Distal Anastomosis Research Articles

Operative Teaching of Coronary Bypass and Need for Repeat Catheterization: Does it Matter Who is Sewing?

There are no studies to date comparing the patency of coronary bypass grafts constructed by attending surgeons versus trainees and the potential consequences of any such disparities. We explored this issue by comparing the patency of individual anastomoses performed by residents versus the attending surgeon. We reviewed 765 continuous cases performed by a single surgeon which involved at least 1 coronary bypass anastomosis, totaling 2,173 distal anastomoses. At a median follow-up time of 36 months (interquartile range 20.5-47.3), 83 (10.9%) patients had undergone 110 cardiac catheterization procedures after their original operation for various indications. This angiographic information provided the data for our comparison cohorts. Cardiac surgery practice within an academic setting PARTICIPANTS: Adult patient undergoing coronary bypass grafting RESULTS: Of the 83 patients that underwent repeat catheterization, 23 (27.7%) were resident cases, 25 (30.1%) were attending cases and 35 (42.2%) were mixed. There were 4/83 (4.8%) patients with angiographic evidence of internal mammary artery graft compromise of which 3/4 (75%) had been constructed by the attending surgeon. Angiographic evidence of saphenous vein graft compromise was appreciated in 16/83 (19.3%) patients of which 9/16 (56.3%) of the grafts were constructed by the attending surgeon. Liberal involvement of surgical trainees as primary operators in coronary revascularization cases led to equivalent rates of postoperative ischemic complications between the attending and resident groups. The outcome equivalence was also maintained when evaluated at the individual anastomosis patency level between the 2 groups. We conclude that academic programs should continue providing trainees significant experience as primary operating surgeons without fear of clinical outcome compromise.

The Choice of Tactics for Surgical Treatment of Acute De Bakey Type I Aortic Dissection in a Multidisciplinary Surgical Hospital

BACKGROUND Acute proximal aortic dissection (Stanford type A) remains the most common fatal pathology of the thoracic aorta. Despite the improvement of surgical technologies, hospital mortality after emergency surgical interventions is 17–25%, in complicated cases it can reach 80–90%.AIM OF STUDY Description of the perioperative treatment tactics adopted at the N.V. Sklifosovsky Research Institute for Emergency Medicine as well as the evolution of approaches that make it possible to obtain satisfactory hospital and long-term results in the treatment of aortic dissection.MATERIAL AND METHODS the study included 278 patients operated on from 2015 to 2021 in the acute stage of aortic dissection (less than 48 hours from the moment of manifestation of the disease). The operated patients were divided into two groups, depending on the presence of complicated forms: group A, 102 patients with uncomplicated course of the disease; group B, 176 patients with complicated course of the disease. Additionally, patients were divided depending on the level of distal reconstruction performed: group I, 83 patients, surgery was limited to prosthetics of the ascending aorta, without removing the clamp; group II, 137 patients who underwent hemi-arch surgery; group III, 58 patients, with distal reconstruction involving the aortic arch.RESULTS Total hospital mortality was 28.1%: 25.3% in group I, 29.1% in group II, 29.3% in group III. In the group of uncomplicated dissection, postoperative mortality was 18.6%, while in the group of complicated dissection it was 33.5%.CONCLUSION An integrated multidisciplinary approach with the formation of an “aortic team”, an individual approach to surgery, depending on the anatomy of the dissection and the clinical status of the patient, will improve the results of the treatment of acute aortic dissection, as the most severe and multiple organ pathology of the aorta.FINDING 1. Hospital mortality of complicated forms of dissection remains significantly higher — 33.5% versus 18.5% of uncomplicated course. 2. The most optimal method of distal reconstruction in patients with the peracute stage of dissection is an open anastomosis with the aorta using the “hemi-arch” technique. 3. If it is necessary to extend the surgical intervention on the aortic arch, a distal anastomosis in areas 0, 1, 2 with the possibility of a subsequent endovascular stage is the priority.

The 'island technique' for aortic arch and FET surgery: an 'evergreen' or a 'rekindled flame'?

The 'island technique' for aortic arch and FET surgery: an 'evergreen' or a 'rekindled flame'?

Symptomatic late saphenous vein graft failure in coronary artery bypass surgery.

Coronary artery bypass grafting for advanced coronary artery disease is a well-established procedure with excellent long-term results. The issue of saphenous vein graft (SVG) performance and its relation to clinical symptoms and thereby the potential for improvement by using superior grafts are still not fully understood. We aim to estimate the contribution of late SVG failure to the long-term outcome. A study population operated between 1997 and 2020, with an internal thoracic artery with a single distal anastomosis and 1, 2 or 3 distal SVG anastomoses, was isolated from the Swedish Web System for Enhancement and Development of Evidence-Based Care in Heart Disease Evaluated According to Recommended Therapies registry. Data regarding postoperative clinically driven coronary angiography and status of bypass grafts were collected. The study population consisted of 44 951 patients. Clinically driven angiography occurred in 10.1% (9.5-10.8), 7.9% (7.6-8.3) and 7.1% (6.7-7.5), respectively, of patients within 3 years and 23.6% (22.6-24.5), 20.0% (19.5-20.6) and 17.5% (16.9-18.2), respectively, of patients within 10 years after surgery. Excluding the first 3 postoperative years, no failed SVGs were found in >75%, 60% and 45%, respectively, of cases when an angiography was performed in the first 10 years after surgery. The results suggest that the risk of symptomatic graft failure due to vein graft disease during the first 10 years after surgery is in the range of 1-2% for every grafted coronary vessel and provide an estimate for the upper limit of the improvements in results that could be achieved by replacing SVGs with superior grafts.

Comparative effectiveness of clopidogrel versus aspirin as a maintenance monotherapy 1 year after coronary artery bypass grafting.

Data on the safety and efficacy of clopidogrel (CPD) monotherapy after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) are limited. We compared the clinical outcomes and graft patency rates during 4 years in CABG patients who maintained CPD or aspirin after 1 year of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) use. A total of 671 patients who maintained 1-year DAPT after CABG with all grafts patent on one-year follow-up angiography and switched to single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) using CPD (n = 272) or aspirin (n = 399) between January 2009 and December 2015 were enrolled. Propensity score matching analysis was used, and 227 pairs were matched in a 1:1 ratio. Overall mortality, cardiac mortality, and major adverse events, including all-cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, coronary reintervention or reoperation, ischaemic stroke, and major bleeding, were compared. Graft patency was evaluated using graft angiography 5 years post-surgery. Overall survival and the incidence of major adverse events during the 4-year follow-up did not differ significantly between the groups when un-matched (hazard ratio [HR], 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.24, 0.71 to 2.15, P = 0.46 and HR, 95% CI = 1.22, 0.77 to 1.92, P = 0.41, respectively) or matched (HR, 95% CI = 1.05, 0.55 to 2.01, P = 0.89 and HR, 95% CI = 1.01, 0.60 to 1.73, P = 0.96, respectively). In the postoperative 5-year graft angiography, new graft occlusion was found in 3.2% and 4.7% of patients and newly occurred graft occlusion rates of distal anastomoses were 1.2% and 1.6% in the CPD and aspirin groups, respectively, and were not statistically different between the 2 groups (P = 0.39 and 0.63, respectively). Changes of antiplatelet regimen were needed in 22.8% (91 of 399) of aspirin group and in 2.2% (6 of 272) of CPD group from the initiation of SAPT (P < 0.001). In this series of patients undergoing CABG who received DAPT and remained stable for 1 year, SAPT maintenance with CPD or aspirin did not show any significant differences in 4-year outcomes such as all-cause mortality, major adverse events, and newly occurring graft occlusion. However, more patients taking aspirin required changes in antiplatelet regimens to other antiplatelet or anticoagulation therapies.

Analysing debranching techniques in Frozen Elephant Trunk procedures: a narrative literature review.

Since 2003, the Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) technique has attained rising popularity for treating extensive aortic arch pathologies such as acute and chronic aortic dissection, as well as thoracic aortic aneurysm. Conventionally, the FET procedure included a complete resection of the aortic arch and, subsequently, a distal aortic anastomosis of the prosthetic part of the hybrid graft in arch zone 3. Simultaneous to the introduction of the FET technique, the traditional Elephant Trunk technique was simplified by adding debranching techniques which allows for proximalization of the distal aortic anastomosis. Nowadays, modern concepts of aortic arch surgery combine the FET technique with proximalization of the distal anastomosis in arch zone 2 or further proximal, achieved by using different debranching techniques. This review describes different debranching techniques to facilitate arch reconstruction, and aims to critically assess the outcomes and potential clinical advantages of proximalization using debranching in FET surgery. We conducted a search using the PubMed and Google Scholar electronic databases to evaluate published outcomes of different debranching techniques. An overview of the data synthesis of 21 included studies is reported. Most studies report numeric, but not statistically significant improved outcomes after debranching in FET surgery for mortality, neurological complications, spinal cord injury, kidney failure, bowel ischemia and recurrent nerve palsy. Some studies report statistically significant improved results in isolated endpoints such as neurological, bowel ischemia, and recurrent nerve palsy. Most studies report debranching to be technically easier, but this is difficult to objectively assess and measure. There is an improved numeric outcome of different debranching techniques with proximalization of the distal anastomosis, but without reaching statistical significance. This review shows marked heterogeneity across included studies and highlights the scarce use of existing guidelines in clinical research of open aortic arch surgery as proposed by the International Aortic Arch Surgery Study Group. Furthermore, this review demonstrates the urgent need for multicenter registries or studies to be able to compare the outcome of different surgical techniques for various aortic arch pathologies.

V09-12 INTRACORPORAL ROBOTIC LEFT ILEAL URETER REPLACEMENT: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023V09-12 INTRACORPORAL ROBOTIC LEFT ILEAL URETER REPLACEMENT: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE Devin Boehm, Jonathan Rosenfeld, Emily Ji, and Ziho Lee Devin BoehmDevin Boehm More articles by this author , Jonathan RosenfeldJonathan Rosenfeld More articles by this author , Emily JiEmily Ji More articles by this author , and Ziho LeeZiho Lee More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003317.12AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Intracorporal robotic left ileal ureter replacement is a technically challenging procedure. Only a handful of reports exist in the literature. We describe our approach for intracorporal robotic left ileal ureter replacement and highlight key aspects of our surgical technique. METHODS: We demonstrate our technique on a 49-year-old woman with a 25-centimeter left pan-ureteral obliteration secondary to endoscopic stone surgery. Our technique involves five major steps: proximal ureteral dissection, bowel harvest, bladder dissection, distal anastomosis, and proximal anastomosis. In order to optimize access to the upper and lower urinary tracts, we use two distinct patient positions and port placement schemas based on the field of interest. Tilting the bed allows for toggling between the modified flank (upper tract) and modified supine positions (lower tract) without the need to reposition or redrape the patient. During reconstruction, the ileal ureter may be brought over to the left side by tunneling only the proximal segment or by tunneling the entire segment of ileum (Figure 1). RESULTS: For our index case, operative time was 340 minutes, estimated blood loss was 200 milliliters, and length of stay was 5 days. There were no 90-day major postoperative complications. Renal scan obtained at 4 months postoperatively demonstrated a T1/2 of 14 minutes. At 8 months follow-up there was no evidence of stricture recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Intracorporal robotic left ileal ureter replacement is a reproducible technique for the management of pan-ureteral stricture disease. Adhering to a system and simplifying the technique into five steps may facilitate successful completion of this challenging procedure. Source of Funding: None © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e840 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Devin Boehm More articles by this author Jonathan Rosenfeld More articles by this author Emily Ji More articles by this author Ziho Lee More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Is del Nido cardioplegia safe in isolated coronary bypass surgery? It may be possible with this method

Objectives: This study aimed to share the early results of the del Nido (DN) solution used with a different method in patients who underwent isolated coronary bypass. Patients and methods: The retrospective study included 150 patients (123 males, 27 females; mean age: 59.8±9.7 years; range, 38 to 84 years) who underwent isolated coronary bypass operation between January 2020 and May 2022. The DN solution was applied differently from the practice in the literature. Seventy-five percent of the dose calculated according to the body weight of the patients was administered at the first moment. The remaining amount was continued to be given through the saphenous veins as distal anastomoses were made. When the cross-clamp was lifted, all grafts were tied to the aorta cannula, and the coronary vascular bed was cleared. Follow-up of patients was done routinely. Results: The mean preoperative ejection fraction was 49.9±5.6, and the mean postoperative ejection fraction value was 50.3±5.0 (p=0.079). A statistically significant difference was found between the preoperative troponin level and the postoperative troponin level at 6 h (p&lt;0.001). However, there was no significant difference between the postoperative 6 h and the postoperative 24 h. Spontaneous rhythm occurred at the termination of cardiopulmonary bypass in most of the patients (97%). No permanent pacing was required in any patient. An intra-aortic balloon pump was used in nine patients, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was used in two patients. Two patients died in the early period. Conclusion: The use of DN with this method seems to be a reliable alternative to eliminate hesitations in isolated coronary bypass surgery.

Long-Term Results of Below-The-Knee Bypass Using a Prosthetic Graft with a Distal Arteriovenous Fistula Interposition

Surgical bypass is the gold standard treatment in patients affected by chronic limb-threatening ischemia in advanced GLASS stages, according to the Global Vascular Guidelines. For patients in whom an autologous graft is not available, a prosthesis could be used with the adjunct of a distal arteriovenous fistula interposition. The aim of this study was to examine the long-term results of below-the-knee surgical revascularization using a prosthesis with the distal adjunct mentioned above. From 2010 to 2020, we performed 159 lower limb below-the-knee surgical revascularizations using a prosthesis with the creation of an arteriovenous fistula interposition on the distal anastomosis. The GLASS stage was 3 in 100% of patients. The primary patency rates were as follows: 86.7% at 1 year, 57.2% at 3 years, and 12.6% at 5 years. The graft thrombosis rates were 17.4% at 1 year, 42.1% at 3 years, and 64.5% at 5 years. The amputation-free survival rates were 79% at 1 year, 76% at 3 years, and 64% at 5 years. PTFE prosthetic bypass for below-the-knee arteries using an arteriovenous fistula interposition is a good solution in patients without an autologous conduit. This technique offers reasonable graft patency and limb salvage rates.

Single-stapled anastomosis is associated with a lower anastomotic leak rate than double-stapled technique after minimally invasive total mesorectal excision for MRI-defined low rectal cancer

BackgroundAfter total mesorectal excision, distal rectal transection and anastomosis are critical for short-term, oncological, and functional outcomes, including anastomotic leak. A double-pursestring, single-stapled anastomosis avoids cross-stapling, overcoming the potential drawbacks of transabdominal rectal transection and double-stapled anastomosis. This study aims to compare the anastomotic leak rate in double-stapled and single-stapled anastomoses after minimally invasive total mesorectal excision for magnetic resonance imaging–defined low rectal cancer. MethodsAdult patients (>18 years old) undergoing minimally invasive total mesorectal excision for magnetic resonance imaging–defined low rectal cancer with a stapled low anastomosis (below 5 centimeters from the anal verge) between January 2010 and January 2022 at a single institution were allocated to 2 groups according to the anastomosis: double-stapled (abdominal stapled transection and double-stapled anastomosis) or single-stapled (transanal rectal transection and double-pursestring single-stapled anastomosis). The exclusion criteria were nonrestorative procedures or any type of manual anastomosis. The primary endpoint was the rate of 90-day clinical and radiologic anastomotic leak. ResultsIn total, 185 single-stapled and 458 double-stapled were included. Clinical and tumor characteristics were comparable between the groups. The 90-day anastomotic leak rate was significantly lower in the single-stapled group (6.48% vs 15.28%; P = .002), with similar rates of grade and timing. Thirty- and 90-day complication rates were higher in the double-stapled group (P = .0001; P = .02), with comparable Clavien-Dindo grades. At multivariable analysis, double-stapled anastomosis (P = .01), active smoking (P = .03), and the presence of comorbidities (P = .01) resulted as independent risk factors for an anastomotic leak. ConclusionTransanal transection and double-pursestring, single-stapled anastomosis were associated with a lower anastomotic leak rate after minimally invasive total mesorectal excision for magnetic resonance imaging–defined low rectal cancer.

Easy to say, hard to do. To the anniversary of two fundamental discoveries. Part 3

On the eve of the anniversaries of two historical events: the 145th anniversary of the experiments in which Eck's fistula was performed and the 55th anniversary of the successful clinical approbation of the selective distal splenorenal anastomosis, a retrospective analysis of the key historical stages in the development of portal hypertension surgery was performed: from the first attempts to describe the anatomy of the hepatic vascular system, explaining its purpose in the body, the development of direct portacaval anastomosis, and the widespread use of selective splenorenal anastomoses, to the Transjugular Intrahepatic Portosystemic Shunt procedure and orthotopic liver transplantation. Meantime, the emphasis has been focused on the most colorful characters of researchers and clinicians who passed this path. The expediency of an integrated approach in solving the problems of portal hypertension with the development of both fundamental and applied clinical and organizational aspects has been substantiated. It is shown that the discoveries born from summarizing the results achieved by numerous researchers have contributed to a better understanding of this field of medicine, have become a solid foundation for what we have today and are a reliable platform for a successful start into the future.

Contemporary outcomes for branch renal artery repair

BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to provide an updated description of demographics, technical details, and clinical outcomes of 101 consecutive branch renal artery repairs in 98 patients using cold perfusion. MethodsA single-institution, retrospective analysis branch renal artery reconstructions was performed between 1987 and 2019. ResultsPatients were predominantly Caucasian (80.6%) women (74.5%) with a mean age of 46.8 ± 15.3 years. The mean preoperative systolic and diastolic blood pressures were 170.4 ± 33.0 mm Hg and 99.2 ± 19.9 mm Hg, respectively, requiring a mean of 1.6 ± 1.1 antihypertensive medications. The estimated glomerular filtration rate was 84.0 ± 25.3 mL/min. Most patients (90.2%) were not diabetic and never smokers (68%). Treated pathology included aneurysm (87.4%) and stenosis (23.3%) with histology demonstrating fibromuscular dysplasia (44.4%), dissection (5.1%), and degenerative not otherwise specified (50.5%). The right renal arteries were most frequently treated (44.2%), with a mean of 3.1 ± 1.5 branches involved. Reconstruction was accomplished using bypass in 90.3% of cases using aortic inflow in 92.7% and a saphenous vein conduit in 92%. Branch vessels served as outflow in 96.9% and syndactylization of branches was used to decrease the number of distal anastomoses in 45.3% of repairs. The mean number of distal anastomoses was 1.5 ± 0.9. Postoperatively, the mean systolic blood pressure improved to 137.9 ± 20.8 mm Hg (mean decrease of 30.5 ± 32.8 mm Hg; P < .0001) and the mean diastolic blood pressure improved to 78.4 ± 12.7 mm Hg (mean decrease of 20.1 ± 20.7 mm Hg; P < .0001) with patients requiring a mean of 1.4 ± 1.0 antihypertensive medications (mean decrease of 0.2 ±1.0 medications; P = .048). The postoperative estimated glomerular filtration rate was 89.1 mL/min (mean increase of 4.1 mL/min; P = .08). The mean length of stay was 9.0 ± 5.8 days and 96.1% of patients were discharged home. The mortality rate was 1% (one patient with liver failure) and the major morbidity rate was 15%. There were five infectious complications (pneumonia, Clostridium difficile, and wound infection) and five patients required return to the operating room (one for nephrectomy, one for bleeding, two for thrombosis, and one for second trimester pregnancy loss requiring dilation and curettage and splenectomy). One patient required temporary dialysis owing to graft thrombosis. Two patients developed arrhythmias. No patients suffered a myocardial infarction, stroke, or limb loss. After 30 days, follow-up data were available for 82 bypasses. At this time, three reconstructions were no longer patent. Intervention was required to retain patency for five bypasses. After 1 year, patency data were available for 61 bypasses and five were no longer patent. Of the five grafts with loss of patency, two underwent intervention in attempt to maintain patency, which subsequently failed. ConclusionsRepair of renal artery pathology involving the branches can be performed with short- and long-term technical success and significant prospect of decreasing an elevated blood pressure. The operations required to fully address the presenting pathology are often quite complex involving multiple distal anastomoses and consolidation of small secondary branches. The procedure carries a small but significant risk of major morbidity and mortality.

Aortobifemoral reconstruction in open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is associated with increased morbidity and mortality

ObjectiveMuch attention has been given to the influence of anatomic and technical factors, such as maximum abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter and proximal clamp position, in open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (OSR). However, no studies have rigorously examined the correlation between site of distal anastomosis and OSR outcomes despite conventional wisdom that more proximal sites of anastomosis are preferrable when technically feasible. This study aimed to test the association between sites of distal anastomosis and clinical outcomes for patients undergoing primary elective OSR. MethodsOur study included 5683 patients undergoing primary elective OSR at 233 centers from 2014 to 2020. Using a variety of statistical methods to account for potential confounders, including multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards modeling, as well as subgroup analysis, we examined the association between site of distal anastomosis and clinical outcomes in elective OSR. Primary outcomes were major in-hospital complication rate, 30-day mortality, and long-term survival. ResultsPatients undergoing elective aortobifemoral reconstruction (n = 672) exhibited significantly increased rates of smoking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and peripheral artery disease in comparison to patients undergoing elective OSR with distal anastomosis to the aorta (n = 2298), common iliac artery (n = 2163), or external iliac artery (n = 550). Patients undergoing aorto-aortic tube grafting were significantly less likely to exhibit iliac aneurysmal disease and significantly more likely to be undergoing elective OSR with a suprarenal or supraceliac proximal clamp position. Using multivariable logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards analysis to control for important confounders, such as age, smoking status, and medical history, we found that distal anastomosis to the common femoral artery was associated with increased odds of major in-hospital complications (adjusted odds ratio, 1.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.46-2.18; P < .001) and reduced long-term survival (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.44; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.89; P = .010). We observed no significant differences in 30-day mortality across sites of distal anastomosis in our study population. ConclusionsIt is generally accepted that more proximal sites of distal anastomosis should be selected in OSR when technically feasible. Our findings support this hypothesis by demonstrating that distal anastomosis to the common femoral artery is associated with increased perioperative morbidity and reduced long-term survival. Careful diligence regarding optimization of preoperative health status, perioperative care, and long-term follow-up should be applied to mitigate major complications in this patient population.

Single-Center Retrospective Analysis of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection Outcome and Reoperation Focusing on Extended Versus Limited Initial Repair.

The optimal management strategy for acute aortic type A dissection remains controversial. Whether a limited primary (index) repair would increase the need for late aortic reintervention is still an open debate. A total of 393 consecutive adult patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent cardiac surgery were analyzed. Our research hypothesis was whether limited aortic index repair (i.e., isolated aorta ascending replacement without an open distal anastomosis with and without a concomitant aortic valve replacement, including hemiarch replacement procedure) is associated with a higher incidence of late aortic reoperation compared with extended repair (i.e., any other surgical procedure that goes beyond that limited approach). Type of the initial repair had no statically significant relationship with in-hospital mortality with a P-value of 0.12, however in multivariable analysis, cross-clamp time had a statistically significant relation with mortality (P = 0.4). From the patients who survived until discharge (N = 311), 40 patients needed a reoperation on the aorta; the mean interval until reoperation was 4.5 years. The relationship between the type of the initial repair and the need for reoperation didn't reach a statically significant value (P = 0.9). In-hospitable mortality after the second operation was 10% (N = 4). We reached two conclusions. 1) An extended prophylactic repair in the initial operation of an acute type A aortic dissection might not lead to a lower incidence of reoperations on the aorta and could increase in-hospital mortality by increasing cross-clamp time, and 2) Reoperation on the aorta could be done safely with acceptable mortality outcomes.

Intraoperative Type B Aortic Dissection during Total Arch Replacement.

Intraoperative aortic dissection is an extremely serious complication that should be prevented whenever possible. When it does occur, it requires urgent clinical management. We report the case of a 78-year-old man with Marfan syndrome who developed an intraoperative complicated type B aortic dissection with a distal anastomosis entry site during total arch replacement for a chronic dissection. Performing immediate thoracic endovascular aortic repair, we were able to improve malperfusion to the lower extremities occurred during total arch replacement.

Iatrogenic Type A Dissection: Case Series and Surgical Management From a High-Volume Aortic Center

BackgroundIatrogenic type A aortic dissection is a rare complication of surgical and nonsurgical cardiac procedures associated with high morbidity. The purpose of this study was to describe the intraoperative incidence, surgical management, and outcomes of iatrogenic type A dissections at our institution. MethodsRetrospective review of our institution’s adult cardiac surgery database was performed between 2002 and 2018 to identify all iatrogenic type A aortic dissection repairs. Operative reports were reviewed for cause of dissection and repair strategy. Follow-up surveillance for mortality and need for aortic reintervention was queried as available. ResultsOverall, 36 patients undergoing iatrogenic type A repairs were identified (cardiac surgical incidence, 0.1%). Of these, 23 (63.9%) were related to open operation, 5 (13.9%) to percutaneous coronary interventions, 5 (13.9%) to thoracic endovascular repairs, and 3 (8.3%) to other endovascular procedures. Most patients underwent hemiarch repairs under circulatory arrest (28/36 [77.8%]), whereas total arch repair was required in 5 of 36 (13.9%). Among all patients, in-hospital mortality was 36.1% (13/36). Those who survived to discharge had low subsequent mortality, with no differences between endovascular and surgical causes (P = .797). On median follow-up of 3.1 years, need for redo aortic surgery was limited to 4 (11.1%) patients, all successfully treated with endovascular therapy. ConclusionsIatrogenic type A dissections represent a rare but serious complication of cardiac procedures, with high in-hospital mortality for those undergoing surgical repair. A repair strategy involving an open distal anastomosis and proximal root reconstruction ensures durable freedom from need for redo surgery.

Continuous Myocardial Perfusion during Distal Anastomosis of Acute Type A Aortic Dissection.

The effect of continuous myocardial perfusion (CMP) on the surgical results of acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) remains unclear. From January 2017 to March 2022, 141 patients who underwent ATAAD (90.8%) or intramural hematoma (9.2%) surgery were reviewed. Fifty-one patients (36.2%) received proximal-first aortic reconstruction and CMP during distal anastomosis. Ninety patients (63.8%) underwent distal-first aortic reconstruction and were placed in traditional cold blood cardioplegic arrest (CA; 4°C, 4:1 blood-to-Plegisol) throughout the procedure. The preoperative presentations and intraoperative details were balanced using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). Their postoperative morbidity and mortality were analyzed. The median age was 60 years. The incidence of arch reconstruction in the unweighted data was higher in the CMP compared with the CA group (74.5 vs 52.2%, p = 0.017) but was balanced after IPTW (62.4 vs 58.9%, p = 0.932, standardized mean difference = 0.073). The median cardiac ischemic time was lower in the CMP group (60.0 vs 130.9 minutes, p < 0.001), but cerebral perfusion time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were similar. The CMP group did not demonstrate any benefit in the reduction of the postoperative maximum creatine kinase-MB ratio (4.4 vs 5.1% in CA, p = 0.437) or postoperative low cardiac output (36.6 vs 24.8%, p = 0.237). Surgical mortality was comparable between groups (15.5% in CMP vs 7.5% in the CA group, p = 0.265). Application of CMP during distal anastomosis in ATAAD surgery, irrespective of the extent of aortic reconstruction, reduced myocardial ischemic time but did not improve cardiac outcome or mortality.

The effect of adding an open distal anastomosis to proximal aneurysm repairs in bicuspid aortopathy.

To determine the role of adding open distal anastomosis to proximal aortic aneurysm repairs in bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) patients. Retrospective review was performed of 1132 patients at our Aortic Center between 2005 and 2019. Inclusion criteria were all patients diagnosed with a BAV who underwent proximal aortic aneurysm repair with open or clamped distal anastomosis. Exclusion criteria were patients without a BAV, age < 18years, aortic arch diameter ≥ 4.5cm, type A aortic dissection, previous ascending aortic replacement, ruptured aneurysm, and endocarditis. Propensity score matching in a 2:1 ratio (220 clamped: 121 open repairs) on 18 variables was performed. Median follow-up time was 45.6months (range 7.2-143.4months). In the matched groups, no significant differences were observed between the respective open and clamped distal anastomosis groups for Kaplan Meier 10-year survival (86.9% vs. 92.9%; p = 0.05) and landmark survival analysis after 1year (90.6%; vs. 93.3%; p = 0.39). Overall incidence of aortic arch-related reintervention was low (n = 3 total events). In-hospital complications were not significantly different in the open with respect to the clamped repair group, including in-hospital mortality (2.5% vs. 0.5%; p = 0.13) and stroke (0% vs. 0.9%; p = 0.54). In multivariable analysis, open distal anastomosis repair was not associated with long-term mortality (Hazard Ratio (HR) 1.98; p = 0.06). We found no significant inter-group differences in survival, reintervention, or in-hospital complication rates, with low rates of mortality, and aortic arch-related reintervention, suggesting adding open distal anastomosis may not provide benefit in BAV patients undergoing proximal aortic aneurysm repairs.

A novel transit-time flow metric, diastolic resistance index, detects subcritical anastomotic stenosis in coronary artery bypass grafting.

Transit time flow measurement (TTFM) can detect critical anastomotic stenosis during coronary artery bypass grafting. However, the identification of subcritical stenosis remains challenging. We hypothesized that diastolic resistance index (DRI), a novel TTFM metric, is more effective in evaluating subcritical stenosis than the currently available TTFM metrics. DRI is used to measure changes in the diastolic versus systolic resistance of distal anastomosis. A total of 123 coronary bypass anastomoses in 35 patients were prospectively analyzed. During coronary artery bypass grafting, the mean graft flow (Qmean), pulsatility index, and diastolic filling were obtained. DRI was calculated using the intraoperative recordings of TTFM and arterial pressure. Postoperatively, stenosis of anastomoses was categorized into successful (<50%), subcritical (50%-74%), and critical (≥75%) via multidetector computed tomography scan. In total, 93 (76%), 13 (10%), and 17 (14%) anastomoses were graded as successful, subcritical, and critical, respectively. DRI and diastolic filling could distinguish subcritical from successful anastomoses (P<.01 and<.01, respectively), whereas Qmean and pulsatility index could not (P=.12 and .39, respectively). The receiver operating characteristic curves were established to evaluate the diagnostic ability for detecting ≥50% stenosis. In left anterior descending artery grafting (n=55), DRI had the highest area under the curve (0.91), followed by diastolic filling (0.87), Qmean (0.74), and pulsatility index (0.65). DRI and diastolic filling had a reliable diagnostic ability for detecting ≥50% stenosis during coronary artery bypass grafting. In left anterior descending artery grafting, DRI had a more satisfactory detection capability than other TTFM metrics.

Characteristics of Radial Artery Coronary Bypass Graft Failure and Outcomes Following Subsequent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

BackgroundWhen patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), targeting the native vessel is preferred. Studies informing such recommendations are based predominantly on saphenous vein graft (SVG) PCI. There are few data regarding arterial graft intervention, particularly to a radial artery (RA) graft. ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to report the characteristics of arterial graft stenoses and evaluate the feasibility of RA PCI. MethodsThis study included 2,780 consecutive patients with prior CABG undergoing PCI between 2005 and 2018 who were prospectively enrolled in the MIG (Melbourne Interventional Group) registry. Data were stratified by PCI target vessel. RA graft PCI was compared with both native vessel (native PCI) and SVG PCI. Internal mammary graft PCI data were reported. The primary outcome was 3-year mortality. ResultsOverall, 1,928 patients (69.4%) underwent native PCI, 716 (25.6%) SVG PCI, 86 (3.1%) RA PCI, and 50 (1.8%) internal mammary graft PCI. Compared with SVG PCI, the RA PCI cohort presented earlier after CABG, less frequently had acute coronary syndrome, and more commonly had ostial or distal anastomosis intervention (P < 0.005 for all). Compared with patients who underwent native PCI, those who underwent RA PCI were more likely to have diabetes and peripheral vascular disease (P < 0.001 for both) and to present with non–ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (P = 0.010). The RA PCI group had no perforations or in-hospital myocardial infarctions, though no significant difference was found in periprocedural outcomes compared with either native or SVG PCI. No differences were found between RA PCI and either native or SVG PCI in 30-day outcomes or 3-year mortality. ConclusionsPresenting and lesion characteristics differed between patients undergoing arterial compared with SVG PCI, implying a varied pathogenesis of graft stenosis. RA PCI appears feasible, safe, and where anatomically suitable, may be a viable alternative to native PCI.