avoid ensuing downstream ischaemic complications. When coverage is anatomically necessary, partial coverage is better than complete in terms of avoiding these complications and revascularisation may be considered, however these decisions must be made in the context of the individual patient scenario.

Delayed presentation of traumatic ventricular septal defect and mitral leaflet perforation.

A case of intracardiac stabbing is reported. The victim sustained injuries disproportionate to his initial presentation. These included a ventricular septal defect and mitral valve leaflet perforation. The need for immediate referral to a cardiothoracic unit and the importance of the use of echocardiography is stressed. This enables the safest and most appropriate management of potentially lethal injuries.

An unusual cause of ventricular tachycardia.

Inflammatory pseudotumour (IP) of the heart is an extremely uncommon and potentially fatal lesion which presents a challenging diagnosis even for the experienced pathologist, cardiologist and cardiac surgeon. This spindle cell tumour is known to be present in virtually every anatomical region but, in adults, has only previously been found in the heart at postmortem. We report the case of a 27-year-old man who presented with ventricular tachyarrhythmias and a right ventricular mass which was subsequently shown to be an IP.