[Aortic dissection in elderly patients].

We performed 12 operations for aortic dissection in octogenarians from 1997 to 2004. Male : female = 1 : 11. Mean duration of follow-up is 33 +/- 19 months. As regards the etiology, acute type A aortic dissection was 8, chronic type A aortic dissection was 3 and chronic type B aortic dissection with distal arch aneurysm was 1. Total arch replacement was performed in 2 patients and hemiarch replacement in 10. In all patients with acute type A aortic dissection, hemiarch replacement was performed with the aid of selective cerebral perfusion or deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion. Postoperative respiratory failure was found in 1 patient, re-exploration for bleeding in 1, mediastinitis in 1 and temporary neurological dysfunction in 1. There was no hospital mortality. Two patients were died of respiratory failure 4 and 27 months after surgery. The results were acceptable. We recommend that age should not be the only determinant in deciding whether emergency operation should be performed in octogenarians.

[Total arch replacement with reconstruction of non-coronary sinus for acute type A aortic dissection after previous coronary artery bypass grafting; report of a case].

A 73-year-old man, who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) 2 years previously, had suffered from acute type A aortic dissection with concomitant mild to moderate aortic regurgitation. A median resternotomy was performed. Arterial and venous cannulae were inserted into the femoral artery and vein to institute a cardiopulmonary bypass. The intimal tear was existed just above the sino-tubular junction. As the non-coronary sinus was involved in the dissection severely, it was resected in a scallop-shaped configuration. The aortic graft was tailored accordingly and anastomosis was performed in a curviliner fashion following the edge of scallop and the horizontally between the right and left coronary sinuses. Next, total arch replacement was performed using an aortic arch branched graft. Postoperative course was uneventful. Aortography revealed no aortic regurgitation and good patency of bypass graft.

[Spinal cord protection and operative results of the thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm].

The purpose of this study was to review retrospectively recent results in 75 patients undergoing thoracoabdominal aortic operations using the technique of distal aortic perfusion with segmental aortic clamping. Between July 1997 and November 2003, 46 males (61%) and 29 females (39%) were treated. The patients ranged in age from 26 to 82 (mean 63 +/- 13) years. Indications for surgery included dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 28), atherosclerotic thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 46), and traumatic aneurysm (n = 1). Emergency operation was performed in 8 (11%). The extent of aneurysm was Crawford type I in 12 patients, type II in 19, type III in 34, and type IV in 10. Profound hypothermic circulatory arrest was used in 3 patients and retrograde segmental clamping technique in 5. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage and naloxone hydrochloride administration were performed as adjunctive methods since February 2000. There were 6 (8%) in-hospital deaths. The overall incidence of postoperative paraplegia or paraparesis was 8% (6/75). Although the survival rate has improved, the problem of a complete prevention of ischemic spinal cord injury on the thoracoabdominal aortic operations remains unsolved. The multimodality approach is needed to reduce the risk of this devastating complication.

[Surgical treatment for proximal ascending aortic lesion in Marfan syndrome; retrospective evaluation of the initial surgical technique at late reoperation].

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the initial surgical technique for proximal ascending aortic lesion in Marfan syndrome at late reoperation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fourteen Marfan patients who were operated on for annuloaortic ectasia (AAE) with or without type A aortic dissection required reoperation through re-median sternotomy for various reasons in the late postoperative period. Average time interval between the initial operation and the late reoperation was 8.4 years. Reoperative procedures used in this series included re-composite graft replacement in 1 patient, total arch replacement (TAR) in 1, and re-composite graft replacement with TAR in 12. RESULTS: There were 2 in-hospital deaths (14.3%); one patient died of low output syndrome (LOS) after combined Bentall and TAR while the other suffered a sudden death probably due to acute myocardial infarction after combined Cabrol and TAR procedure. Eight patients underwent additional descending or thoracoabdominal aortic replacement in the late postoperative period. CONCLUSIONS: Button technique (Carrel patch technique) with small side hole in the composite graft is the operative procedure of choice for AAE to reduce the risk of complications related to coronary artery anastomosis. Button technique and concomitant TAR that helps to avoid the possibility of reoperation on the aortic arch through re-median sternotomy, is the preferred technique for AAE with type A aortic dissection.

[Selections of aortic reconstruction procedures and brain protection methods during aortic arch repairs; including mid-term survival and freedom from cerebral infarction].

Aortic reconstruction procedures and brain protection methods are very important among operative factors that have direct influence on surgical results. We nowadays use hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) with or without retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP) as brain protection methods during hemiarch replacement (HAR) and selective cerebral perfusion (SCP) during total arch replacement (TAR) using 4-branched arch graft. The purpose of this study was to verify the appropriateness of this strategy. From April 1997 to August 2001, we performed 120 TAR assisted by SCP and 30 HAR assisted by HCA with or without RCP. Incidences of in-hospital death and postoperative neurological dysfunction were compared between the 2 groups. In-hospital deaths were 4 (3.3%) and 1 (3.3%), permanent neurological dysfunction were 3 (2.5%) and 1 (3.3%), temporary neurological dysfunction were 4 (3.3%) and 1 (3.3%), 3-year survival were 92 +/- 3% and 97 +/- 3% and cerebral infarctions after discharge were 2 and 0 in TAR and HAR, respectively. Appropriate selections of aortic reconstruction procedures and brain protection methods lead to good operative results in aortic arch repairs.

Reduction of ischemic spinal cord injury by dextrorphan: comparison of several methods of administration.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of dextrorphan, an N -methyl-D -aspartate receptor antagonist, on the reduction of ischemic spinal cord injury and the safe clamping time after various methods of administration. METHODS: Spinal cord ischemia was induced in New Zealand White rabbits by infrarenal aortic clamping and animals were divided into 5 groups. Group A (n = 15) received simple clamping. Groups B (n = 20) and C (n = 35) received dextrorphan pretreatment (10 mg/kg), followed by continuous intravenous or intra-aortic infusion (1 mg/min), respectively. Group D (n = 25) received the same dextrorphan pretreatment and bolus intra-aortic injection at clamping (1 mg per minute of clamping time). Group E (n = 15) received bolus intrathecal injection of dextrorphan (0.2 mg/kg). Each dextrorphan-treated group had a small group of control animals (n = 5). The neurologic status was assessed by the Johnson score (5 = normal, 0 = paraplegic) 48 hours after unclamping, and animals were put to death for histopathologic examination. RESULTS: All dextrorphan-treated groups showed better neurologic function than the respective control animals (P <.001 vs groups B, C, and D; P =.014 vs group E). The order of efficacy of dextrorphan (as revealed by the average of neurologic status) was as follows: group C > group D (P =.017, after 50 minutes of clamping), group D > group B (P =.014, after 45 minutes of clamping), and group B > group E (P <.001, after 40 minutes of clamping). Histopathologic findings did not necessarily correspond with hind-limb neurologic function. CONCLUSIONS: Dextrorphan reduced the physical findings associated with ischemic spinal cord injury, and continuous intra-aortic infusion prolonged the safe clamping time significantly more than delivery by other routes.

Experimental study on the effect of antegrade cerebral perfusion on brains with old cerebral infarction.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with old cerebral infarction who undergo aortic arch operations are susceptible to postoperative neurologic dysfunction. To verify such susceptibility, we performed this experimental study. METHODS: A cerebral infarct model was created in mongrel dogs by means of injection of cylindrical silicone embolus through the internal carotid artery. The dogs that had obvious neurologic deficits 1 day later and survived for 4 weeks or more were included in the cerebral infarct model. One month after cerebral infarction was induced, deep hypothermia and selective cerebral perfusion were used in 14 mongrel dogs (infarct group, n = 7; control group, n = 7). During this procedure, serum glutamate concentration and venous-arterial lactate difference were measured. Histopathologic study of the brain was also performed. RESULTS: Changes in venous-arterial lactate difference in both groups were almost similar, except in the rewarming phase. At 32 degrees C during rewarming, the venous-arterial lactate difference in the infarct group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P =.006). Although pre-cooling concentrations of serum glutamate were similar in both groups, the values in the infarct group at the end of rewarming were significantly higher than those in the control group (P =.046). On histologic examination, the presence of old cerebral infarction with gliosis was confirmed in the infarct group, but neither new cerebral infarction nor destruction of the blood-brain barrier was found. CONCLUSION: We observed an accelerated anaerobic metabolism and an increased extracellular glutamate release in the infarct group. The brain with old cerebral infarction is more susceptible to ischemia during arch operation than noninfarcted brain.

New cerebral monitoring using optical topography during total arch replacement.

We investigated the levels of oxygenation in the extended cerebral regions, including the middle cerebral artery region, using optical topography in two patients who underwent total arch replacement assisted by selective cerebral perfusion. During the cooling phase, the oxyhemoglobin levels were almost homogenous. During selective cerebral perfusion, when 18 French and 16 French cannulae were used for the innominate and the left common carotid artery respectively, the oxyhemoglobin levels in the left hemisphere were consistently greater than those in the right. After the 16 French cannula was replaced with a 14 French in the left common carotid artery, then no difference between the hemispheres was found. During the rewarming phase, the increase in the oxyhemoglobin levels in the parietal region was consistently more delayed than that in the temporal region, in both patients. Optical topography might be useful for more precise monitoring of the cerebral circulatory status during an aortic arch operation.

Aortic regurgitation with dilation of ascending aorta and right coronary artery occlusion by a rudimentary aortic cusp.

Occlusion of a coronary artery ostium, especially that of the right by an aortic cusp, is a rare congenital anomaly. We had the experience of dealing with an adult patient with aortic regurgitation due to a rudimentary aortic cusp that also occluded the right coronary ostium. We performed composite graft replacement because the patient also had coexistent dilation of the ascending aorta. Postoperative course was uneventful.

Cerebral oxygenation monitoring for total arch replacement using selective cerebral perfusion.

BACKGROUND: This study was undertaken to verify the safety of our total arch replacement assisted by selective cerebral perfusion with respect to cerebral oxygenation. METHODS: Subjects to be evaluated were selected between February 1999 and March 2000 and comprised 13 patients who underwent total arch replacement (TAR) (TAR group) and 18 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting or valve replacement (control group). They were monitored throughout the operation by two-channel near-infrared spectroscopy. Changes in intracranial oxyhemoglobin and the tissue oxygenation index were compared between the two groups. Additionally, jugular venous oxygen saturation was simultaneously measured in 10 patients from each group. Maximum changes in these variables from baseline in the TAR group were compared with those in the control group. Bilateral oxygenation differences between two hemispheres were also evaluated. RESULTS: There was no incidence of postoperative cerebral infarction, and no significant difference was observed in the maximum decrease in these variables between the two groups. Bilateral oxygenation differences between the two hemispheres in the TAR group were similar to those in the control group, except for the tissue oxygenation index in the rewarming phase. CONCLUSIONS: From the standpoint of cerebral oxygenation, our technique of total arch replacement was nearly as safe as an ordinary cardiac operation.

Role of biologic glue repair of proximal aortic dissection in the development of early and midterm redissection of the aortic root.

BACKGROUND: Redissection of the aortic root after supracommissural aortic graft replacement with reapproximation of the layers of the dissected aortic root is relatively rare. Causes and surgical treatment of this lesion remain controversial. METHODS: From January 1983 to September 2000, 130 patients had emergency operation for acute type A aortic dissection. Of them, 57 patients underwent root reconstruction using biologic glues and 4 patients (7.0%) developed redissection of the aortic root associated with moderate to severe aortic regurgitation 5 to 27 months after the initial operation. In all patients, the proximal false lumen was obliterated with infusion of gelatin-resorcinol-formaldehyde (GRF) glue or BioGlue and the aorta was reinforced with Teflon felt strip or Surgicel placed on its outside wall. RESULTS: During reoperation, the noncoronary aortic sinus was found to be redissected in all patients with the dissection extending retrogradely to the aortic annulus. This resulted in aortic regurgitation with prolapse of the noncoronary cusp because the proximal suture line dehisced. Histopathology showed disappearance of the nuclei of the medial smooth muscle cells, suggesting tissue necrosis at the site of GRF glue application. The lesions were treated successfully with full root replacement using a freestyle heterograft bioprosthesis or a composite graft prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The use of biologic glues for reapproximating the layers of the dissected aortic root is associated with a certain amount of risk of aortic wall necrosis. Therefore, care should be taken to ensure proper use of these glues. Full root replacement could be a preferable technique for treating redissection of the aortic root.

Simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery.

It is common to encounter patients with coexisting aortic arch aneurysm and abdominal aortic lesions. We conducted simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery in 3 patients having such lesions. Mean operative time was 511 minutes and no in-hospital mortality occurred. Postoperative respiratory failure was observed in an 80-year-old patient who recovered and all three patients were discharged in good condition. No other postoperative complication was seen. Simultaneous total arch replacement and abdominal aortic surgery may thus offer advantages to patients with such double aortic lesions if it can be conducted safely.

Surgical treatment of annuloaortic ectasia with coronary aneurysm and fistula.

Annuloaortic ectasia associated with a giant aneurysm of the left coronary artery and a coronary artery fistula is extremely rare, and it is difficult to decide how to repair this complex lesion. The cause of the huge aneurysm of the left coronary artery in our patient was thought to be cystic medial necrosis, the coronary artery fistula, or both. The surgical management of this extremely rare pathological combination is described.

Improved results of atherosclerotic arch aneurysm operations with a refined technique.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to analyze the postoperative hospital mortality and postoperative neurologic dysfunction in patients who had total arch replacement for atherosclerotic arch aneurysms using our recent refined technique. METHODS: Between June 1997 and April 2000, 50 consecutive patients underwent total arch replacement with an aortic arch branched graft for atherosclerotic arch aneurysms. Their mean age was 71 +/- 7 years (range, 57-87 years). Forty-eight (96%) patients were operated on electively, and the remaining 2 (4%) were operated on an emergency basis because of rupture of aneurysm. All operations were performed with hypothermic extracorporeal circulation, selective cerebral perfusion for cerebral protection during aortic arch repair, and systemic circulatory arrest during distal graft anastomosis. A total of 19 concomitant procedures were done in 17 patients. Mean selective cerebral perfusion time was 78.1 +/- 16.5 minutes. RESULTS: Overall in-hospital mortality was 2% (95% confidence intervals, 0%-5.9%). On univariable analysis, permanent neurologic dysfunction was the only risk factor for in-hospital mortality. Postoperative temporary and permanent neurologic dysfunctions were 4% (95% confidence intervals, 0%-9.4%) and 4% (95% confidence intervals, 0%-9.4%), respectively. On univariable analysis, cardiopulmonary bypass time was the only risk factor for temporary neurologic dysfunction, and history of cerebrovascular disease was the only risk factor for permanent neurologic dysfunction. There was no significant correlation between selective cerebral perfusion time and temporary and permanent neurologic dysfunction. CONCLUSION: Integrated cerebral protective effect of antegrade selective cerebral perfusion and total arch replacement with an aortic arch branched graft could substantially reduce in-hospital mortality and postoperative neurologic dysfunction in patients with atherosclerotic arch aneurysms.

Total arch replacement using aortic arch branched grafts with the aid of antegrade selective cerebral perfusion.

BACKGROUND: We report our clinical experience with total arch replacement using aortic arch branched graft in an attempt to determine the independent predictors of both in-hospital mortality and neurologic outcome. METHODS: We studied 220 consecutive patients who underwent total arch replacement using aortic arch branched graft between May 1990 and June 1999. All operations were performed with the aid of hypothermic extracorporeal circulation, antegrade selective cerebral perfusion, and open distal anastomosis. RESULTS: The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 12.7%. Multivariable analysis showed independent determinants of in-hospital mortality to be chronic renal failure, long pump time, participation in early series, and shock. Postoperative permanent neurologic dysfunction was 3.3%. On multivariable analysis, old cerebral infarct and pump time were independent determinants of permanent neurologic dysfunction. The selective cerebral perfusion time had no significant influence on in-hospital mortality or neurologic outcome. The 5-year survival rate including in-hospital deaths was 79% +/- 6%. CONCLUSIONS: Selective cerebral perfusion allows increased ease of performance of total arch replacement, a complex and time-consuming procedure, and helps reduce periprocedural mortality and morbidity in patients with aortic arch aneurysm and those with acute aortic dissection.

Surgical treatment of recurrent abdominal aortic aneurysm in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Reports of true abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAS), especially those due to severe inflammation, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are very few in number. However, we had the experience of surgically treating a recurrent AAA due to severe inflammation found in a patient with SLE. The recurrence took place after an earlier operation for an infrarenal AAA and involved the left renal artery. In both situations, the previous infrarenal aaa and the recurrence, the aneurysms demonstrated more rapid growth and more irregularities in shape. Etiology of the AAA might be a combination of Takayasu's arteritis and SLE because the two entities appeared to have overlapped.

Extended total arch replacement for acute type a aortic dissection: experience with seventy patients.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to report the clinical experience with extended total arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection and to determine the factors that influence early mortality, late survival, and late reoperation. METHODS: Between December 1988 and August 1998, 70 patients underwent emergency graft replacement of both the ascending aorta and the total aortic arch for acute type A aortic dissection. All operations were performed with hypothermic extracorporeal circulation, selective cerebral perfusion for cerebral protection during aortic arch repair, and open distal anastomosis. Concomitant procedures included aortic valve resuspension in 18 patients, composite graft replacement in 10 patients, and coronary artery bypass grafting in 5 patients. RESULTS: The early mortality rate was 16% (11 of 70 patients). Multivariable analysis showed that renal-mesenteric ischemia and coronary artery bypass grafting were independent determinants for early death. Survival rates at 3 and 5 years postoperatively, including the early deaths, were 75% +/- 5% and 73% +/- 6%, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that renal-mesenteric ischemia and en bloc repair were independent determinants for late death. Freedom from reoperation was 91% +/- 4% and 77% +/- 8% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Multivariable analysis showed that anastomotic leakage was the only significant determinant for late reoperation. CONCLUSIONS: Extended total arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection could be justified in properly selected patients.