Long-term Outcomes of Surgical Repair for Corrected Transposition of the Great Arteries.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the long-term outcomes of physiological and anatomical repair for corrected transposition of the great arteries and double-outlet right ventricle with discordant atrioventricular connection. METHODS: This single-center retrospective study included 146 patients who underwent biventricular repair of corrected transposition of the great arteries or double-outlet right ventricle with discordant atrioventricular connections from 1972 to 2023. Survival rate, freedom from reoperation, New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification, and incidence of systemic ventricular dysfunction in the long-term were compared between physiological repair (PR) and anatomical repair (AR) groups. RESULTS: The PR group consisted of 55 patients, with median age at repair of 10.3 years. Thirty-one patients underwent conventional Rastelli procedure, and 24 patients underwent atrial and/or ventricular septal defect closure. The AR group consisted of 91 patients, with median age at repair of 5.8 years. Seventy-two patients underwent atrial switch plus Rastelli procedure and 19 patients underwent atrial plus arterial switch operation. The 30-year survival was 63.5% in the PR group and 72.3% in the AR group (P = .448). The 30-year freedom from reoperation was 71.9% in the PR group and 62.2% in the AR group (P = .220). There was a significant difference in the incidence of systemic ventricular dysfunction between the groups (87.5% in the PR group and 35.3% in the AR group, P < .001) and in the NYHA classification of long-term survivors (mean NYHA class of 1.9 in the PR group and 1.5 in the AR group, P = .009). CONCLUSIONS: The systemic ventricular function and general status in the long-term were significantly better in AR patients, suggesting the potential advantage of AR.

Aligning Orifice of the Renal Artery with Fish-Mouth FIXation Technique During Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair for Hostile Neck Anatomy.

Background: As the success of endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) depends on sufficient proximal fixation of the endograft to the aortic wall, the proximal hostile neck anatomy (HNA) is the major potential treatment-limiting factor in EVAR. The Aorfix endovascular stent graft was designed to operate on highly angulated aortic necks. The Aligning Orifice of the Renal artery with fish-mouth FIXation (AORFIX) technique uniquely and accurately aligns the trough part of the proximal stent end with the orifice of the lower renal artery and is used to optimize the proximal fish-mouth design for maximum proximal seal use. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the usefulness of the AORFIX technique for EVAR in patients with HNA. Methods: Eighty-one consecutive patients who underwent EVAR with the AORFIX technique (+AORFIX technique group, n = 16) and without (standard group, n = 65) were evaluated. The HNA was defined as any of the following: neck angulation ≥60°, neck length ≤15 mm, or neck thrombus or calcification ≥50% of the circumference and conical neck. Results: Each HNA criterion was similar between the two groups. However, the average number of HNA criteria was significantly higher in the +AORFIX technique group (1.9 ± .2 vs. 1.3 ± .1; P < .01). The two groups showed 100% procedural success. The concurrent renal angioplasty and stenting rates (88% vs. 4.6%; P < .01) were significantly higher in the +AORFIX technique group. There were no 30-day deaths in either group and no in-hospital device-related events in the +AORFIX technique group. The median follow-up period was 39 months, and there was no significant between-group difference in freedom from reintervention rate (+AORFIX group vs. standard group, 100% vs. 91.0%; P = .327). Conclusion: EVAR using the AORFIX technique might be useful even in patients with more complex HNA.

[Distal Stent Graft-induced New Entry after Total Arch Replacement for the Aortic Dissection:Report of a Case].

A 73-year-old man after total arch replacement with open stent graft (OSG) technique for Stanford type B aortic dissection was found to have expanding descending aortic aneurysm. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed distal stent graft-induced new entry (distal SINE). We successfully performed additional thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The determinants of distal SINE are reported to be excessive distal oversizing and spring back force on the distal end of the stent graft, which might make the stress for descending aorta. We also found that the angle between distal end of the stent graft and the horizontal line of the body was changed. The angle when distal SINE occurred was smaller than that of when it was placed. Appropriate size selection and positioning of stent graft might reduce the risk of distal SINE events.

Successful transcatheter aortic valve in valve implantation for degenerated trifecta bioprosthesis in a patient with a coronary anomaly.

We report a case of transcatheter aortic valve implantation in a 79-year-old woman with a coronary anomaly who underwent surgical aortic valve replacement with a 23-mm Abbott Trifecta bioprosthesis. The procedure was performed in response to severe aortic stenosis caused by a bicuspid aortic valve. Computed tomography showed an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left coronary sinus, with an interarterial course. Although the virtual transcatheter valve to coronary ostium distance-right coronary artery was short, the right coronary artery ostium was just behind the stent post. The externally mounted leaflet was unable to reach the coronary orifice beyond the stent post. This case highlights a successful transcatheter aortic valve implantation for stented bioprostheses with externally mounted leaflets when the virtual transcatheter valve to coronary ostium distance is shortened by a coronary anomaly.

Utility of the minimum-incision transsubclavian approach for transcatheter aortic valve replacement on clinical outcomes in patients with small vessel anatomy.

BACKGROUND: The optimal approach for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), who are contraindicated for a transfemoral (TF) approach, is still controversial. The present study aimed to evaluate the utility of the TAVR via a subclavian artery with a small diameter, by minimal incision and a double Z suture hemostasis technique using 18 Fr DrySeal Flex sheath, namely minimum-incision transsubclavian TAVR (MITS-TAVR), in patients contraindicated for the TF approach. METHODS: We included consecutive patients who underwent the MITS-TAVR (MITS group; n = 21) and TF-TAVR (TF group; n = 81) using the CoreValve Evolut R/PRO valves and examined the incidence of in-hospital adverse events and post-discharge mortality between the two groups. RESULTS: The mean body surface area was significantly smaller in the MITS group (1.33 ± 0.04 vs. 1.43 ± 0.02 m2; p = 0.045). The minimal lumen diameter of the femoral artery was significantly smaller in the MITS group (5.01 vs. 6.43 mm; p < 0.01). The lumen diameter of the left subclavian artery (LSA) in the MITS group was 4.97 ± 0.14 mm. The duration of the TAVR procedure to discharge was not significantly different (9.7 ± 2.0 days vs. 13.2 ± 1.0 days; p = 0.239). We did not experience in-hospital death in both groups, and no significant differences were observed in the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events between the two groups. The post-discharge survival rate was not significantly different between the groups (at 2-year; MITS group vs. TF group = 91.0% vs. 89.0%; p = 0.725). CONCLUSIONS: The MITS-TAVR using 18 Fr Dryseal Flex sheath was safe and effective and might be a promising alternative approach even in patients with a small body and small LSA diameter, who are contraindicated to the TF approach.

Safety and efficacy of the percutaneous thoracic endovascular repair with regional anesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is typically performed with general anesthesia (GA) and surgical cutdown (G-TEVAR). As the latest generation of TEVAR delivery systems are smaller, we introduced percutaneous TEVAR with regional anesthesia (RA) (R-TEVAR) and an arteriotomy closure device. In this study, we compare the safety and efficacy of R-TEVAR to that of the G-TEVAR. METHODS: This single-center observational study included consecutive patients who underwent either G-TEVAR between January 2015 and October 2018 (33 patients) or R-TEVAR (41 patients) between January 2018 and April 2020. RA was achieved using an ultrasound-guided nerve block. RESULTS: The mean outer diameter of the delivery device was significantly smaller in R-TEVAR (18.5 vs. 22.7 Fr; p < 0.01) and the time from arriving into the operating room to beginning of surgery (34.1 vs. 68.5 min; p < 0.01), procedural time (46.4 vs. 103.6 min; p < 0.01), and operating room stay time (108.3 vs. 194.6 min; p < 0.01) were significantly shorter. The mean rate of change in blood pressure was significantly lower in the R-TEVAR group (7.7% vs. 32.2%; p < 0.01). One case of spinal cord ischemia occurred in the G-TEVAR group (0% vs. 3.0%; p = 0.262) and one case of inadequate hemostasis and conversion to surgical cutdown without GA occurred in the R-TEVAR group (2.4% vs. 0%; p = 0.366). CONCLUSIONS: The R-TEVAR is safe and minimally invasive. Further, RA may provide additional benefits of mean blood pressure stability and early recognition of neurologic complications.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation after branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair in zone 0.

An 83-year-old woman who underwent emergent hemi-arch replacement for acute aortic dissection (Stanford Type A) and staged branched thoracic endovascular aortic repair in zone 0 was admitted for severe aortic stenosis. We performed transfemoral transcatheter aortic-valve implantation with an SAPIEN 3 valve. The interference between the stent frames of the valve and the stent grafts in the aortic arch was concerning. However, using the SAPIEN 3 valve's flex system, the valve was successfully delivered through the complex structure in the aortic arch without any aggravation. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful.