Hybrid approach to thoracic aortic aneurysm: The Lupiae technique.

Aortic diseases, especially when the entire aorta is involved, are often challenging to treat since they frequently require invasive interventions. Minimally invasive hybrid treatment of such pathologies is proving to be a valid option for complex cases (for example, dilation involving the entire aorta) and is improving postoperative outcomes. It consists of a minimally invasive opening stage, where ascending aorta and aortic arch replacement and epiaortic vessel rerouting is performed using a multibranched graft equipped with a radiopaque marker. This is followed by an endovascular stage, where the remaining diseased aorta is covered with an endoprosthesis. This procedure has been described as Lupiae technique and the results seem encouraging.  In this tutorial, we give a practical overview of this technique, describing the treatment of a particular condition called mega-aorta syndrome type 1, which is the dilation of the aorta up to celiac trunk.

Antiplatelet versus oral anticoagulant therapy as antithrombotic prophylaxis after mitral valve repair.

OBJECTIVE: To verify the rate of thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications during the first 6 months after mitral valve repair and to assess whether the type of antithrombotic therapy influenced clinical outcome. METHODS: Retrospective data were retrieved from 19 centers. Inclusion criteria were isolated mitral valve repair with ring implantation. Exclusion criteria were ongoing or past atrial fibrillation and any combined intraoperative surgical procedures. The study cohort consisted of 1882 patients (aged 58 ± 15 years; 36% women), and included 1517 treated with an oral anticoagulant (VKA group) and 365 with antiplatelet drugs (APLT group). Primary efficacy outcome was the incidence of arterial thromboembolic events within 6 months and primary safety outcome was the incidence of major bleeding within 6 months. Propensity matching was performed to obtain 2 comparable cohorts (858 vs 286). RESULTS: No differences were detected for arterial embolic complications in matched cohort (1.6% VKA vs 2.1% APLT; P = .50). Conversely, patients in the APLT group showed lower incidence of major bleeding complications (3.9% vs 0.7%; P = .01). Six-month mortality rate was significantly higher in the VKA group (2.7% vs 0.3%; P = .02). Multivariable analysis in the matched cohort found VKA as independent predictor of major bleeding complications and mortality at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin K antagonist therapy was not superior to antiplatelet therapy to prevent thromboembolic complications after mitral valve repair. Our data suggest that oral anticoagulation may carry a higher bleeding risk compared with antiplatelet therapy, although these results should be confirmed in an adequately powered randomized controlled trial.

Haemostasis alterations in coronary artery bypass grafting: comparison between the off-pump technique and a closed coated cardiopulmonary bypass system.

OBJECTIVES: To compare coagulation and fibrinolysis activation in off-pump coronary artery bypass operation and in patients in whom a closed phosphorylcholine-coated cardiopulmonary bypass system was applied. Cardiopulmonary bypass induces activation of coagulative and fibrinolytic systems, which together with intraoperative haemodilution augment the risk of postoperative bleeding and transfusion of blood products. METHODS: Thirty-six off-pump coronary artery bypass and 36 coronary artery bypass grafting patients in whom a closed, phosphorylcholine-coated cardiopulmonary bypass system with a closed-collapsible venous reservoir (Physio group) was used were prospectively enrolled. Activation of coagulation and fibrinolytic systems was assessed evaluating the release of prothrombin fragment 1.2 and plasmin-antiplasmin complex preoperatively (T0), 30 min after heparin administration (T1), 15 min after protamine administration (T2), 3 h after protamin administration (T3) and on postoperative days 1 (T4) and 5 (T5). Platelet function was evaluated through Platelet Function Analyzer 100(®). RESULTS: During the operation, prothrombin fragment 1.2 and plasmin-antiplasmin levels were slightly higher in the Physio group, the difference being not statistically significant. In the off-pump coronary artery bypass group, prothrombin fragment 1.2 was significantly higher at T3 (618.7 ± 282.7 vs 416.6 ± 250.2 pmol/l; P = 0.006), T4 (416.7 ± 278.8 vs 310.2 ± 394.6 pmol/l; P < 0.001) and T5 (629.3 ± 295.2 vs 408.4 ± 409.7 pmol/l; P = 0.002), and plasmin-antiplasmin was significantly higher at T4 (731.1 ± 790 vs 334 ± 300.8 ng/ml; P = 0.019) and T5 (1744.4 ± 820.7 vs 860.1 ± 488.4 ng/ml; P = 0.003). Platelet Function Analyzer 100® closure time values were significantly higher in the Physio group patients at T3 (131.3 ± 105.7 vs 215.6 ± 58.9 s; P = 0.002). The off-pump coronary artery bypass patients had greater chest tube drainage (874.3 ± 371.5 vs 629.1 ± 334.5 ml; P = 0.005). The mean priming volume was 1240 ± 215 ml in the Physio group. Much more Physio patients received red blood cell transfusions (14 vs 25 patient; P = 0.009), because of higher intraoperative transfusion rates (6 vs 15 patients; P = 0.016). Despite similar preoperative haemoglobin levels (13 ± 1.2 vs 12.6 ± 1.4 g/dl; P = 0.2), postoperative haemoglobin levels were significantly lower in the Physio group. CONCLUSIONS: The Physio cardiopulmonary bypass approach does not significantly alter haemostasis during the operation compared with off-pump coronary artery bypass providing a reduced activation in the postoperative period reducing also chest tube drainage. However, further priming volume reduction is required to decrease intraoperative red blood cell transfusion.