Repair of adult aortic coarctation by resection and interposition grafting.

Abstract

Aortic coarctation presenting during adult life most frequently represents cases of re-coarctation, following previous transcatheter or surgical therapy, or missed cases of native coarctation. In the area of evolving endovascular therapy, we believe that there is still a place for durable open repair by means of resection and interposition grafting. We, therefore, evaluated our results in adult patients with primary aortic coarctation or complications of a previous coarctation repair. A total of 38 patients were operated between 1989 and 2014. Median age was 43 years (range 18-69 years), and 20 were male (52.6%). Seventeen patients (44.7%) had recurrent coarctation or dilatation after previous repair during childhood; the remaining 21 (55.3%) had primary coarctation diagnosed at adult age. Data were retrospectively reviewed and analysed for indications, type of repair, operative details and outcomes. Resection and interposition grafting was performed primarily with the use of left-left bypass (mean cross-clamping time 41 ± 13 min). There were no in-hospital deaths, stroke, spinal cord ischaemia, renal or respiratory failure. No patient had evidence of symptomatic aortic re-coarctation or pseudoaneurysm formation on follow-up. Long-term survival after 20 years was 94.7%. Open surgical repair of primary, recurrent or complicated adult aortic coarctation by interposition grafting is a safe and feasible therapeutic option, providing durable long-term results and excellent long-term survival.