Repair of aortic arch and the impact of cross-clamping time, New York Heart Association stage, circulatory arrest time, and age on operative outcome

Abstract

Aortic arch replacement is associated with high morbidity and mortality. We evaluated the postoperative complications and risk factors in 32 consecutive patients after aortic arch replacement. The mean age was 61+/-15 years and male to female ratio was 24/8. Diameter of ascending aorta was 6.0+/-0.8 cm and diameter of aortic arch was 5.2+/-1.2 cm. The average New York heart association (NYHA) class was 2+/-1. The 30-day mortality was 6.2% (2 of 32 patients), one patient died intraoperatively (3%); all surviving 30 patients had f/u for at least six months, a total of 3 of 32 patients had died within six months, actuarial survival was 90% at six months. The overall incidence of neurologic adverse events was 9%; however, only one patient had a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) with a focal deficit (3%). The other two patients had global neurologic dysfunction. Other significant postoperative complications included atrial fibrillation in 15 patients (46%), ventricular fibrillation requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in one patient (3%), and pericardial effusion requiring pericardicentesis in eight patients (25%). The need for blood transfusion correlated with the cross-clamping length (Pearson r 0.62; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.35-0.79; P-value 0.0001; R(2)=0.38). Cross-clamp time (139+/-58 min) did not have an impact on length of intensive care unit (ICU) stay (Pearson r -0.09; 95% CI -0.39-0.23; P=0.58; R(2)=0.008) nor did the length of circulatory arrest (95% CI -0.44-0.21, P=0.44). The length of stay in the ICU (142+/-128 h) correlated with the NYHA stage of the patient (95% CI 0.001-0.62, P=0.04). The length of stay (LOS) (12+/-6 days) correlated with age of the patients (95% CI 0.03-0.57, P=0.03). Elderly patients and patients with high NYHA class need close postoperative monitoring in the ICU. A short circulatory arrest and aortic clamp time do not extend the LOS in ICU or in the hospital.