Lower circulating Sta-Liatest D-Di levels in patients with aortic intramural hematoma compared with classical aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic value of circulating Sta-Liatest D-Di levels in classic acute aortic dissection (AAD) and in aortic intramural hematoma (AIH), a variant of AAD without a patent false lumen. DESIGN: Single-center retrospective case-control study. SETTING: University Hospital of Strasbourg, France. PATIENTS: Ninety-four consecutive patients with both confirmed AAD and d-dimer measurements at entry were included. d-dimer levels were assayed by the immunoturbidimetric method Sta-Liatest D-Di (Diagnostica Stago, Asnieres sur Seine, France). INTERVENTION: Patient characteristics and clinical evolution were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Eighty-four patients (89%) presented a classic AAD with patent false lumen and ten (11%) presented an AIH. Clinical presentation did not differ between the two groups. The mortality rate was 0% in AIH and 26% in classic AAD. d-dimer levels were significantly lower in patients with AIH (median, 1230 ng/mL; interquartile range, 685-2645 ng/mL) than in patients with AAD with patent false lumen (median value, 9290 ng/mL; interquartile range, 3890-20,000 ng/mL; p = 0.008). All patients with AAD and patent false lumen had d-dimer levels above the threshold of 400 ng/mL (sensitivity 100%). However, one patient with AIH presented d-dimer levels below the threshold. Therefore, the sensitivity of the d-dimer test in detecting AIH was 90%. CONCLUSIONS: Sta-Liatest D-Di levels are lower in AIH than in AAD with patent false lumen. This test can quite possibly be negative in the case of intramural hematoma. This feature must be considered when interpreting d-dimer levels in patients with acute aortic syndrome.

Emergency management of a particular massive pulmonary embolism...

Cardiac intracavitary metastasis is very uncommon. In a 55-year-old man presenting with a massive pulmonary embolism pattern, transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) allowed us to visualize an isolated right ventricular metastasis extended into the pulmonary trunk. It led to the discovery of a primary testis embryonal carcinoma. No intracaval and right atrial localization was observed. Despite an urgent complete cardiac metastasis resection and concomitant orchidectomy, TTE showed on postoperative day 6 an uncommon total intracardiac regrowth spreading again to the pulmonary trunk. Combination chemotherapy (etoposide, cisplatin, and bleomycin) was immediately undertaken. This is the first well-documented case of an isolated right ventricular germ-cell cancer metastasis extended into the pulmonary trunk, without intracaval and right atrial involvement, where the outcome was marked with immediate regrowth despite cardiac surgery and orchidectomy. In conclusion, TTE should be considered alongside germ-cell cancer standard staging procedures.

Twenty-seven-year experience with composite valve graft replacement of the aortic root.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aim was to assess early and late outcome in patients undergoing composite valve graft replacement (CVGR) of the aortic root by means of the Bentall procedure, and to identify predictors of early and late death associated with this surgical approach. METHODS: Between August 1975 and July 2002, 162 consecutive patients underwent a Bentall procedure for CVGR. Demographic, treatment and clinical outcome data from these patients were gathered, reviewed, and analyzed. Potential predictors of early and late mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: The study population was predominantly male (n = 132; 81.5%) and middle-aged (mean age 51.3 +/- 15.8 years; range: 10-79 years). The main indications for surgery were annuloaortic ectasia (n = 75; 46.3%), aortic dissection (n = 44; 27.2%) and Marfan syndrome (n = 34; 21%). Reoperation was required in 37 cases (22.8%). The mean follow up was 74 months. Early (in-hospital) mortality was 1.9% (n = 3). The only independent determinant of early mortality was cardiopulmonary bypass time (p = 0.025). Late mortality was 27.7% (n = 44). On multivariate analysis, the only independent risk factors for late mortality were age >60 years (p = 0.044) and left ventricular ejection fraction <50% (p = 0.037). Actuarial survival rates were 92.9%, 77%, 56.2%, and 47.1% at one, five, 10, and 15 years, respectively. Rates of freedom from reoperation on the aortic root and ascending aorta were 90.6% and 72.5% at five and 15 years, respectively. No false aneurysms were observed at any coronary reimplantation sites. CONCLUSION: In this series, the Bentall procedure was associated with low operative mortality and good early and late results. This suggests that the procedure may be considered as a reference to other operations on the aortic root, at least in adult patients.

Impact of Prosthesis-Patient Mismatch on Long-term Functional Capacity After Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement.

BACKGROUND: The impact of prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) after aortic valve replacement (AVR) for aortic stenosis on exercise capacity remains controversial. The aim of this study was to analyze the long-term impact of PPM after mechanical AVR on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). METHODS: The study included 75 patients who had undergone isolated mechanical AVR for aortic stenosis with normal left ventricular (LV) function between 1994 and 2012. Their functional capacity was evaluated on average 4.6 years after AVR by exercise testing, including measurement of their VO2max, and by determining their New York Heart Association functional class and Short Form-36 score. Two groups were defined by measuring the patients' indexed effective orifice area (iEOA) by transthoracic echocardiography: a PPM group (iEOA < 0.85 cm2/m2) and a no-PPM group (iEOA ≥ 0.85 cm2/m2). RESULTS: PPM was present in 37.0% of the patients. The percentage of the predicted VO2max achieved was significantly lower in the PPM group (86.7 ± 19.5% vs 97.5 ± 23.0% in the no-PPM group; P = 0.04). Compared with the no-PPM group, the PPM group contained fewer patients in New York Heart Association functional class I and their mean Short Form-36 physical component summary score was significantly lower. The mean transvalvular gradient was significantly higher in the PPM group than in the no-PPM group (P < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic function and LV mass had normalized in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: PPM is associated in the long term with moderate but significant impairment of functional capacity, despite optimal LV reverse remodelling and normalization of LV systolic and diastolic function.

Biventricular assist device implantation as bridge to heart transplantation concomitant with open repair of infrarenal aortic aneurysm.

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is very frequently accompanied by coronary artery disease. Myocardial ischemia is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in AAA repair. Therapeutic strategy, in presence of ischemic heart failure and AAA, is not well established. Actually, AAA is considered as a contraindication to ventricular assist device (VAD) support. We report a unique case of concomitant open AAA repair and biVAD implantation in a patient with severe ischemic heart failure. This case argues that AAA should no longer be considered a contraindication for VAD implantation, provided the AAA repair is made before or simultaneously with device placement.

Splenic injury during biventricular assist device support as bridge to transplantation.

Biventricular assist device (BVAD) has been shown to be effective for bridge to heart transplantation with an acceptability low incidence of adverse effects in critically ill heart failure patients. We report the case of a 44-year-old man with severe acute ischemic heart failure who was supported with the Thoratec paracorporeal biventricular assist system. After an initial uneventful postoperative course the patient experienced a splenic rupture which required a splenectomy. The pathological mechanism of this outcome remains unclear. Two months after discharge, the patient underwent heart transplantation and had no postsplenectomy sepsis or thrombotic complications at the last follow-up.

Right atrial metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma.

A 65-year-old patient with a past medical history of hypertension, alcoholism, micronodular cirrhosis, and coronary artery bypass grafting 10 years ago developed a hepatocellular carcinoma, treated by chemoembolization. One month after treatment, thoracoabdominal CT scan showed no residual hepatic tumor, but tumoral aspect in the right atrium with extension into the inferior vena cava. The patient being asymptomatic, cardiac ultrasound confirmed the presence of a free, mobile, pediculated tumor in the right atrium. Surgical exploration found a well-circumscribed mass, attached to the atrial wall by a 1.5-cm diameter pedicle implanted near the inferior vena cava ostium, moving freely in the right atrial cavity. The tumor was easily resected by section of the pedicle and its surrounding parietal implantation zone. No complications occurred postoperatively, and the patient was discharged on the 10th postoperative day. Three years after, the patient is in good health and is asymptomatic; cardiac ultrasound showed no tumor recurrence.

Diagnostic and prognostic value of circulating D-Dimers in patients with acute aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether assessing D-Dimer might be helpful for the management of acute aortic dissection (AAD). DESIGN: Single-center retrospective case-control study. SETTING: University Hospital of Strasbourg France. PATIENTS: Patients were 94 consecutive patients admitted to our institution with confirmed AAD and in whom D-Dimer test had been performed at presentation. These patients were matched with 94 controls presenting with clinical suspicion of dissection, which was later ruled out. INTERVENTIONS: Patient characteristics and clinical course were analyzed. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Ninety-three (99%) patients with AAD had elevated D-Dimer (>400 ng/mL) with a median D-Dimer value of 8610 ng/mL (interquartile range, 2982-20,000 ng/mL). Receiver operating characteristic curves analysis showed that D-Dimer, but not C-reactive protein, troponin, lactate dehydrogenase, or leukocyte count, was predictive of a diagnosis of AAD, with a sensitivity and specificity of 99% and 34%, respectively. D-Dimer concentration positively correlated with the anatomical extension of the dissection to the different segments of the aorta (R = .47, p < .0001). A positive relationship was observed between D-Dimer and in-hospital mortality rate among patients with AAD (p = .037). On multivariate analysis, the independent predictors of in-hospital mortality were the presence of pericardial effusion (odds ratio, 6.80; confidence interval, 1.87-27.60), D-Dimer >5200 ng/mL (odds ratio, 5.38; confidence interval, 1.27-30.87), and female gender (odds ratio, 4.96; confidence interval, 1.39-19.95). CONCLUSIONS: D-Dimers are elevated in patients with AAD and provide valuable diagnostic and prognostic information. In patients with acute chest pain and elevated D-Dimer, a diagnosis of AAD should also be considered. D-Dimer might be a useful complementary tool to the current diagnostic work-up of patients with suspected AAD.

Combined myocardial and mesenteric surgical revascularization.

Chronic mesenteric ischemia is a rare disorder that is frequently associated with coronary artery disease. Myocardial ischemia is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality after revascularization of the splanchnic arteries. The optimal treatment of concomitant chronic mesenteric ischemia and myocardial ischemia is unknown. We report a case of this condition in a 57-year-old man who required revascularization of both the left anterior descending coronary and superior mesenteric arteries with venous grafts anastomosed to the ascending aorta. The patient remains asymptomatic after a 3-year follow-up. This good result argues for one-stage combined myocardial and mesenteric revascularization in selected symptomatic patients.

Current outcome of elective open repair for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The outcome of conventional elective open repair for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) has improved mainly as a result of screening to detect coronary artery disease, the main risk factor for morbidity and mortality. Our group's policy is to perform routine coronary angiography in patients scheduled to undergo elective AAA repair. The purpose of this study was to evaluate morbidity and mortality in our department using this work-up strategy. From January 1990 to December 2000 we performed elective open repair on 632 patients, including 580 men (92%) and 52 women (8%). Preoperative coronary angiography performed in 607 cases (96%) revealed significant coronary disease in 53% of patients and led to the decision to propose prior myocardial revascularization in 12.5% of cases. Mortality and morbidity in the first 30 days after AAA repair were 1.4% and 15%, respectively. Analysis with the Cox model showed that the only risk factor for mortality was chronic renal insufficiency. Our data support routine use of coronary angiography prior to AAA repair. Screening and, if necessary, treatment of coronary artery disease that is commonly associated with AAA enhances the outcome of open AAA repair.

Isquemia coronaria y mesenterica: novedoso enfoque quirúrgico combinado / Coronary and mesenteric isquemia: a combine surgical procedure

La isquemia mesenterica cronica (IMC) se encuentran mas frecuentemente en pacientes que presentan un compromiso plurifocal de la enfermedad ateromatosa. teniendo en cuenta la comorbilidad asociada, la coronariopatia ocupa un lugar preponderante, complicando el enfoque terapeútico de esta patología. Nosotros reportamos el caso de un paciente que presentaba una IMC severa asociada a una coronariopatia recidivante, en quien se practico, en el curso del mismo tiempo operatorio una revascularizacion miocardiaca y mesenterica, por puentes venosos a partir de la aorta ascendente, por compromiso ateromatoso extenso de la aorta. Esta elección terapéutica fue impuesta por las condiciones anatómicas de las lesiones arteriosclerosas. La evolución postoperatoria faboreble con un seguimiento actual de dos a±os justifica la indicación quirúrgica.ABSTRACT: Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is found most frequently among patients who present a multifocal compromise of the atheromastosis disease. Taking into account the associated comorbility, coronarypathy occupies a remarkable place, complicating the therapeutic approach of this pathology. We report the case of a patient who presented a severe chronic mesenteric ischemia associated to a recidiving coronarypathy. While he was being operated on a myocardial and mesenteric revascularization was performed hrough venous bypasses from the ascending aorta, due to the extended atheromatosis compromise of the aorta. This therapeutic choice was lead by the anatomic conditions of the arteriosclerosis lesions. The favorable post-surgical evolution, with a two year follow-up to date, justifies the surgical indication

Isquemia coronaria y mesenterica: novedoso enfoque quirúrgico combinado / Coronary and mesenteric isquemia: a combine surgical procedure

La isquemia mesenterica cronica (IMC) se encuentran mas frecuentemente en pacientes que presentan un compromiso plurifocal de la enfermedad ateromatosa. teniendo en cuenta la comorbilidad asociada, la coronariopatia ocupa un lugar preponderante, complicando el enfoque terapeútico de esta patología. Nosotros reportamos el caso de un paciente que presentaba una IMC severa asociada a una coronariopatia recidivante, en quien se practico, en el curso del mismo tiempo operatorio una revascularizacion miocardiaca y mesenterica, por puentes venosos a partir de la aorta ascendente, por compromiso ateromatoso extenso de la aorta. Esta elección terapéutica fue impuesta por las condiciones anatómicas de las lesiones arteriosclerosas. La evolución postoperatoria faboreble con un seguimiento actual de dos a±os justifica la indicación quirúrgica.ABSTRACT: Chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) is found most frequently among patients who present a multifocal compromise of the atheromastosis disease. Taking into account the associated comorbility, coronarypathy occupies a remarkable place, complicating the therapeutic approach of this pathology. We report the case of a patient who presented a severe chronic mesenteric ischemia associated to a recidiving coronarypathy. While he was being operated on a myocardial and mesenteric revascularization was performed hrough venous bypasses from the ascending aorta, due to the extended atheromatosis compromise of the aorta. This therapeutic choice was lead by the anatomic conditions of the arteriosclerosis lesions. The favorable post-surgical evolution, with a two year follow-up to date, justifies the surgical indication