Acute type A aortic dissection is a lethal disease that requires immediate surgical intervention and lifesaving measures. The treatment of this condition primarily involves addressing the complex structure and vital role of the aortic root. Since 1968, surgical techniques for aortic dissection type A have rapidly advanced, significantly improving patients' outcomes. In recent years, various approaches to aortic root management have emerged. This article provides a comprehensive overview of these approaches.
ObjectiveTo summarize clinical outcomes of different end-to-end anastomotic methods for surgical treatment of acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (AD). MethodsBetween January 2012 and May 2013, 95 patients with acute Stanford type A AD received surgical treatment in Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University. According to different end-to-end anastomotic methods, 72 patients were divided into 3 groups (23 patients undergoing Bentall procedure were excluded from this study). In group A, there were 23 patients including 18 males and 5 females with their age of 48.67±9.23 years, who received 'sandwich' anastomotic technique strengthening both the inner and outer layers of the aortic wall. In group B, there were 11 patients including 8 males and 3 females with their age of 48.00±9.17 years, who received pericardium strengthening only inner layer of the aortic wall. In group C, there were 38 patients including 29 males and 9 females with their age of 49.20±8.57 years, who received artificial graft that was anastomosed directly to the aortic wall without any reinforcement. Postoperative outcomes were compared among the 3 groups. ResultsEight patients (11.11%)died postoperatively including 1 patient in group A (1/23, 4.35%)and 7 patients in group C (7/38, 18.42%). One patient in group A died of persistent wound errhysis and later disseminated intravascular coagulation. Three patients in group C died of persistent anastomotic incision errhysis and circulatory failure. Four patients in group C died of postopera-tive severe tricuspid regurgitation, secondary severe low cardiac output syndrome and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome. Severe postoperative complications included renal failure in 5 patients, respiratory failure in 7 patients, severe cerebral infarction and paralysis in 1 patient, paresis in 3 patients, delayed recovery of consciousness in 2 patients, and ischemic necrosis of the lower limb in 1 patient. Postoperative thoracic drainage amount in group C was significantly larger than that of the other 2 groups, and there was no statistical difference in thoracic drainage amount between group A and group B. Sixty-four patients were followed up for 1 to 6 months, and there was no late death during follow-up. Among the 5 patients with postoperative renal failure, only 1 patient needed regular hemodialysis, and renal function of the other 4 patients returned to normal. One patient with cerebral infarction recovered partial limb function and was able to walk with crutches. All the 3 patients with paresis recovered their limb function. ConclusionsAnastomotic quality of end-to-end anastomosis is of crucial importance for surgical treatment of acute Stanford type A AD. Appropriate reinforcement methods can be chosen according to individual intraoperative findings. 'sandwich' anastomotic technique can significantly reduce incision errhysis, prevent acute myocardial infarction caused by aortic anastomotic tear, and decrease postoperative mortality. If coronary ostia are involved in AD, concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting is needed.
ObjectiveTo explore the optimal preoperative management strategy in patients with acute type A aortic dissection and pericardial tamponade.MethodsA total of 197 patients with acute type A aortic dissection were admitted to the Cardiovascular Center at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from 2017 to 2019, among whom 26 patients suffered from cardiac tamponade, including 20 males and 6 females with an average age of 59.27±10.76 years. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed.ResultsAll patients underwent surgical repair of the aorta. The median cardiopulmonary bypass time and aortic cross clamping time were 174.5 min and 121.5 min, respectively. Postoperative complications included kidney failure in 3 patients, respiratory failure in 2 patients and disturbance of consciousness in 3 patients. Postoperative death occurred in 5 (19.2%) patients. The other 21 patients were successfully followed up for 2 years, during which 1 patient died with a survival rate of 95.2%, and no re-intervention was indicated.ConclusionAdequate preoperative management is crucial in patients with acute type A aortic dissection complicated with cardiac tamponade. A cardiac surgery team with round-the-clock availability, an integrated cardiac surgery ward and a rational algorithm that can shorten the time from disease onset to surgery treatment are the keys to improve survival rate.
ObjectiveTo investigate the application of ascending aorta cannulation and brachiocephalic trunk cannulation in acute type A aortic dissection.MethodsWe screened 183 patients with acute type A aortic dissection from January 2017 to January 2020 in our hospital. They were divided into 2 groups according to the cannulation strategy: ascending aorta cannulation and brachiocephalic trunk cannulation (a DAC group, n=42, 33 males and 9 females with a median age of 50 years) and the single axillary artery cannulation (an AAC group, n=141, 116 males and 25 females with a median age of 51 years). The general clinical data, intraoperative data and early postoperative results of the two groups before and after matching with propensity scores were compared.ResultsBefore propensity-score matching, the operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, aortic occlusion time and ICU stay in the DAC group were all shorter than those in the AAC group (P<0.05). The early postoperative mortality, and rates of brain complications, renal failure and pulmonary complications in the DAC group were significantly lower than those in the AAC group. After propensity-score matching, the operation time in the DAC group was significantly shorter than that in the AAC group (P<0.05). The early postoperative mortality, and rates of brain complications and pulmonary complications in the DAC group were significantly lower than those in the AAC group.ConclusionAscending aorta cannulation and brachiocephalic trunk cannulation can provide a safe, fast and effective method of establishing cardiopulmonary bypass for some acute type A aortic dissection patients, and significantly shorten the operation time without increasing surgical complications.
Objective To analyze the risk factors and prognosis of acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) early after acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) repair, and develop the Nomogram prediction model of AGI. Methods The patients who underwent ATAAD cardiopulmonary bypass surgery in our hospital from 2016 to 2021 were collected and divided into an AGI group and a non-AGI group. The clinical data of the two groups were compared. A Nomogram prediction model was established by using R language. Results A total of 188 patients were enrolled, including 166 males and 22 females, aged 22-70 (49.70±9.96) years. Through multivariate logistic regression analysis, the aortic dissection (AD) risk score, poor perfusion of superior mesenteric artery (SMA), duration of aortic occlusion and intraoperative infusion of red blood cells were the predictors for AGI (P<0.05). There were statistical differences in the ventilator-assisted duration, ICU stay time, liver dysfunction, renal insufficiency, parenteral nutrition, nosocomial infection and death within 30 days after the operation between the two groups (P<0.05). The Nomogram prediction model was established by using the prediction factors, and the C index was 0.888. Through internal verification, the C index was 0.848. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the discrimination of the model, and the area under the curve was 0.888. Conclusion The AD risk score after ATAAD, poor perfusion of SMA, duration of aortic occlusion and intraoperative infusion of red blood cells are independent predictors for AGI. The Nomogram model has good prediction ability.
ObjectiveTo evaluate the involvement of renal artery in acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD) using CT angiography (CTA) and to analyze the difference of renal function among different types of renal artery involvement.MethodsFrom January 2016 to November 2017, 151 patients of acute TAAD with renal artery involvement were included in the study. There were 118 males and 33 females, with an average age of 47.93±10.53 years. All patients underwent aortic CTA to confirm the TAAD. According to CTA, involvement of one side of renal artery can be divided into four types: type A, large tear near renal artery orifice, difficult to distinguish true or false lumen; type B, the orifice of the renal artery originates entirely from the false lumen; type C, the orifice of the renal artery originates entirely from the true lumen; type D, renal artery dissection is observed, renal artery intima can be seen. The levels of serum creatinine (sCr) and creatinine clearance (CC) in all groups were analyzed and compared. ResultsThe results of one-way ANOVA analysis showed that there was no significant difference in sCr or CC among the groups (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in age, sex, proportion of hypertension history and onset time among the above groups (P>0.05).ConclusionThe three most common types of renal artery involvement were BC type, CC type, and AC type. The types of renal artery involvement do not affect renal function.
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 summarize our diagnostic and treatment experience for patients with acute Stanford type A aortic dissection （AAAD） during pregnancy. Methods Clinical data of 3 AAAD gravida （age of 30，32，35） who received surgical treatment in Beijing Anzhen Hospital of Capital Medical University from May 2008 to July 2010 were retros-pectively analyzed. One gravida received Sun’s procedure （total arch replacement combined with stented elephant trunk implantation） 3 days after cesarean section，but the fetus died in the uterus. Another gravida successfully underwent Bentall procedure and Sun’s procedure immediately after cesarean section and hysterectomy. The third gravida received cesarean section with the uterus in situ followed by ascending aorta replacement and Sun’s procedure. Results All the 3 puerperasrecovered uneventfully，and the 2 newborns of the second and third puerperas also lived well. The 3 puerperas were followedup for 6 months after discharge. CT scan showed organized thrombus in the aortic false lumen. During follow-up，the 3 puerperas recovered well，and the 2 infants had normal growth and development. Conclusions Management principles of AAAD during pregnancy firstly include timely and accurate diagnosis，which is of prime importance. Secondly，gravidas’hemodynamics should maintain stable. Thirdly，intraoperative hemorrhage should be satisfactorily controlled. Lastly，multi-modality treatment is very important to improve the prognosis of both gravidas and fetuses.
ObjectiveTo analyze the thyroid hormone levels in patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and assess its clinical significance.MethodsWe included 88 patients with ATAAD who underwent surgical treatment in Beijing Anzhen Hospital between January 2018 and August 2018. Meanwhile, we extracted 187 blood samples of healthy people from our laboratory (Beijing Lab for Cardiovascular Precision Medicine, Beijing, China) as control group. Examining preoperative thyroid hormone levels and perioperative serum creatine for patients and examining thyroid hormone levels for healthy people. Based on difference in thyroid hormone levels between patients and healthy people, we divide patients into abnormal thyroid hormone groups and control groups, analyzing the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and variance of postoperative serum creatinine.ResultsPatients with ATAAD have lower total triiodothyronine (TT3), thyrotropin (TSH), free triiodothyronine (FT3) and higher free thyroxine (FT4) levels than healthy people (respectively, P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001 and P<0.001). What’s more, patients with ATAAD who had low TT3 before operation had higher elevation of postoperative serum creatinine and rate of acute kidney injury(P=0.019).CONCLUSIONSPatients with ATAAD have different thyroid hormone levels than healthy people, preoperative TT3 is associated with elevation of postoperative serum creatinine and occurrence of acute kidney injury. Thyroid function measurement should be a routine preoperative examination in patients with ATAAD.
Objective To assess the independent risk factors of in-hospital mortality and morbidity after surgical procedure for Stanford type A aortic dissection (TAAD). Methods Between May 2013 and May 2015, 341 TAAD patients were treated with surgical procedure in Fu Wai Hospital. There were 246 males and 95 females with a mean age of 47.42±11.54 years (range 29-73 years). Among them, 87 patients suffered severe complications or death after the procedure (complication group) and the other 254 patients recovered well without any severe complications (no complication group). Perioperative clinical data were compared between the two groups. Results Mean age of patients in the complication group was significantly higher than that of the no complication group (49.91±11.22 yearsvs. 46.57±11.54 years,P=0.019). The incidence of preoperative ischemic organ injury in the complication group was significantly higher than that in the no complication group: cerebral ischemia (18.4%vs. 5.9%,P=0.001), spinal cord injury (16.1%vs. 4.7%,P=0.001), acute kidney injury (31.0%vs. 10.6%,P=0.000). The incidence of branch vessels involvement in the complication group was significantly higher than that in the no complication group: coronary artery involvement (52.9%vs. 17.1%,P=0.000), supra-aortic vessels involvement (73.6%vs. 53.9%,P=0.001), celiac artery involvement (37.9%vs. 22.0%,P=0.003), mesenteric artery involvement (18.4%vs. 9.8%,P=0.030), and unilateral or bilateral renal artery involvement (27.6%vs. 9.8%,P=0.000). Surgical time of patients in the complication group was significantly longer than that of the no complication group, including cardiopulmonary bypass time (205.05±63.65 minvs. 167.67±50.24 min,P<0.05) and cross-clamp time (108.11±34.79 minvs. 90.75±27.33 min,P<0.05). Multiple regression analysis found that age, preoperative concomitant cerebral ischemic injury, preoperative concomitant acute renal injury, preoperative limb sensory and/or motor dysfunction, coronary artery involvement, cardiopulmonary bypass time were independent risk factors of postoperative death and severe complications in TAAD patients. However, risk of postoperative mortality and morbidity significantly decreased after the concomitant coronary artery bypass graft [OR=0.167 (0.060, 0.467),P=0.001]. Conclusion The high risk factors of postoperative complication in TAAD patients are explored to provide an important clinical basis for preoperative identification of patients at high risk and we need pay more attention to the prevention of these postoperative complications.