Januário M Souza

Extraanatomic aortic bypass for repair of aortic arch coarctation via sternotomy: midterm clinical and magnetic resonance imaging results.

BACKGROUND We analyzed our 22 years of experience with extraanatomic bypass grafting for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults. Results from early and midterm follow-up with clinical evaluation and magnetic resonance angiography are reported. METHODS Between November 1979 and December 2001, 18 consecutive patients aged 18 to 61 years (mean, 31.8 +/- 13.3 years) underwent extraanatomic bypass grafting to repair coarctation of the aortic arch. Six patients (33.3%) had recoarctation after previous repair through a left thoracotomy, and 3 (16.7%) had associated cardiac diseases. The operative technique used in all patients was ascending aorta-to-descending thoracic aorta bypass with a polyethylene terephthalate fiber (Dacron) graft through a median sternotomy and posterior pericardial approach. RESULTS Follow-up was completed in all patients, with a mean duration of 5.6 +/- 5.7 years (range, 12 months to 22 years). The follow-up interval exceeded 10 years in 5 patients. No neurologic complications, early or late mortality, late reoperations, or graft complications occurred. Six patients (33.3%) had mild hypertension. All patients were asymptomatic with patent Dacron grafts confirmed by echocardiography. Magnetic resonance angiography, performed in 15 (83.3%) patients, revealed that the Dacron grafts were still patent at a mean interval of 4.0 +/- 6.2 years (range, 5 days to 22 years) after repair. CONCLUSIONS Extraanatomic ascending aorta-to-descending thoracic aorta bypass grafting for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults is safe, with low morbidity and no mortality. The favorable midterm results indicate this technique is a safe and less invasive means of repairing aortic arch coarctation or recoarctation in adults.

Tratamento cirúrgico da coarctação do arco aórtico em adulto: avaliação clínica e angiográfica tardia da técnica extra-anatômica

OBJECTIVE: We analyzed late results of extra-anatomic aortic bypass technique with Dacron graft from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From 1979 to 2000, a total of 15 adult patients, aged 18 years to 61 years (mean 30.8 ± 12.1 years) underwent extra-anatomic bypass graft for surgical repair of aortic arch coarctation. Operative exposure was median sternotomy with posterior pericardial approach in 13 (86.7%) patients and left thoracotomy in 2 (13.3%). Associated procedures were performed in 3 (20.0%) patient and there were 4 (26.7%) reoperations. The patients had clinical evaluation, echocardiographic and angiographic studies, the latter with magnetic resonance post-operative. Follow-up was 6.9 ± 6.7 years (range 30 days to 21 years). RESULTS: There was neither early or late mortality nor neurologic complications. There was no late complications with the Dacron graft neither reoperations. All patients were asymptomatic with patent Dacron graft confirmed by echocardiography. Five (33.3%) patients had mild hypertension. The magnetic resonance was done in 11 (73.3%) patients and the Dacron graft were long-term patent in all. CONCLUSIONS: The extra-anatomic bypass aortic technique with Dacron graft from the ascending aorta to the descending aorta for repair of aortic arch coarctation in adults is a safe operation with low morbidity and mortality. The good long-term results proved to be safe and less invasive technique to repair the aortic arch coarctation or recoarctation in adults.

Carotid artery inflow in operations to correct aortic diseases (ascending, arch and descending)

OBJECTIVE: Femoral artery cannulation has been used as the preferred option in operations to correct ascending aorta and aortic arch aneurysms and dissections. The axillary artery is an alternative site for cannulation. We have used arterial inflow via the common carotid artery in nine patients. METHOD: Nine patients were operated on with ages ranging from 46 to 80 years (mean 62.1 ± 12.54), six were male. Four patients had true aneurysms, three had aortic dissections and two a combination of dissections and true aneurysms. Five patients had undergone previous cardiovascular operations. Deep hypothermia with circulation arrest was used in two patients and in seven, antegrade cerebral perfusion was used. RESULTS: All nine patients awoke from the operation without cerebral damage. Two patients died, one on the 7th postoperative day due to respiratory failure and the other one on the third postoperative day due to a rupture of a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm. CONCLUSION: The carotid artery can be a safe alternative of arterial inflow in operations to correct ascending aorta and aortic arch diseases. This strategy allows antegrade cerebral perfusion during the operation even during arch resection and reconstruction.

Artéria radial na ampliaçäo do uso de enxertos arteriais para revascularizaçäo do miocárdio: consideraçöes anatômicas e tática cirúrgica

The aim of our study is to determine the microscopical anatomy imunohistochemistry and electronical scanning analysis of the radial artery (RA); 269 patients underwent myocardial revascularization with a RA graft were studied, performing 319 RA anatomoses; 80.7% patients were male and 93.7% Caucasians. The left internal thoracic artery (LITA) was used in 246 patients at the present surgery and 17 LITA were used before (redo-operation), performing 97.8%. LITA conduits employed altogether. The patients received another additional conduits: 59 (21.9%) right internal thoracic arteries (RITA); 17 (6.3%) right gastroepiploic arteries (RGEA); 161 (59.8%) saphenous vein grafts. An average of 3.4 anastomoses/patient were constructed. There was no post-operative complications such as ischemia or infection envolving the hand with interruption of the RA supply. The RA immunohistochemistry and electronical scanning microscopy showed that the internal elastic layer is developed and the media layer presented muscular fibers sheafs surrounded by collagen fibers more than elastic fibers. The post-operative complications include respiratory distress (21 -7.8%), atrial fibrillation (21 -7.8%), and enzymatic or electrocardiographic signs (12-4.5%) of acute myocardial infarction. Six (2.2%) patients needed mechanical support with intraortic balloon pump. Early angiographic controls have been performed in 21 patients. One patient developed RA dissection during the angiographic study; in all other patients the RA patency was 100%. The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 2.2% (6 patients). Recently, different arrangements of the arterial grafts were adopted to achieve a more complete myocardial revascularization. The RA are frequently employed to sequential anastomosis with the inferior and lateral left ventricular coronaries. The RA proximal anastomosis is often performed with the LITA. Both the RGEA and the RITA are used as complementar arterial grafts. From 64 patients submitted to myocardial revascularization with RA last 3 months, 2 arterial conduits were performed in 62 (96.9%) patients, 3 arterial conduits were performed in 27 (42.2%) patients and 4 or 5 arterial conduits were performed in 8 (12.5%). Although the pedicled internal thoracic artery graft remains the primary arterial conduit for myocardial revascularization, the radial artery is an excellent additional bypass conduit.

Cirurgia de revascularização do miocárdio associada a endarterectomia de carótida

There are still controversies about the treatment of associated coronary artery disease and carotid artery obstruction. Between 1979 and 1994, 10940 patients were operated on for myocardial revascularization. Combined operations (myocardial revascularization and carotid endarterectomy) were done in 46 (0.43%) patients, during the same period. Patients age ranged from 48 to 76 years with an average of 65.2 yrs; 80.4% were male; 23 had had previous myocardial infarction. Associated diseases were diabetes mellitus in 10 patients, chronic renal insufficiency in 5; 29 were in functional class 111 or IV for angina; 4 patients had congestive cardiac insufficiency: left main carotid obstruction, and in 4 of them one carotid artery was completaly obstructed; 23 patients had had transient cerebral ischemic attack and 2 had had stroke with sequelae. Hospital mortality was 8.6% (4/46). Permanent stroke did not occur in the operative period; 3 of the 4 deaths occurred in patients 70 years or older. Carotid endarterectomy was done just before cardiopulmonary bypass in 42 patients and in 4 patients with one of the carotid arteries occluded, done after cardiopulmonary bypass was established and the patient temperature was 25oC. Considering that no patient had perioperative stroke, we think that this strategy is adequate for this association of diseases.

Tratamento cirúrgico dos aneurismas toracoabdominais da aorta

Five patients have been operated on of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. The mean age was 53 years (range 31-71) and three were women. All the patients were symptomatic, three of them had arteriosclerotic aneurysms, and the other two had dissecting aneurysms. Three patients had been operated on previously. The exposure of aneurysm was made through a thoracoabdominal incision, in four patients clamps were placed above and below the aneurysm and it was incised longitudinally. Bypass between left atrium and left femoral artery with hypothermia and circulatory arrest was used in the other patients, since the proximal thoracic aortic clamping was impossible. A woven Dacron graft of adequate size was used to substitute the aorta, intercostals and visceral arteries were reimplanted. Paraplegia occurred in one patient. There was no intraoperative death. Two patients died in the immediate postoperative period, one of them on the 3rd day, by neurologic coma caused by cardiac arrest during the operation, and the other patient on the 12th postoperative day, suddenlly. Three patients were followed up. Two patients are doing well, 13 and 72 months after operation, and the other one has the limitation of the paraplegia.

Tratamento cirúrgico da dissecção da aorta

Between January 1979 and December 1989, eighty five operations were performed to treat aortic dissection, including fifty in the acute phase, and thirty five in a chronic phase. The Hospital mortality was 21.1% (eighteen patients) and low cardiac output was the major cause of death. The mortality was higher in the group of patients operated upon in the acute phase. Four patients were operated upon for redissection or dissection in other localization of the aorta, and all of them died. One patient developed paraplegy in the postoperative period. The late follow-up showed good evolution in the survivors group.

Surgical myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation

OBJECTIVE To assess the immediate postoperative period of patients undergoing myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation with different types of grafts. METHODS One hundred and twelve patients, 89 (79.5%) of whom were males, were revascularized without extracorporeal circulation. Their ages ranged from 39 to 85 years. The criteria for indicating myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation were as follows: revascularized coronary artery caliber > 1.5 mm, lack of intramyocardial trajectory on coronary angiography, noncalcified coronary arteries, and tolerance of the heart to the different rotation maneuvers. RESULTS Myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation was performed in 112 patients. Three were converted to extracorporeal circulation, which required a longer hospital stay but did not impact mortality. During the procedure, the following events were observed: atrial fibrillation in 10 patients, ventricular fibrillation in 4, total transient atrioventricular block in 2, ventricular extrasystoles in 58, use of a device to retrieve red blood cells in 53, blood transfusion in 8, and arterial hypotension in 89 patients. Coronary angiography was performed in 20 patients on the seventh postoperative day when the grafts were patent. CONCLUSION Myocardial revascularization without extracorporeal circulation is a reproducible technique that is an alternative for treating ischemic heart disease.

Desempenho tardio das biopróteses valvulares porcinas

o objetivo deste trabalho foi ode estudar o desempenho tardio das bioproteses porcinas modelo Carpentier-Edwards, com enfase a todos os eventos morbidos e/ou 1etais que pudessem estar relacionados a presenca da bioprotese. Foram estudados 100 pacientes consecutivos submetidos a substituicao de valva mitral e 100 pacientes consecutivos submetidos a substituicao de valva aortica. O seguimento medio dos pacientes foi de 93 meses para pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva mitral e de 62 meses para os pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva aortica. Aproximadamente, 80% dos pacientes permaneceram vivos ao longo do seguimento. As curvas de sobrevida dos pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva mitral e dos pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva aortica demonstram uma desenso inicial em razao da mortalidade hospitalar e, a partir dai, as curvas se estabilizam, voltando a ter outro descenso a partir dos cinco a seis anos da cirurgia, provavelmente em razao da alta incidencia de degeneracao estrutural nesse periodo. Os pacientes que necessitaram de reoperacao para substituir a bioprotese que sofreu deterioracao estrutural. tiveram uma mortalidade maior do que aqueles que nao necessitaram de reoperacao. Entretanto, essa diferenca nao teve significância estatistica. A mortalidade relacionada a presenca da bioprotese foi de aproximadamente de 5% tanto nos portadores de bioprotese em posicao mitral, quanto nos portadores de bioprotese em posicao aortica. Entre os pacientes que receberam implante da bioprotese em posicao mitral, 22 deles necessitaram de reoperacao para substituir a bioprotese, sendo que a incidencia de reoperacao foi maior nos pacientes que tinham menos de 35 anos na ocasiao da primeira operacao. Vinte e dois pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva mitral necessitaram reoperacao, enquanto que apenas sete pacientes submetidos a substituicao de valva aortica necessitaram reoperacao. As complicacoes tromboembolicas foram raras com o uso das bioproteses, apesar dos pacientes nao terem recebido anticoagulacao oral sistemica. Concluimos que: 1) o uso das bioproteses porcinas tipo Carpentier-Edwards em nosso meio apresentou resultados clinicos satisfatorios, com mortalidade hospitalar e tardia semelhante a de outros grupos e tambem semelhante aquela quando outros substitutos valvares sao empregados; 2) . a deterioracao estrutural e um evento marcante para os pacientes portadores dessas bioproteses e comeca a ocorrer basicamente a partir de seis a sete anos apos o implante; 3) a deterioracao estrutural da bioprotese modifica o destino dos pacientes, mot ivando a reoperacao para substituir a bioprotese implantada. Entretanto, a ocorrencia desta reoperacao nao aumenta significativamente a mortalidade Abstract

Ruptura da valva aórtica por trauma torácico fechado

We report a patient admitted to our hospital with aortic valve rupture due to blunt chest trauma. The aortic rupture was accurately identified by the transesophageal echocardiogram, allowing a better surgical approach.