Konstadinos A. Plestis

Results of Contemporary Surgical Treatment of Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Experience in 198 Patients

Between April 1987 and March 1995, 198 patients (133 male [67.17%] and 65 female [32.83%]; mean age 63.85 years) underwent descending thoracic aortic aneurysm repair. Of these, 142 patients (71.71%) had symptoms. In most patients (n=123 [62%]) the aneurysmal disease was extensive, involving at least two thirds of the descending aorta. In 153 patients (77.27%), the repair was completed with the simple clamp technique (mean clamping time 24.6 minutes). Left atrium-to-femoral bypass was used in 26 patients (13.13%) at high risk (mean clamping time 37.4 minutes). Profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest were necessary in 19 patients (9.6%) with extensive aneurysms that involved the arch and ascending aorta (mean circulatory arrest time 46 minutes). Operative mortality was 5.1% (n=10). The causes of death were cardiac in three patients (1.5%), pulmonary in four (2.0%), and renal in three (1.5%). Postoperative paraplegia occurred in three patients (1.5%). Important predictors (p < 0.05) of mortality at regression analysis included renal failure, pulmonary complications, and paraplegia. The only independent predictor of paraplegia was clamping time. In conclusion, the simple clamp procedure remains the technique of choice in the majority of patients with descending aortic aneurysms. Atriofemoral bypass is an important adjunct in patients at high risk.

Carotid endarterectomy with homologous vein patch angioplasty: A review of 1006 cases

PURPOSE Because homologous vein is rarely used in vascular reconstructions, we evaluated the homologous vein as a patch for the reconstruction of the carotid bifurcation after endarterectomy. METHODS Excess vein harvested during open heart operations was either refrigerated in saline solution or cryopreserved in a solution of 10% dimethyl sulfoxide. Donors were tested for transmissible infections, and the veins were cultured for common pathogens. Data were analyzed from 837 consecutive patients (1006 cases) who underwent carotid endarterectomy with homologous vein patch angioplasty between 1981 and 1993. RESULTS The perioperative mortality rate was 0.8% (eight patients). Two deaths (0.2%) were attributed to ipsilateral strokes. Ischemic strokes occurred in 12 patients (1.2%; 10 ipsilateral), and ipsilateral transient ischemic attacks occurred in three patients (0.3%). Follow-up data were obtained for 482 patients (56%; mean follow-up time, 61 months; range, 1 to 132 months). Ipsilateral recurrent symptoms occurred in eight patients (1.7%; seven strokes, one transient ischemic attack). Of the 63 late deaths (13%), the majority (25 patients; 40%) were caused by complications of coronary artery disease. The 10-year overall survival rate was 76% +/- 3.2%, and the 10-year rate of freedom from late ipsilateral morbidity was 96% +/- 1.4%. The 10-year rate of freedom from late stenosis (a reduction in diameter of > or = 20%) in the 220 arteries (22%) that were studied by duplex scan was 84% +/- 2.3%. CONCLUSIONS The postoperative mortality and neurologic morbidity rates of carotid endarterectomy with homologous vein patch angioplasty are similar to those in the best series with all types of closure. The existing long-term follow-up data indicate that the homologous vein is a durable patch that behaves like other patches used in the same location.

Treatment of Recurrent Carotid Disease Report on a 12-Year Experience

The purpose of this study was to determine whether repeat carotid endarterectomy (CEA) poses a greater risk than first-time CEA. The authors analyzed data from 893 consecutive CEA cases (1981-1993). Thirty-three patients (3.7%) had repeat CEA, and 860 (96.3%) had first-time CEA. There were statistically significantly higher incidences of hypertension (60.6% vs 44.6%), smoking (84.8% vs 55%), hypertriglyceridemia (33.3% vs 16.2%), and coronary artery disease (66.6% vs 36%) in the repeat CEA group than in the first-time CEA group. Symptomatic disease was present in 25 (75.8%) patients in the repeat group and in 576 (67%) patients in the first-time group (P>0.05). The cause of recurrence was atherosclerosis in 25 patients (76%), myointimal hyperplasia in seven patients (21.2%), and intraluminal thrombus without an underlying lesion in one patient (3%). Redo CEA with vein patch angioplasty was performed in 27 patients (82%), vein patch angioplasty alone in five patients (15%), and interposition vein graft in one patient (3%). The hospital operative mortality was 0% (n=0) in the repeat CEA group and 0.6% (n=5) in the first-time CEA group (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative stroke was 0% (n=0) in the repeat group and 1.2% (n= 10) in the first-time group (P>0.05). There was one case (3%) of transient ischemic attack (TIA) in the repeat group, and two cases (0.2%) of TIA in the first-time group. There was no difference in the incidence of cranial nerve dysfunction between the repeat group (n=2, 6%) and the first-time group (n=41, 4.8%; P>0.05). Late follow-up data were obtained for 30 patients (mean: 61.4 months, range: 5-158 months) in the repeat CEA group and 501 patients (mean: 55.8 months, range: 17-168 months) in the first-time CEA group. The incidence of late failure (ipsilateral stroke or TIA) was 3.3% (n= 1) in the repeat group and 3.2% (n= 16) in the firsttime CEA group; P>0.05. The overall late mortality was 20% (n=6) in the repeat CEA group and 14.6% (n=73) in the primary CEA group; P>0.05. Repeat CEA can be performed safely in individuals with severe recurrent carotid stenosis, and perioperative and long-term mortality and neurologic morbidity rates are similar to those for patients undergoing first-time carotid endarterectomy.

Aortic Root Pseudoaneurysm Caused by Mycobacterium Chimaera

Nontuberculous mycobacteria cause severe pulmonary, vascular graft, and bloodstream infections after cardiac surgery. Patient prognosis remains poor because of delays in diagnosis and treatment. Complicated aortic root infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria have been mostly fatal. We describe a case of a 50-year-old man who developed an invasive Mycobacterium chimaera infection with an aortic root pseudoaneurysm after a Bentall-de Bono procedure for a Stanford type A aortic dissection.

Combined cryo-maze procedure and mitral valve repair through a ministernotomy

Atrial fibrillation is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing mitral valve surgery. There is a growing consensus that patients with preexisting atrial fibrillation should undergo surgical ablation at the time of mitral valve surgery. Novel surgical ablation techniques, including cryoablation, have been developed to facilitate concurrent minimally invasive procedures. This video tutorial describes a combined cryo-maze procedure and mitral valve repair through an upper ministernotomy in a patient with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation and severe mitral regurgitation.

One-Stage Repair of a Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Associated with Infrarenal Aortic Occlusion and Visceral Artery Stenosis Using a Modification of the Standard Atriofemoral Bypass Technique A Case Report

Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) are associated infrequently with visceral artery occlusive disease and rarely with aortoiliac occlusion. The presence of occlusion of the infrarenal abdominal aorta limits the options for visceral artery perfusion and spinal cord protection by means of distal aortic perfusion and, consequently, increases the risk for postoperative complications and mortality. Significant stenoses of the visceral arteries further add to the complexity of the repair. We describe a one-stage repair of a type I TAAA associated with infrarenal aortic occlusion and significant stenoses of all visceral arteries using a modified distal perfusion technique.

Results of contemporary surgical treatment of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms: Experience with 176 patients

Between April 1987 and March 1995, 198 patients (133 male [67.17%] and 65 female [32.83%]; mean age 63.85 years) underwent descending thoracic aortic aneurysm repair. Of these, 142 patients (71.71%) had symptoms. In most patients (n=123 [62%]) the aneurysmal disease was extensive, involving at least two thirds of the descending aorta. In 153 patients (77.27%), the repair was completed with the simple clamp technique (mean clamping time 24.6 minutes). Left atrium-to-femoral bypass was used in 26 patients (13.13%) at high risk (mean clamping time 37.4 minutes). Profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest were necessary in 19 patients (9.6%) with extensive aneurysms that involved the arch and ascending aorta (mean circulatory arrest time 46 minutes). Operative mortality was 5.1% (n=10). The causes of death were cardiac in three patients (1.5%), pulmonary in four (2.0%), and renal in three (1.5%). Postoperative paraplegia occurred in three patients (1.5%). Important predictors (p < 0.05) of mortality at regression analysis included renal failure, pulmonary complications, and paraplegia. The only independent predictor of paraplegia was clamping time. In conclusion, the simple clamp procedure remains the technique of choice in the majority of patients with descending aortic aneurysms. Atriofemoral bypass is an important adjunct in patients at high risk.