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 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.
ObjectiveTo evaluate whether long frozen elephant trunk (FET) increases the risk of spinal cord injury in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.MethodsFrom 2018 to 2019, 172 patients with acute type A aortic dissection were treated in Guangdong Provincial People’s Hospital. They were divided into two groups according to the length of FET: patients treated with stents of 100 mm in length were enrolled into a short FET group, and those with stents of 150 mm in length into a long FET group. There were 124 patients in the short FET group, including 108 (87.1%) males and 16 (12.9%) females with a mean age of 51.8±7.9 years. There were 48 patients in the long FET group, including 44 (91.7%) males and 4 (8.3%) females with a mean age of 50.6±9.7 years. The clinical data and prognosis of the patients were analyzed.ResultsThe mean distal stent graft was at the level of T 8.5±0.7 in the long FET group, and at the level of T 6.8±0.6 in the short FET group (P=0.001). Sixteen patients died after operation in the two groups, including 13 (10.5%) in the short FET group and 3 (6.2%) in the long FET group (P=0.561). There were 7 patients of spinal cord injury in the two groups, including 6 (4.8%) in the short FET group and 1 (2.2%) in the long FET group (P=0.675). There was no statistical difference in other complications between the two groups. The follow-up time was 16.7 (1-30) months. During the follow-up, 2 patients died in the long FET group and 5 died in the short FET group. No new spinal cord injury or distal reintervention occurred during the follow-up.ConclusionLong FET does not increase the incidence of spinal cord injury in patients with acute type A aortic dissection.
With the development of radiologic intervention, the treatments of aortic dissection are getting more and more diversified. In recent years, Debakey Ⅲ and DebakeyⅠaortic dissection has been usually treated with endovascular graft exclusion, or combined surgical and endovascular treatment. It is therefore more important to evaluate the aorta and its complications after interventional treatments. Because multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) has advantages, such as short examination time, high spatial resolution, and simple operation, this modality has become a first choice of non-invasive methods for the follow-up of aortic diseases after the intervention. Now the MDCT presentations and their anatomic-pathologic features of aortic dissection after endovascular graft exclusion or combined surgical and endovascular treatment are reviewed in this article.
ObjectiveTo analyze the effectiveness of in vitro fenestration versus bypass surgery techniques in the treatment of type B aortic dissection involving the left subclavian artery by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).MethodsAmong the 53 patients with type B aortic dissection involving the left subclavian artery admitted to our center from January 2017 to October 2020, 23 underwent in vitro fenestration + TEVAR (a fenestration group with 18 males and 5 females aged 53.6±5.3 years), and 30 patients underwent left common carotid artery-left subclavian artery bypass + TEVAR (a bypass group with 24 males and 6 females aged 51.8±3.8 years). The effectiveness and safety between the two groups were compared.ResultsThe surgical success rate was 100.0% in both groups. And there was no death within postoperative 30 days and during the follow-up. There was no endoleak immediately postoperatively and during 1-year follow-up in the two groups. The operation time and hospitalization expenses in the fenestration group was less or shorter than those in the bypass group (P<0.05). The reduction in blood pressure of the left upper limb in the fenestration group was greater than that in the bypass group (P<0.05). There was no symptom of left upper limb ischemia, dizziness or hoarseness in both groups.ConclusionThe two methods of reconstruction of the left subclavian artery are safe and effective. In vitro fenestration can reduce surgical trauma and costs, and bypass surgery can provide better forward blood flow for the left subclavian artery.
ObjectiveTo investigate the MRI manifestations of internal carotid artery dissection (ICAD) before and after treatment. MethodsMRI materials of 20 patients with ICAD between November 2007 and February 2013 were collected for analysis. ResultsMRI manifestations of ICAD showed 17 cases of artery stenosis, 16 cases of mural hematoma or thrombus, 3 cases of aneurysmal dilatation, and 2 cases of lines of intimal flap. The treatment outcome MRI manifestations showed that 18 patients had effective response, including disappeared (n=9) and lessened (n=8) artery stenosis, disappeared (n=13) and diminished (n=3) hematoma and thrombus, and shrunken aneurysmal dilatation (n=1); and there were 2 cases of unchanged aneurysmal dilatation, and another 2 patients had aneurysmal dilatation while stenosis lessened. ConclusionMRI manifestations of internal carotid artery dissection mainly include stenosis, mural hematoma or thrombus, and aneurysmal dilatation. Stenosis, mural hematoma or thrombus usually disappear and lessen in the treatment, and all MRI findings may vary among each other.
ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors relevant retrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford type B aortic dissection and provide a reference for its prevention and management. MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection who underwent TEVAR at the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from January 2017 to June 2023. The patients met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in the study. The multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for RTAD, with a test level of α=0.05. ResultsA total of 176 patients were included, among whom 7 developed RTAD, with an occurrence rate of 3.98%. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that the larger τ angle between the centerline of the aorta [OR (95%CI)=1.195 (1.032, 1.384)] and the degree of curvature of the aortic arch (the curve distance from the proximal brachiocephalic trunk to the distal left subclavian artery) [OR (95%CI)=0.756 (0.572, 0.999)], the higher probability of RTAD after TEVAR (P＜0.05). ConclusionsFrom the results of this study, it can be seen that for patients with Stanford B-type aortic dissection underwent TEVAR treatment, careful preoperative evaluation of morphological characteristics of the aortic arch (particularly the τ angle of the aorta centerline and the degree of curvature of the aortic arch (the curve distance from the proximal brachiocephalic trunk to the distal left subclavian artery) is crucial for reducing the occurrence of RTAD after TEVAR in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection.
Objective To analyze the etiologies, surgical treatment and outcomes of retrograde type A aortic dissection (RTAD) after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford type B aortic dissection. Methods The clinical data of patients with RTAD after TEVAR for Stanford type B aortic dissection receiving operations in Changhai Hospital from March 2014 to August 2018 were analyzed. All patients were followed-up by clinic interview or telephone. Results A total of 16 patients were enrolled, including 13 males and 3 females with a mean age of 49.1±12.2 years. The main symptoms of RTAD were chest pain in 12 patients, headache in 1 patient, conscious disturbance in 1 patient, and asymptomatic in 2 patients. All the 16 patients received total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk technique. Bentall procedure was used in 2 patients, aortic root plasticity in 10 patients and aortic valve replacement in 1 patient. The primary tear in 10 patients was located in the area which were anchored by bare mental stent, and in the other 6 patients it was located in the anterior part of ascending aorta. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 152.2±29.4 min, aortic cross-clamping time was 93.6±27.8 min and selective cerebral perfusion time was 29.8±8.3 min. There was no death in hospital or within postoperative 30 days. The follow-up period was 32-85 (57.4±18.3) months. No death occurred during the follow-up period. One patient underwent TEVAR again 3 years after this operation and had an uneventful survival. Conclusion Total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk technique is a suitable strategy for the management of RTAD after TEVAR for Stanford type B aortic dissection.
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of optimized arterial perfusion strategy on total arch replacement for acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD) with malperfusion syndrome (MPS).MethodsFrom 2017 to 2019, 51 patients with AAAD and MPS who had received total arch replacement with optimized arterial perfusion strategy in our hospital were included in the optimized perfusion group, including 40 males and 11 females, with an average age of 47.43±13.39 years. A total of 40 patients with AAAD and MPS who had been treated with traditional Sun's surgery were taken as the traditional control group, including 31 males and 9 females, with an average age of 50.66±12.05 years. The perioperative clinical data of the two groups were compared.ResultsThe preoperative baseline data of the two groups were basically consistent (P>0.05). The comparison of operative data between the optimized perfusion group and the traditional control group showed that in the optimized perfusion group, the extracorporeal circulation time, aortic occlusion time, and circulation-out cerebral perfusion time were significantly less than those in the traditional control group (223.64±65.13 min vs. 266.77±87.04 min, 114.48±27.28 min vs. 138.20±39.89 min, 8.28±3.81 min vs. 50.53±23.60 min, all P≤0.05). The lowest intraoperative nasopharyngeal temperature in the optimized perfusion group was significantly higher than that in the traditional control group (27.10±1.18℃ vs. 23.6±3.30℃, P=0.000). Postoperative wakefulness time of the optimized perfusion group was earlier than that of the traditional control group (4.50±1.35 h vs. 5.27±1.15 h, P=0.019). The volume of blood transfusions in the optimized perfusion group was significantly less than that in the traditional control group (13.25±9.06 U vs. 16.95±7.53 U, P=0.046). There was no significant difference in ICU time and invasive ventilation time between the two groups (P>0.05). Postoperative complications of the two groups showed that the incidence of postoperative continuous renal replacement therapy in the optimized perfusion group was significantly lower than that in the traditional control group, with a statistically significant difference (21.6% vs. 42.5% P=0.003). The incidence of postoperative delirium, coma, low cardiac row syndrome and limb ischemia in the optimized perfusion group was lower than that in the traditional control group, but the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). The incidence of postoperative hemiplegia, sepsis, and secondary thoracotomy in the optimized perfusion group was higher than that in the traditional control group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). Postoperative mortality in the optimized perfusion group was significantly lower than that in the traditional control group (13.7% vs. 27.5%), but the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.102).ConclusionOptimized arterial perfusion strategy and its related comprehensive surgical technique reduce surgical trauma, shorten the operation time, reduce perioperative consumption of blood products. Postoperative wakefulness is rapid and the incidence of complications of nervous system, kidney and limb ischemia is low. Optimized arterial perfusion strategy is suitable for operation of AAAD with MPS by inhibiting the related potential death risk factors to reduce operation mortality.
Objective To study the effects of partial axillary lymph node dissection (PALD) on prognosis and upper limb function in patients with breast cancer. Methods Ninety-eight breast cancer patients with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ were randomly divided into two groups and different surgical procedures following modified mastectomy were performed: partial axillary lymph node (level Ⅰ and Ⅱ) dissection (PALD) group (n=48) and total axillary lymph node (levelⅠ, Ⅱ and Ⅲ) dissection (TALD) group (n=50). The longterm positive relapse rate and upper limb function between 2 groups were compared. Results During the follow-up of 5 to 10 years (average 4.5 years), there were 2 cases (4.2%) of local recurrence on chest wall and one case (2.1%) of recurrence in axillary lymph node and one case (2.1%) of recurrence in supraclavicular lymph node in PALD group, and 2 cases (4.0%) of local recurrence on chest wall and no axillary lymph node recurrence and one case (2.0%) of recurrence in supraclavicular lymph node happened in TALD group. There was no statistical difference between PALD group and TALD group (Pgt;0.05). The incidence of upper limb edema and dysfunction was 4.2% (2/48) in PALD group and 16.0%(8/50) in TALD group (P＜0.01). There was no significant statistical difference of 5year and 10year survival rate between PALD group and TALD group (89.6% vs. 88.0%， 79.2% vs. 78.0%，Pgt;0.05). Conclusion PALD may reduce upper limb dysfunction after operation in patients with stage Ⅰ and Ⅱ breast cancer, and does not increase prognostic risk.