[Clinical data analysis of 117 patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm].

Objective: To examine the perioperative clinical features and prognosis of patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (rAAA) who received surgical repair. Methods: The clinical data of rAAA patients who underwent surgical repair and were admitted to the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from August 2005 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed, including the general clinical features, surgical mode, intraoperative conditions, postoperative complications, and fatality rate. Results: There were 117 patients with rAAA, with a median age of 68 (62,77) years, including 93 men (79.5%) and 24 women (20.5%). The main clinical manifestation was abdominal pain (n=115, 98.3%). Among them, 65 (55.6%) patients underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), while 52 (44.4%) underwent open surgical repair (OSR). The common postoperative complications include acute gastrointestinal dysfunction (n=116, 99.1%), shock (n=89, 76.1%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (n=85, 72.6%), pancreatic injury (n=56, 47.9%), coagulation dysfunction (n=55, 47.0%), disseminated intravascular coagulation (n=46, 39.3%), acute kidney injury (n=39, 33.3%), infection/sepsis (n=28, 23.9%), gastrointestinal bleeding (n=17, 14.5%), and abdominal compartment syndrome (n=12, 10.3%). The overall postoperative in-hospital fatality rate was 10.3% (12/117). Preoperative use of vasopressors and inotropes, retroperitoneal hematoma, and postoperative abdominal compartment syndrome, gastrointestinal hemorrhage, acute kidney injury, and diffuse intravascular coagulation significantly increased the fatality rate [5/11, 6/24, 5/16, 6/12, 6/17, 23.1%(9/39), 19.6%(9/46), respectively]. Conclusion: The postoperative mortality of rAAA patients is still high in the era of EVAR, especially in patients with preoperative existence of shock and retroperitoneal hematoma, and with postoperative abdominal compartment syndrome, coagulation dysfunction, and acute kidney injury. It is necessary to strengthen perioperative monitoring and management of these patients to reduce the fatality rate.

Staged repair of a ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm: a case report.

BACKGROUND: A ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (rTAAA) represents a considerable challenge for surgeons. To date, endovascular procedures have not been able to completely replace open repair when debranching is required. CASE PRESENTATION: A 73-year-old man was admitted to our hospital after complaining of left lateral abdominal pain. Enhanced computed tomography revealed a left retroperitoneal hematoma and a large, ruptured Crawford type IV TAAA. We first performed emergency resuscitative surgery to close the lacerated foramen. A graft replacement was performed 1 month after the initial surgery when the patient had stabilized. At 5 years postoperatively, neither occlusion nor anastomotic pseudoaneurysm was noted on computed tomography. CONCLUSIONS: We provide an update on the perioperative management of patients undergoing open rTAAA repair. This procedure can be considered to ensure complete repair of an rTAAA.

Endovascular Repair of Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm: A Single-Center Experience.

OBJECTIVE: Aortic rupture is a rare and catastrophic emergency. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are the primary determinants of mortality. During follow-up, the majority of patients who have been effectively treated die from hypovolemic shock and multiorgan failure. This article describes the clinical and procedural details of sixteen patients with ruptured aortic aneurysms treated endovascularly. In addition, it discusses the main factors contributing to the mortality of these patients. METHOD: Patients who underwent endovascular treatment for acute aortic rupture at our center from October 2016 to March 2023 were included in this retrospective study. RESULTS: A total of 16 patients underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) or thoracic endovascular aneurysm repair (TEVAR) for acute aortic rupture. The patients' mean age was 73.06 years (range: 52-92), and 15 of them were male. The ruptures occurred in the abdominal aortic aneurysm in ten patients, in thoracic aortic aneurysm in three patients, in the isolated iliac artery aneurysm in two patients, and there was one case of non-aneurysmal aortic rupture. In our series, patients who presented with an impending, self-limited rupture and stable hemodynamic status had good prognostic outcomes. However, eight patients died due to multiorgan failure, hemorrhagic shock, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy, renal failure, or abdominal compartment syndrome. These patients generally had poor admission vital signs and low hemoglobin values. The most critical determinants for the success of the procedure are promptly stopping the bleeding, avoiding general anesthesia, and opting for blood product replacement instead of fluid replacement. CONCLUSION: Each patient with ruptured aortic aneurysm should be managed according to the patient's hemodynamics at presentation, the size of the aneurysm, the suitability for percutaneous procedure, logistical factors, and the operator-center's experience.

[Surgical Treatment for Ruptured Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Following Descending Aortic Replacement with Double Barrel Anastomosis].

A 75-year-old woman was diagnosed with type B acute aortic dissection 14 years ago and 3-channeled aortic dissection 7 years ago. She received total arch replacement 6 years ago and descending aortic replacement with double barrel anastomosis technique for distal anastomosis 5 years ago. Computed tomography( CT) revealed giant thyroid tumor and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm( 58 mm in diameter). She suffered from back pain during her follow-up period. CT revealed ruptured thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. First, the false lumen of descending aorta was closed by thoracic endovascular aortic repair, and then thoracoabdominal aortic replacement was performed uneventfully.

A 20-Year Analysis of Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Outcomes and Associated Factors in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Unlike western countries, which have reported distinct decreases in incidence of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) over the last few decades, epidemiologic studies in Korea have not shown significant changes in incidence or mortality of rAAA. The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in rAAA treatment outcomes and various associated risk factors over the past 2 decades. METHODS: A 20-year retrospective multicenter review for rAAA cases from the period of January 2000 to December 2020 was undertaken. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative clinical data were extracted for patients diagnosed with rAAA. For analysis, outcomes from the early era, defined as patients treated between January 1, 2000, and December 31, 2010, were compared with outcomes from the late era, defined as patients treated between January 1, 2011, and December 31, 2020. RESULTS: The total in-hospital mortality was 34.1% in the early era compared to 44.8% in the late era. Patients in the late era were older than those in the early era (75.2 ± 10.3 years vs. 70.3 ± 8.9 years; P = 0.009). Treatment with rAAA endovascular aneurysm repair increased from 2.3% in early to 13.8% in late era (P = 0.031). In the early era, more patients were operated by experienced surgeons than the late era (78.1% vs. 45.9%; P = 0.002). The emergency room to operating room time did not show improvement over the 20 years. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that mortality rate of rAAA in Korea has not changed over the last 2 decades. The study suggests the need for national preventive strategies, improved systemic coordination, and potential centralization of vascular services to enhance survival rates for rAAA.

Prehospital point-of-care ultrasound in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms-a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) require immediate vascular treatment to survive. The use of prehospital point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) may support clinical assessment, correct diagnosis, appropriate triage and reduce system delay. The aim was to study the process of care and outcome in patients receiving prehospital POCUS versus patients not receiving prehospital POCUS in patients with rAAA, ruptured iliac aneurysm or impending aortic rupture. METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study in patients diagnosed with rAAA in the Central Denmark Region treated by a prehospital critical care physician from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Performance of prehospital POCUS was extracted from the prehospital electronic health records. System delay was defined as the time from the emergency phone call to the emergency medical service dispatch centre until the start of surgery. Data on patients primary hospital admission to a centre with/without vascular treatment expertise, treatments and complications including death were extracted from electronic health records. RESULTS: We included 169 patients; prehospital POCUS was performed in 124 patients (73%). Emergency surgical treatment was performed in 71 patients. The overall survival in the POCUS group was 39% versus 16% in the NO POCUS group (hazard ratio (HR) (95% 0.60, 95% CI: 0.41-0.89, p = .011). In the POCUS group 99/124 (80%) were directly admitted to a vascular surgical centre versus 25/45 (56%) in the NO POCUS, RD 24% (95% CI: 8-40)), (p = .002). In the POCUS group, system delay was a median of 142 minutes (interquartile range (IQR) 121-189) and a median of 232 minutes (IQR 166-305) in the NO POCUS group (p = .006). In a multivariable analysis incorporating age, sex, previously known rAAA, and typical clinical symptoms of rAAA, the HR for death was 0.57, 95% CI 0.38-0.86 (p = .008) favouring prehospital POCUS. CONCLUSIONS: Prehospital POCUS was associated with reduced time to treatment, higher chance of operability and significantly higher 30-day survival in patients with rAAA, ruptured iliac aneurysm or impending rupture of an AAA in this retrospective study. Residual confounding cannot be excluded. This study supports the clinical relevance of prehospital POCUS of the abdominal aorta.

Aortic rupture following acute aortitis in a patient with head and neck carcinoma treated with nivolumab: a rare but severe immune-related adverse event.

INTRODUCTION: Immune-related adverse events (irAEs) due to immune checkpoint inhibitors may lead to discontinuation and treatment-related death. Acute aortitis is a rare but severe irAE. CASE PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old man with recurrent lower gingival carcinoma received nivolumab therapy. Twenty-three months later, he experienced chest compression, which resulted in syncope. Following a whole-body computed tomography (CT) scanning, which revealed diffuse thickening of the aorta, and systemic assessments of the causes of aortitis, he was diagnosed with acute aortitis due to irAE. Nivolumab discontinuation and oral steroids improved CT findings. However, 11 months after nivolumab discontinuation, he developed an aortic aneurysmal rupture. Endovascular aortic repair rescued him. A durable anti-cancer response was still observed 4 months after the aortic rupture. CONCLUSION: Although severe irAE, such as acute aortitis, occurred, the patient may still achieve a durable response. A broad examination and prompt treatment of irAE can help improve the patient's survival.

Total arch replacement via single upper hemisternotomy approach for aortic aneurysm in syphilis: Case report.

RATIONALE: Syphilitic aortic aneurysm is a relatively rare type of cardiovascular syphilis. A small number of patients with syphilitic aortic aneurysms will be accompanied by aortic regurgitation and coronary stenosis. Apart from aortic rupture or dissection, syphilitic aortic aneurysm often causes associated vascular disorders, including left common carotid artery, innominate artery, and celiac artery stenosis or obstruction. PATIENT CONCERNS: In this case, we observed left common carotid artery occlusion based on both ultrasound and intraoperative exploration. For patients with syphilitic aortic aneurysm, the first choice is still sufficient antibiotic therapy. The surgical indications include symptom relief and prevention of aortic rupture or sudden death. DIAGNOSES: Aortic valve insufficiency, aortic aneurysm, and syphilis. INTERVENTIONS: Aortic valve replacement, aneurysmectomy and total arch replacement combined with frozen elephant trunk implantation via single upper hemisternotomy approach. OUTCOMES: The patient did not suffer reventilation and reoperation. No transient or permanent neurological dysfunction was observed in this patient. And no acute renal failure occurred. The patient was discharged on 43 days after the operation. LESSONS SUBSECTIONS: The upper hemisternotomy has the advantages of faster postoperative recovery, shorter ventilation time, shorter intensive care unit stay, less blood transfusion, and less incisional pain compared with the full sternotomy, which is one of the reasons why we chose this procedure for this patient.

Ascending aortic rupture incidentally revealed at the cath lab: surprising, rare, and life-threatening.

An 80-year-old woman who was an active smoker with neglected long-term hypertension, but no known previous aortic or connective tissue disorders, presented to the emergency department complaining of sudden chest pain associated with cardiogenic shock.

A Multidisciplinary Protocolized Approach for Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Management: A Retrospective Before-After Study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether implementation of a multidisciplinary protocol for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) management reduces rates of adverse complications. DESIGN: A retrospective before-after study. SETTING: A tertiary-care academic hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients who underwent open or endovascular rAAA repair; data were stratified into before-protocol implementation (group 1: 2015-2018) and after-protocol implementation (group 2: 2019-2022) groups. INTERVENTION: The protocol details the workflow for vascular surgery, anesthesia, emergency department, and operating room staff for a rAAA case; training was accomplished through yearly workshops. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included all-cause morbidity and other major complications. Differences in postoperative complication rates between groups were assessed using Pearson's χ2 test. Of the 77 patients included undergoing rAAA repair, 41 (53.2%) patients were in group 1, and 36 (46.8%) patients were in group 2. Patients in group 2 had a significantly shorter median time to incision (1.0 v 0.7 hours, p = 0.022) and total procedure time (180.0 v 160.5 minutes, p = 0.039) for both endovascular and open repair. After protocol implementation, patients undergoing endovascular repair exhibited significantly lower rates of mortality (46.2% v 20.0%, p = 0.048), all-cause morbidity (65.4% v 44.0%, p = 0.050), and renal complications (15.4% v 0.0%, p = 0.036); patients undergoing open repair for a rAAA exhibited significantly lower rates of mortality (53.3% v 27.3%, p = 0.018) and bowel ischemia (26.7% v 0.0%, p = 0.035). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a multidisciplinary protocol for the management of a rAAA may reduce rates of adverse complications and improve the quality of care.

Modified Harborview Risk Score accurately predicts mortality for patients with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: The modified Harborview Risk Score (HRS) is a simple measure initially derived from a single institutional dataset used to predict ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) repair survival preoperatively using basic labs and vital signs collected upon presentation. However, validation of this widely applicable scoring system has not been performed. This study aims to validate this scoring system using a large multi-institutional database. METHODS: All patients who underwent repair of an rAAA from 2011 to 2018 in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) and at a single academic medical center were included. The modified HRS was calculated by assigning 1 point for each of the following: age >76 years, creatinine >2 mg/dL, international normalized ratio >1.8, and any systolic blood pressure less than 70 mmHg. Assessment of the prediction model was then completed. Using a primary outcome measure of 30-day mortality, the receiver operating characteristic area under the curve was calculated. The discrimination between datasets was compared using a Delong test. Mortality rates for each score were compared between datasets using the Pearson χ2 test. Comparative analysis for patients with a score of 4 was limited due to a small sample size. RESULTS: A total of 1536 patients were identified using NSQIP, and 163 patients were assessed in the institutional dataset. There were 518 patients with a score of 0 (455 NSQIP, 63 institutional), 676 patients with a score of 1 (617 NSQIP, 59 institutional), 391 patients with a score of 2 (364 NSQIP, 27 institutional), 106 with a score of 3 (93 NSQIP, 13 institutional), and 8 patients with a score of 4 (7 NSQIP, 1 institutional). No difference was found in the receiver operating characteristic area under the curves between datasets (P = .78). Thirty-day mortality was 10% NSQIP vs 22% institutional for a score of 0; 28% NSQIP vs 36% institutional for a score of 1; 41% NSQIP vs 44% institutional for a score of 2; 45% NSQIP vs 69% institutional for a score of 3; and 57% NSQIP vs 100% institutional for a score of 4. Score 0 was the only score with a significant mortality rate difference between datasets (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The modified HRS is confirmed to be broadly applicable as a clinical decision-making tool for patients presenting with rAAAs. Therefore, this easily applicable model should be applied for all patients presenting with rAAAs to assist with provider and patient decision-making prior to proceeding with repair.

The open-first strategy is acceptable for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm even in the endovascular era.

PURPOSE: To examine the surgical findings of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (RAAA) based on the open-first strategy in the last decade, and to analyze the predictors of in-hospital mortality for RAAA in the endovascular era. METHODS: The subjects of this retrospective study were 116 patients who underwent RAAA repair, for whom sufficient data were available [25% female, median age 76 (70-85) years]. Sixteen (13.8%) patients were managed with endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) and 100 patients (86.2%) were managed with open surgical repair (OSR). RESULTS: Univariate analysis identified base excess (BE) (odds ratio [OR] 0.88; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.79-0.96; p = 0.006), and preoperative cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) [OR] 15.4; 95% [CI] 1.30-181; p = 0.030), BE (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.79-0.96; p = 0.006), shock index (OR 2.44; 95% CI 1.01-5.94; p = 0.050), lactic acid (Lac) (OR 1.18; 95% CI 1.02-1.36; p = 0.026), and blood sugar (BS) > 215 (OR 3.46; 95% CI 1.10-10.9; p = 0.034) as positive predictors of hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study suggest that a first-line strategy of OSR for ruptured AAAs is acceptable. Poor preoperative conditions, including a high shock index, CPA, low BE, high Lac, and a BS level > 215 mg/dl, were identified as predictors of hospital mortality, rather than the procedures themselves.

Hostile Hemodynamics in Distal Stent Graft-Induced New Entry Prior to Aortic Rupture: A Comparison of Transient versus Steady-State CFD Simulations.

BACKGROUND: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations model blood flow in aortic pathologies. The aim of our study was to understand the local hemodynamic environment at the site of rupture in distal stent graft-induced new entry (dSINE) after frozen elephant trunk with a clinically time efficient steady-flow simulation versus transient simulations. METHODS: Steady-state simulations were performed for dSINE, prior and after its development and prior to aortic rupture. To account for potential turbulences due geometric changes at the dSINE location, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with the realizable k-ε model for turbulences were applied. Transient simulations were performed for comparison. Hemodynamic parameters were assessed at various locations of the aorta. RESULTS: Post-dSINE, jet-like flow due to luminal narrowing was observed which increased prior to rupture and resulted in focal neighbored regions of high and low wall shear stress (WSS). Prior to rupture, aortic diameter at the rupture site increased lowering WSS at the entire aortic circumference. Concurrently, WSS and turbulence increased locally above the entry tear at the inner aortic curvature. Turbulent kinetic energy and WSS elevation in the downstream aorta demonstrated enhanced stress on the native aorta. Results of steady-state simulations were in good qualitative agreement with transient simulations. CONCLUSION: Steady-flow CFD simulations feasible at clinical time scales prior to aortic rupture reveal a hostile hemodynamic environment at the dSINE rupture site in agreement with lengthy transient simulations. Consequently, our developed approach may be of value in treatment planning where a fast assessment of the local hemodynamic environment is essential.

Congestive Heart Failure in an Adolescent With a Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is an abnormal dilatation of the aortic root located between the aortic valve annulus and the sinotubular junction and is rare in the pediatric population. This case report describes a unique case of a 16-year-old adolescent patient admitted with progressive heart failure symptoms and diagnosed with a ruptured noncoronary SVA. He underwent surgical repair of the SVA with autologous pericardial patches and had an uncomplicated postoperative course. A genetic workup revealed an underlying 22q11.2 deletion that is infrequently associated with SVA.

Peri-Operative Mortality and Survival After Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Advanced Age Patients: A National Study from the Norwegian Registry for Vascular Surgery Focused on Nonagenarians.

OBJECTIVE: Treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in nonagenarians has become more frequent. This national observational cohort study aimed to investigate peri-operative mortality and survival after AAA surgery in nonagenarians in Norway. METHODS: All AAA repairs registered in the Norwegian Registry for Vascular Surgery from 2015 to 2021 were identified and stratified into nonagenarians > 90 years old (n = 77), octogenarians 80 - 89 years old (n = 1 362), and patients < 80 years old (n = 4 590). The patient characteristics and comorbidities were recorded, and the 30 and 90 day mortality rates were calculated. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to obtain the estimated median survival and survival curves. RESULTS: In the nonagenarians, the 30 day mortality rates were 2.5% in asymptomatic patients, 33.3% in symptomatic patients, and 59.1% in the patients with a ruptured AAA (rAAA). The estimated median survival (years) were 3.3 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.95 - 4.59) for asymptomatic AAA, 2.9 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.82, 5.80) for symptomatic AAA, and 0.1 for rAAA (IQR 0.01, 3.04). For nonagenarians surviving the first 90 days, the estimated median survival (years) were 4.2 (95% CI 2.56 - 5.88) for asymptomatic AAA, 3.4 (IQR 2.86, 5.80) for symptomatic AAA, and 3.8 (IQR 1.49, 4.85) for rAAA. The 90 day mortality rates were 100.0%, 80.0%, and 62.5% for asymptomatic, symptomatic, and rAAA, respectively, after open surgical repair (OSR), and 5.1%, 10.0%, and 50.0%, respectively, after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). CONCLUSION: Peri-operative mortality and survival results after AAA surgery in nonagenarians support treatment of selected asymptomatic patients. The 90 day survivors had an expected survival of more than three years, enabling balanced decision making regarding surgical vs. conservative treatment options in this challenging cohort. EVAR is the treatment method of choice for AAA in nonagenarians because most of them would probably live longer untreated than if treated by OSR.

Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm in a Patient with a Ventricular Septal Defect Who Dropped Out of Lifelong Medical Follow-up.

Ruptured sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (RSOVA) is a rare cardiac condition associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. We herein report a 35-year-old man with a history of ventricular septal defect (VSD). He had a history of interrupted hospital visits and presented to the emergency department with dyspnea, palpitations, and dizziness for a few days. Auscultation detected a continuous murmur. Transthoracic echocardiography followed by transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated RSOVA in the right ventricle with an aorto-right ventricular fistula. The fistula was resected, and the aneurysm was surgically repaired. The patient made a good recovery.