Endovascular treatment of a ruptured aortic pseudoaneurysm and its complications in an 8-year-old child with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI.

The procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 1 (PLOD1) gene may affect arterial integrity through enzymatic roles and the modulation of vascular smooth muscle cells. We present a complicated vascular case of an 8-year-old male child with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type VI. The patient was diagnosed with a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the infrarenal abdominal aorta. Endovascular treatment was performed using a covered self-expandable endograft. However, complications arose at the vascular access sites during the procedure, highlighting arterial fragility. PLOD1 mutations can be associated with false abdominal aortic aneurysms or arterial fragility. Open repair poses a high risk for patients with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Although the long-term results are unknown, endovascular stent grafts may be a suitable option for emergency clinical scenarios such as ruptured abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysms.

Association of Nutritional Risk Index With Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device Complications.

BACKGROUND: Studies revealing the relationship between major surgery outcomes and nutritional parameters are increasing daily. Publications demonstrating the relationship between early postoperative success and surgical complications in patients with chronic heart failure and continuous flow left ventricular assist device (cf-LVAD) are limited. The vast majority of patients with advanced chronic heart failure are cachexic, and the reason for this is multifactorial. The aim of this study is to investigate the link between the modified nutritional risk index (NRI) and 6-month survival and complication rates in patients with a cf-LVAD. METHODS: This study included statistical analysis of NRI and postoperative parameters of 456 patients with advanced heart failure who had cf-LVAD implantation between 2010 and 2020. RESULTS: The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference between mean NRI values and postoperative parameters such as 6-month survival (P = .001), right ventricular failure (P = .003), infection (P = .001), driveline infection (P = .000), and sepsis (P = .000). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed that 6-month postoperative complications and mortality rates of patients with advanced heart failure in patients with cf-LVAD are closely related to malnutrition status. In these patients, nutrition specialist use would be beneficial both preoperatively and postoperatively to increase surveillance and reduce postoperative complications.

Chimney technique for a solitary pelvic kidney.

The combination of a solitary pelvic kidney and an abdominal aortic aneurysm is extremely rare. We demonstrate a chimney graft implant in a patient with a solitary pelvic kidney. A 63-year-old man was diagnosed with an abdominal aortic aneurysm found incidentally. Preoperative computed tomography illustrated a fusiform abdominal aortic aneurysm accompanying a solitary ectopic kidney in the pelvis with an aberrant renal artery. A bifurcated endograft was implanted, and a covered stent graft was placed into the renal artery using the chimney technique. Good patency of the chimney graft was documented with early postoperative and first month scans. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the chimney technique used for a solitary pelvic kidney.

Open Repair of a Complicated Late Endoleak Induced by Another Endoleak.

A 66-year-old man had an enlarging aortic aneurysm sac after an endovascular aortic replacement procedure that had been performed at another institution 4 years previously; it was without any endoleak but was complicated by the occlusion of the left limb, requiring cross-femoral bypass. Current computed tomography revealed dilatation of the proximal neck and the right common iliac artery. A type Ib endoleak was found from the distal end of the right limb of the endograft, possibly secondary to the dilatation of the artery around it; it then pressurized and caused the dilatation of the juxtarenal aorta around the proximal landing zone and induced a concomitant type Ia endoleak. The patient was operated on owing to the risk of rupture. Pelvic ischemia was a concern during decision-making. The patient underwent removal of the endograft and replacement of a bifurcated aortoiliac and femoral graft with good outcome. Midline laparotomy and a supraceliac clamping approach enable the removal of endografts with suprarenal fixation and revascularization of internal iliac arteries. Open repair offers a definitive solution for complicated endoleaks when endovascular options could be risky and ineffective.

Distal Perfusion With Modified Centrifugal Pump Circuit in Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

OBJECTIVE: The left heart bypass is currently the most frequent adjunct to provide distal aortic perfusion during aortic clamping. However, closed-circuits cannot respond to sudden hemodynamic fluctuations during aortic clamping which may lead to complications. In this report, we aim to give the technical aspects of reservoir-added centrifugal pump circuit system, its implementation and the clinical outcomes. METHODS: Between 2002 and 2020, the data of 35 patients underwent aortic aneurysm repair with the use of modified pump circuit were analyzed. The mean age was 53.4 years (range 24-73) and 91.4% of all was male. Preoperative demographics, intraoperative pump data and postoperative clinical outcomes were reported. RESULTS: Thoracoabdominal incision was used in 22 patients (62.9%) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage catheter was placed in 15 patients (42.9%). The left inferior pulmonary vein for outflow and the left femoral artery for inflow cannulation were used preferably. Median duration of pump support was 50 mins (13-121) in the cohort. The median transfusion of red packed cells was 2 units. Renal failure was observed in two patients and permanent paraplegia in one patient. Only one patient died in the elective group (1/34) and one patient in the emergent. CONCLUSIONS: The reservoir-added centrifugal pump is an effective, practical, and flexible perfusion system which should be in the armamentarium of surgeons in order to solve difficult problems during open repair of descending and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.

Chimney technique for solitary pelvic kidney.

The combination of solitary pelvic kidney and abdominal aortic aneurysm is extremely rare. In this report, we present chimney graft implantation in a patient with solitary pelvic kidney. A 63-year-old man had the diagnosis of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm made incidentally. Preoperative computed tomography illustrated a fusiform abdominal aortic aneurysm accompanying a solitary ectopic kidney in the pelvis with aberrant renal artery. A bifurcated endograft was implanted, and a covered stent graft was placed into the renal artery by use of the chimney technique. Good patency of the chimney graft was documented with early postoperative and first month scans. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the chimney technique used in a solitary pelvic kidney.

Association between the low percentage of forced vital capacity and increased mortality after left ventricular assist device implantation.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to investigate the effect of low percentage of forced vital capacity measured in the preoperative period on the 28-day mortality in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation. METHODS: A total of 131 patients (111 males, 20 females; median age 54 years; range, 47 to 59 years) who underwent left ventricular assist device implantation with HeartWare™ between December 2010 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups according to the results of pulmonary function test as a forced vital capacity percentage of ≥60% (n=113) and <60% (n=18). Both groups were compared in terms of laboratory and clinical characteristics, and postoperative complications. Risk factors for postoperative 28-day mortality were analyzed. RESULTS: Pre- and intraoperative characteristics were similar in both groups, except for left ventricular end-diastolic diameter. The ventilator-free days up to 28 days was shorter (p=0.046) and the length of intensive care unit stay was longer (p=0.011) in the low percentage of forced vital capacity group. The 28-day mortality rate was also higher (22.2% vs. 9.7%, respectively; p=0.12) in this group. The history of prior cardiac operation (odds ratio: 4.40; 95% confidence interval 1.19-16.20, p=0.026) and tricuspid valve repair at the time of device implantation (odds ratio: 5.30; 95% confidence interval 1.33-21.00, p=0.018) were found to be independent risk factors for mortality. Multivariate analysis showed that a forced vital capacity of <60% was not associated with mortality (odds ratio: 3.96; 95% confidence interval 0.95-16.43, p=0.058). CONCLUSION: The length of intensive care unit stay and duration of mechanical ventilation may be longer in patients with a low percentage of forced vital capacity. Although the association between 28-day mortality and low percentage of forced vital capacity is not significant, the risk of 28-day mortality is higher in this group. Therefore, the patients should be assessed carefully before the left ventricular assist device operation.

Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (TSCVS) Proposal for use of ECMO in respiratory and circulatory failure in COVID-19 pandemic era.

The document is prepared to guide the members of the The Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (TSCVS) and other extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) centers worldwide to share experiences in using ECMO in COVID-19 pandemic.

Consensus Report on Patient Blood Management in Cardiac Surgery by Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (TSCVS), Turkish Society of Cardiology (TSC), and Society of Cardio-Vascular-Thoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care (SCTAIC).

Anemia, transfusion and bleeding independently increase the risk of complications and mortality in cardiac surgery. The main goals of patient blood management are to treat anemia, prevent bleeding, and optimize the use of blood products during the perioperative period. The benefit of this program has been confirmed in many studies and its utilization is strongly recommended by professional organizations. This consensus report has been prepared by the authors who are the task members appointed by the Turkish Society of Cardiovascular Surgery, Turkish Society of Cardiology (TSC), and Society of Cardio-Vascular-Thoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care to raise the awareness of patient blood management. This report aims to summarize recommendations for all perioperative blood- conserving strategies in cardiac surgery.

Snorkel Technique for Inferior Mesenteric Artery During Endovascular Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.

PURPOSE: The snorkel technique is commonly used to preserve renal arteries in juxta renal aneurysm during endovascular repair. Herein, we present a patient who underwent bifurcated endograft implantation with snorkel technique for inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) in order to preserve the major source of bowel circulation. CASE REPORT: A 69-year-old male patient was diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysm. His history revealed that he had bowel resection due to a car accident 30 years ago. In addition, he was given relaparotomy 4 times due to intestinal complications. Computed tomography showed fusiform aneurysm with a maximal diameter of 60 mm and chronical occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery. Inferior mesenteric artery was found to be hypertrophic. During EVAR, 6 mm × 10 cm covered VIABAHN Endoprosthesis (Gore Medical) was implanted to the IMA over a 0.018 guidewire via puncture of the left axillary artery. Initially, the main body of the aortic stent-graft (Gore C3, size 23-14-16) was implanted to the infra renal segment of the aorta (below the renal arteries and the orifice using VIABAHN) via the right femoral artery. Next, the contralateral leg (Gore, 14-12-00) was implanted. Computed tomography was examined at 1- and 32-month postoperatively, and no endoleak or patency of IMA stent was detected. CONCLUSION: In this case of IMA-dependent circulation of the intestinal system, the protection of IMA via snorkel technique was successful.

Risk Factors of Gastrointestinal Bleeding After Continuous Flow Left Ventricular Assist Device.

This study aimed to compare von Willebrand factor (vWF) levels, ristocetin cofactor levels, platelet counts, aortic valve movements, and right heart failure (RHF) as risk factors of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding in patients with continuous flow left ventricular assist device (cf-LVAD). In a single centre, 90 patients (mean age 52.0 ± 10.5 years), of which 59 were male and 31 were female, had cf-LVAD implantation from October 2010 to November 2012. Seventy-six (84.4%) patients had HeartWare (Medtronic, Mounds View, MN) and 14 (15.5%) had Heartmate II (Thoratec, Pleasanton, CA) implanted. vWF level, ristocetin cofactor level, and platelet count were measured before and after implantation to determine the presence of acquired von Willebrand Syndrome; aortic valve movement and postoperative RHF were evaluated to compare the difference in bleeding and nonbleeding patient groups. Fifteen patients (16.6%) suffered GI bleeding after cf-LVAD implantation. A statistically significant decrease was found in vWF and ristocetin cofactor levels from preoperative period to postoperative period in both bleeding and nonbleeding patient groups (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in bleeding and nonbleeding groups regarding aortic valve movements (p ≥ 0.05). Postoperative RHF incidence was significantly high in the bleeding patient group compared with the nonbleeding group (p < 0.05). Therefore, depending on the findings of this study, acquired von Willebrand Syndrome was seen in all cf-LVAD patients, and postoperative RHF was an important risk factor for GI bleeding.

The outcomes of prosthetic bypass grafting for chronic mesenteric ischemia.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to analyze early and late outcomes of the prosthetic bypass grafting procedure in the treatment of chronic mesenteric ischemia. METHODS: Twenty-two patients (15 males, 7 females; mean age 60±10 years; range, 32 to 78 years) who underwent prosthetic bypass grafting for chronic mesenteric ischemia due to atherosclerosis between March 2009 and March 2017 were included in this study. The demographic and operative data were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: The most common risk factors for atherosclerosis were hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. A total of 72% of the patients were active tobacco users. The common symptoms were postprandial angina and weight loss. Six patients (27%) had a history of endovascular intervention for mesenteric revascularization. Celiac artery bypass grafting was performed in 17 patients, while superior mesenteric artery bypass grafting was performed in 21 patients. Retrograde bypass was done in all patients and polytetrafluoroethylene grafts were used in 20 patients (90%). The mean hospital stay was 10.5 days and the mean follow-up was 44.7 months. The most common postoperative complications were respiratory failure (9%) and infection (9%). In-hospital mortality was observed in one patient (%4.5)who had acute myocardial infarction-related low cardiac output. One patient had graft thrombosis resulting in early graft infection a month after discharge. Late graft thrombosis was observed in two patients at 44 and 85 months, respectively. Late mortality was observed in two patients due to malignancy and cerebral bleeding, respectively. CONCLUSION: Prosthetic bypass grafting via open surgery for chronic mesenteric ischemia seems to be an effective treatment in long-term and can be implemented with low surgical risks.

Staged approach for surgical management of a true femoral artery aneurysm combined with bilateral iliac artery aneurysms.

True femoral artery aneurysm is a rare vascular entity and is often associated with aortic or peripheral aneurysms. Life-threatening complications associated with peripheral arterial aneurysms include rupture, thrombosis, and embolization. In patients with multiple aneurysms, any symptomatic aneurysms should be treated first; in asymptomatic patients, the aneurysms can be repaired either simultaneously in a single operation or serially in a staged procedure. We report a case of concomitant true femoral aneurysm and bilateral iliac artery aneurysms, which were treated with a combination of open surgical and endovascular techniques.

Circumflex coronary artery originating from the right pulmonary artery in adult.

Anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right pulmonary artery is rare, and symptoms are related to the collateralization and amount of myocardium that it supplies. A 50-year-old woman with severe bicuspid aortic valve stenosis had the diagnosis of anomalous origin of the circumflex coronary artery from the right pulmonary artery before valve replacement. Ligation and division of the circumflex coronary artery was performed. Myocardial ischemia was not observed. The patient was discharged after an uneventful recovery.

Utility of CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED Scores as Predictor of Thromboembolism and Bleeding After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Ischemic and hemorrhagic events are the common causes of morbidity and mortality after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation. CHA2DS2-VASc score predicts thromboembolic (TE) event risk and HAS-BLED score predicts bleeding risk in patients on anticoagulant with atrial fibrillation (AF). We aimed to evaluate whether these scoring systems would be predictive of TE and bleeding complications after CF-LVAD implantation. From December 2010 to December 2014, 145 patients who underwent CF-LVAD implantation at a single center were included. Mean age was 50.7 ± 11.2 years, and 85.5% were male. Baseline CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were retrospectively determined for patients with CF-LVADs. After device implantation, all patients were on warfarin (target international normalized ratio 2-3) as well as 300 mg of aspirin daily. Median length of support was 316 days (range 31-1,060), with 22 TE events (15.2%) and 32 bleeding (22.1%) events. The mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 2.3 ± 1.4 and 2.5 ± 1.2 (p = 0.2) in patients with and without TE event, respectively. The mean HAS-BLED score was 1.8 ± 0.8 and 1.42 ± 0.6 (p = 0.004) in patients with and without bleeding, respectively. Baseline high HAS-BLED score was predictive of bleeding events after CF-LVAD implantation, whereas baseline CHA2DS2-VASc score was not predictive of TE events.

Impact of Residual Mitral Regurgitation on Right Ventricular Systolic Function After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation.

Significant mitral regurgitation (MR) is thought to decrease after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation, and therefore repair of mitral valve is not indicated in current practice. However, residual moderate and severe MR leads to pulmonary artery pressure increase, thereby resulting in right ventricular (RV) dysfunction during follow-up. We examined the impact of residual MR on systolic function of the right ventricle by echocardiography after LVAD implantation. This study included 90 patients (mean age: 51.7 ± 10.9 years, 14.4% female) who underwent LVAD implantation (HeartMate II = 21, HeartWare = 69) in a single center between December 2010 and June 2014. Echocardiograms obtained at 3-6 months and over after implantation were analyzed retrospectively. RV systolic function was graded as normal, mild, moderate, and severely depressed. MR (≥moderate) was observed in 43 and 44% of patients at early and late period, respectively. Systolic function of the RV was severely depressed in 16 and 9% of all patients. Initial analysis (mean duration of support 174.3 ± 42.5 days) showed a statistically significant correlation between less MR and improved systolic function of RV (P = 0.01). Secondary echocardiographic analysis (following a mean duration of support of 435.1 ± 203 days) was also statistically significant for MR degree and RV systolic dysfunction (P = 0.008). Residual MR after LVAD implantation may cause deterioration of RV systolic function and cause right-sided heart failure symptoms. Repair of severe MR, in selected patients such as those with severe pulmonary hypertension and depressed RV, may be considered to improve the patient's clinical course during pump support.

Outcomes of Various Treatment Strategies for Patients with Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Device Thrombosis: A Retrospective Analysis.

Pump thrombosis is associated with high morbidity and mortality in patients with a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device. Although it has been defined clearly, the diagnosis and treatment of this complication still remain controversial. Between 2010 and 2014, 163 consecutive patients (mean age: 50.7 ± 13 years, 84% males, median duration of support: 277 (2-1077) days) were implanted a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device. Prospectively collected data of all patients who had at least one pump thrombosis event have been analyzed, retrospectively. Twenty-one pump thrombosis events were observed in 15 patients (9.2%, 0.137 events/patient-year). Median duration of support at the time of first pump thrombosis event was 259 (8-585) days. Overall mortality was 40% (6/15), and overall procedural success was 71.4% (15/21) in our entire cohort. The cause of mortality was hemorrhagic stroke in those who had medical treatment (n = 5), and sepsis and right ventricular failure in the other who had pump exchange. Pump exchange was performed in five patients, of which four survived. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa antagonists are not beneficial in medical treatment of pump thrombosis. Medical treatment methods including unfractionated heparin and thrombolytics may completely resolve the thrombus and save some patients from pump exchange. In patients where medical treatment does not result in complete thrombus resolution within a reasonable period, and a donor heart is not available, pump exchange is the ultimate solution. Further studies are needed for optimal dosing of thrombolytics to decrease the rate of side effects.

Endovascular Treatment of Iliac Vein Compression (May-Thurner) Syndrome: Angioplasty and Stenting with or without Manual Aspiration Thrombectomy and Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis.

PURPOSE: May-Thurner syndrome (MTS) is a rare clinical entity featuring venous obstruction of the left lower extremity. The aim of the present study was to report our experience with MTS and to evaluate the utility of treatment using endovascular techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed data on 23 MTS patients (21 females, two males; mean age 44 ± 15 years). Eighteen patients presented with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and five with symptoms associated with chronic venous hypertension (CVH). DVT patients were treated via thromboaspiration, catheter-directed thrombolysis, and angioplasty; followed by stent placement. CVH patients were treated with angioplasty and stent placement alone. All patients were followed-up using Doppler ultrasonography and computed tomography venography. RESULTS: Complete left common iliac vein patency was achieved in 21 of the 23 patients (technical success rate: 91,3%). Complete thrombolysis was attained by 14 of the 18 DVT patients (77.7%). The mean clinical and radiological follow-up time was 15.2 ± 16.1 months. Upon follow-up, complete symptomatic regression was observed in 19 of the 23 patients (82.6%). Stent patency was complete in 19 of the 21 patients (90.4%) who received stents. Restenosis occurred in two patients. No treatment-related mortality or morbidity was observed. CONCLUSION: Endovascular treatment of MTS is safe and effective and reduces symptoms in most patients, associated with high medium-term patency rates.