Roman Gottardi

Supra-aortic Transposition for Combined Vascular and Endovascular Repair of Aortic Arch Pathology

BACKGROUND Supra-aortic transpositions in various extents followed by endovascular stent graft placement are now an established tool in the treatment of various pathologies affecting the aortic arch. Results remain to be determined. METHODS From 1996 through 2007, 73 patients (median age, 71 years) presented with aortic arch pathology (atherosclerotic aneurysms, n = 42; type B dissections, n = 9; penetrating ulcers, n = 17; traumatic lesions, n = 2; aneurysms based on prior surgery for aortic coarctation, n = 3). Strategy for distal arch disease was subclavian-to-carotid transposition (n = 24) or autologous double-vessel transposition through upper hemisternotomy (n = 36). For entire arch disease, total supra-aortic rerouting with a reversed bifurcated prosthesis was applied (n = 13). Endovascular stent graft placement was performed metachronously. RESULTS In-hospital mortality was 6.8% (n = 5). Persistent early type I and III endoleak rate was 9.6%. Persistent late type I and III endoleak rate was 5.5%. Overall actuarial survival was 90%, 86%, and 72% at 1, 3, and 5 years. Mean follow-up is 37 months (range, 1 to 120). Early and late endoleak formation was independently predicted by the number of prostheses (early odds ratio [OR] 0.210, p = 0.0003; late OR 0.216, p = 0.012), whereas logistic EuroSCORE (European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation) reached borderline significance regarding late endoleaks (OR 2.1, p = 0.095). An earlier year of implantation reached borderline significance predicting survival (OR 1.9, p = 0.062). Furthermore, survival was independently predicted by higher logistic EuroSCORE levels (OR 1.8, p = 0.020). Interestingly, type of arch rerouting did not influence endoleak formation and survival (OR 0.9, p = 0.812). CONCLUSIONS Results after supra-aortic transpositions in various extents followed by endovascular stent graft placement for the treatment of various pathology affecting the aortic arch are promising. Endoleak formation is directly related to the number of prostheses and may be reduced by longer devices. Each type of arch rerouting, irrespective of extent, has turned out to be effective. Therefore, extended applications of these combined treatment strategies substantially augment the therapeutic options.

Novel Insights Into the Mechanisms and Treatment of Intramural Hematoma Affecting the Entire Thoracic Aorta

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to address a previously not described mechanism underlying intramural hematoma (IMH) of the entire thoracic aorta and to test the hypothesis whether endovascular stent graft placement in this particular mechanism could be beneficial. METHODS Within a 5-year period, we treated 8 patients with IMH affecting the entire thoracic aorta. The presumed site of initial plaque rupture was chosen as target for endovascular stent graft placement. RESULTS In all patients, a small atherosclerotic plaque at the free lateral wall or at the concavity of the distal aortic arch could be identified as initial site of IMH. Endovascular stent graft placement was performed successfully in all patients. By covering the suspected primary lesion, resorption of IMH especially within the ascending aorta could be achieved. Mean follow-up is 16 months (range, 1 to 25). CONCLUSIONS Plaque rupture may be identified as the cause of IMH in a previously unrecognized subgroup of patients. If at the convexity of the distal arch, supra-aortic branches prevent retrograde extension toward the ascending aorta. If at the free lateral wall or at the concavity, IMH may affect the entire thoracic aorta, owing to the lack of the natural barrier of the supra-aortic branches. Endovascular stent graft placement of this plaque-associated IMH may be more effective and less invasive than conventional surgery to treat the entire thoracic aortic disease.

Midterm Results After Endovascular Treatment of Acute, Complicated Type B Aortic Dissection

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy and midterm results of endovascular treatment of acute, complicated type B aortic dissection. METHODS Between January 2001 and February 2010, 32 patients (7 women, 25 men) with acute, complicated type B aortic dissection (mean age, 56 years; range, 35 to 83 years), defined as either aortic rupture, malperfusion, intractable pain, or uncontrolled hypertension, underwent endovascular stent graft placement with either the Gore Excluder/TAG device (n = 11), Medtronic Talent/Valiant device (n = 16), Bolton Relay (n = 2), or a combination of these stents (n = 3). Follow-up was 94% complete and averaged 26 ± 23 months. RESULTS Technical feasibility and success with deployment proximal to the entry tear was 87%, requiring partial or total coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) in 9 patients (28%). Hospital mortality was 12% ± 11% (95% confidence limit) with 2 late deaths (17 and 98 months after implant). Causes of hospital death included rupture in 2, retrograde type A dissection in 1, and multiorgan failure in 1 patient. Three patients (11%) experienced new neurologic complications (2 paraparesis and 1 hemiparesis). Six patients with malperfusion required branch vessel stenting. Furthermore, 2 had an early type Ia endoleak. Actuarial survival at 1 and 5 years was 81% and 76%, respectively. Freedom from treatment failure at 1 and 5 years (including reintervention, aortic rupture, device-related complication, and aortic related death) was 78% and 61%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Endovascular stent-graft placement in acute, complicated type B aortic dissection proves to be a promising alternative therapeutic treatment modality in this relatively difficult patient cohort. Refinements, especially in stent design and application, may further improve the prognosis of patients in this life-threatening situation.

Mid-term results after endovascular stent-graft placement due to penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers of the thoracic aorta

BACKGROUND To determine mid-term durability of endovascular stent-graft placement in patients with penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers (PAU) involving the thoracic aorta and to identify risk factors for death as well as early and late cardiovascular events. METHODS From 1997 to 2006, 27 patients (mean age 66 yrs) presented with PAU (rupture n=7). Mean numeric EuroScore was 11 and mean logistic EuroScore was 35. Median follow-up was 42 (10-86) months, being complete in all patients. Outcome variables included death and occurrence of early and late cardiovascular events. RESULTS In-hospital mortality was 11%. Primary success rate was 100%. Actuarial survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 93%, 78% and 70%, respectively. Hemodynamic instability (HR 2.5, 2.1-3.9; p=0.034) as well as logistic EuroScore (HR 2.8, 2.4-4.3; p=0.019) was identified as independent predictor of early and late cardiovascular events. CONCLUSIONS Endovascular stent-graft placement in patients with PAU is an effective palliation for a life-threatening sign of a severe systemic process. Hemodynamic instability at referral and a high preoperative risk score predict adverse outcome. During mid-term follow-up, patients are mainly limited by sequelae of their underlying disease.

Coronary reoperations: recurrence of angina and clinical outcome with and without cardiopulmonary bypass

BACKGROUND We compared our experience of minimal tissue dissection and target vessel revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) with the standard procedure of total dissection of the heart and complete revascularization with CPB in patients who had elective reoperative coronary artery bypass grafting (redo-CABG). METHODS We analyzed recurrence of angina and clinical outcome in 118 patients who had elective redo-CABG between January 1995 and April 2002. Seventy-four patients had redo-CABG with CPB, and 44 patients had redo-CABG without CPB. RESULTS Perioperative outcome was comparable with regard to morbidity and mortality rates. At follow-up, the mean Canadian Cardiovascular Society score was 1.3 +/- 0.6 in patients who had redo-CABG with CPB and 1.7 +/- 0.8 in patients who had redo-CABG without CPB (p = 0.02). At follow-up, patients who had redo-CABG without CPB had a higher rate of recurrence of angina (log rank = 0.001) and higher use of nitrates (p = 0.015). Target vessel revascularization was an independent predictor of recurrence of angina in younger patients (< 75 years; p = 0.012) but not in the elderly (> or = 75 years; p = 0.142). CONCLUSIONS In elective redo-CABG patients, minimal tissue dissection and target vessel revascularization without cardiopulmonary bypass did not add significant benefit with regard to perioperative morbidity and mortality. The unsatisfactory relief of symptoms does not seem to justify target vessel revascularization by a less invasive approach. Therefore, this technique should be offered exclusively to patients at high risk with complete revascularization using CPB, such as the elderly.

Symptomatic spinal cord malperfusion after stent-graft coverage of the entire descending aorta

OBJECTIVE The study aims to identify risk constellations for symptomatic spinal cord malperfusion in patients undergoing extensive stent-graft coverage of the thoracic aorta. METHODS From 1997 through 2009, 26 patients (mean age 70 years) underwent extensive stent-graft coverage of the thoracic aorta. Indications for stent-graft placement were atherosclerotic aneurysms (n=18) and penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers (PAUs) (n=8). In 16 patients, a re-routing procedure was required to gain sufficient proximal landing zone length. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage was not routinely applied owing to the necessity of maintaining continuing anti-platelet therapy due to severe cardiovascular co-morbidities. RESULTS Technical success was 100%. Five patients developed symptomatic spinal cord malperfusion. All symptomatic patients had impaired spinal cord blood supply by acute or chronic occlusion of at least two major blood-supplying vascular territories of the spinal cord. Secondary CSF drainage improved neurologic symptoms in all patients without causing any anti-platelet therapy-related collateral injury. CONCLUSIONS Extensive stent-graft coverage of the entire thoracic aorta can be performed with a high rate of success. If collateral blood supply to the spinal cord is maintained, occlusion of the intercostal arteries does not cause symptomatic malperfusion. However, if acute or chronic occlusion of the subclavian, lumbar or hypogastric arteries is present, likelihood of symptomatic malperfusion dramatically increases.

Mechanical Aortic Valve Prostheses in the Small Aortic Root: Top Hat Versus Standard CarboMedics Aortic Valve

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcome in patients with a small aortic root receiving either a standard CarboMedics mechanical aortic valve or a Top Hat CarboMedics valve (CarboMedics, Austin, TX), specifically designed for the small aortic root. METHODS Between 1986 and 2006, 316 consecutive patients underwent 19- or 21-mm mechanical aortic valve replacement, receiving either a CarboMedics Top Hat bileaflet valve (n = 56; mean age, 66 +/- 14 years) or a standard CarboMedics aortic valve replacement (n = 260; mean age, 60 +/- 13 years) at our institution based on institutional indications for the choice of type of valve prostheses. Median follow-up time was 83.5 months. We studied survival, valve-related and non-valve-related events, and hemodynamic performance by serial echocardiographic follow-up studies. RESULTS In-hospital mortality was 8.9% in the Top Hat group and 10.0% in the standard group (p = 0.354). Five- and ten-year survival in patients in the Top Hat group was 83% and 67%, respectively. Five- and ten-year survival in the standard group was 73% and 59%, respectively (log-rank = 0.331). There were no differences in regard to valve-related and non-valve-related events. Cox regression analysis revealed age (hazard ratio, 1.045; 95% confidence interval, 1.026 to 1.066), previous cardiac surgery (hazard ratio, 1.812; 95% confidence interval, 1.101 to 2.982), additional procedures at the time of valve replacement (hazard ratio, 2.604; 95% confidence interval, 1.651 to 4.108), New York Heart Association class IV (hazard ratio, 3.645; 95% confidence interval, 1.214 to 10.945), and severely impaired left ventricular ejection fraction (hazard ratio, 2.253; 95% confidence interval, 1.289 to 3.941) to be independent predictors of survival. CONCLUSIONS Mechanical aortic valve replacement in the small aortic root is associated with substantial perioperative mortality, in particular in the subset of patients requiring additional cardiac surgical procedures. Nevertheless, long-term outcome is satisfying. Because the type of prosthesis does not predict outcome in the multivariate Cox model, we conclude that use of the smaller Top Hat prosthesis can be recommended for the challenging cohort of patients with a small aortic root.

Concomitant Femoro-Femoral Bypass Graft During Surgery for Acute Type A Dissection to Treat Lower Limb Malperfusion

We report the case of a 69-year-old male patient who was admitted to our department with an acute type A dissection complicated by ischemia of the left lower limb. During surgery for acute type A dissection, the patient underwent concomitant femoro-femoral crossover bypass graft placement to ensure blood supply of the left lower limb during surgery and minimize ischemia-reperfusion injury. The patient underwent supracoronary replacement of the ascending aorta while in deep circulatory arrest with a deepest core temperature of 25°C. Postoperative computed tomography showed antegrade perfusion and patency of the crossover bypass. Postoperative course was eventless without sequelae, especially of the left lower limb. We conclude that concomitant crossover bypass graft reduces the risk of ischemia-reperfusion injury in lower limb ischemia in patients undergoing surgery for acute type A dissection.

Persistent Left Superior Vena Cava Draining Into the Left Atrium Found During Bypass Operation

We report the case of a 72-year-old woman who underwent urgent coronary bypass grafting (CABG). Intraoperatively a persistent left superior vena cava (PLSVC) draining into the left atrium was detected. Because of the resulting right-to-left shunt volume even after complete drainage and collapse of the right atrium, the heart was still ejecting in the absence of significant aortic insufficiency. Thorough examination revealed a PLSVC draining into the left atrium. After ligation of the PLSVC, the CABG could be performed as planned.

Positionspapier der Österreichischen Kardiologischen Gesellschaft zum Einsatz der extrakorporalen Membranoxygenation (ECMO) bei Erwachsenen kardiologischen Patienten@@@Use of ECMO in adult patients with cardiogenic shock: a position paper of the Austrian Society of Cardiology.

The use of ECMO to stabilize critically ill patients with severely depressed cardiac function and hemodynamics increased in the last years due to broader availability, better performance and easier implantation of the devices. The present guidelines of the Austrian Society of Cardiology focus on the use of ECMO in adult non-operated patients with cardiac diseases. Not only indications and contraindications are highlighted, but also the equally important issues of monitoring, complication management, measures during implantation and operation, and weaning of the devices are treated in detail. Thereby the present guidelines aim to optimize the use of ECMO in the individual centers, and aim to help current non-ECMO centers in developing a local ECMO-program or to contact ECMO-centers for discussion of individual patients.ZusammenfassungDurch die Verfügbarkeit verbesserter ECMO Geräte mit einfacherer Implantation und einfacherem stabilerem Betrieb, findet die ECMO Implantation zunehmende Verbreitung. Das vorliegende Positionspapier der Österreichischen Kardiologischen Gesellschaft beleuchtet den Einsatz der ECMO bei erwachsenen kardiologischen nicht-postoperativen Patienten. In diesem Positionspapier werden nicht nur Indikationen- Kontraindikationen beleuchtet sondern auch Maßnahmen während des ECMO Betriebes – Monitoring und Komplikationsmanagement sowie das ECMO weaning behandelt. Mit diesen detaillierten Leitlinien soll der Einsatz der ECMO österreichweit verbessert, wenig erfahrenen Zentren eine Unterstützung für den eigenständigen Aufbau eines ECMO-Programmes geliefert und nicht ECMO-Zentren eine Hilfestellung für die Kontaktaufnahme mit ECMO-Zentren geboten werden.SummaryThe use of ECMO to stabilize critically ill patients with severely depressed cardiac function and hemodynamics increased in the last years due to broader availability, better performance and easier implantation of the devices. The present guidelines of the Austrian Society of Cardiology focus on the use of ECMO in adult non-operated patients with cardiac diseases. Not only indications and contraindications are highlighted, but also the equally important issues of monitoring, complication management, measures during implantation and operation, and weaning of the devices are treated in detail. Thereby the present guidelines aim to optimize the use of ECMO in the individual centers, and aim to help current non-ECMO centers in developing a local ECMO-program or to contact ECMO-centers for discussion of individual patients.