Hybrid Technologies for Reconstruction of Proximal Aortic Dissection.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the efficacy of various types of hybrid technology in compare to the classical repair of the aortic arch of type I aortic dissection treatment in the in-hospital period. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational study has been conducted, the results of surgical treatment of 213 patients with DeBakey type I aortic dissection operated on within the period from 2001 to 2017 were compared. Patients were divided into three groups: in group 1, patients undergone a hemiarch type of aortic repair or the total arch replacement (n=121); in group 2, a hemiarch aortic reconstruction and implantation of bare metal stent was performed (n=55); in group 3, a frozen elephant trunk technique was used (n=37). Taking into consideration the retrospective character of the investigation and nonequivalence of the groups by separate characteristics, they were equalized to improve the reliability of the results using the PSM (propensity score matching) pseudorandomization method. As a result, three groups of comparison were formed which were equalized by the PSM method and called PSM 1, 2, and 3. The mortality and complication rate in the in-hospital period, as well as the frequency of false lumen thrombosis development depending on the treatment method, have been analyzed. Results: The mortality rate in the PSM 1 group was 15 patients: group 1 (standard technique) - 10 patients (9%), group 2 (uncoated stents) - 5 patients (11%). A significant difference was found in the number of major bleedings (group 1 - 8%, group 2 - 21%, p=0.031) and cases of bowel ischemia (group 1 - 1%, group 2 - 9%, p=0.028). Complete false lumen thrombosis of the thoracic aorta was observed significantly more often in group 1 than in group 2 (22% vs 5%, p=0.015).In the examined group PSM 2, hospital mortality rate was 4 patients: group 1 - 3 patients (12%), group 3 - 1 patient (3%). No differences between the groups were found in the number of complications. In group 3, complete false lumen thrombosis of the thoracic aorta was observed in 59% of cases, whereas in group 1 it was found only in 4% of patients (p<0.001).In comparison group PSM 3, the mortality was 8 patients: group 2 - 5 patients (11%), group 3 - 3 patients (9%). The number of neurological complications differed significantly: in group 2 - 27%, in group 3 - 6% (p=0.019). Besides, 3% of cases of complete false lumen thrombosis were found in group 2, while there appeared 55% (p<0.001) of such patients in group 3. Conclusion: The comparative analysis showed that the use of bare metal stents and hybrid prostheses demonstrated a comparable low level of in-hospital mortality compared to the standard surgical technique of aortic arch reconstruction. At the same time, the use of the bare metal stents is associated with a higher rate of perioperative complications (bleeding, postoperative bowel ischemia, neurological complications) compared to the standard treatment and repair of the aortic dissection using hybrid prostheses. Complete thrombosis of the false lumen occurred significantly less commonly in case of using bare metal stents than with standard treatment and hybrid prostheses.

Balloon pulmonary angioplasty for patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty patients with inoperable CTEPH were enrolled in this study. The indications were determined by multidisciplinary team. The average age of patients was 53.5 [43; 63] years. In 65% of cases patients had functional class III (according to WHO); the distance in the 6-minute walk test (6MWD) was 327 [280; 400] m; catheterization of the right heart revealed systolic pulmonary artery pressure (SPAP) 82 [64; 100] mm Hg, mean pulmonary artery (mPAP) 48.5 [38; 56] mm Hg, pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) 784 [525; 1257] dyn·s/cm-5. Each patient underwent 6 BPA. RESULTS: The effectiveness of BPA was assessed 2 months after the last session. According to the data of right heart catheterization SPAP decreased by 27.3%, mPAP by 26%, PVR by 34.5% from baseline. After all series of BPA echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated reverse remodeling of the right heart. Also significant decrease in the level of BNP by 62%, increasing in 6MWD distance by 39% and improvement of the functional class up to I in 60% cases and up to II in 40% cases were noted. CONCLUSION: The results of the present study demonstrated a high efficacy of BPA allowing to normalize hemodynamic and clinical parameters, increasing the physical activity. Balloon pulmonary angioplasty is a new highly effective, safe method for treating patients with inoperable CTEPH.

[5-year surgical results in patients with chronic postembolic pulmonary hypertension]. / Pyatiletnie rezul'taty khirurgicheskogo lecheniya patsientov s khronicheskoi postembolicheskoi legochnoi gipertenziei.

AIM: To evaluate 5-year results of surgical treatment of patients with chronic postembolic pulmonary hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 170 patients with chronic postembolic pulmonary hypertension underwent pulmonary thrombendarterectomy. Mean age was 48±21.5 years. The operation was carried out using standard technique with hypothermia and circulatory arrest. We have analyzed clinical and functional status of 47 patients (23 males) prior to surgery and in long-term postoperative period (5-6 years). Distance of 6-minute walk test, mean pulmonary artery pressure and vascular resistance according to right heart catheterization, RV ejection fraction and volumes according to echocardiography, pulmonary artery diameter according to CT-angiography were analyzed. RESULTS: In remote postoperative period average distance of 6-minute walk test was increased by 2.8 times compared with initial values. Right heart catheterization revealed reduction of the average pulmonary pressure from 54.04±23.35 to 25.16±15.41 mmHg and vascular resistance from 539.66±120.59 dyn·sec·cm-5 to 101.39±89.20 dyn·sec·cm-5. Echocardiography showed increase of RV EF from 36±2.3 to 51.8±4.1% and decrease of RV end-diastolic volume from 109.4±39.2 to 39.1±6.8 ml. According CT-angiography there was decrease of pulmonary trunk diameter from 35.10±5.25 to 30.30±8.65 mm. CONCLUSION: Our 5-year data show that pulmonary thrombendarterectomy has high long-term effectiveness in patients with proximal form of chronic postembolic pulmonary hypertension.

[Surgical treatment of a patient with coronary artery disease combined with stenosis of the left subclavian artery].

Presented in the article is a clinical case report regarding successfully used hybrid technology in combined lesions of the coronary arteries and the first segment of the left subclavian artery. The patient was subjected to simultaneous hybrid operation, i. e., transaortic angioplasty with stenting of the left subclavian artery by means of the Assurant stent accompanied by coronary artery bypass grafting. The early postoperative period turned out uneventful. The patient was discharged with no complications and in a satisfactory condition. At the 12-month follow-up visit, the patient presented no complaints, felling satisfactory as he stated, and there was no evidence of restenosis as revealed by the findings of ultrasonographic examination. This clinical case report demonstrates that in this type of combined lesion the use of hybrid technologies makes it possible to obtain a favourable surgical outcome both in the immediate and remote postoperative periods.