Open conversion with Crawford extent 3 thoracoabdominal aortic replacement after candy-plug implantation.

A patient who underwent candy-plug insertion in the year 2016 developed type 1B endoleak with rapid enlargement of distal descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in the year 2021 despite the initial successful false lumen occlusion and thrombosis. Open conversion with Crawford extent 3 thoracoabdominal aortic replacement was performed successfully and the patient was discharged home without any major complications.

Midterm clinical outcome of a case of aortic arch aneurysm treated with a novel arch stentgraft system.

INTRODUCTION: Open surgery is the gold standard treatment for aortic arch disease. However, due to its complexity, open arch replacement is associated with considerable risk of mortality and morbidity. METHOD: We report a case of a 71-year-old gentleman with multiple comorbidities and symptomatic 7 cm aortic arch aneurysm who was treated with a single-stage carotid-carotid and left carotid-axillary bypass followed by zone 0 aortic arch stenting with bimodular Nexus™ stent graft. RESULTS: Post-operatively, the patient suffered from a minor stroke with full neurological recovery. Follow-up computed tomography of the aorta 3 years post-stenting showed excellent stent position with no endoleak and complete resolution of the saccular aneurysm. DISCUSSION: The midterm result of our patient who was successfully treated with an off-the-shelf single branch, bimodular stent graft system is excellent with complete resolution of the arch saccular aneurysm at 3-year after the operation.

Retrospective record review on timing of COVID-19 vaccination and cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND: Novel clinical challenges are faced by cardiac surgeons under the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Amidst the uncertainties faced due to the socioeconomic and public health impact, there is little evidence surrounding COVID-19 vaccination in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Timing of vaccination and postvaccination adverse effects are required parameters to discuss with cardiac surgical patients. METHODS: This is a single-center, retrospective observational study. All patients who underwent adult cardiac surgery at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong from January 2021 to December 2021 were included. Postoperative clinical outcomes, COVID-19 vaccination status, and vaccination-related adverse effects were collected. RESULTS: A total of 426 patients; 117 (27%) underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting, 111 (26%) underwent valvular surgery, and 97 (23%) underwent aortic surgery. Patients received either Sinovac CoronaVac or Pfizer BNT162b2 vaccine. Overall vaccination rate with at least 1 dose was 52% (n = 212), 15% (n = 63) received the first dose before surgery, 36% (n = 149) received the first dose vaccination after surgery. Rate of completion with second and third doses of vaccination were 22% (n = 89) and 4.9% (n = 20), respectively. The mean timing of first dose of vaccine after surgery was 216 ± 84 days from operation. Three (1.4%) patients recorded vaccination-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination is safe in patients who received major cardiac surgery, with low adverse effects recorded and no vaccine-related mortality observed. A time frame of 3-6 months after cardiac surgery receiving COVID-19 vaccination is reasonable and could serve as a guidance for future COVID-19 vaccination booster programs.

Valiant NAVION stent graft system application: First Asian case-series analysis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The Valiant NavionTM stent graft system is a third-generation low profile thoracic endograft designed for thoracic endovascular aortic repair. In this population analysis, we report on the first Asian all-comers experience and outcomes who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair with the use of this new stent graft system. METHODS: Between May 2019 and October 2020, 21 patients with different aortic pathologies were prospectively recruited and retrospectively analyzed. Important clinical and device-related outcomes were evaluated. The endpoints included short-term survival, technical success, access failures, major vascular and clinical complications, endoleaks, and hospital stay. RESULTS: The commonest indication of stenting was penetrating aortic ulcers (28.6%) and six (28.6%) patients had emergency stenting performed for aortic transection or rupture. 30 days of survival postprocedure was recorded and complete. There were no major vascular complications. Deployment accuracy was 100%, and the technical success rate was 94.7% (18/19) with one patient having a Type 2 endoleak on follow-up imaging. No neurological complications were noted. The mean operative time was 95 ± 73.6 min and the mean fluoroscopy time was 16.2 ± 10.8 min. Mean hospital stay for elective zone 2, 3, and 4 stenting was 5.3 ± 3.8 days, and only one patient postzone 1 thoracic endovascular aortic repair required a brief (0.5 days) ICU stay. All procedures were performed via the percutaneous transfemoral route with 100% success in percutaneous closure. CONCLUSION: This first reported Asian case series demonstrated versatility, safety, and efficacy of the Valiant NavionTM stent in Asian patients with different aortic pathologies.

Individualized treatment of type A intramural hematoma-upfront surgery is not always necessary.

Background: Management of acute type A intramural hematoma (IMH) is a controversial topic, and variable treatment strategies have been reported. Upfront aortic replacement may not be necessary in all cases. The goal of our study was to evaluate clinical outcomes of patients with acute type A IMH or thrombosed false lumen (FL) treated with upfront surgery or watchful waiting. Methods: Patients admitted to our hospital with type A IMH or aortic dissection with thrombosed ascending FL from December 2012 to February 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Among the 93 patients with type A IMH, 36 (38.7%) patients underwent upfront aortic surgery (Group S), and 57 (61.3%) patients were offered watchful waiting with medical surveillance (Group W). Of the 57 patients in Group W, 32 were treated conservatively with medical therapy alone (Group C). Patients in Group S had larger ascending aortic diameter (47.8±5.3 vs. 44.4±4.2 mm: P=0.001), higher frequency of pericardial effusion (38.9% vs. 10.5%; P=0.001) and cardiac tamponade (16.7% vs. 1.8%; P=0.008). The overall mortality rate was 4.3% in the whole cohort over a median follow up of 40.5 months. Overall survival for Group S was 100% at 30 days and 1 year, and 96.2% at 5 years. Overall survival for Group W was 98.2% at 30 days, 96.3% at 1 year and 95.2% at 5 years. The difference in overall survival was not statistically significant (P=0.64). Overall survival for Group C was 100% at 30 days and 1 year, and 90.9% at 5 years. Conclusions: Survival outcomes in selected patients with type A IMH were satisfactory. An individualized approach to patients with uncomplicated type A IMH was feasible. Upfront surgery was not necessary in all cases.

Use of the Endurant stent graft system for ruptured infrarenal aortic aneurysms: short-term experience in nine patients.

PURPOSE: To report the early results of use of the Endurant stent graft in the treatment of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Nine consecutive patients (seven men and two women; mean age, 76 y; range, 65-87 y) underwent endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) for a ruptured AAA with the Endurant stent graft between April and December 2012. EVAR was emergent in all cases. Early technical success, clinical success, major complication, and mortality rates were analyzed. RESULTS: Intraoperative immediate technical success was achieved in all nine patients. The 30-day clinical success rate was 67% (six of nine patients). The 30-day mortality rate was 33% (three of nine patients). During a mean follow-up of 6 months (range, 3-10 mo), none of the cases required reintervention; there was one late death attributed to probable endograft infection. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term results of EVAR with the Endurant stent graft in patients with ruptured AAAs are encouraging.

Emerging role of radiogenomics in genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection: a narrative review.

Background and Objective: Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) and its complications are life-threatening conditions. Hypertension and atherosclerosis had all along been recognized as the predominant risk factors for the development of TAAD. However, it was increasingly reported that genetic factors, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), are playing an important role in the disease development. The development of next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the rapid growth in radiomics provide a promising new platform to evaluate genetically triggered thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (GTAAD) from a new angle. This review is to present an overview of currently available knowledge regarding the use of radiomics and radiogenomics in GTAAD. Methods: We performed literature searches in PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane database from 2012 to 2022 regarding the use of radiomics and radiogenomics in GTAAD. Key Content and Findings: There were only 13 studies on radiomics and 4 studies on radiogenomics integration retrieved from the search and it signifies there is still a significant knowledge gap in this field of translational medicine. An overview of the current knowledge of GTAAD, the workflow and role of radiomics, the radiogenomics integration for GTAAD including its potential role in the development of polygenic scores, as well as the implications, challenges, and limitations of radiogenomics research were discussed. Conclusions: In the contemporary era, radiogenomics has been emerging as a state-of-the art approach to establish statistical correlation with radiomics features with genomic information in diagnosis, risk modeling and prediction and treatment decision in TAAD.

Initial Asian experience of the branched E-vita open NEO in complex aortic pathologies.

Background: Aortic arch pathology often requires staged segmental repairs. Total aortic arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk (FET) offers surgical options for these pathologies. The Jotec E-vita Open NEO™ branched prosthesis was introduced in 2020; we sought to share our initial experience focusing on the prosthesis selection strategies, surgical techniques, anastomosis-bleeding and graft-oozing control methods, and early clinical outcomes from two Asian centers. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study in patients with aortic arch pathologies who underwent total arch replacement using the FET procedure with Jotec E-vita Open NEO™ branched prosthesis from two Asian centers between October 2020 and August 2021. The primary outcome was overall 30-day mortality, and the secondary outcomes were operative complications. Results: Twenty-five consecutive patients underwent total arch replacement with FET with the novel hybrid prosthesis. Overall 30-day mortality from both centers was 0%. Overall mean operative, cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and selective antegrade cerebral perfusion times were 353.4±80.5, 183.2±39.6, 57.2±14.7, and 138.2±28.6 minutes, respectively. No patient developed stroke. Permanent spinal cord injury (SCI) was recorded in one patient (4%) and one (4%) had transient lower limb weakness that resolved after spinal drainage. There was no requirement of re-sternotomy for hemostasis. Conclusions: We reported a multicenter Asian case series with the novel FET hybrid prosthesis demonstrating the feasibility and safety of promising initial clinical outcomes. The technique of circumferential reinforcement of vascular anastomosis for hemostasis may be one of the methods for lowering the rates of re-sternotomy for hemostasis, and proper surgical or transfusion strategies would overcome the excessive oozing of the prosthesis. Long-term follow-up is required for further evaluation of aortic pathology progression and device-related outcomes.

Experimental Manipulation of Guided Attention to the Shoulder Movement Task in Clinical Dohsa-hou Induces Shifts in the Reactive Mode and Indicates Flexible Cognitive Control Performance.

The empirical basis for self-control in Dohsa-hou as it relates to effects on cognitive processes has been explored in a few studies of the Japanese psychotherapy, but not under standardized conditions with a strong predictive theory of control. This study reports on a series of experiments with the Dual Mechanisms of Control framework to clarify the possible regulatory mechanism of Dohsa-hou by focusing on shoulder movement, a key body movement task used by practitioners across applied settings. Cognitive control was operationalized with the AX version of Continuous Performance Test (AX-CPT) paradigm for proactive control and a modified Stroop task paradigm for reactive control in a 3-arm parallel group trial study design. Healthy Japanese university students were assigned to a Dohsa-hou group that performed a shoulder movement task for few minutes, an active control group that performed a similar task, or a passive control group comprised of a resting condition. A total of 55 participants performed the AX-CPT and 57 participants performed the modified Stroop task before and after the group manipulation. In the AX-CPT, an increase in the error rate of AY (true cue-false probe) trial from pre- to post-test was observed in the passive control group only, and found to be marginally higher in the passive control group relative to Dohsa-hou group at post-test. This indicated that Dohsa-hou moderated the activation of proactive control by repeated AX-CPT performance. The error rate of the Proactive Behavioral Index did not differ from zero at post-test only in the Dohsa-hou group, indicating flexible cognitive control. In the modified Stroop task, there was no difference between congruent and incongruent trials at post-test for the Dohsa-hou group only, indicating the facilitation of reactive control. The evidence for a balancing effect for the Dohsa-hou-based shoulder movement task indicates that clients experience a form of continuous self-monitoring, which might reduce mind-wandering from their focus on movement execution combined with iterative verbal feedback from the therapist. Overall, the results of the present study suggest that the self-regulatory mechanism promoted in clinical Dohsa-hou emphasizes guided shifts in attention to the reactive mode toward a balance of cognitive control.

Pre-emptive BioGlue priming of the branched Evita Open NEO hybrid prosthesis: tackling excessive oozing.

Excessive oozing after total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk technique through the fabric of the E-vita Open NEO raised concern about its early adaptation. The mechanism is speculated to be multifactorial. Our goal was to report our approach using pre-emptive BioGlue priming on the fabric against the oozing phenomenon.

Influence of cholesterol level on long-term survival and cardiac events after surgical coronary revascularization.

Objective: Statins have been shown to delay the inevitable progression of atherosclerosis in native coronaries and saphenous vein grafts, thereby reducing ischemic events after surgical coronary revascularization. However, there is significant controversy as to whether titrating statin therapy to concrete cholesterol targets is appropriate. Methods: A single-center retrospective analysis of 309 consecutive patients who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass graft in 2007 and 2008 was performed. Measurements of lipid profile subcomponents, namely total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides, in mmol/L, were obtained by retrospective review of electronic health records. The primary end point was cardiac death. The secondary end point was the composite of cardiac events, including cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, hospitalization for unstable angina, and target lesion revascularization. Database lock date was August 15, 2020. Results: The median follow-up duration was 12.5 years. Cardiac death occurred in 6.8% of the cohort. Cardiac events occurred in 21.7% of the cohort. New-onset myocardial infarction occurred in 8.7% (n = 27), of which 48.1% (n = 13) underwent repeat revascularization. A 2-level nested Cox proportional hazards regression model was constructed to determine whether cholesterol target attainment was independently associated with cardiac events. After risk adjustment, LDL-C, non-HDL-C, total cholesterol (TC), and TC/HDL-C ratio were independently associated with cardiac death. In receiver operating characteristics analyses, the optimal cut-off values for non-HDL-C, LDL-C, and TC/HDL-C ratio were 3.2 mmol/L, 2.3 mmol/L, and 3.5, respectively. Conclusions: Exposure to elevated LDL-C and non-HDL-C cholesterol levels independently predicted long-term cardiac death after coronary artery bypass graft.

Coronary endarterectomy in coronary artery disease: Factors affecting graft patency and survival.

BACKGROUND: Coronary endarterectomy aims to improve completeness of revascularization in patients with occluded coronary vessels. The benefits of coronary endarterectomy remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to evaluate short-term surgical outcomes and factors affecting graft patency post-coronary endarterectomy. METHODS: Between 2009 and 2019, 81 consecutive patients who had coronary endarterectomy done were evaluated for their perioperative and early results. A total of 36 patients with follow-up coronary studies were included in patency analysis. Mortality rates, major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events, and graft patency were outcomes of interest. Survival and risk factor analysis were performed with Kaplan-Meier and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The average age of the cohort was 61.9 ± 9.29 years. Complete revascularization rate was 95.4% post-coronary endarterectomy. The 30-day and 1-year mortality was 2.5 and 6.2%, respectively. One-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events rate was 11.1%. Periprocedural myocardial infarction rate was 7.4%. Three patients required repeat revascularization within a mean follow-up duration of 49.6 ± 36.5 months. Overall graft patency was 89.2% at 20.2 months and graft patency post-coronary endarterectomy was 85.4%. Arterial grafts showed 100% patency. Vein grafts to endarterectomized obtuse marginal branch had patency rates of 33.3%. Multiple endarterectomies were associated with worse one-year major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (OR: 28.6 ± 1.16; P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Coronary endarterectomy facilitates completeness of revascularization and does not increase early mortality. Graft patency post-coronary endarterectomy on obtuse marginal artery was suboptimal. Judicious use of coronary endarterectomy should be practiced to balance the need of completeness of revascularization against the risk of myocardial infarction.

Total Aortic Arch Replacement and Frozen Elephant Trunk.

Aortic arch pathologies have been a surgical challenge, involving cerebral, visceral and myocardial protection. Innovative techniques including total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk had evolved over last decades with promising mid-term outcomes. We evaluate our mid-term outcomes on total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk and the role of timely second staged interventions. Between August 2014 and April 2020, 41 patients with aortic arch pathologies underwent total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk with Thoraflex-Hybrid-Plexus device (Vascutek, Inchinnan, Scotland). Patients' perioperative, clinical and radiological outcomes were reviewed. Post discharge survival (n = 37) at 3 year was 100%. Overall survival of 85.3% over a median follow up of 3.3 years, inpatient mortality of 9.8%. Distribution of aortic pathologies with acute type A dissection or intramural hematoma (n = 15, 36.6%), thoracic aortic aneurysm, including arch and descending aortic aneurysm (n = 9, 22%) and chronic aortic dissection including chronic type A and type B dissections (n = 13, 31.7%). Mean operative, circulatory arrest, and antegrade cerebral perfusion time were 417 ± 121 minutes, 89 ± 28 minutes, and 154 ± 43 minutes, respectively. Second stage procedures were performed in 32% and distal stent graft induced new entry was observed in 19% of patients. We reported an Asian series of Thoraflex with outstanding midterm clinical outcomes, given descending aortic pathologies were tackled with a timely second stage interventions. The observation of aortic remodeling and distal stent graft induced new entry requires further investigations.

Peri-procedural Trans-esophageal Echocardiographic Sizing of the Native Left Ventricular Outflow Tract During Edwards INTUITY Valve Implantation.

Background: The Edwards INTUITY rapid deployment valve was anchored on the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) by radial force akin to transcatheter balloon-expandable valves. This design feature facilitates minimally invasive and complex procedures but comes at the price of compressing the atrioventricular conduction bundle and potential requirement for pacemaker implantation. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 30 consecutive patients who received the INTUITY valve at our institution from August 2018 to January 2021. Demographical, clinical, and echocardiographic parameters were collected for 90 days post-operatively. The diameter of the native LVOT at the landing site of the sub-annular stent was retrospectively measured using archived trans-esophageal echocardiographic images. A line was drawn from the inner edge of the septal endocardium to the inner edge of the anterior mitral leaflet in mid-systole, parallel to the aortic annulus, 6-8 mm apical to the aortic annulus depending on the valve size and the corresponding stent length. Risk factors associated with new onset conduction disturbances, defined as the occurrence of bundle branch block or complete heart block, were analyzed. Results: Operative mortality was 3.3%. Pre-operatively, permanent pacemakers were required for two patients who were excluded from the subsequent analysis. New onset conduction disturbances occurred in four of the remaining 28 patients (14.3%). This included two incidences of persistent left bundle branch block and two incidences of permanent pacemaker implantation due to complete heart block. Univariate analysis identified over-sizing of the native LVOT by 5 mm or more as a significant risk factor associated with conduction disturbance. Conclusion: During INTUITY vale implantation, in addition to the aortic annulus, the landing site of the sub-annular stent within the native LVOT should also be sized pre-bypass. Over-sizing the native LVOT by 5 mm or more was associated with an increased risk of new onset conduction disturbances and should be avoided.

Pocket-Size Mobile Echocardiographic Screening of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms in Hypertensive Patients.

BACKGROUND: Patients with hypertension may develop a thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) that can be asymptomatic but potentially life-threatening. We sought to assess the prevalence of asymptomatic TAA among hypertensive patients with a point-of-care screening program using pocket-size mobile echocardiographic (PME) devices. METHODS: We prospectively performed transthoracic aortic ultrasound using a PME device on patients attending our hypertension clinics between June 2016 and July 2018. The echo examinations were performed by a research fellow to obtain aortic diameter measurements including the aortic sinus, sinotubular junction, ascending aorta, aortic arch, and descending thoracic aorta through various standard echo views. Images were stored on the PME and transferred to a desktop computer for measurements and further statistical analysis. RESULTS: During the study period 1529 hypertensive patients (mean age, 62 years [range, 30-85]; 824 men) were recruited. The prevalence of TAA (defined as maximum aortic diameter ≥ 4.5 cm and/or >50% larger than the diameter of the adjacent normal aorta) in our study population was 7.5% (115/1529). Multiple logistic regression analysis identified male gender (odds ratio, 2.120; P < .001) and older age (odds ratio, 1.031; P < .001) as independent factors associated with TAA. CONCLUSIONS: Silent TAA is common among hypertensive patients in Hong Kong. We found the PME device to be effective in detecting TAA in a clinic setting. Such an approach may be useful for early detection of TAA among at-risk patients, allowing aggressive blood pressure control and early surgical intervention to prevent catastrophic complications.

Open descending aortic replacement after Thoraflex hybrid graft implantation.

The Thoraflex hybrid graft has been widely used around the world to allow a single-stage treatment for multi-segment aortic pathologies. The distal stent graft component of the Thoraflex has made it exceptionally easy for endovascular second-stage procedures when compared with the floating elephant trunk. However, published reports on operative techniques for open second-stage procedures after Thoraflex are limited. In this video tutorial we describe our open second-stage after Thoraflex with special focus on the ideal anastomosis technique to achieve good hemostasis and an optimal surgical outcome.

Open descending aortic replacement in a patient with a fractured Djumbodis™ dissection system.

The Djumbodis™ dissection system was introduced as an alternative to aortic arch replacement in acute type A aortic dissection involving the arch. In our own experience, some patients with Djumbodis implantation developed distal aortic arch and descending aortic aneurysm during subsequent follow-up and required additional interventions. However, as there is a high incidence of fracture associated with the Djumbodis system, further endovascular interventions are not feasible. We report a case of successful open descending aortic replacement in a patient with a fractured Djumbodis stent system.

Management of acute type A intramural hematoma: upfront surgery or individualized approach? A retrospective analysis and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Management of acute type A intramural hematoma (IMH) is a controversial topic. In our study, we aim to analyze the survival outcomes in local patients with acute type A IMH and a meta-analysis on survival in type A IMH treated medically versus surgically was performed. METHODS: From 2014 to 2019, 65 patients with acute type A IMH were selected for analysis. Primary outcome of interest was 1 year all cause survival. The rate of aortic-related events in the medical group was evaluated. PubMed and Embase were searched for meta-analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of our cohort was 61.7±9.7 years. Of the 65 patients, 40% had emergency operation. Overall 1-year survival was 96.9%. The 1-year survival was 94.9% for the medical group. 46.2% of the medical group required aortic intervention at a mean duration of 191±168 days. Maximal aortic diameter (MAD) ≥45 mm was predictive of aortic-related events in the medical group (OR: 7.0; 95% CI, 1.7-29.4; P=0.008). For the meta-analysis, 21 studies were identified, and 900 patients were included. Emergent surgery was associated with improved survival in type A IMH (OR: 0.76; 95% CI, 0.29-1.97, P=0.58; I2=27%). CONCLUSIONS: The 1-year survival after type A IMH was promising, regardless of approach. The conservative-first approach was found to be safe & feasible, and upfront surgery remained the management of choice in general. Patients with MAD ≥45 mm was associated with subsequent aortic intervention in the medical-first group.

10-year outcomes post coronary artery bypass grafting in Asian patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy: a comprehensive analysis of survival and cardiac performance.

BACKGROUND: Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is the standard of care for patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM). Despite recent evidence supporting the role of CABG, long term outcomes for patients with ICM remain poor and 10-year results post CABG in ICM patients are under-reported, especially among Asians. Uncertainty on whether CABG improves cardiac performance and survival in the long term remains. In this study, we aim to analyze 10-year results concerning cardiac performance and survival post CABG in Asian patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤35% and predominant heart failure symptoms, and identify perioperative risk factors affecting long term survival and cardiac function. METHODS: Thirty-six patients with LVEF <35% who had CABG performed between the year 2006-2009 were selected from local hospital records for retrospective analysis. Outcomes of interest included post-operative cardiac symptoms, LVEF & 10-year all-cause and cardiac-event free survival. Survival analysis was performed using Kaplan Meier analysis, and predictive factors were identified with log- rank test and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean age of the cohort was 62.9±9.9 years. Operative mortality within 30 days was 5.6%. The 10-year all-cause mortality rate was 55.6%. The mean duration of survival was 105.9±8.3 months. Of the patients who did not survive till 10 years, 65.0% died of cardiac-related causes, with non-ST elevation myocardial infarction being the commonest cause. CABG improved LVEF (24.9% to 32.2%; P<0.001) and 66.7% of patients remained with impaired LVEF ≤35% post CABG. Post op NYHA class 3-4 symptoms (OR: 6.3; P=0.012) was the only predictive factor for 10 year all-cause mortality and post op LVEF improvement ≥5% (OR: 5.8; 95% CI, 1.1-29.9; P=0.036) was associated with improvement in NYHA class. Completeness of revascularization and viability of myocardium were not predictive of survival or changes in LVEF or NYHA class. CONCLUSIONS: The 10-year survival rates of Asian patients with ICM were similarly disappointing as its counterparts in the west. A majority of patients still suffered from cardiac-event related deaths. Post CABG NYHA class was found to be important in determining success and adequacy of treatment in patients with ICM and improvement in LVEF ≥5% was predictive of improvement of symptoms. Neither completeness of revascularization or presence of myocardial viability had any impact on survival in our patient cohort.

Open descending aortic replacement after Thoraflex™ hybrid graft implantation.

The Thoraflex™ device is a composite 4-branched graft with a distal endovascular stent that allows either a one-stage treatment or an endovascular second-stage treatment of multisegment aortic pathologies. Reports on open second-stage treatment after the Thoraflex™ device implantation are sparse especially regarding the technical aspects. We described our surgical procedure of open second-stage descending thoracic aortic replacement after Thoraflex™ implantation with a special focus on the anastomosis technique to a stent graft. We found excellent haemostasis and a good postoperative outcome using our approach of the stent graft to graft anastomosis.