Validity of Ipsilateral Internal Mammary Coronary Artery Bypass Graft of Arteriovenous Fistula.

BACKGROUND: In coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for haemodialysis patients, arteriovenous fistula can reduce blood flow from the internal mammary artery (IMA) graft. The purpose of this study was to delineate the rationale of ipsilateral IMA grafting to the arteriovenous fistula by assessing graft flow and patency. METHOD: The clinical records of 139 haemodialysis patients who underwent off-pump CABG, including IMA grafting to the left anterior descending artery (LAD) between April 2007 and December 2018, were retrospectively reviewed. Clinical outcomes and transit-time flowmetry results of IMA to LAD bypass grafts during off-pump CABG and postoperative angiography were examined. RESULTS: An ipsilateral IMA to the arteriovenous fistula (Ipsi-IMA) was used in 89 patients, and a contralateral IMA to the arteriovenous fistula (Contra-IMA) was used in 50 patients and no hospital deaths occurred. The mean graft flow and angiographic patency rate did not differ between the Ipsi-IMA and Contra-IMA groups. In patients with 51 to 90% stenosis of LAD, there was no significant difference in the mean graft flow. In comparison, in the patients with 91 to 100% stenosis of LAD, the mean graft flow in the Ipsi-IMA group was significantly lower than that in the Contra-IMA group (p=0.03). Kaplan-Meier analyses showed a 5-year survival rate of 57.6% for Ipsi-IMA and 64.8% for Contra-IMA (p=0.47). CONCLUSIONS: In the revascularisation of the LAD, the graft patency rate of the Ipsi-IMA was not inferior to that of the Contra-IMA. However, when the LAD has 91 to 100% stenosis, a Contra-IMA to arteriovenous fistula may be beneficial in terms of sufficient flow capacity.

Total arch replacement using frozen elephant trunk technique with Frozenix for distal aortic arch aneurysms.

OBJECTIVES: Total arch replacement (TAR) using an endovascular approach has been initially introduced as the frozen elephant trunk technique (FET). In our institute, TAR using the FET with Frozenix has been used as the first-line treatment for distal aortic arch aneurysms since 2014. This study aimed to evaluate the early and long-term outcomes and demonstrate the efficacy of this procedure. METHODS: Between 2014 and 2021, 121 consecutive patients were treated with TAR using the FET with Frozenix for distal aortic arch aneurysms. Early and long-term outcomes were retrospectively analysed. RESULTS: The 30-day mortality rate was 2.5% (3/121). Of postoperative complications, paraplegia due to spinal cord injury occurred in 2 (1.7%) patients, stroke in 12 (9.9%) and acute renal failure in 10 (8.3%). At follow-up, 23 secondary aortic interventions were required and 8 (6.6%) patients underwent intended secondary thoracic endovascular aortic repair for residual descending aortic aneurysm. Late and aortic-related deaths occurred in 16 (13.2%) and 4 (3.3%) patients, respectively. The overall long-term survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 87.6%, 83.1% and 65.4%, respectively, while the rates of freedom from aortic-related death at 1, 3 and 5 years were 95.7%, 95.7% and 84.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: TAR using the FET with Frozenix for distal aortic arch aneurysms has acceptable early mortality and morbidity. Spinal cord injury and paraplegia occur less frequently than previously reported. The technique has satisfactory long-term survival and freedom from aortic-related death.

Early and long-term results of total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk technique for acute type A aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the operative and long-term outcomes of the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique for acute type A aortic dissection. METHODS: This study evaluated 426 consecutive patients who underwent aortic repair for acute type A aortic dissection from June 2007 to December 2018 at our centre. Of these, 139 patients underwent total arch replacement with FET (FET group), and 287 underwent other procedures (no FET group). Ninety-two patients in the FET group were matched to 92 patients in the no FET group by using propensity score matching analysis. RESULTS: Thirty-day mortality and neurological dysfunction were not significantly different between the FET and no FET groups (1.4% vs 2.4%, P = 0.50 and 5.0% vs 6.3%, P = 0.61, respectively). Long-term survival was better in the FET group than in the no FET group (P = 0.008). Freedom from distal thoracic reintervention was similar in the FET and no FET groups (P = 0.74). In the propensity-matched patients, freedom from aortic-related death was better in the FET group than in the no FET group (P = 0.044). CONCLUSIONS: Operative outcomes showed no significant difference between the 2 groups. FET contributes to better long-term survival in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.