Long-term outcomes of TEVAR for thoracic aortic diseases: a retrospective single-center study.

BACKGROUND: The outcomes of Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair (TEVAR) vary depending on thoracic aortic pathologies, comorbidities. This study presents our comprehensive endovascular experience, focusing on exploring the outcome in long term follow-up. METHODS: From 2006 to 2018, we conducted TEVAR on 97 patients presenting with various aortic pathologies. This retrospective cohort study was designed primarily to assess graft durability and secondarily to evaluate mortality causes, complications, reinterventions, and the impact of comorbidities on survival using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses. RESULTS: The most common indication was thoracic aortic aneurysm (n = 52). Ten patients had aortic arch variations and anomalies, and the bovine arch was observed in eight patients. Endoleaks were the main complications encountered, and 10 of 15 endoleaks were type I endoleaks. There were 18 reinterventions; the most of which was TEVAR (n = 5). The overall mortality was 20 patients, with TEVAR-related causes accounting for 12 of these deaths, including intracranial bleeding in three patients. Multivariant Cox regression revealed chronic renal diseases (OR = 11.73; 95% CI: 2.04-67.2; p = 0.006), previous cardiac operation (OR = 14.26; 95% CI: 1.59-127.36; p = 0.01), and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (OR = 7.82; 95% CI: 1.43-42.78; p = 0.001) to be independent risk factors for 10-year survival. There was no significant difference in the survival curves of the various aortic pathologies. In the follow-up period, two non-symptomatic intragraft thromboses and one graft infection were found. CONCLUSION: Comorbidities can increase the risk of TEVAR-related mortality without significantly impacting endoleak rates. TEVAR is effective for severe aortic pathologies, though long-term graft durability may be compromised by its thrombosis and infection.

A novel nomogram model to predict in-hospital mortality in patients with acute type A aortic dissection after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Acute type A aortic dissection is a dangerous disease that threatens public health. In recent years, with the progress of medical technology, the mortality rate of patients after surgery has been gradually reduced, leading that previous prediction models may not be suitable for nowadays. Therefore, the present study aims to find new independent risk factors for predicting in-hospital mortality and construct a nomogram prediction model. METHODS: The clinical data of 341 consecutive patients in our center from 2019 to 2023 were collected, and they were divided into two groups according to the death during hospitalization. The independent risk factors were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression, and the nomogram was constructed and verified based on these factors. RESULTS: age, preoperative lower limb ischemia, preoperative activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), preoperative platelet count, Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time and postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) independently predicted in-hospital mortality of patients with acute type A aortic dissection after surgery. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the nomogram was 0.844. The calibration curve and decision curve analysis verified that the model had good quality. CONCLUSION: The new nomogram model has a good ability to predict the in-hospital mortality of patients with acute type A aortic dissection after surgery.

Differential impacts of clinical, anatomical, and procedural factors on early and late mortality following open thoracoabdominal aortic repair: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The operative outcomes of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) are challenged by high operative mortality and disabling complications. This study aimed to explore the baseline clinical, anatomical, and procedural risk factors that impact early and late outcomes following open repair of TAAAs. METHODS: We reviewed the medical records of 290 patients who underwent open repair of TAAAs between 1992 and 2020 at a tertiary referral center. Determinants of early mortality (within 30 days or in hospital) were analyzed using multivariable logistic regression models, while those of overall follow-up mortality were explored using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models and landmark analyses. RESULTS: The rates of early mortality and spinal cord deficits were 13.1% and 11.0%, respectively, with Crawford extent II showing the highest rates. In the logistic regression models, older age (P < 0.001), high cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time (P < 0.001), and low surgical volume of the surgeon (P < 0.001) emerged as independent factors significantly associated with early mortality. During follow-up (median, 5.0 years; interquartile range, 1.1-7.6 years), 82 late deaths occurred (5.7%/patient-year). Cox proportional hazards models demonstrated that older age (P < 0.001) and low hemoglobin level (P = 0.032) were significant risk factors of overall mortality, while the landmark analyses revealed that the significant impacts of low surgical volume (P = 0.017), high CPB time (P = 0.002), and Crawford extent II (P = 0.017) on mortality only remained in the early postoperative period, without significant late impacts (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: There were differential temporal impacts of perioperative risk variables on mortality in open repair of TAAAs, with older age and low hemoglobin level having significant impacts throughout the postoperative period, and low surgical volume, high CPB time, and Crawford extent II having impacts in the early postoperative phase.

Female patients have higher in-hospital mortality after type A aortic dissection repair: A population study from the national inpatient sample.

BACKGROUND: Stanford Type A Aortic Dissection (TAAD) is an emergent condition with high in-hospital mortality. Gender disparity in TAAD has been a topic of ongoing debate. This study aimed to conduct a population-based examination of gender disparities in short-term TAAD outcomes using the National/Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, the largest all-payer database in the US. METHODS: Patients undergoing TAAD repair were identified in NIS from the last quarter of 2015-2020. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to compare in-hospital outcomes between male and female patients, adjusted for demographics, comorbidities, hospital characteristics, primary payer status, and transfer status. RESULTS: There were 1454 female and 2828 male patients identified who underwent TAAD repair. Female patients presented with TAAD were at a more advanced mean age (64.03 ± 13.81 vs. 58.28 ± 13.43 years, p < 0.01) and had greater comorbid burden. Compared to male patients, female patients had higher risks of in-hospital mortality (17.88% vs. 13.68%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 1.266, p = 0.01). In addition, female patients had higher pericardial complications (20.29% vs. 17.22%, aOR = 1.227, p = 0.02), but lower acute kidney injury (AKI; 39.96% vs. 53.47%, aOR = 0.476, p < 0.01) and venous thromboembolism (VTE; 1.38% vs. 2.65%, aOR = 0.517, p = 0.01). Female patients had comparable time from admission to operation and transfer-in status, longer hospital stays, but fewer total hospital expenses. CONCLUSION: Female patients were 1.27 times as likely to die in-hospital after TAAD repair but had less AKI and VTE. While there is no evidence suggesting delay in TAAD repair for female patients, the disparities might stem from other differences such as in care provided or intrinsic physiological variations.

Role of gender in short- and long-term outcomes after surgery for type A aortic dissection: analysis of a multicentre European registry.

OBJECTIVES: Gender difference in the outcome after type A aortic dissection (TAAD) surgery remains an issue of ongoing debate. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the impact of gender on the short- and long-term outcome after surgery for TAAD. METHODS: A multicentre European registry retrospectively included all consecutive TAAD surgery patients between 2005 and 2021 from 18 hospitals across 8 European countries. Early and late mortality, and cumulative incidence of aortic reoperation were compared between genders. RESULTS: A total of 3902 patients underwent TAAD surgery, with 1185 (30.4%) being females. After propensity score matching, 766 pairs of males and females were compared. No statistical differences were detected in the early postoperative outcome between genders. Ten-year survival was comparable between genders (47.8% vs 47.1%; log-rank test, P = 0.679), as well as cumulative incidences of distal or proximal aortic reoperations. Ten-year relative survival compared to country-, year-, age- and sex-matched general population was higher among males (0.65) compared to females (0.58). The time-period subanalysis revealed advancements in surgical techniques in both genders over the years. However, an increase in stroke was observed over time for both populations, particularly among females. CONCLUSIONS: The past 16 years have witnessed marked advancements in surgical techniques for TAAD in both males and females, achieving comparable early and late mortality rates. Despite these findings, late relative survival was still in favour of males.

Sex-based disparities in ascending aortic aneurysm surgery outcomes: a comprehensive analysis of 1148 consecutive patients with propensity-score matching.

BACKGROUND: Women undergoing cardiac surgery have been historically recognized to carry higher periprocedural mortality risk. We aimed to investigate the influence of sex on clinical presentation, perioperative, and long-term outcomes in patients who undergo surgery for ascending aortic aneurysm. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of 1148 consecutive patients (380 [33.1%] female) who underwent thoracic aortic surgery under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest for ascending aortic aneurysms between 2001 and 2021. Baseline and operative characteristics, in-hospital mortality, and survival were compared between male and female patients before and after propensity-score-matched (PSM) analysis. RESULTS: Women were significantly older (median age: 69 [IQR: 63-75] vs. 67 [IQR: 58-73]; P < 0.001), while men had a higher prevalence of aortic valve stenosis, bicuspid valve and coronary artery disease at the time of surgery (P < 0.05). After PSM, EuroSCORE II (4.36 [2.68; 6.87] vs. 3.22 [1.85; 5.31]; p < 0.001), and indexed aortic diameter were significantly higher in female patients (2.94 [2.68; 3.30] vs. 2.58 [2.38; 2.81] cm/m2, p < 0.001). In the matched cohort, men were more likely to experience postoperative delirium (18.1% vs. 11.5%; P = 0.002), and postoperative neurological deficits (6.7% vs. 3.0%, P = 0.044),. Female patients were more likely to receive postoperative packed red blood cells (p = 0.036) and fresh frozen plasma (p = 0.049). In-hospital and 30-day mortality was similar between both groups. Long-term survival was comparable between both groups with 88% vs. 88% at 5 years, 76% vs. 71% at 10 years, and 59% vs. 47% at 15 years. CONCLUSION: Female patients required more transfusions, while males had a higher incidence of postoperative delirium and neurological deficits. Differences in preoperative age and timing of surgery between the sexes could be attributed to variations in comorbidity profiles and the greater prevalence of concomitant surgery indications in males.

E-vita OPEN NEO in the treatment of acute or chronic aortic pathologies: first interim results of the NEOS study.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this multicentre study was to demonstrate the safety and clinical performance of E-vita OPEN NEO Stent Graft System (Artivion, Inc.) in the treatment of aneurysm or dissection, both acute and chronic, in the ascending aorta, aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta. METHODS: In this observational study of 12 centres performed in Europe and in Asia patients were enrolled between December 2020 and March 2022. All patients underwent frozen elephant trunk using E-vita OPEN NEO Stent Graft System. Primary end point was the rate of all-cause mortality at 30 days and secondary end points included further clinical and safety data are reported up to 3-6 months postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients (66.7% male; mean age, 57.7 years) were enrolled at 12 sites. A total of 99 patients underwent surgery using the E-vita OPEN NEO for acute or subacute type A aortic dissection (n = 37), chronic type A aortic dissection (n = 33) or thoracic aortic aneurysm (n = 29), while 1 patient did not undergo surgery. Device technical success at 24 h was achieved in 97.0%. At discharge, new disabling stroke occurred in 4.4%, while new paraplegia and new paraparesis was reported in 2.2% and 2.2%, respectively. Renal failure requiring permanent (>90 days) dialysis or hemofiltration at discharge was observed in 3.3% of patients. Between discharge and the 3-6 months visit, no patients experienced new disabling stroke, new paraplegia or new paraparesis. The 30-day mortality was 5.1% and the estimated 6-month survival rate was 91.6% (standard deviation: 2.9). CONCLUSIONS: Total arch replacement with the E-vita OPEN NEO can be performed with excellent results in both the acute and chronic setting. This indicates that E-vita OPEN NEO can be used safely, including in the setting of acute type A aortic dissection.

Multicentre experience of antegrade thoracic endovascular aortic repair for the treatment of thoracic aortic diseases.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this multicentre retrospective cohort study was to evaluate technical success and early and late outcomes of thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) with grafts deployed upside down through antegrade access, to treat thoracic aortic diseases. METHODS: Antegrade TEVAR operations performed between January 2010 and December 2021 were collected and analysed. Both elective and urgent procedures were included. Exclusion criteria were endografts deployed in previous or concomitant surgical or endovascular repairs. RESULTS: Fourteen patients were enrolled; 13 were males (94%) with a mean age of 71 years (interquartile range 62; 78). Five patients underwent urgent procedures (2 ruptured aortas and 3 symptomatic patients). Indications for treatment were 8 (57%) aneurysms/pseudoaneurysms, 3 (21%) dissections and 3 (21%) penetrating aortic ulcers. Technical success was achieved in all procedures. Early mortality occurred in 4 (28%) cases, all urgent procedures. Median follow-up was 13 months (interquartile range 1; 44). Late deaths occurred in 2 (20%) patients, both operated on in elective settings. The first died at 19 months of aortic-related reintervention; the second died at 34 months of a non-aortic-related cause. Two patients (14%) underwent aortic-related reinterventions for late type I endoleak. The survival rate of those having the elective procedures was 100%, 84% and 67% at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively. Freedom from reintervention was 92%, 56% and 56% at 12, 24 and 36 months, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Antegrade TEVAR can seldom be considered an alternative when traditional retrograde approach is not feasible. Despite good technical success and few access-site complications, this study demonstrates high rates of late type I endoleak and aortic-related reinterventions.

Clinical predictive value of the age, creatinine, and ejection fraction score in patients in acute type A aortic dissection after total arch replacement.

The age, creatinine, and ejection fraction (ACEF) score has been accepted as a predictor of poor outcome in elective operations. This study aimed to investigate the predictive value of ACEF score in acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) patients after total arch replacement. A total of 227 AAAD patients from July 2021 and June 2022 were enrolled and divided into Tertiles 1 (ACEF ≤ 0.73), Tertiles 2 (0.73 < ACEF ≤ 0.95), and Tertiles 3 (ACEF > 0.95). Using inverse probability processing weighting (IPTW) to balance the baseline characteristics and compare the outcomes. Cox logistic regression was used to further evaluate the survival prediction ability of ACEF score. The in-hospital mortality was 9.8%. After IPTW, in the baseline characteristics reached an equilibrium, a higher ACEF score before operation still associated with higher in-hospital mortality. After 1 year follow-up, 184 patients (90.6%) survival. Multivariable analysis revealed that ACEF score (adjusted hazard ratio 1.68; 95% confidence interval 1.34-4.91; p = 0.036) and binary ACEF score (adjusted HR 2.26; 95% CI 1.82-6.20; p < 0.001) was independently associated with 1-year survival. In addition, net reclassification improvement (NRI) and integrated differentiation improvement (IDI) verified that the ACEF score and binary ACEF score is an accurate predictive tool in clinical settings. In conclusions, ACEF score could be considered as a useful tool to risk stratification in patients with AAAD before operation in daily clinical work.

Aortic arch surgery for DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection in patients aged 60 years or younger.

BACKGROUND: Extended aortic repair is considered a key issue for the long-term durability of surgery for DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection. The risk of aortic degeneration may be higher in young patients due to their long life expectancy. The early outcome and durability of aortic surgery in these patients were investigated in the present study. METHODS: The subjects of the present analysis were patients under 60 years old who underwent surgical repair for acute DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection at 18 cardiac surgery centres across Europe between 2005 and 2021. Patients underwent ascending aortic repair or total aortic arch repair using the conventional technique or the frozen elephant trunk technique. The primary outcome was 5-year cumulative incidence of reoperation on the distal aorta. RESULTS: Overall, 915 patients underwent surgical ascending aortic repair and 284 patients underwent surgical total aortic arch repair. The frozen elephant trunk procedure was performed in 128 patients. Among 245 propensity score-matched pairs, total aortic arch repair did not decrease the rate of distal aortic reoperation compared to ascending aortic repair (5-year cumulative incidence, 6.7% versus 6.7%, subdistributional hazard ratio 1.127, 95% c.i. 0.523 to 2.427). Total aortic arch repair increased the incidence of postoperative stroke/global brain ischaemia (25.7% versus 18.4%, P = 0.050) and dialysis (19.6% versus 12.7%, P = 0.003). Five-year mortality was comparable after ascending aortic repair and total aortic arch repair (22.8% versus 27.3%, P = 0.172). CONCLUSIONS: In patients under 60 years old with DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection, total aortic arch replacement compared with ascending aortic repair did not reduce the incidence of distal aortic operations at 5 years. When feasible, ascending aortic repair for DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection is associated with satisfactory early and mid-term outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04831073.

Surgical management of the aortic root in acute type A aortic dissection: A comparative analysis.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to assess the early- and mid-term outcomes of aortic root repair and replacement, and to provide evidence to improve root management in acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD). METHODS: This study enrolled 455 patients who underwent AAAD root repair (n = 307) or replacement (n = 148) between January 2016 and December 2017. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to control for treatment selection bias. The primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, mid-term survival, and proximal aortic reintervention. RESULTS: The success rate of root repair was 99.7%. The in-hospital mortality in the conservative root repair (CRR) and aggressive root replacement (ARR) were 8.1% and 10.8%. The median follow-up time was 67.76 months (IQR, 67-72 months). After adjusting for baseline factors, there was no significant differences in mid-term survival (p = .750) or the proximal aortic reintervention rate (p = .550) between the two groups. According to Cox analysis, age, hypertension, severe aortic regurgitation, CPB time, and concomitant CABG were all factors associated with mid-term mortality. Regarding reintervention, multivariate analysis identified renal insufficiency, bicuspid aortic valve, root diameter ≥ 45 mm, and severe aortic regurgitation as risk factors, while CRR did not increase the risk of reintervention. The subgroup analysis revealed heterogeneity in the effects of surgical treatment across diverse populations based on a variety of risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with AAAD, both CRR and ARR are appropriate operations with promising early and mid-term outcomes. The effects of treatment show heterogeneity across diverse populations based on various risk factors.

Femoral arterial cannulation for surgical repair of stanford type A aortic dissection.

BACKGROUND: The benefits and harms associated with femoral artery cannulation over other sites of arterial cannulation for surgical repair of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) are not conclusively established. METHODS: We evaluated the outcomes after surgery for TAAD using femoral artery cannulation, supra-aortic arterial cannulation (i.e., innominate/subclavian/axillary artery cannulation), and direct aortic cannulation. RESULTS: 3751 (96.1%) patients were eligible for this analysis. In-hospital mortality using supra-aortic arterial cannulation was comparable to femoral artery cannulation (17.8% vs. 18.4%; adjusted OR 0.846, 95% CI 0.799-1.202). This finding was confirmed in 1028 propensity score-matched pairs of patients with supra-aortic arterial cannulation or femoral artery cannulation (17.5% vs. 17.0%, p = 0.770). In-hospital mortality after direct aortic cannulation was lower compared to femoral artery cannulation (14.0% vs. 18.4%, adjusted OR 0.703, 95% CI 0.529-0.934). Among 583 propensity score-matched pairs of patients, direct aortic cannulation was associated with lower rates of in-hospital mortality (13.4% vs. 19.6%, p = 0.004) compared to femoral artery cannulation. Switching of the primary site of arterial cannulation was associated with increased rate of in-hospital mortality (36.5% vs. 17.0%; adjusted OR 2.730, 95% CI 1.564-4.765). Ten-year mortality was similar in the study cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the outcomes of surgery for TAAD using femoral arterial cannulation were comparable to those using supra-aortic arterial cannulation. However, femoral arterial cannulation was associated with higher in-hospital mortality than direct aortic cannulation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov registration code: NCT04831073.

Targeted genetic analysis in a cohort of sporadic death from spontaneous rupture of thoracic aortic dissection in Han Chinese population.

PURPOSE: Thoracic aortic dissection (TAD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease that often results in sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, the genetic characteristics of individuals with TAD confirmed at autopsy have been rarely studied. Our objective was to determine the prevalence of pathogenic variants in TAD-associated genes in a cohort of sporadic deaths resulting from spontaneous rupture of TAD and identify relevant genotype-phenotype relationships in Han Chinese population. METHODS: We included sixty-one consecutive sporadic decedents whose primary cause of death was spontaneous rupture of TAD, and performed a whole exome sequencing based strategy comprising 26 known TAD-associated genes. RESULTS: We identified 7 pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in 7 cases (11.48 %) and 22 variants of uncertain significance (VUS) in 22 cases (36.07 %). The FBN1 gene was found to be the major disease-causing gene. Notably, TAD decedents with P/LP variant exhibited significantly earlier mortality. Moreover, we reported for the first time that TAD decedents with P/LP variant had a shorter diagnosis and treatment time. CONCLUSION: Our study investigated the genetic characteristics of TAD individuals confirmed until autopsy in Han Chinese population. The findings enhanced the understanding of the genetic underpinnings of TAD and have significant implications for clinical management and forensic investigations.

Prognostic implication of residual inflammatory trajectories in acute type I aortic dissection: dual-center prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Peripheral platelet-white blood cell ratio (PWR) integrating systemic inflammatory and coagulopathic pathways is a key residual inflammatory measurement in the management of acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection (AAD); however, trajectories of PWR in AAD is poorly defined. METHODS: Two AAD cohorts were included in two cardiovascular centers (2020-2022) if patients underwent emergency total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk implantation. PWR data were collected over time at baseline and five consecutive days after surgery. Trajectory patterns of PWR were determined using the latent class mixed modelling (LCMM). Cox regression was used to determine independent risk factors. By adding PWR Trajectory, a user-friendly nomogram was developed for predicting mortality after surgery. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-six patients with AAD were included with a median follow-up of 26 (IRQ 20-37) months. Three trajectories of PWR were identified [cluster α 45(18.3%), ß105 (42.7%), and γ 96 (39.0%)]. Cluster γ was associated with higher risk of mortality at follow-up (crude HR, 3.763; 95% CI: 1.126-12.574; P =0.031) than cluster α. By the addition of PWR trajectories, an inflammatory nomogram, composed of age, hemoglobin, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and cardiopulmonary time was developed and internally validated, with adequate discrimination [the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve 0.765, 95% CI: 0.660-0.869)], calibration, and clinical utility. CONCLUSION: Based on PWR trajectories, three distinct clusters were identified with short-term outcomes, and longitudinal residual inflammatory shed some light to individualize treatment strategies for AAD.

The Evaluation of Outcomes after Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Type B Aortic Dissection in Mainland China.

BACKGROUND: To assess the mortality and outcomes after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with type B aortic dissection (TBAD) in mainland China, and to compare these outcomes with data from Western countries, while analyzing the potential reasons for differences among different countries. METHODS: An extensive literature search spanning from January 1999 to October 2023 was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases for studies on endovascular treatment for TBAD. This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Data extraction and analysis followed the guidelines outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality and mid-term (< 5 years) mortality. RESULTS: Based on 25 publications (3,080 patients), pooled estimate for in-hospital mortality was 2.2% (95% confidence interval, 1.6%-2.9%). Major perioperative complications included stroke (2.4% [1.8%-3.3%]), spinal cord ischemia (1.4% [1.0%-2.2%]), retrograde type A aortic dissection (1.2% [0.8%-1.8%]), type I endoleak (5.6% [3.6%-8.6%]), visceral ischemia (1.0% [0.5%-2.1%]), and acute renal failure (2.8% [2.0%-3.8%]). Mid-term mortality was 5.1% (3.6%-7.3%), and secondary intervention rate was 4.9% (4.0%-6.0%) with 1.7% (1.0%-2.9%) conversion rate to open surgery. In subgroup analysis based on uncomplicated TBAD, in-hospital and mid-term mortality was 0.5% (0.2%-1.5%) and 0.6% (0.2-1.7%), respectively. Compared with data from Western countries, mainland Chinese patients had a lower mortality. CONCLUSIONS: In mainland China, the outcomes of endovascular treatment for TBAD are comparable to those of Western countries. The large number of patients undergoing TEVAR in mainland China and its good performance support the use of TEVAR in uncomplicated TBAD.

Nature of Neurological Complications and Outcome After Surgery for Type A Aortic Dissection.

Surgery for type A aortic dissection (TAAD) is frequently complicated by neurologic complications. The prognostic impact of neurologic complications of different nature has been investigated in this study. The subjects of this analysis were 3,902 patients who underwent surgery for acute TAAD from the multicenter European Registry of Type A Aortic Dissection (ERTAAD). During the index hospitalization, 722 patients (18.5%) experienced stroke/global brain ischemia. Ischemic stroke was detected in 539 patients (13.8%), hemorrhagic stroke in 76 patients (1.9%) and global brain ischemia in 177 patients (4.5%), with a few patients having had findings of more than 1 of these conditions. In-hospital mortality was increased significantly in patients with postoperative ischemic stroke (25.6%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.422, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.825 to 3.216), hemorrhagic stroke (48.7%, adjusted OR 4.641, 95% CI 2.524 to 8.533), and global brain ischemia (74.0%, adjusted OR 22.275, 95% CI 14.537 to 35.524) compared with patients without neurologic complications (13.5%). Similarly, patients who experienced ischemic stroke (46.3%, adjusted hazard ratio [HR] 1.719, 95% CI 1.434 to 2.059), hemorrhagic stroke (62.8%, adjusted HR 3.236, 95% CI 2.314 to 4.525), and global brain ischemia (83.9%, adjusted HR 12.777, 95% CI 10.325 to 15.810) had significantly higher 5-year mortality than patients without postoperative neurologic complications (27.5%). The negative prognostic effect of neurologic complications on survival vanished about 1 year after surgery. In conclusion, postoperative ischemic stroke, hemorrhagic stroke, and global cerebral ischemia increased early and midterm mortality after surgery for acute TAAD. The magnitude of risk of mortality increased with the severity of the neurologic complications, with postoperative hemorrhagic stroke and global brain ischemia being highly lethal complications.

Axillary vs Femoral Arterial Cannulation in Acute Type A Dissection: International Multicenter Data.

BACKGROUND: Cannulation strategy in acute type A dissection (ATAD) varies widely without known gold standards. This study compared ATAD outcomes of axillary vs femoral artery cannulation in a large cohort from the International Registry of Acute Aortic Dissection (IRAD). METHODS: The study retrospectively reviewed 2145 patients from the IRAD Interventional Cohort (1996-2021) who underwent ATAD repair with axillary or femoral cannulation (axillary group: n = 1106 [52%]; femoral group: n = 1039 [48%]). End points included the following: early mortality; neurologic, respiratory, and renal complications; malperfusion; and tamponade. All outcomes are presented as axillary with respect to femoral. RESULTS: The proportion of patients younger than 70 years in both groups was similar (n = 1577 [74%]), as were bicuspid aortic valve, Marfan syndrome, and previous dissection. Patients with femoral cannulation had slightly more aortic insufficiency (408 [55%] vs 429 [60%]; P = .058) and coronary involvement (48 [8%] vs 70 [13%]; P = .022]. Patients with axillary cannulation underwent more total aortic arch (156 [15%] vs 106 [11%]; P = .02) and valve-sparing root replacements (220 [22%] vs 112 [12%]; P < .001). More patients with femoral cannulation underwent commissural resuspension (269 [30.9%] vs 324 [35.3%]; P = .05). Valve replacement rates were not different. The mean duration of cardiopulmonary bypass was longer in the femoral group (190 [149-237] minutes vs 196 [159-247] minutes; P = .037). In-hospital mortality was similar between the axillary (n = 165 [15%]) and femoral (n = 149 [14%]) groups (P = .7). Furthermore, there were no differences in stroke, visceral ischemia, tamponade, respiratory insufficiency, coma, or spinal cord ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: Axillary cannulation is associated with a more stable ATAD presentation, but it is a more extensive intervention compared with femoral cannulation. Both procedures have equivalent early mortality, stroke, tamponade, and malperfusion outcomes after statistical adjustment.

Early outcomes of endovascular repairs of the aortic arch using thoracic branch endoprosthesis.

OBJECTIVE: The only commercially available thoracic branched endoprosthesis (TBE) for treatment of the aortic arch was released in 2022. Limited data outside of clinical trial results have been reported. This study describes the demographics, anatomic details, and outcomes for patients treated for zone 0 to 2 using TBEs outside of a clinical trial. METHODS: All patients treated using TBEs for zone 0 to 2 were included. Patients treated as part of the clinical trial for zone 0 to 1 (n = 6) were excluded. Patient demographics, comorbidities, anatomic and operative details, and outcomes were reported. Outcomes and survival were then compared between groups. RESULTS: Of 40 patients, six patients underwent repair of zone 0, three of zone 1, and 31 of zone 2. There were no differences in demographics, comorbidities, or operative details by zone of treatment; however, the frequency of genetic aortopathy differed (zone 0: 0%; zone 1: 67%; and zone 2: 6.4%; P < .01). Seventy-three percent of patients were treated for dissection vs 27% with isolated aneurysms. Of the patients, 2.5% were treated for rupture, 22% were treated for symptomatic aneurysms, and 75% were treated electively. Forty-eight percent of repairs included a proximal cuff, and 83% received distal extension. Technical success was achieved in 100% of patients. Mean fluoroscopy time was 18 minutes, and median fluoroscopy dose was 416 mGy. Sixty percent of patients had prior aortic ascending/arch repair. TBE was planned as part of a complete thoracoabdominal repair in 45% of patients. Thirty-day mortality was 2.5% overall, with a single death in a zone 0 patient that occurred at day 1 due to a myocardial infarction. There were no reinterventions within 30 days. All other outcomes were similar. The 30-day stroke rate was 5.0%. The strokes occurred at day 6 (zone 1) and day 15 (zone 2); however, both were due to occlusion of a prior proximal surgical bypass and unrelated to the TBE side branch or embolization. Specifically, both patients had occlusion of a branch of their prior zone 1 or zone 2 arch replacement. An endoleak occurred in 7.5% of patients at 30-day follow-up (type II: 5.0%; unknown: 2.5%). At a mean follow-up of 6.6 months, 100% of side branches were patent. CONCLUSIONS: Repair of the aortic arch including TBE can be performed electively and urgently with acceptable stroke and death rates. TBE provides a valuable tool for patients requiring complete repair of a thoracoabdominal aneurysm. Continued investigation is underway to assess long-term safety and efficacy outside of the clinical trial.