An Analysis of Early Results after Valve Replacement in Isolated Aortic Valve Stenosis by Using Sutureless vs. Stented Bioprostheses: A Single-Center Middle-Income Country Experience.

Background and Objectives: There is a lack of data about the survival of patients after the implantation of sutureless relative to stented bioprostheses in middle-income settings. The objective of this study was to compare the survival of people with isolated severe aortic stenosis after the implantation of sutureless and stented bioprostheses in a tertiary referral center in Serbia. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included all people treated for isolated severe aortic stenosis with sutureless and stented bioprostheses from 1 January 2018 to 1 July 2021 at the Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases "Dedinje". Demographic, clinical, perioperative and postoperative data were extracted from the medical records. The follow-up lasted for a median of 2 years. Results: The study sample comprised a total of 238 people with a stented (conventional) bioprosthesis and 101 people with a sutureless bioprosthesis (Perceval). Over the follow-up, 13.9% of people who received the conventional and 10.9% of people who received the Perceval valve died (p = 0.400). No difference in the overall survival was observed (p = 0.797). The multivariate Cox proportional hazard model suggested that being older, having a higher preoperative EuroScore II, having a stroke over the follow-up period and having valve-related complications were independently associated with all-cause mortality over a median of 2 years after the bioprosthesis implantation. Conclusions: This research conducted in a middle-income country supports previous findings in high-income countries regarding the survival of people with sutureless and stented valves. Survival after bioprosthesis implantation should be monitored long-term to ensure optimum postoperative outcomes.

Clinical and echocardiographic predictors of the anterior mitral leaflet repair failure.

BACKGROUND: Anterior mitral leaflet prolapse repair is a highly effective procedure, but despite excellent operative results still has an inferior long-term durability when compared to posterior leaflet repair. METHODS: We analysed mitral repair durability in 74 consecutive patients operated for anterior leaflet prolapse between 2010 and 2021. Their pre- and postoperative clinical, echocardiographic data and repair durability as well, were compared with 74 randomly assigned posterior leaflet prolapse patients who underwent valve repair during the same period. RESULTS: While groups were of similar age, patients with anterior leaflet prolapse had an inferior preoperative status in terms of functional reserve, atrial fibrillation, operative risk, ejection fraction and had more dilated left heart chambers as well. 1, 5, and 10-year freedom from repair failure was 87.1 ± 4.6%, 79.8 ± 6.5% and 50.7 ± 12.5% in the anterior, and 98.5 ± 1.5% respectively in the posterior leaflet group. Atrial fibrilation (hazard ratio [HR] 5.365; 95%; confidence interval [CI] 1.093-26.324 p = .038) and left ventricle end-systolic diameter (HR 1.160 95%; CI 1.037-1.299 p = .010) independently predicted anterior leaflet repair failure. Receiver Operating Curve analysis established left ventricle end-systolic diameter ≤42 mm as a cut-off value associated with improved anterior leaflet repair durability. Accordingly, 10-year repair durability in a subset of patients, with preserved left ventricle end-systolic diameter (≤42 mm) was 86.4 ± 7.8%. CONCLUSION: Better long-term repair durability in patients with anterior mitral leaflet prolapse and preserved sinus rhytm and left-ventricle diameters justifies early reconstructive approach.

Risk factors for neurological dysfunctions after surgical repair of acute aortic dissection type A.

INTRODUCTION: Technical improvement and new operative strategies significantly influence survival and outcomes after the treatment of acute aortic dissection type A (AADA). However, postoperative complications and particularly neurological dysfunctions (ND) are still very common. AIM: To identify preoperative and intraoperative factors as well as immediate postoperative conditions with an influence on the occurrence of neurological complications of surgical treatment of AADA and accordingly take action to reduce them. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Between January 2013 and December 2018, 240 patients with AADA were emergently surgically treated. All patients were divided into two groups: group I - patients with postoperative ND (subgroup Ia - patients with mild, transient ND and Ib - patients with severe ND) and group II - patients without ND. RESULTS: Neurological damage after the operation was registered in 87 (39.5%) patients. Thirty (13.6%) patients had mild ND and 57 (25.9%) severe. Presence of preoperative neurological deficit, reduced level of consciousness, supra-aortic vessel dissection, hemodynamic instability, and excessive postoperative bleeding with hypotension are factors with a highly statistically significant association with the occurrence of severe ND. Neurological complications were not identified in 66.7% of patients who were axillary cannulated versus 55.9% of patients cannulated in the other way but the difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.1099). CONCLUSIONS: Advanced neuroprotective strategies during surgical treatment of AADA are associated with favorable neurological outcomes, especially in a group of patients with identified risk factors for ND.

[Biliobronchial fistula secondary to percutaneous dilatation of the benign biliary stricture].

INTRODUCTION: Biliobronchial fistula is rare. Very rarely it may be congenital, more frequently it is acquired as a complication of the hydatide cyst of the liver, pyogenic abscess, serious trauma and resection of the liver as well as recurrent cholangitis due to benign bile duct stricture or cholangiolithiasis. The main causes of the biliobronchial fistula are billiary obstruction and infectious lesion (abscess) in the liver. CASE OUTLINE: We present a 56-year-old man with benign stricture of the hepaticojejunostomy performed after operative common bile duct injury, who developed biliobronchial fistula following repeated percutaneous drainage of the liver abscess and percutaneous dilatation of the strictured anastomosis. Over the years the patient developed atrophy/hypertrophy complex, portal hypertension, grade II esophageal varicosities, ascites and splenomegaly. Although biliobronchial fistula was solved by a successful surgical reconstruction (new wide hepaticojejunostomy), the operation had a limited value as it was performed late after permanent lesions of the liver and intrahepatic bile ducts had already developed. CONCLUSION: Surgical reconstruction of strictured biliodigestive anastomosis should be considered on time as a possibly better solution than percutaneous dilatation. According to the authors' knowledge, a similar case of biliobronchial fistula as a complication of percutaneous dilatation of the benign biliary stricture has not been reported before in the literature.

[Giant haemorrhagic (pseudo)cyst of the pancreas of unknown aetiology].

INTRODUCTION: Cystic lesions of the pancreas are frequent. Most frequently their aetiology can be easily established. It is very rare that the nature and aetiology of these lesions cannot be reliably established. CASE OUTLINE: A 40-year-old male without trauma, alcohol abuse, acute or chronic pancreatitis in illness history was successfully operated on for a haemorrhagic (pseudo)cyst of the back wall of the pancreas tail containing 4.5 litres of haemorrhagic content. The cyst did not contain either epithelium or tumour stroma, and the pancreas did not show any changes of acute or chronic pancreatitis. Hystology did not show signs of angiectatic pseudocyst. CONCLUSION: In spite of all efforts, the authors could not establish the real nature of the (pseudo)cyst of the pancreas or find a similar case described in the literature. Nevertheless, the authors believe that it was probably an angiectatic cyst.

[Pancreatic tail pseudocyst of type II treated with resection of the tail of the pancreas and splenectomy].

INTRODUCTION: Pancreatic pseudocysts of type II are postnecrotic cysts that appear during an acute-on-chronic pancreatitis. In case that surgical treatment is necessary, as a rule it is performed using internal drainage operations. Pancreatic resections are rarely indicated. CASE OUTLINE: The authors present a 34 year-old man with a long-lasting history of moderate alcohol consumption in whom an episode of drinking caused an acute-on-chronic pancreatitis so that a 7 cm in diameter cyst was developed inside the tail of the pancreas causing left subcostal pain, mild pleural effusion and pain in the left shoulder. At operation almost entirely inside the tail of the pancreas a cyst of type II unsuitable for internal drainage operation was found so that a spared resection of the tail of the pancreas and splenectomy were carried out. The postoperative recovery was prolonged due to recurrent left pleural effusion requiring punctions, mild suppurative secretion from the splenic fossa and transient postsplenectomy thrombocytosis. Six months after surgery the patient is in good condition and with normal findings. CONCLUSION: Although rare, pancreatic cysts of type II may be unsuitable for internal drainage operations so that resection of the effected part of the pancreas could be a much better solution than external drainage.

[Symptomatic calcified splenic artery aneurysm: case report].

INTRODUCTION: Although the third most common aneurysm within the abdomen, after aneurysms of the aorta and iliac arteries, splenic artery aneurysms are rare, but not exceptionally. Owing to new imaging techniques, they have been discovered with increasing frequency. CASE OUTLINE: Authors present a 47-year-old woman, multipara, who presented with left upper abdominal pain in whom X-ray showed a calcified ring in the area of distal pancreas. Selective angiography confirmed a splenic artery aneurysm of its proximal part. During an open surgery the aneurysm was excised (aneurismectomy) without immediate, early or late complications. The patient became symptom-free. CONCLUSION: In patients, particularly women, the multiparas who present with epigastric or left upper abdominal pain of unknown aetiology, splenic artery aneurysm has to be taken into account. Further diagnostic procedures such as plain X-ray and selective angiography in suspected cases should be performed. Surgery or other treatment modalities are to be seriously considered in all patients, particularly in those with increased risk of rupture.