• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.404-407
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• 2012

Aortic dilatation and dissection are severe complications during pregnancy that can be fatal to both the mother and the fetus. The risks of these complications are especially high in pregnant patients with Marfan syndrome; however, incidents of descending aortic dissection are very rare. This case report involves a successful Bentall procedure for and recovery from a rare aortic dissection in a pregnant Marfan patient who developed acute type II aortic dissection with severe aortic regurgitation and chronic descending aortic dissection immediately after Cesarean section. Regular follow-up will be needed to monitor the descending aortic dissection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.172-178
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• 2021

Background: Complicated acute type B aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition with high morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to report a single-center experience with endovascular stent-graft repair of acute type B dissection of the thoracic aorta and to evaluate the mid-term outcomes. Methods: We reviewed 18 patients treated for complicated acute type B aortic dissection by thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) from September 2011 to July 2017. The indications for surgery included rupture, impending rupture, limb ischemia, visceral malperfusion, and paraplegia. The median follow-up was 34.50 months (range, 12-80 months). Results: The median interval from aortic dissection to TEVAR was 5.50 days (range, 0-32 days). There was no in-hospital mortality. All cases of malperfusion improved except for 1 patient. The morbidities included endoleak in 2 patients (11.1%), stroke in 3 patients (16.7%), pneumonia in 2 patients (11.1%), transient ischemia of the left arm in 1 patient (5.6%), and temporary visceral ischemia in 1 patient (5.6%). Postoperative computed tomography angiography at 1 year showed complete thrombosis of the false lumen in 15 patients (83.3%). Conclusion: TEVAR of complicated type B aortic dissection with a stent-graft was effective, with a low morbidity and mortality rate.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.39-42
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• 2014

It is expected that the stent graft will become an alternative method for treating aortic diseases or reducing the extent of surgery; therefore, thoracic endovascular aortic repair has widened its indications. However, it can have rare but serious complications such as paraplegia and retrograde type A aortic dissection. Here, we report a surgical repair of retrograde type A aortic dissection that was performed after thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.439-448
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• 2021

Remodeling is a commonly encountered term in the field of cardiothoracic surgery that is often used to describe various pathophysiological changes in the dimension, structure, and function of various cardiac chambers, including the aorta. Stanford type A or DeBakey type 1 aortic dissection (TAAD) is a perplexing pathologic condition that can present surgical teams with the need to navigate a maze of complex decision-making. Ascending or hemi-arch replacement leaves behind a significant amount of distal diseased aortic tissue, which might have a persistent false lumen or primary or secondary intimal tears (or communications between lumina), which can lead to dilatation of the aortic arch. Unfavorable aortic remodeling is a major cause of distal aortic deterioration after the index surgery. Cardiac surgeons are aware of post-surgical cardiac chamber remodeling, but the concept of distal aortic remodeling is still idealized. The contemporary literature from established aortic centers supports aggressive management of the residual aortic pathology during the index surgery, and with continuing technical advancements, endovascular stenting options are readily available for patients with TAAD or for complicated type B aortic dissection cases. This review discusses the pathophysiology and treatment options for favorable distal aortic remodeling, as well as its impact on mid- to long-term outcomes following TAAD repair.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.128-133
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• 2024

Aortic dissection in pregnant patients results in an inpatient mortality rate of 8.6%. Owing to the pronounced mortality rate and speed at which aortic dissections progress, efficient early detection methods are crucial. Here, we highlight the importance of early chest computed tomography (CT) for differentiating aortic dissection from pulmonary embolism in pregnant patients with dyspnea. We present the unique case of a 38-year-old pregnant woman with elevated D-dimer and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) levels, initially suspected of having a pulmonary embolism. Initial transthoracic echocardiography did not indicate aortic dissection. Surprisingly, after an emergency cesarean section, a chest CT scan revealed a DeBakey type I aortic dissection, indicating a diagnostic error. Our findings emphasize the need for early chest CT in pregnant patients with dyspnea and elevated D-dimer and NT-proBNP levels. This case report highlights the critical importance of considering both aortic dissection and pulmonary embolism in the differential diagnosis of such cases, which will inform future clinical practice.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.68-71
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• 2013

A 67-year-old female patient was treated with conventional total arch replacement and insertion of a stented elephant trunk (SET) graft into the descending thoracic aorta for acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection at one time. She had been treated with right coronary artery stent insertion for acute myocardial infarct 4 days earlier, and at that time, she was diagnosed with acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection from the ascending aorta to the suprarenal artery based on trans-esophageal echocardiography and aorta computed tomography. Through a median sternotomy, we inserted the SET graft through the opened aorta to the descending aorta. We also performed anastomosis between the proximal stented graft and the distal aortic arch, and then performed total arch replacement. For acute DeBakey type I aortic dissection, we report total arch replacement with insertion of a SET graft as a combination of conventional surgery and the interventional technique.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.57 no.1
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• pp.99-102
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• 2024

This article presents a straightforward hybrid arch technique for treating residual type B aortic dissecting aneurysms following type A repair (replacement of the ascending aorta) that employs a frozen elephant trunk (FET) straight vascular prosthesis. The debranch-first method involves only cutting and sewing the previous ascending graft, inserting the FET from zone 0, and debranching the arch vessels using a trifurcated graft. This technique is less invasive as it eliminates the need to manipulate the dissected distal arch aneurysm. We successfully applied this technique to 3 patients, with no instances of in-hospital death, stroke, or paraplegia. The debranch-first technique, combined with zone-0 FET insertion, simplifies the redo repair of residual type B aortic dissection.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.85 no.3
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• pp.668-675
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• 2024

Aortic anastomotic leak is an uncommon complication after ascending aortic replacement for acute aortic dissection. Redo-surgery is the traditional standard treatment despite high mortality and morbidity. Recently, endovascular treatment has been attempted as an alternative approach in a few case reports. Here, we present two cases of aortic anastomotic leak due to suture line dehiscence after aortic graft replacement for type A aortic dissection, which were successfully treated by coil with subsequent N-butyl cyanoacrylate embolization and an Amplatzer^TM vascular plug.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.61-63
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• 2018

We report the case of a patient with mitral regurgitation complicated by type B dissection and Marfan syndrome (MFS) who was managed successfully with minimally invasive mitral valve repair. Without type A aortic dissection or aortic root dilation, MFS patients may develop mitral valve regurgitation, as in this case, and need valve surgery to improve their symptoms and long-term survival. However, it is not clear that a full sternotomy and prophylactic aortic surgery are necessary. Although retrograde perfusion to the dissected aorta is controversial, our approach minimizes the risk of future anticipated aortic surgery in MFS patients.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2020

Background: Despite progress in treatment, Stanford type A aortic dissection is still a life-threatening disease. In this study, we analyzed surgical outcomes in patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection according to the extent of surgery at Daegu Catholic University Medical Center. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 98 patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection who underwent surgery at our institution between January 2008 and June 2018. Of these patients, 82 underwent limited replacement (hemi-arch or ascending aortic replacement), while 16 patients underwent total arch replacement (TAR). We analyzed in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, the overall 5-year survival rate, and the 5-year aortic event-free survival rate. Results: The median follow-up time was 48 months (range, 1-128 months), with a completion rate of 85.7% (n=84). The overall in-hospital mortality rate was 8.2%: 6.1% in the limited replacement group and 18.8% in the TAR group (p=0.120). The overall 5-year survival rate was 78.8% in the limited replacement group and 81.3% in the TAR group (p=0.78). The overall 5-year aortic event-free survival rate was 85.3% in the limited replacement group and 88.9% in the TAR group (p=0.46). Conclusion: The extent of surgery was not related to the rates of in-hospital mortality, complications, aortic events, or survival. Although this study was conducted at a small-volume center, the in-hospital mortality and 5-year survival rates were satisfactory.