Objective To summarize the characteristics and management of pregnancy complicated with aortic dissection, and to explore the reasonable diagnosis and treatment plan. Methods The clinical data of 10 patients of pregnancy complicated with aortic dissection in Wuhan Tongji Hospital from January 2011 to June 2017 were collected. Their age was 25.2 (21-29) years. Results In the 10 patients, the majority (8 patients) were primipara, and most of them were in the late stages of pregnancy (5 patients) and puerperal (4 patients). Among them, 1 patient had gestational hypertension, and the blood pressure of the left and right upper extremities was significantly abnormal (initial blood pressure: left upper limb blood pressure: 90/60 mm Hg, right upper limb blood pressure: 150/90 mm Hg). The major clinical manifestations were severe chest and back pain which happened suddenly, with D-dimmer and C-creative protein increased which may be associated with inflammatory reaction. All patients were diagnosed by thoracoabdominal aortic CTA, including 5 patients of Stanford type A dissection and 5 patients of Stanford type B dissection. In the 10 patients, 1 patient refused surgery and eventually died of aortic rupture with the death of fetus before birth. And the remaining 9 patients underwent surgical treatment, 3 patients of endovascular graft exclusion for thoracic aortic stent graft, 2 patients underwent Bentall operation, 1 patient with Bentall + total aortic arch replacement + vascular thoracic aortic stent graft, 1 patient with Bentall operation combined with endovascular graft exclusion for thoracic aortic stent graft, 1 patient with Bentall + coronary artery bypass grafting, 1 patient of thoracoabdominal aortic vascular replacement. Among them, 1 patient underwent endovascular graft exclusion for thoracic aortic stent graft died of severe postoperative infection, and the remaining 8 patients were discharged from hospital. Nine patients were single birth, among them 5 newborn patients had severe asphyxia, 4 patients had mild asphyxia. Finally, 3 neonates died of severe complications, and the remaining 6 survived. Conclusion The ratio of pregnancy with Stanford type A aortic dissection is far higher than in the general population, the possibility of fetal intrauterine asphyxia is larger, but through active and effective surgical and perioperative treatment, we can effectively save the life of mother and fetus.
ObjectiveTo systematically review mortality risk prediction models for acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD). MethodsPubMed, EMbase, Web of Science, CNKI, WanFang Data, VIP and CBM databases were electronically searched to collect studies of mortality risk prediction models for AAAD from inception to July 31th, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened literature, extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of included studies. Systematic review was then performed. ResultsA total of 19 studies were included, of which 15 developed prediction models. The performance of prediction models varied substantially (AUC were 0.56 to 0.92). Only 6 studies reported calibration statistics, and all models had high risk of bias. ConclusionsCurrent prediction models for mortality and prognosis of AAAD patients are suboptimal, and the performance of the models varies significantly. It is still essential to establish novel prediction models based on more comprehensive and accurate statistical methods, and to conduct internal and a large number of external validations.
Objective To evaluate the value of 16slice spiral computed tomography (SCT) and its threedimensional reconstruction in diagnosis of aortic dissection (AD). Methods Fortyfive cases with AD underwent 16slice SCT, performed with unenhanced, contrastenhanced scanning and threedimensional reconstructions. Emphasis was placed on the true and false lumen, intimal flap, the entry and reentry tear and the involvement of branches of AD. Eleven cases were confimed by operation. Results True and false lumen and intimal flap of AD could be shown in all 45 cases (100%), the entry and reentry tears were revealed in 44 cases (97.8%) and 33 cases (73.3%), respectively. The right common iliac arteries were most easily involved by AD, 21 cases (46.7%). The thrombi in false lumen were shown in 29 cases (64.4%). Compared with surgery, the location and size of initial entry sites of 11 cases were consistent with the former. Conclusion 16slice SCT can exactly and completely diagnose AD, and provide detailed imaging information for clinical therapy. It’s very important for the selection of treatment methods and the observation of curative effect of patients.
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical effect of in situ fenestration combined with chimney technique in the treatment of aortic dissection involving left common carotid artery.MethodsFrom January 2012 to June 2019, 53 patients with aortic dissection involving left common carotid artery were selected. There were 21 patients in the test group, including 14 males and 7 females, with an average age of 57.2±11.2 years; there were 32 patients in the control group, including 20 males and 12 females, with an average age of 56.7±12.1 years. In the test group, the left subclavian branch was reconstructed by in situ fenestration and the left common carotid artery was reconstructed by chimney technique. In the control group, the left common carotid artery was reconstructed by hybrid operation. The clinical data of the patients were compared.ResultsThe operation time of the test group was significantly longer than that of the control group (151.8±35.2 min vs. 101.3±29.6 min, P=0.00). The patients in the two groups were followed up for 6-20 months. There was no significant difference in the incidence of pulmonary infection, stroke, steal blood syndrome, false lumen thrombosis or internal leakage between the two groups (P>0.05). The diameters of the distal and proximal ends of the true cavity in the test group increased significantly compared with those in the control group (P<0.05).ConclusionIn situ fenestration combined with chimney technique is an effective method for the treatment of aortic dissection involving left common carotid artery, which is worthy of further clinical promotion.
During the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, there has been controversy over whether emergency surgical management should be performed or not in the patients with COVID-19. Stanford type A aortic dissection is a very urgent life-threatening disease, and guidelines recommend surgical treatment for patients with type A aortic dissection in the first instance. However, intraoperative extracorporeal circulation can be fatal to patients recovering from COVID-19. During the pandemic, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has played an important role in supporting COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure. This article reports a successful V-V ECMO treatment for a Stanford type A aortic dissection patient, who suffered respiratory failure caused by COVID-19 after emergency surgery.
ObjectiveTo investigate the multidisciplinary management of patients with acute type A aortic dissection in late pregnancy.MethodsThe clinical data of 3 patients admitted to the Second Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from 2018 to 2019 were analyzed. Their age ranged from 27 to 32 years, while gestational age was 34-37 weeks. Sudden chest pain was the main clinical symptom before operation. All 3 patients underwent Bentall surgery after cesarean section under general anesthesia, of whom 2 patients received total arch replacement (TAR) combined with frozen elephant trunk (FET) implantation and 1 received coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) additionally.ResultsNo patient died during the perioperative period, and all the newborns were delivered successfully and survived healthily. The ICU stay was 3-5 d. The postoperative hospital stay was 15-18 d. The follow-up was 250-751 d. There was no recurrence or death. One patient who developed spontaneous pneumothorax and hydropneumothorax was cured in our center.ConclusionThe multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment strategy plays a crucial role in saving the life of pregnant patients with acute type A aortic dissection.
ObjectiveTo analyze the causes and preventions of stent graft induced new entry (SINE) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford type B dissection, particularly from the standpoint of biomechanical behavior of stent graft. MethodsSINE was defined as the new tear caused by the stent graft itself, excluding those arising from natural disease progression or any iatrogenic injury from the endovascular manipulation. Twentytwo patients with SINE were retrospectively collected and analyzed out of 650 cases undergoing TEVAR for type B dissection from August 2000 to June 2008 in our center. An additional case included was referred to our center in 14 months after TEVAR performed in another hospital. ResultsTotally, there were 24 SINEs found in 23 cases, including SINE at the proximal end in 15 cases, at the distal end in 7, and at both in 1, and 6 patients died. The incidence was 3.4% ( 22/650) in our hospital, and the mortality was 26.1% (6/23). All 16 proximal SINEs was located at the greater curve of the arch and caused retrograde type A dissection. All 8 distal SINEs occurred at the dissected flap, and 5 of them caused enlarging aneurysm while 3 remained stable. All 23 cases had the endograft placed across the distal aortic arch during the primary TEVAR. ConclusionsSINE is not rare following TEVAR for type B dissection, and associates with a high substantial mortality. The stress yielded by the endograft seems to play a predominant role in its occurrence. It is of significance to take the stressinduced injury into account during both design and placement of the endograft.
ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic strategies of endovascular repair for complicated Stanford type B aortic dissection. MethodThe clinical data of 36 patients with complicated Stanford type B aortic dissection treated by endovascular repair were analyzed retrospectively. ResultsThirty-six patients with complicated Stanford type B aortic dissection were treated successfully by endovascular repair. Twenty-two cases were treated by endovascular repair combined with covering left subclavian artery (LSA). Ten cases were treated by endovascular repair combined with chimney technique. Two cases were treated by endovascular repair combined with vascular prosthesis bypass from left common carotid artery to LSA. Two cases were treated by endovascular repair combined with vascular prosthesis bypass from right common carotid artery to left common carotid artery, whose proximal part were ligated. The viscera artery and lower extremity artery supply were restored gradually. No complication such as endoleak occurred. ConclusionFor endovascular repair of complicated Stanford type B aortic dissection, strategies combined with covering LSA, chimney technique, and hybrid operation of small incision could extend anchor zone, expand the range of endovascular repair of aortic dissection, improve curative effect, reduce complications.
ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between the changes in preoperative serum creatinine (Cr), myoglobin (Mb), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and postoperative fibrinogen (Fib), C- reactive protein (CRP) expression levels and postoperative hypoxemia in patients with aortic dissection aneurysm (ADA), and construct a predictive model. Additionally, the study explores the role of transpulmonary pressure-guided positive end expiratory pressure (PEEP) in improving postoperative hypoxemia. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of ADA patients admitted to Tianjin Chest Hospital from April 2021 to August 2023. Patients were divided into a hypoxemia group [partial pressure of oxygen/fraction of inspiration oxygen (PaO2/FiO2) ≤200 mm Hg] and a non-hypoxemia group (PaO2/FiO2 >200 mm Hg) based on whether they developed postoperative hypoxemia. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for postoperative hypoxemia in ADA patients and to construct a predictive model for postoperative hypoxemia. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to evaluate the predictive value of the model. Furthermore, the impact of different ventilation modes on the improvement of postoperative hypoxemia was analyzed. From April 2021 to August 2023, 16 ADA patients with postoperative hypoxemia who received conventional mechanical ventilation were included in the control group. From September 2023 to December 2024, 28 ADA patients with postoperative hypoxemia who received transpulmonary pressure-guided PEEP were included in the experimental group. ICU stay duration, mechanical ventilation duration, hospital mortality rate, and respiratory and circulatory parameters were analyzed to evaluate the effect of transpulmonary pressure-guided PEEP on patients with postoperative hypoxemia after acute aortic dissection. ResultsA total of 98 ADA patients were included, of which 79 (80.61%) were males and 19 (19.39%) were females. Their ages ranged from 32 to 79 years, with an average age of (49.4±11.2) years. Sixteen (16.3%) patients developed postoperative hypoxemia. Body mass index (BMI), smoking history, cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) duration, preoperative serum Cr, Mb, ALT, and postoperative Fib and CRP showed a certain correlation with postoperative hypoxemia in ADA patients (P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in other baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05). Logistic regression analysis results indicated that BMI [OR=1.613, 95%CI (1.260, 2.065)] and preoperative Mb [OR=2.344, 95%CI (1.048, 5.246)], ALT [OR=1.012, 95%CI (1.000, 1.024)], Cr [OR=1.752, 95%CI (1.045, 2.940)], postoperative Fib [OR=1.165, 95%CI (1.080, 1.258)] and intraoperative CPB time [OR=1.433, 95%CI (1.017, 2.020)] were influencing factors of postoperative hypoxemia in ADA patients (P<0.05). Based on this, a prediction model for postoperative hypoxemia in ADA patients was established. The area under the curve corresponding to the optimal critical point was 0.837 [95%CI (0.799, 0.875)], with a sensitivity of 87.5% and a specificity of 79.3%. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness of fit test showed P=0.536. Before treatment, there were no statistical differences in respiratory and circulatory parameters between the control group and the experimental group (P>0.05). After treatment, the levels of PEEP, PaO2/FiO2, end-expiratory esophageal pressure, and end-inspiratory transpulmonary pressure in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay in the experimental group were shorter than those in the control group (P<0.05), while there was no statistical difference in mortality between the two groups (P=0.626). ConclusionThe hypoxia prediction model based on preoperative Cr, Mb, ALT and postoperative Fib levels, combined with transpulmonary pressure-guided PEEP optimization, provides a scientific basis for the precise management of postoperative hypoxemia in ADA. This approach not only improves the predictive ability of hypoxemia risk but also significantly improves the postoperative oxygenation status of patients through personalized mechanical ventilation strategies, providing new insights into the management of postoperative complications.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the initial results of hybrid procedure without sternotomy for aortic arch dissection, and also report our initial experience in performing this procedure. MethodsFrom January 2011 to September 2014, 17 patients diagnosed with aortic arch dissection by CT angiography undergoing the hybrid procedure (thoracic endovascular aortic repair combined with supra-arch branch vessel bypass) in the department of Thoracic Cardiovascular Surgery, Wuhan General Hospital of Guangzhou Command. There were 12 males and 5 females aged from 46 to 71 years. Their clinical data, including the imaging findings, treatment, and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed. ResultsLeft common carotid artery (LCCA) to left subclavian artery (LSA) bypass (n=4), right common carotid artery (RCCA) to LCCA to LSA bypass (n=3), RCCA to LCCA bypass merger covered LSA (n=3) were performed. All operations were successful. Laryngeal recurrent nerve injury occurred in one patient. All patients were followed up on the postoperative day 7, 30 and one year. All patients were followed up for 12 to 53 months till September 2015. There was no death, and no complications such as endoleak after the hybrid procedure, stenosis or blockage of the bypass graft during the follow-up period. ConclusionInitial results suggest that the hybrid procedure without sternotomy is a suitable therapeutic option for high risk aortic arch dissection patients in poor general condition with little tolerance to aortic arch replacement．