Utility of the Isolation Technique for Total Arch Replacement in Patients with a Shaggy Aorta / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

Introduction : Prevention of embolic stroke is the key issue to perform aortic arch replacement in patients with a shaggy aorta. The aim of this study is to report the utility of the isolation technique for total arch replacement in patients with a shaggy aorta. Methods : Clinical results of seven patients (71.7 years old, all men) with a shaggy aorta who underwent total arch replacement between January 2017 and November 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. The operative indications were a distal arch or proximal descending aortic aneurysm in 6 patients and a thrombus inside brachiocephalic artery in one. A cerebral perfusion was established by inserting a cannula directly into all supra-aortic branches before starting systemic perfusion. Result : Utilizing the isolation technique with clamping of all branches in 4 patients and the functional isolation technique with clamping of two branches in 3, total arch replacement was performed in all patients (operation time : 513 min, selective cerebral perfusion time : 162 min). No operative death was observed and no newly developed stroke was encountered. Conclusion : The isolation technique is a useful method to prevent stroke during total arch replacement in patients with a shaggy aorta.

Aortic Root Replacement with a Valve Sparing Technique for Quadricuspid Aortic Valve / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 67-year-old man with ascending aortic aneurysm was referred to our hospital. Transthoracic echocardiography showed severe aortic regurgitation with annuloaortic ectasia and transesophageal echocardiography revealed a quadricuspid aortic valve. This patient underwent aortic root replacement with a valve sparing technique. Under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest with retrograde cerebral perfusion, replacement of the ascending aorta was successfully performed. The postoperative course was uneventful. This patient is doing well 6 months after surgery without recurrence of aortic regurgitation.

A Case of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Complicated with Cerebral Malperfusion / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

A 59-year-old man with a history of hypertension who suddenly developed back pain and apoplexy was transferred to our hospital 20 min after the clinical onset. Physical examination showed right conjugate deviation of the eyes and left paralysis, suggesting disorder of the right cerebral hemisphere. Enhance computed tomography showed an aortic dissection from the ascending aorta to bilateral iliac arteries, and the right common cranial artery was compressed by a false lumen. Acute type A aortic dissection complicated with cerebral malperfusion was diagnosed, and an emergency operation was performed 2.5<MOVE aki=125 bnkn=Y>h after the onset. Cardiopulmonary bypass was established with right femoral artery inflow and bicaval venous drainage. We found the dissection entry at the ascending aorta using the distal open technique, and performed hemiarch graft replacement with selective cerebral perfusion. The postoperative course was uneventful without deterioration of neurological function. Postoperative computed tomography showed no evidence of cerebral bleeding. He was given on ambulatory discharge on the 22nd postoperative day.