Predictors of outcomes after correction of acute type a aortic dissection under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest and antegrade cerebral perfusion

Abstract Introduction: Hypothermic circulatory arrest is widely used for correction of acute type A aortic dissection pathology. We present our experience of 45 consecutive patients operated in our unit with bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion and moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest. Methods: Between January 2011 and April 2015, 45 consecutive patients were admitted for acute type A aortic dissection and operated emergently under moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest and bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion. Results: Mean age was 58±11.4 years old. Median circulatory arrest time was 41.5 (30-54) minutes while the 30-day mortality and postoperative permanent neurological deficits rates were 6.7% and 13.3%, respectively. Unadjusted analysis revealed that the factors associated with 30-day mortality were: preoperative hemodynamic instability (OR: 14.8, 95% CI: 2.41, 90.6, P=0.004); and postoperative requirement for open sternum management (OR: 5.0, 95% CI: 1.041, 24.02, P=0.044) while preoperative hemodynamic instability (OR: 8.8, 95% CI: 1.41, 54.9, P=0.02) and postoperative sepsis or multiple organ dysfunction (OR: 13.6, 95% CI: 2.1, 89.9, P=0.007) were correlated with neurological dysfunction. By multivariable logistic regression analysis, postoperative sepsis and multiple organ dysfunction independently predicted (OR: 15.9, 95% CI: 1.05, 96.4, P=0.045) the incidence of severe postoperative neurological complication. During median follow-up of 6 (2-12) months, the survival rate was 86.7%. Conclusion: Bilateral antegrade cerebral perfusion and direct carotid perfusion for cardiopulmonary bypass, in the surgical treatment for correction of acute aortic dissection type A, is a valuable technique with low 30-day mortality rate. However, postoperative severe neurological dysfunctions remain an issue that warrants further research.

Effect of Elective Bentall Procedure on Left Ventricular Systolic Function and Functional Status: Long-Term Follow-Up in 90 patients.

Because there are so few data on the long-term effects on left ventricular systolic function and functional status in patients who electively undergo Bentall procedures, we established a retrospective study group of 90 consecutive patients. This group consisted of 71 male and 19 female patients (mean age, 54 ± 10 yr) who had undergone the Bentall procedure to correct aortic valve disease and aneurysm of the ascending aorta, from 1997 through 2003 in a single tertiary-care center. We monitored these patients for a mean period of 117 ± 41 months for death, left ventricular ejection fraction and volume indices, and functional capacity as determined by New York Heart Association (NYHA) class. There were no operative deaths. The survival rate was 73.3% during follow-up. There were 10 cardiac and 13 noncardiac deaths, and 1 death of unknown cause. Echocardiography was performed before the index procedure and again after 117 ± 41 months. In surviving patients, statistically significant improvement in left ventricular ejection fraction, in comparison with preoperative values (0.49 ± 0.11 vs 0.41 ± 0.11; P <0.0001), was noted at follow-up. Similarly, we observed statistically significant reductions in left ventricular end-systolic (39.24 ± 28.7 vs 48.77 ± 28.62 mL/m(2)) and end-diastolic volumes (54.63 ± 6.97 vs 59.17 ± 8.92 mL/m(2); both P <0.0001). Most patients (53/66 [80.3%]) progressed from a higher to a lower NYHA class during the follow-up period. The Bentall procedure significantly improved long-term left ventricular systolic function and functional status in surviving patients who underwent operation on a nonemergency basis.

Frozen elephant trunk repair for descending thoracic aortic dissection in a man with a hostile left pleural cavity.

The frozen elephant trunk procedure is a hybrid, single-staged alternative to conventional surgery for repairing diffuse pathologic conditions of the thoracic aorta. This approach is particularly advantageous in patients who have pathologic conditions of the left side of the chest, because the descending thoracic aorta can be repaired without entering a hostile pleural cavity. We present the case of a 67-year-old man who had undergone repair of acute type A aortic dissection. He presented with aneurysmal dilation of the descending thoracic aorta secondary to chronic dissection, a large acute dissection of the proximal ascending aorta, and a large paraesophageal hernia that made him a poor candidate for conventional, 2-staged open aortic repair. We describe the hybrid frozen elephant trunk technique that we used to repair the aorta, and its broader advantages.

Brachiocephalic artery cannulation in proximal aortic surgery that requires circulatory arrest.

The brachiocephalic artery is an alternative cannulation site in the repair of ascending aortic lesions that require circulatory arrest. We evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this technique. Proximal aortic surgery was performed in 32 patients from 2006 through 2012 via brachiocephalic artery cannulation and circulatory arrest. Twenty-four (75%) of the patients were men. The mean age was 48.69 ± 9.43 years (range, 30-68 yr). Twelve had type I dissection, 2 had type II dissection, and 18 had true aneurysms of the ascending aorta. All operations were performed through a median sternotomy. The arterial cannula was inserted through an 8-mm vascular graft anastomosed to the brachiocephalic artery in an end-to-side fashion. In dissections, the distal anastomosis was performed without clamping the aorta. The patients were cooled to 24 °C, and circulatory arrest was established. The brachiocephalic and left carotid arteries were clamped, and antegrade cerebral perfusion was started at a rate of 10 mL/kg/min. Cardiopulmonary bypass was resumed after completion of the distal anastomosis and the initiation of rewarming. The proximal anastomosis was then performed. None of the patients sustained a major neurologic deficit, but 5 patients experienced transient postoperative agitation (<24 hr). There were 2 early deaths (6.25%), on the 3rd and the 11th postoperative days, both unrelated to the cannulation technique. Brachiocephalic artery cannulation through a graft can be a safe and effective technique in proximal aortic surgical procedures that require circulatory arrest.

The misunderstanding and comprehension of hybrid operation for treating aortic dissection involving aortic arch / 中国医师杂志

Objective To explore the misunderstanding and comprehension of hybrid operation for treating aortic dissection involving aortic arch.Methods From March 2009 to November 2013,13 patients received hybrid operation for aortic dissection involving aortic arch in the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Urgur Autonomous Region were enrolled,including male 11 and female 2,and aged 36 ～ 60 years old with a mean age (44 ± 6.8) years old.All patients were type-B aortic dissection.All of them were not suitable to be treated with endovascular exclusion monotherapy.The ascending aorta-brachiocephalic artery bypass and left carotid artery bypass was established with median sternotomy approach and neck incision in 13 patients,and 2 patients did left subclavian artery bypass additionally,then retrograde endovascular stent graft implantation was used.Computed tomography angiography (CTA) scanning at 3-month,9-month,1-year and every-year after operation showed no stent grafts translocation and bypass graft obstruction.Results The surgical operation and stent grafts implantation were completely successful.Angiography showed 1 case had end leakage and other cases no obvious displacement or end leakage of stent grafts in operation.Blood flow in true lumen of aortic dissection was recovered and all of bypass grafts were unobstructed.No death and severe complications occurred.All patients were followed-up with 3 to 56 months [(29.0 ± 10.2) months],and all patients resumed normal life.Enhanced CT scanning after operation showed 1 case had endoleak and other cases no endoleak,stent grafts translocation and bypass graft obstmction.No signs of brain and limb ischemia were observed.Conclusions To summarize misunderstanding and experience by continuous explore feature of hybrid operation for treating disease involving aortic arch,we developed a more reasonable surgical treatment options that can improve the success rate of complex aortic dissection surgery,and ultimately achieve better surgical results.

Risk factors and treatments for neurological complications after deep hypothermic ciculatory arrest operation / 中国医师杂志

Objective To investigate the risk factors for neurological complications after deep hypothermic ciculatory arrest (DHCA) operation.Methods From January 2009 to October 2013, 70 patients who were diagnosed as aortic dissection or aortic an-eurysm underwent aortic operations under DHCA .According to the occurrence of neurological complications after surgery , patients were divided into neurological complication group (26 patients) and normal group (44 patients).Risk factors of neurological complications after surgery were evaluated by univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis .Results Central neurological compli-cations occurred in 26 patients (37.14%) , including 18 patients with temporary neurological dysfunction and 7 patients with perma-nent neurological dysfunction , 1 patient with paraplegia , 1 patient died of cerebral infarction .Univariate analysis showed that hyperten-sion disease( P =0.001), emergency surgery within 72 hours( P =0.009),cardiopulmonary bypass time ( P =0.015),antegrade se-lective cerebral perfusion ( ASCP) ( P =0.005 ) , hemodilution degree ( P =0.001 ) , erythrocyte ( P =0.033 ) and plasma ( P =0.034 ) transfusion volume in the perioperative period , oxygen index <200 mmHg in 4 hours postoperatively ( P =0.043 ) , arterial blood pressure instability ( P =0.037 ) and hypernatremia in 24 hours postoperatively ( P =0.001 ) , and the Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) score are the risk factors for central neurological complication .Hypertension disease( P =0.017 ) , emergency surgery within 72 hours ( P =0.048 ) , ASCP ( P =0.015 ) , hypernatremia in 24 hours postoperatively ( P =0.008 ) were independent determinats for central neurological complication .Conclusions A series of procedure including evaluating patients condition correctly before operation , controlling hypertension effectively in the perioperative period , applying the ASCP and the suitable hemodilution degree in operation , maintaining electrolyte balance , and correcting hypernatremia timely in the postoperative pe-riod maybe reduce the incidence of neurological complications after DHCA operation .

Minimally invasive hybrid treatment of acute type I aortic dissection: a single-stage technique without circulatory arrest.

After traditional treatment of acute type I aortic dissection, the possible persistence of residual false lumen in the untouched distal aorta can increase the risk of death.This case report presents an example of single-stage complete hybrid repair of acute type I aortic dissection via surgical interposition of an ascending aortic tube-graft and reconstruction of the supra-aortic branches to enable circulatory inflow from the ascending aortic graft, which was followed by endovascular stenting of the arch and of the descending and thoracic aortic segments. This procedure was performed with partial sternotomy and without circulatory arrest, to improve early and late outcomes.Unfortunately, there is no extensive experience with application of the technique described here, and we are contributing a report of only a single case. Nevertheless, we hope that this description of a single-stage complete repair of aortic dissection might lead to further application and eventually to fewer deaths in patients with acute type I aortic dissection. We suggest this approach for use especially in high-risk patients.

Clinical outcomes in "complex" thoracic aortic surgery.

Although the term "complex aortic surgery" has come into increasing use, it has not been defined. We propose the following definition: replacement or remodeling (not resuspension of commissures) of the aortic root, together with either an intracardiac procedure or a replacement of more than 1 segment of aorta, all of which require cerebral protection. We retrospectively analyzed data pertaining to 152 patients (mean age, 56 +/- 12 years) who underwent surgery for thoracic aortic disease with aid of cardiopulmonary bypass from October 2000 through December 2005. The replaced segment was the ascending aorta with or without the root in 106 patients, the aortic arch in 15, and the descending aorta in 31. Among these patients, 10 met our proposed criteria and constituted the complex group. In this group, in addition to the aortic root, the entire thoracic aorta (ascending, arch, and descending) was replaced in 4 patients, the total arch in 2, and a partial arch in 1. The remaining 3 underwent valve or coarctation repair. Their outcomes were analyzed as a sub-group within the overall outcome. The in-hospital mortality rate was 12.5% in the overall group (19/152), 4.1% in elective cases (3/73), and 10% in the complex group (1/10). Duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, myocardial ischemia, and total cerebral protection times were significantly longer in the complex group (P <0.0001). Total cerebral protection time over 40 minutes was the only predictor of neurologic morbidity (P = 0.003; odds ratio, 4.7). Procedural complexity, as we defined it, increased neurologic morbidity, but not the mortality rate.

Simultaneous insertion of a left ventricular assist system and repair of an ascending aortic dissection.

Operative methods for repairing ascending aortic dissections and for implanting left ventricular assist systems have been thoroughly presented in the medical literature. Only a few reports, however, describe the concomitant performance of these procedures in 1 patient. We report the repair of an acute ascending aortic dissection with simultaneous placement of a long-term left ventricular assist system. One week earlier, the patient had undergone emergent coronary artery bypass grafting and short-term postcardiotomy ventricular assistance when he could not be weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. By creating a graft-to-graft anastomosis on the bench during cooling of the patient on cardiopulmonary bypass, we were able to shorten to 21 minutes the period of hypothermic circulatory arrest required during ascending aortic dissection repair. The procedures were completed successfully. However, the patient developed pneumonia and sepsis during his extended hospital stay and died of multiorgan failure 5 weeks postoperatively.