International Multi-Institutional Experience with Presentation and Management of Aortic Arch Laterality in Aberrant Subclavian Artery and Kommerell's Diverticulum.

BACKGROUND: Aberrant subclavian artery (ASA) with or without Kommerell's diverticulum (KD) is a rare anatomic aortic arch anomaly that can cause dysphagia and/or life-threatening rupture. The objective of this study is to compare outcomes of ASA/KD repair in patients with a left versus right aortic arch. METHODS: Using the Vascular Low Frequency Disease Consortium methodology, a retrospective review was performed of patients ≥18 years old with surgical treatment of ASA/KD from 2000 to 2020 at 20 institutions. RESULTS: 288 patients with ASA with or without KD were identified; 222 left-sided aortic arch (LAA), and 66 right-sided aortic arch (RAA). Mean age at repair was younger in LAA 54 vs. 58 years (P = 0.06). Patients in RAA were more likely to undergo repair due to symptoms (72.7% vs. 55.9%, P = 0.01), and more likely to present with dysphagia (57.6% vs. 39.1%, P < 0.01). The hybrid open/endovascular approach was the most common repair type in both groups. Rates of intraoperative complications, death within 30 days, return to the operating room, symptom relief and endoleaks were not significantly different. For patients with symptom status follow-up data, in LAA, 61.7% had complete relief, 34.0% had partial relief and 4.3% had no change. In RAA, 60.7% had complete relief, 34.4% had partial relief and 4.9% had no change. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with ASA/KD, RAA patients were less common than LAA, presented more frequently with dysphagia, had symptoms as an indication for intervention, and underwent treatment at a younger age. Open, endovascular and hybrid repair approaches appear equally effective, regardless of arch laterality.

Contemporary outcomes after treatment of aberrant subclavian artery and Kommerell's diverticulum.

OBJECTIVE: Aberrant subclavian artery (ASA) and Kommerell's diverticulum (KD) are rare vascular anomalies that may be associated with lifestyle-limiting and life-threatening complications. The aim of this study is to report contemporary outcomes after invasive treatment of ASA/KD using a large international dataset. METHODS: Patients who underwent treatment for ASA/KD (2000-2020) were identified through the Vascular Low Frequency Disease Consortium, a multi-institutional collaboration to investigate uncommon vascular disorders. We report the early and mid-term clinical outcomes including stroke and mortality, technical success, and other operative outcomes including reintervention rates, patency, and endoleak. RESULTS: Overall, 285 patients were identified during the study period. The mean patient age was 57 years; 47% were female and 68% presented with symptoms. A right-sided arch was present in 23%. The mean KD diameter was 47.4 mm (range, 13.0-108.0 mm). The most common indication for treatment was symptoms (59%), followed by aneurysm size (38%). The most common symptom reported was dysphagia (44%). A ruptured KD was treated in 4.2% of cases, with a mean diameter of 43.9 mm (range, 18.0-100.0 mm). An open procedure was performed in 101 cases (36%); the most common approach was ASA ligation with subclavian transposition. An endovascular or hybrid approach was performed in 184 patients (64%); the most common approach was thoracic endograft and carotid-subclavian bypass. A staged operative strategy was employed more often than single setting repair (55% vs 45%). Compared with endovascular or hybrid approach, those in the open procedure group were more likely to be younger (49 years vs 61 years; P < .0001), female (64% vs 36%; P < .0001), and symptomatic (85% vs 59%; P < .0001). Complete or partial symptomatic relief at 1 year after intervention was 82.6%. There was no association between modality of treatment and symptom relief (open 87.2% vs endovascular or hybrid approach 78.9%; P = .13). After the intervention, 11 subclavian occlusions (4.5%) occurred; 3 were successfully thrombectomized resulting in a primary and secondary patency of 95% and 96%, respectively, at a median follow-up of 39 months. Among the 33 reinterventions (12%), the majority were performed for endoleak (36%), and more reinterventions occurred in the endovascular or hybrid approach than open procedure group (15% vs 6%; P = .02). The overall survival rate was 87.3% at a median follow-up of 41 months. The 30-day stroke and death rates were 4.2% and 4.9%, respectively. Urgent or emergent presentation was independently associated with increased risk of 30-day mortality (odds ratio [OR], 19.8; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3-116.6), overall mortality (OR, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.2-11.2) and intraoperative complications (OR, 8.3; 95% CI, 2.8-25.1). Females had a higher risk of reintervention (OR, 2.6; 95% CI, 1.0-6.5). At an aneurysm size of 44.4 mm, receiver operator characteristic curve analysis suggested that 60% of patients would have symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of ASA/KD can be performed safely with low rates of mortality, stroke and reintervention and high rates of symptomatic relief, regardless of the repair strategy. Symptomatic and urgent operations were associated with worse outcomes in general, and female gender was associated with a higher likelihood of reintervention. Given the worse overall outcomes when symptomatic and the inherent risk of rupture, consideration of repair at 40 mm is reasonable in most patients. ASA/KD can be repaired in asymptomatic patients with excellent outcomes and young healthy patients may be considered better candidates for open approaches versus endovascular or hybrid modalities, given the lower likelihood of reintervention and lower early mortality rate.

Factors associated with successful median arcuate ligament release in an international, multi-institutional cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Prior research on median arcuate ligament syndrome has been limited to institutional case series, making the optimal approach to median arcuate ligament release (MALR) and resulting outcomes unclear. In the present study, we compared the outcomes of different approaches to MALR and determined the predictors of long-term treatment failure. METHODS: The Vascular Low Frequency Disease Consortium is an international, multi-institutional research consortium. Data on open, laparoscopic, and robotic MALR performed from 2000 to 2020 were gathered. The primary outcome was treatment failure, defined as no improvement in median arcuate ligament syndrome symptoms after MALR or symptom recurrence between MALR and the last clinical follow-up. RESULTS: For 516 patients treated at 24 institutions, open, laparoscopic, and robotic MALR had been performed in 227 (44.0%), 235 (45.5%), and 54 (10.5%) patients, respectively. Perioperative complications (ileus, cardiac, and wound complications; readmissions; unplanned procedures) occurred in 19.2% (open, 30.0%; laparoscopic, 8.9%; robotic, 18.5%; P < .001). The median follow-up was 1.59 years (interquartile range, 0.38-4.35 years). For the 488 patients with follow-up data available, 287 (58.8%) had had full relief, 119 (24.4%) had had partial relief, and 82 (16.8%) had derived no benefit from MALR. The 1- and 3-year freedom from treatment failure for the overall cohort was 63.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59.0%-68.3%) and 51.9% (95% CI, 46.1%-57.3%), respectively. The factors associated with an increased hazard of treatment failure on multivariable analysis included robotic MALR (hazard ratio [HR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.16-2.59; P = .007), a history of gastroparesis (HR, 1.83; 95% CI, 1.09-3.09; P = .023), abdominal cancer (HR, 10.3; 95% CI, 3.06-34.6; P < .001), dysphagia and/or odynophagia (HR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.27-4.69; P = .008), no relief from a celiac plexus block (HR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.00-4.72; P = .049), and an increasing number of preoperative pain locations (HR, 1.12 per location; 95% CI, 1.00-1.25; P = .042). The factors associated with a lower hazard included increasing age (HR, 0.99 per increasing year; 95% CI, 0.98-1.0; P = .012) and an increasing number of preoperative diagnostic gastrointestinal studies (HR, 0.84 per study; 95% CI, 0.74-0.96; P = .012) Open and laparoscopic MALR resulted in similar long-term freedom from treatment failure. No radiographic parameters were associated with differences in treatment failure. CONCLUSIONS: No difference was found in long-term failure after open vs laparoscopic MALR; however, open release was associated with higher perioperative morbidity. These results support the use of a preoperative celiac plexus block to aid in patient selection. Operative candidates for MALR should be counseled regarding the factors associated with treatment failure and the relatively high overall rate of treatment failure.

In-situ bypass is associated with superior infection-free survival compared with extra-anatomic bypass for the management of secondary aortic graft infections without enteric involvement.

OBJECTIVE: The optimal revascularization modality following complete resection of aortic graft infection (AGI) without enteric involvement remains unclear. The purpose of this investigation is to determine the revascularization approach associated with the lowest morbidity and mortality using real-world data in patients undergoing complete excision of AGI. METHODS: A retrospective, multi-institutional study of AGI from 2002 to 2014 was performed using a standardized database. Baseline demographics, comorbidities, and perioperative variables were recorded. The primary outcome was infection-free survival. Descriptive statistics, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and univariate and multivariable analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 241 patients at 34 institutions from seven countries presented with AGI during the study period (median age, 68 years; 75% male). The initial aortic procedures that resulted in AGI were 172 surgical grafts (71%), 66 endografts (27%), and three unknown (2%). Of the patients, 172 (71%) underwent complete excision of infected aortic graft material followed by in situ (in-line) bypass (ISB), including antibiotic-treated prosthetic graft (35%), autogenous femoral vein (neo-aortoiliac surgery) (24%), and cryopreserved allograft (41%). Sixty-nine patients (29%) underwent extra-anatomic bypass (EAB). Overall median Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was 5.8 years. Perioperative mortality was 16%. When stratified by ISB vs EAB, there was a significant difference in Kaplan-Meier estimated infection-free survival (2910 days; interquartile range, 391-3771 days vs 180 days; interquartile range, 27-3750 days; P < .001). There were otherwise no significant differences in presentation, comorbidities, or perioperative variables. Multivariable Cox regression showed lower infection-free survival among patients with EAB (hazard ratio [HR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-3.6; P < .001), polymicrobial infection (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.4-3.5; P = .001), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infection (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.7; P = .02), as well as the protective effect of omental/muscle flap coverage (HR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.92; P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: After complete resection of AGI, perioperative mortality is 16% and median overall survival is 5.8 years. EAB is associated with nearly a two and one-half-fold higher reinfection/mortality compared with ISB. Omental and/or muscle flap coverage of the repair appear protective.

Long-term results of the treatment of Stanford type B aortic dissection with medical and invasive therapy in Hungary / Akut Stanford B típusú aortadissectio konzervatív és invazív terápiájának hosszú távú eredményei Magyarországon

Introduction and objective: Acute Stanford type B aortic dissection (ATBAD) is a potentially life-threatening condi-tion, which may require immediate intervention. This study aims to compare the short-and long-term results of medical, open surgical and endovascular management of ATBAD. Method: This is a retrospective, multi-centre cohort study, where patients admitted with acute and subacute TBAD between Jan. 2011 and Dec. 2020 were included. Results were compared between patients treated with medical, open surgical and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). 30-day mortality and major complications were registered. Survival and freedom from reintervention were noted. Results: A total number of 188 patients were included (69.7% man, mean age: 57 +/- 12.2 years). Hypertension was present in 88.8% of the patients. The 30-day mortality was more higher among patients who underwent open sur-gery, than among patients after TEVAR (26% and 16.7%, p = 0.12). Postoperative lung complication (22.6% and 19.4%) and vascular complication (25.9% and 16.7%) were common in both open and TEVAR groups. In the con-servatively treated group, three patients required intervention in the first 30 days (renal stent implantation: n = 2, TEVAR: n = 1). Median follow-up was 41 (IQR, 73.5) months. There was no significant difference in reoperations during follow-up between the three groups (p = 0.428). 6-year survival was significantly lower among patients with open surgery compared to the other two patient populations (54.8% vs. 79.3% and 75%, p = 0.017). Conclusion: In the invasive treatment of ATBAD, TEVAR is associated with superior short-and long-term compli-cation rate, and survival. There is no significant difference between the long-term results of medical therapy and TEVAR.

Long-term analysis of the results of aorto-bifemoral bypass surgery for diffuse aorto-biiliac occlusive disease / Az aortobiiliacalis occlusiv érbetegség miatt végzett aortobifemoralis bypass mutétek hosszú távú eredményeinek elemzése.

Összefoglaló. Bevezetés: A diffúz aortobiiliacalis érszakasz occlusiv betegségének kezelésére alkalmazott aortobifemoralis bypass szerepe csökken az endovascularis mutétek térnyerése miatt. Célkituzés: A vizsgálat célja volt a modern invazív kezelés korszakában a perioperatív és a hosszú távú eredmények elemzése aortobiiliacalis bypass után, melyek összehasonlíthatók az endovascularis megoldások eredményeivel. Módszerek: A retrospektív, egycentrumú vizsgálat során a Semmelweis Egyetem Városmajori Szív- és Érgyógyászati Klinikájának Érsebészeti és Endovaszkuláris Tanszékén 2006. 01. 01. és 2017. 12. 31. között occlusiv aortoiliacalis atherosclerosis miatt primer aortobifemoralis bypass mutéten átesett 419 beteg (átlagéletkor: 62,2 év, SD: ± 8,22; 224 férfi, 53%) adatait elemeztük. Eredmények: A posztoperatív 30 napon belüli mortalitás 5,01%, a késoi mortalitás 10,98% és 29,59% volt 12, illetve 60 hónap után. A betegek 12,57%-ánál történt korai reoperáció, késoi reoperáció 32 (8%) betegnél vált szükségessé. A graft elsodleges nyitva maradása 88,65% és 81,15% volt 12, illetve 60 hónap után. 21 betegnél történt amputáció (6,29%); 57,14%-ban femoralis, 35,71%-ban cruralis szinten, 7,14%-ban a boka szintje alatt. Az amputációkra 35,71%-ban a bypasst követo 30 napon belül, további 35,71%-ban 2 éven belül került sor. Az esetek 35,63%-ában lépett fel egyéb szövodmény; a leggyakoribbak: mutétet igénylo posztoperatív hernia (6,89%), cardiovascularis szövodmény (4,19%), lágyéki nyirokcsorgás vagy sebgyógyulási zavar (4,79%). Következtetés: Eredményeink alapján e betegcsoportban az aortobifemoralis bypass elfogadható, de nem jelentéktelen perioperatív halálozással és magas morbiditással jár. A graft hosszú távú nyitva maradása jó, de az újabb érmutét mind rövid, mind hosszú távon relatíve gyakori. A kevésbé invazív technikák eredményeinek összehasonlítása indokolt a hosszú szakaszú (TASC C, D) elváltozások esetén. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(3): 99-105. INTRODUCTION: The role of aorto-bifemoral bypass in the treatment of diffuse aorto-biiliac occlusive disease decreases in the era of endovascular surgery. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to analyse the early and long-term postoperative results of aorto-bifemoral bypass in a recent time period. These results may be used as a baseline to compare the results of endovascular procedures. METHODS: In a retrospective, single-center study, the data of 419 patients (mean age: 62.2 years, SD: ± 8.22; 224 men, 53%) who underwent primary aorto-bifemoral bypass due to occlusive aorto-iliac atherosclerosis from 01. 01. 2006 to 31. 12. 2017 at the Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery of Semmelweis University Heart and Vascular Center were analysed. RESULTS: Postoperative mortality within 30 days was 5.01%, late mortality was 10.98% and 29.59% after 12 and 60 months, respectively. 12.57% of the patients needed early reoperation and late reoperation was required in 32 cases (8%). The primary graft patency was 88.65% and 81.15% after 12 and 60 months, respectively. 21 patients underwent amputation (6.29%); 57.14% at the femoral level, 35.71% at the crural level and 7.14% below the ankle level. Amputations were performed in 35.71% of the cases within 30 days after the bypass and an additional 35.71% within 2 years. Other complications occurred in 35.63% of the cases; the most common causes were postoperative hernia requiring surgery (6.89%), cardiovascular complication (4.19%) and inguinal wound healing disorders (4.79%). CONCLUSION: Based on our results, aorto-bifemoral bypass surgery is associated with acceptable but not insignificant perioperative mortality and high morbidity in this group of patients. The graft patency is favourable in the long term, however, additional vascular reintervention is common in short and long term as well. Short- and long-term results of percutaneous endovascular techniques in diffuse aorto-biiliac disease (TASC C and D lesions) are suggested to be compared to these recent results of open surgery. Orv Hetil. 2021; 162(3): 99-105.