Objective To summarize our clinical experience of endovascular repair of aortic pseudoaneurysms，andexplore the etiology of the disease，treatment indications，and early and midterm results of the procedure. Methods From November 2009 to May 2012，52 patients with aortic pseudoaneurysms received endovascular aortic repair （EVAR） in FuWai Hospital. There were 44 male and 8 female patients with their age of （53.8±13.5 ） years. Their onset syndromes includedchest or back pain in 46 patients and hoarseness in 5 patients. There were 23 acute patients and 29 chronic patients. Aortic pseudoaneurysms located at the descending thoracic aorta in 51 patients and the abdominal aorta in 1 patient. The meandiameter of the aortic pseudoaneurysms was （45.1±33.8） mm. All the patients were diagnosed using enhanced CT scan of the aorta. Three patients received emergency EVAR. All the patients received EVAR through the femoral arteries under general anesthesia. Forty-six patients underwent isolated EVAR，5 patients received hybrid technique for EVAR via the neck，and 1 patient received hybrid technique including EVAR and total arch replacement via median sternotomy under normothermia. The average diameter of stent-grafts was （34.2±3.3） mm and the average length was （157.7±20.3） mm. Enhanced CT scan of the aorta was performed before discharge，3 months and 1 year after EVAR during follow-up. Results There was no in-hospital death and EVAR was 100% successful. All the patients （100%） were followed up for 1-31 （12.6±7.9）months after discharge. Their chest or back pain symptoms all significantly improved. Their hoarseness improved too duringfollow-up. One patient’s hoarseness disappeared early after EVAR but recurred 5 months after EVAR. Enhanced CT scan showed enlargement of the stent-graft without endoleak. One patient underwent emergency EVAR for sudden onset of massivehemoptysis，recovered well before discharge，and was readmitted to hospital 5 months after EVAR because of fetid sputum and hemoptysis，who was diagnosed as Behcet’s disease and cured after anti-infection and immunosuppressive therapy. One patient had recurrent fever before and 6 months after EVAR and was cured by antibiotic therapy. Intraoperative angiographyshowed trivial typeⅠendoleak in 4 patients right after stent-graft deployment，which disappeared in enhanced CT scan 3-6 months after EVAR. Intraoperative angiography showed no endoleak in all the other patients，and their enhanced CT scans 3 months and 1 year after EVAR showed complete sealing between the stent-grafts and the aortic wall，thrombus in the pseudoaneurysm sac and decreased diameters of the pseudoaneurysms without endoleak. Two patients had hemiplegia 1 dayand 6 days after EVAR respectively，1 patient was cured and discharged and the other patient survived with hemiplegicsequelae. One patient with an abdominal aortic pseudoaneurysm died of sudden onset of cerebral infarction at home 3 monthsafter EVAR. Conclusions Endovascular repair of descending aortic pseudoaneurysms is safe and effective with good early and midterm results，and longer follow-up is needed for its long-term outcomes. Individualized treatment plan is basedon the location of the pseudoaneurysms. Preoperative meticulous medical history and physical examination are both importantfor the differentiation of the etiology of aortic pseudoaneurysms. Postoperative treatment based on the etiology and close follow-up are also needed to ensure long-term results.
Abstract: Objective To evaluate surgical strategies for the treatment of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection with involvement of the aortic root. Methods From January 2005 to December 2010, 62 consecutive patients underwent emergency surgical intervention for acute Stanford type A aortic dissection with involvement of the aortic root in Renji Hospital Affiliated to Medical School of Shanghai Jiaotong University. According to different methods for the management of proximal aortic dissection, these patients were divided into 3 groups: group A, aortic valve commissural suspension＋supracommissural replacement of the ascending aorta （SCR）,including 28 patients （20 males and 8 females，mean age 45.2±15.6 years）; group B, partial sinus remodeling+ascending aortic replacement, including 10 patients （7 males and 3 females，mean age 44.6±14.9 years）；group C, Bentall procedure,including 24 patients （17 males and 7 females，mean age 46.2±15.6 years）. Clinical outcomes were compared among the three groups. Results Six patients died peri-operatively and in-hospital mortality was 9.67% （6/62）. Fifty-four patients were followed up, and the mean follow-up time was 27.3±15.7 months. During follow up, 2 patients died, one for lung cancer and the other for unknown reason. One patient in group A underwent CT scan 6 months after surgery which showed aortic root pseudo-aneurysm. Cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross-clamping time of group C were significantly longer than those of group A and group B （274±97 min vs. 194±65 min, 210±77 min, t=22.482, 30.419, P=0.002， 0.122；150±56 min vs. 97±33 min, 105±46 min, t=12.630, 17.089, P=0.000，0.034）. There was no statistical difference in mortality （t=1.352，P=0.516）, incidence of postoperative reexploration for bleeding, acute renal failure and neurological complication （t=0.855, 0.342, 2.281; P=0.652, 0.863, 0.320） among the three groups. Conclusion For patients with acute aortic dissection involving the aortic root, aortic valve commissural suspension+SCR，partial sinus remodeling＋ascending aortic replacement and Bentall procedure may be considered the surgical treatment of choice with respective advantages and disadvantages. Satisfactory clinical outcomes can be achieveed if surgical indications and procedures are properly employed.