Aortic Pseudoaneurysm After Type A Aortic Dissection: Results of Conservative Management.

Aortic pseudoaneurysms after acute Type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair have been reported as high as 10-24% and surgical treatment is usually recommended. The objective of this article is to examine the safety and efficacy of a conservative approach to aortic pseudoaneurysm and to compare this approach to standard surgical treatment. We retrospectively examined 39 patients who had an aortic pseudoaneurysm after ATAAD surgery in order to examine outcomes (baseline characteristics, presentation and freedom from aortic events and mortality). We initially identified 31 patients treated conservatively (CT). After close follow up, 5 of them were operated so 13 patients were treated surgically (ST) and analyzed at a long-term follow-up while 26 were in the conservative group. Mean follow- - up of the whole cohort was 7.9 ± 5.9 years. The freedom from aortic-related mortality at 1, 5, and 10 years was 100%, 83.3% and 72.9% for the ST group and 95.8%, 77.3%, and 77.3% for the CT group (P = 0.35). A conservative approach to aortic pseudoaneurysms could be justified in asymptomatic patients. A close follow-up by a dedicated aortic clinic is mandatory so that patients are referred for surgery when necessary.

Should Bilateral Internal Thoracic Arteries be Used in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease?

Preoperative renal dysfunction is a major determinant of operative and long-term mortality following cardiac surgery. The objective of this study was to assess early and long-term results of CABG in patients with preoperative chronic kidney disease (CKD) using a bilateral internal thoracic artery (BITA) strategy, compared to those without CKD. We retrospectively analyzed data for 2,111 consecutive patients who underwent CABG with BITA between 2000 and 2019. One-to-many propensity score matching was performed to produce a cohort of 132 patients with CKD (defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate <60 mL/min/1.73 m2), matched to 358 patients with normal renal function (non-CKD). The primary end-point of interest was late freedom from all-cause mortality. Late hospital readmissions were also assessed. Mean eGFR and serum creatinine were: 49.8 versus 84.3 mL/min/m2 and 146.1 versus 83.6 µmol/L (CKD vs non-CKD, P< 0.001). In-hospital outcomes were similar among matched patients, including mortality (CKD 0.8% vs non-CKD 0%, P= 0.31). At a median follow-up of 6.9 years, there was no significant difference in survival between both groups (hazard ratio (HR) 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.87-2.16, P= 0.17). Hospital readmission for cardiovascular causes (including repeat coronary revascularization) was comparable between the 2 groups. However, the risk of hospital readmission for renal causes was higher in patients with CKD (6.7%) compared to non-CKD (1.2%). In a propensity score-matched cohort of patients undergoing BITA-CABG, CKD was not associated with increased early or late mortality, nor was there a greater risk of hospital readmission for cardiovascular events.

Coil embolization with open frozen hybrid graft for complex left subclavian artery/proximal descending aortic aneurysm in a young patient.

An LSCA aneurysm is a rare disease. When and how to operate are debated. While open surgery was initially considered the sole option, emerging endovascular techniques have been described. The present report describes a novel hybrid technique to treat an LSCA aneurysm combined to a proximal descending aneurysm in a young 25-year-old patient.

A Case of Aspergillus Pericarditis in the Setting of Invasive Aspergillosis: The Role of Surgery in a Multi-modal Treatment.

We report the case of an immunocompromised patient admitted for chest pain secondary to pericardial effusion. Pericardiocentesis liquid analysis revealed an Aspergillus pericarditis. Advanced multimodality imaging later revealed invasive aspergillosis. The patient was treated with pericardectomy and long-term antifungal therapy. Novel teaching points are as follows: Pericardectomy is an efficient treatment for Aspergillus pericarditis. Disease control can be obtained without local relapse with pericardectomy and long-term antifungal therapy.

Nous présentons le cas d'un patient immunovulnérable admis en raison d'une douleur thoracique secondaire à la perfusion péricardique. L'analyse du liquide de la péricardiocentèse a permis de révéler une péricardite causée par le champignon Aspergillus. L'imagerie multimodale avancée a par la suite permis de révéler une aspergillose invasive. Le traitement du patient a consisté en une péricardectomie et un traitement antifongique à long terme. Le nouveau point à retenir est que la péricardectomie est un traitement efficace contre la péricardite causée par le champignon Aspergillus. On peut maîtriser la maladie sans rechute locale grâce à la péricardectomie et au traitement antifongique à long terme.

Macroscopic and microscopic features of surgically explanted transcatheter aortic valve prostheses.

OBJECTIVES: With the extended indications of transcatheter aortic valve (TAV) replacement (TAVR) to lower-risk patients, there is an increasing number of patients requiring surgical explantation of failed TAV. We sought to describe macroscopic and microscopic features of surgically explanted percutaneous aortic valve prostheses. METHODS: Preoperative and surgical characteristic of patients undergoing surgical explantation of TAV were retrospectively analyzed from 2007 to 2020. Surgical and pathologic features of these valves, and outcomes of the surgical valve replacement were described. RESULTS: Out of 1764 patients who underwent a TAVR procedure, 21 were operated for TAV failure. Isolated or combined indications for surgery included: significant paravalvular leak (n = 15), delayed prosthesis migration (n = 5), significant increase of trans-TAV gradients (n = 6), and endocarditis (n = 3). Mean time elapsed between TAVR and explantations was 674.9 ± 803.9 days. Macroscopic lesions found on explanted percutaneous valves were severe adhesions to the aorta (n = 10), calcifications (n = 7), leaflet thrombosis (n = 4), and vegetations (n = 3). Except for patients with endocarditis, one or more pathological lesions were found in 15 patients. Pathology analyses on these valves showed fibro-calcific degenerations (n = 12), pannus formation (n = 9), and chronic inflammation (n = 3). One patient (4.8%) died after surgical explantation, and 13 (61.9%) had concomitant procedures. The survival rate at 1 year was 94.4%. CONCLUSIONS: Microscopic findings of fibro-calcific leaflet degeneration, and pannus formation in addition to macroscopic calcification and thrombosis present early, (within a mean of 2 years) after TAVR. Further investigation with a higher number of patients and echocardiographic follow-up is warranted.

Surgical aortic valve replacement in the modern era: Insights from the French Registry EPICARD.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to assess the demographic changes and postoperative outcomes of surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in recent years since the advent of trans-catheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) in France. METHODS: Demographic, surgical data, and early outcomes of patients undergoing SAVR for AS were reviewed from The French registry EPICARD before (2007-2012) and after (2013-2018) approval of TAVI by French health authorities. We included patients with less than 20% of missing data per variable and per patient. Univariate and multivariate analysis were conducted to assess for risk factors of mortality and acute kidney failure (AKF) requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT). RESULTS: A total of 27,398 patients from the EPICARD registry were included: 8819, in the early cohort (2007-2012) and 18,579 in the recent cohort (2013-2018). In-hospital and 30-day mortality rates were lower in the recent cohort compared to the early cohort, respectively 1.22% versus 2.20 (p < .001) and 1.22% versus 2.34% (p < .001). The bioprosthesis-to-mechanical prosthesis ratio significantly increased over the time: from 5.3 to 8.1. In the recent cohort, rates of postoperative blood transfusions, prolonged mechanical ventilation, and AKF requiring RRT were lower. In-hospital and 30-day mortality risks were decreased in the recent cohort, with odds ratio respectively of 0.668 [0.466-0.958] and 0.66 [0.460-0.945] in multivariate (p ≤ .005) and univariate analysis (p < .001). Risk of AKF with RRT was unchanged. CONCLUSION: This nationwide study from the French registry EPICARD shows significant reduced hospital mortality and persistent favourable early outcomes of SAVR since TAVI implementation.

A subcutaneous fluid collection after the Bentall procedure in a female patient with giant cell arteritis.

We report a 61-year-old woman with a history of untreated inflammatory symptoms, who underwent a Bentall procedure for a rapidly evolving aneurysm. Postoperatively, she presented with a sub-sternal pulsatile mass communicating with a periaortic collection. After excluding surgical and infectious complications, an inflammatory seroma due to an uncontrolled vasculitis was suspected. We proposed a non-surgical approach involving immunosuppressive therapy.

Current Knowledge and Recent Advances of Right Ventricular Molecular Biology and Metabolism from Congenital Heart Disease to Chronic Pulmonary Hypertension.

Studies about pulmonary hypertension and congenital heart diseases have introduced the concept of right ventricular remodeling leading these pathologies to a similar outcome: right ventricular failure. However right ventricular remodeling is also a physiological process that enables the normal fetal right ventricle to adapt at birth and gain its adult phenotype. The healthy mature right ventricle is exposed to low pulmonary vascular resistances and is compliant. However, in the setting of chronic pressure overload, as in pulmonary hypertension, or volume overload, as in congenital heart diseases, the right ventricle reverts back to a fetal phenotype to sustain its function. Mechanisms include angiogenic changes and concomitant increased metabolic activity to maintain energy production. Eventually, the remodeled right ventricle cannot resist the increased afterload, leading to right ventricular failure. After comparing the fetal and adult healthy right ventricles, we sought to review the main metabolic and cellular changes occurring in the setting of PH and CHD. Their association with RV function and potential impact on clinical practice will also be discussed.