Long-Term Outcomes of Endovascular Aneurysm Repair in Patients Aged ≤70 Years.

Objectives: The efficacy of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) against abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in younger patients remains unknown. Hence, the current study aimed to investigate whether the aneurysm-related mortality rate of EVAR is acceptable among patients aged ≤70 years. Methods: Among 644 patients, 148 underwent EVAR (EVAR group), and 496 received open surgical repair (OSR group). The cumulative incidence rates of aneurysm-related death, any intervention, and serious aneurysm-related events after AAA repair were evaluated using the cumulative incidence function in the presence of competing risks. Results: The EVAR group had higher prevalences of several comorbidities, and overall survival for the EVAR group was significantly inferior to that of the OSR group. The cumulative incidence rates of aneurysm-related death, any intervention, and serious aneurysm-related events at 5 years were 1.5%, 11.7%, and 6.4% in the EVAR group and 1.3%, 5.3%, and 5.9% in the OSR group, respectively. EVAR was not a significant prognostic factor of aneurysm-related mortality and serious aneurysm-related events. However, it was an independent poor prognostic factor of any intervention. Conclusion: EVAR was not a significant prognostic factor of aneurysm-related mortality and serious aneurysm-related events. Therefore, it demonstrated acceptable procedure-related long-term outcomes, at least in high-risk young patients.

Pulmonary endarterectomy for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension with bronchial obstruction by a carcinoid tumor.

Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is a standard treatment for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). CTEPH combined with bronchial obstruction by a tumor is rare but should be assessed carefully because PEA for obstructed segments can be less therapeutic and make the subsequent surgical resection challenging. This report describes a case of CTEPH with bronchial obstruction by a typical carcinoid tumor in a 75-year-old man. On-site evaluation and removal of the obstructive tumor were performed bronchoscopically, increasing the effectiveness of subsequent PEA for all affected pulmonary segments. This report illustrates a PEA strategy to treat CTEPH with bronchial tumor obstruction.

Surgical resection of an intraluminal tumor in the azygos vein with an unknown primary site causing superior vena cava syndrome.

Intraluminal tumor in the azygos vein is a rare disease that can cause superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome. Radiotherapy and endovascular stenting with or without chemotherapy are reported to have a high clinical success rate for the management of SVC syndrome with malignancy, but a poor survival rate. Here, we report a 69-year-old man who presented with swelling of the face and upper extremities, who was diagnosed with SVC syndrome caused by an intraluminal tumor in the azygos vein. Enhanced chest computed tomography revealed an intraluminal mass with a filling defect from the azygos vein to the SVC, with no extravascular extension or dissemination of the primary tumor. Surgical resection of the mass en bloc with the azygos vein and SVC reconstruction was performed. A poorly differentiated carcinoma was diagnosed on postoperative pathological evaluation. Twelve months after resection, the patient was well with no signs of recurrent disease. This case highlights that surgical resection should be considered as a treatment of choice for the management of SVC syndrome caused by an intraluminal malignancy in the azygos vein.

Acute mitral valve endocarditis at the 24th gestational week.

Infective endocarditis during pregnancy and subsequent cardiac surgery are rare and carry a high mortality risk for both the mother and fetus. We report our experience with a previously healthy, 22-year-old woman affected by acute active mitral endocarditis due to Streptococcus gordonii at the 24th gestational week, who wished to continue with the pregnancy. Due to cardiogenic shock, an intra-aortic balloon pump was inserted. Our patient successfully underwent mitral valve replacement with normothermic high-flow cardiopulmonary bypass and continuous intraoperative fetus monitoring. She delivered a 2524-g baby vaginally at the 38th gestational week. Both the mother and child were confirmed to be doing well at the 1-year follow-up. Although this was the first case, urgent cardiac surgery and a subsequent childbirth went well by prompt decision of each department.

[Endovascular Repair of Traumatic Injury to the Descending Aorta and the Right Subclavian Artery;Report of a Case].

A 32-year-old man leaping down from the 3rd floor of his house got injured and was transferred to our center. Pseudoaneurysm at the aortic isthmus as well as pelvic and lower limb fractures were observed by computed tomography (CT) scan. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair(TEVAR)of the thoracic aorta was performed from zone 2, followed by external skeletal fixation. Postoperative chest X-ray revealed right hemothorax, and CT scan showed active bleeding from the right subclavian artery in addition to splenic artery pseudoaneurysm. A 10×60 mm covered stent was deployed at the right subclavian artery and coiling of the splenic artery was performed. He was discharged without complication. The timing and procedures of surgery are difficult to decide in treatment of aortic injury with multiple trauma, TEVAR makes quick control of bleeding possible by less invasive approach. Moreover, endovascular approach to the subclavian artery avoides median sternotomy.

Spontaneous ascending aortic rupture in a pregnant woman with neurofibromatosis type 1.

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF-1) is an autosomal dominant disorder that affects 1 in 3000 individuals. Vascular involvement in NF-1 is a well-recognized, but rare, feature of this disease. In pregnant women, the risk of aortic dissection or rupture is elevated during pregnancy and the postpartum period. We report a pregnant woman who had a history of NF-1 with a spontaneous ascending aortic rupture. This rupture was successfully treated by emergent surgery. The mother and the 28-week-gestation newborn recovered uneventfully. During 7 years of follow-up, aorta of the patient shows no significant change. A review of the literature regarding the pathogenesis of this condition is also presented.

A case of biventricular thrombi in a patient with dilated cardiomyopathy: Utility of multimodality imaging for diagnosis and management of treatment strategy.

A 54-year-old man was transferred to our hospital due to congestive heart failure and left ventricular thrombi. Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) showed mobile "ball-like" not only left ventricular but also right ventricular thrombi associated with severe impaired left and right ventricular function. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) also detected biventricular apical thrombi complicated with right renal infarction. Coronary angiography showed non-significant stenosis. Due to the mobility of thrombi and complication of systemic infarction, the surgical transatrial video-assisted removal of biventricular thrombi was performed and postoperative course has been uneventful over a period of 6 months. Endomyocardial biopsy performed during an operation showed no specific findings such as endomyocarditis, indicating the diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). This is a rare case of DCM complicated with biventricular apical thrombi detected clearly by multimodality imaging such as TTE, contrast-enhanced CT and cardiac MRI, and surgical removal was performed successfully. .

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for patent ductus arteriosus in an elderly patient with congestive heart failure.

In elderly patients, open surgery for patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) is more difficult than that in children and often requires a cardiopulmonary bypass. We report the case of a 67-year-old patient with a PDA that was successfully treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The patient was diagnosed with congestive heart failure (ejection fraction, 36 %) and PDA (9.7 mm in diameter). TEVAR was successfully performed to exclude the PDA. After TEVAR, the patient's heart failure was well controlled by diuretics. TEVAR may be a good alternative to open surgery.

Recurrent arterial aneurysm rupture of the upper extremity in a patient with vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

Arterial aneurysm rupture is one of the most critical complications in patients with vascular-type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (vEDS). Here, we report a case of recurrent aneurysm rupture successfully treated by endovascular embolization. A 38-year old woman who underwent brachial artery ligation for a ruptured aneurysm was diagnosed postoperatively with vEDS. Impending rupture of a collateral artery aneurysm was encountered 5 months after the initial open surgery. Endovascular embolization with a liquid embolic agent was successfully performed. Given that arterial rupture can occur repeatedly in patients with vEDS, careful life-long follow-up is necessary.

Efficacy of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in detecting graft rupture sites after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

Non-anastomotic graft rupture is a rare but critical complication after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Therefore, identifying the rupture sites is important to perform endovascular stent grafting. A 78-year old man who had undergone Y-grafting for infrarenal AAA before 17 years was referred to our hospital with the complaints of abdominal pain. Computed tomography revealed acute pancreatitis and an enlargement around the grafted abdominal aorta. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography revealed an extravazation from the graft body 1.5 cm distal to the proximal anastomosis, and endovascular stent grafting was successfully performed. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography might be useful in detecting the graft rupture.

[Surgical treatment of traumatic aortic rupture].

This report focuses on 3 cases of traumatic aortic dissection or rupture at the isthmus. We selected 3 different methods of treatment. In the 1st case, we performed an emergency operation with graft replacement of the proximal descending aorta. In the 2nd case, we performed elective graft replacement 5 months after the rupture under careful blood pressure control. Thirdly, we performed emergency stent grafting at the isthmus, the rupture site. All cases were successfully treated, but it remains difficult to select the method of treatment for multisystem disorder. Our current strategy for traumatic rupture at the isthmus is immediate stent grafting. It will also be a very useful procedure for multisystem trauma.

Successful one-stage surgical removal of intravenous leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension in an elderly patient.

Intravenous leiomyomatosis is a benign smooth muscle tumor that sometimes spreads to the right heart via the inferior vena cava. A complete surgical resection is necessary to ensure its successful treatment. Surgical removal has been performed safely in middle-aged patients. Here we report a case of successful surgical removal in an elderly woman (age 81 years). The woman was admitted with palpitation and diagnosed as having an intravenous leiomyomatosis with cardiac extension. She underwent a one-stage surgical removal with cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest. We therefore recommend a one-stage operation, if possible, even in elderly patients.

[Endovascular repair for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm and traumatic aortic injury].

In contrast to high mortality of open surgery for thoracic aortic catastrophes including ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm (RTAA) and traumatic aortic injury (TAI), excellent short-term outcomes of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) have recently been reported. We report our single-center experiences with TEVAR for aortic catastrophes. Thirteen patients with thoracic aortic catastrophes (RTAA in 7 patients, TAI in 6 patients) have received TEVAR from February 2004 to June 2010. In cases of RTAA, 5 descending aortic aneurysm ruptures and 2 aortic arch aneurysm ruptures were included. In patients with arch aneurysm ruptures, fenestrated stent grafting (SG) and SG combined with arch debranching were performed. In all cases of TAI, aortic injuries occurred near the isthmus and 5 patients received fenestrated SG. The initial success rate was 100% and there was no perioperative death. Mean duration of observation was 24 months, which revealed 4 late deaths. The causes of late death were liver failure, cerebral contusion, senility and unknown. A patient with RTAA experienced a type III endoleak as an aorta-related event 24 months after operation. There was no enlargement of aneurysm in any patient. TEVAR for aortic catastrophes seems to be performed safely with acceptable outcomes. Although morphological incompatibility, unstable preoperative haemodynamics and longer time for preparation may become impediments to perform TEVAR, we believe that TEVAR should be the 1st choice for life-threatening aortic catastrophes. However, a careful follow-up is necessary because TEVAR has several unique late complications.

Suture retention strength of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) graft.

Our meticulous investigation of ePTFE graft breakage when a wire placed at the edge of an ePTFE graft was pulled, revealed that, depending on the breakage pattern, a break starts much earlier than the peak suture retention strength, which is the current international indicator for anastomotic-site break strength. Furthermore, the breakage patterns differ based on the thickness of the wire and the fiber direction of the ePTFE graft. Based on these findings, we advocate measuring the peak suture retention strength using 0.10-mm sutures and a standardized wire thickness in order to assess the anastomotic retention strength of ePTFE grafts.

Apico-brachiocephalic artery bypass for aortic stenosis with porcelain aorta.

Apicoaortic bypass for left ventricular outflow tract obstruction has been performed with acceptable mid-term mortality. However, sometimes it is difficult to anastomose the distal end of the conduit to the calcified descending aorta in patients with a porcelain aorta. We report an aortic non-touch modification of the apicoaortic bypass in an 80-year-old woman with valvular aortic stenosis and a porcelain aorta extending from the ascending to abdominal aorta. We performed apico-brachiocephalic artery bypass under circulatory arrest with deep hypothermia. This procedure may become a useful surgical option for patients with a severe porcelain aorta.

Left ventricle to pulmonary arterial fistula due to Behçet's disease.

Surgical treatment of aortic regurgitation due to Behçet's disease is difficult. A 57-year-old male with Behçet's disease underwent aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve for aortic regurgitation in 1995. Due to prosthetic valve detachment, 5 months thereafter he underwent a Bentall type operation with a composite graft. Due to complication of the left ventricle to pulmonary arterial fistula, 6 months later a third operation was performed for closure of the fistula. He is doing well at present 5 years after the third operation. Left ventricle to pulmonary arterial fistula is an exceedingly rare complication and has not been reported in the literature.

Total right ventricular exclusion improves left ventricular function in patients with end-stage congestive right ventricular failure.

BACKGROUND: We developed a total right ventricular (RV) exclusion procedure for the treatment of isolated congestive RV failure. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effects of a complete removal of RV volume overload (RVVO) on the surgically created single left ventricle (LV). METHODS AND RESULTS: Three adults (2 arrhythmogenic RV dysplasia, 1 Ebstein) and 5 children (all Ebstein) in NYHA class IV underwent the procedure. The RV free wall was resected from the heart, and the tricuspid orifice was closed. Pulmonary blood supply was obtained by a cavopulmonary connection in 6 patients and a systemic-pulmonary shunt in 2. The LV function was evaluated by 2-dimensional echocardiography 1 month after the surgery. All patients are alive. The paradoxical movement of the interventricular septum and geometry of the LV expressed by its eccentricity (2.1 to 1.2, P<0.01) were normalized after the operation in all 8 patients. LV end-diastolic volumes (59% to 109% of normal value, P<0.01), indexed maximal left atrial area (6.5 to 10.5 cm2/m2, P<0.01), LV ejection fraction (27% to 62%, P<0.01), and cardiac index (2.1 to 3.3 L/min/m2, P<0.05) all significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: Removal of the RVVO by means of the total RV exclusion procedure provides effective volume loading, restores a cylindrical shape, and improves contractile function of the LV, thus leading to increased systemic output.