Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Male ; Multivariate Analysis ; Risk Factors

PURPOSE: Acute aortic diseases, such as aortic dissection and aortic aneurysm, can be life-threatening vascular conditions. In this study, we compared outcomes before and after the implementation of a critical pathway (CP) for patients with acute aortic disease at the emergency department (ED). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective observational cohort study. The CP was composed of two phases: PRE-AORTA for early diagnosis and AORTA for prompt treatment. We compared patients who were diagnosed with acute aortic disease between pre-period (January 2010 to December 2011) and post-period (July 2012 to June 2014). RESULTS: Ninety-four and 104 patients were diagnosed with acute aortic disease in the pre- and post-periods, respectively. After the implementation of the CP, 38.7% of acute aortic disease cases were diagnosed via PRE-AORTA. The door-to-CT time was reduced more in PRE-AORTA-activated patients [71.0 (61.0, 115.0) min vs. 113.0 (56.0, 170.5) min; p=0.026]. During the post-period, more patients received emergency intervention than during the pre-period (22.3% vs. 36.5%; p=0.029). Time until emergency intervention was reduced in patients, who visited the ED directly, from 378.0 (302.0, 489.0) min in the pre-period to 200.0 (170.0, 299.0) min in the post-period (p=0.001). The number of patients who died in the ED declined from 11 to 4 from the pre-period to the post-period. Hospital mortality decreased from 26.6% to 14.4% in the post-period (p=0.033). CONCLUSION: After the implementation of a CP for patients with acute aortic disease, more patients received emergency intervention within a shorter time, resulting in improved hospital mortality.
Acute Disease ; Adult ; Aged ; Aneurysm, Dissecting/diagnosis/mortality/*surgery ; Aorta ; Aortic Aneurysm/diagnosis/mortality/*surgery ; Aortic Diseases/diagnosis/mortality/*surgery ; *Critical Pathways ; Emergency Service, Hospital/*organization & administration ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Outcome and Process Assessment (Health Care) ; Postoperative Complications/mortality ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Vascular Surgical Procedures/*methods

To analyze two common factors for perioperative ischemic stroke in patients with concomitant carotid and coronary artery severe stenosis and to improve the therapeutic effect.
 Methods: A total of 44 patients with multi-vessel coronary artery disease combined with carotid stenosis, who admitted to the Department of Cardiac Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from 2008 to 2014, were enrolled in this study. Among them, 32 cases were male, 12 cases was female. All patients received coronary artery bypass grafting after treatment of neck diseases. The surgical outcomes and follow-up results were analyzed retrospectively.
 Results: One patient received carotid endarterectomy suffered hemiplegia, whose symptoms were improved after positive clinical treatment. One patient suffered transient ischemic attack, and 5 patients displayed the cerebrovascular syndromes a week later after surgery. Twelve patients suffered nerve function damage 48 hours later after surgery. Nine patients received intra-aortic ballon pump, 1 patient received thoracotomy hemostasis, 3 patients suffered sternal dehiscence; 27 patients showed atrial fibrillation. Two patients died after surgery. The follow-up duration ranged from 1-7 years and the follow-up rate was 90%. The ischemic symptoms were improved in 44 patients. Six patients complained the recurrence of angina, but no abnormalities were found in coronary angiography or computed tomography angiography. One patient died of malignant tumor during the follow-up duration.
 Conclusion: For patients with concomitant carotid and coronary artery severe stenosis, it is more likely to suffer ischemic cerebral stroke. However, carotid stenosis is not the only factor, other key factors relevant to ischemic cerebral stroke shouldn't be ignored either.
Atrial Fibrillation ; epidemiology ; Blood Loss, Surgical ; statistics & numerical data ; Carotid Stenosis ; complications ; surgery ; Cerebrovascular Disorders ; epidemiology ; Comorbidity ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Coronary Angiography ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Coronary Artery Disease ; complications ; surgery ; Coronary Stenosis ; complications ; surgery ; Endarterectomy, Carotid ; adverse effects ; Female ; Hemiplegia ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping ; adverse effects ; Intraoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Ischemic Attack, Transient ; epidemiology ; Male ; Nervous System Diseases ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries ; epidemiology ; Postoperative Complications ; epidemiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Assessment ; Risk Factors ; Stroke ; epidemiology ; Surgical Wound Dehiscence ; epidemiology ; Thoracotomy ; adverse effects

BACKGROUND: It is not well known about the implication of left ventricular (LV) strain as a predictor for mortality in patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether global longitudinal strain measured by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography could predict long-term outcome in patients with chronic AR. METHODS: This is a single center non-randomized retrospective observational study. The patients with chronic AR from January 2002 to December 2012 were retrospectively enrolled. Following patients were excluded; combined other significant valvular disease, previous heart surgery, aortic disease, congenital heart disease, acute AR and young age under 18 years old. Finally, 60 patients were analyzed and the LV global strain rate was measured on apical four chamber image (GS-4CH). RESULTS: During 64 months follow-up duration, 16 patients (26.7%) were deceased and 38 patients (63.3%) underwent aortic valve replacement (AVR). Deceased group was older (69 years old vs. 51 years old, p < 0.001) and had lower longitudinal strain (-12.05 +/- 3.72% vs. -15.66 +/- 4.35%, p = 0.005). Kaplan-Meier survival curve stratified by GS-4CH showed a trend of different event rate (log rank p = 0.001). On multivariate analysis by cox proportional hazard model adjusting for age, sex, body surface area, history of atrial fibrillation, blood urea nitrogen, LV dilatation, LV ejection fraction and AVR, decreased GS-4CH proved to be an independent predictor of mortality in patients with chronic AR (hazard ratio 1.313, 95% confidence interval 1.010-1.706, p = 0.042). CONCLUSION: GS-4CH may be a useful predictor of mortality in patient with chronic AR.
Aortic Diseases ; Aortic Valve ; Aortic Valve Insufficiency* ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Blood Urea Nitrogen ; Body Surface Area ; Dilatation ; Echocardiography ; Follow-Up Studies ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; Humans ; Mortality ; Multivariate Analysis ; Observational Study ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Retrospective Studies ; Thoracic Surgery

OBJECTIVETo summarize the experience of endovascular repairing aortic arch disease hybrid with supra-arch debranching procedures.

METHODSIt was a retrospective study. From January 2002 to December 2014, 42 high risk patients with aortic arch disease were treated by supra-arch debranching hybrid with subsequent endovascular repair in the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. There were 39 male and 3 female patients with a mean age of (53±13) years (ranging from 34 to 80 years). Of the 42 patients, 7 were thoracic aortic aneurysm, 20 were Stanford type B aortic dissection and 15 were Stanford type A aortic dissection. After the supra-aortic debranching technique, simultaneous (n=16) or staged (n=26, mean interval (7±3) days) endovascular repair were performed. Fisher exact test was used to compare the in-hospital mortality of ascending aorta based debranching and non-ascending aorta based debranching.

RESULTSTechnical success rate was 81.0% (34/42). The overall 30-day complication rate was 31.0% (13/42), including 3 cerebral stroke (7.1%), 8 endoleak (19.0%, including 6 type I endoleak and 2 type II endoleak), 1 circulatory failure, 1 aorto-tracheal fistula. The 30-day mortality was 9.5% (4/42), 2 died of cerebral stroke, 1 died of circulatory failure, 1 died of aorto-tracheal fistula. The in-hospital mortality of ascending aorta based debranching group was obviously higher than that of the non-ascending aorta based debranching group (4/16 vs. 0, P=0.02). The median time of follow-up was 64.8 (2 to 156.9) months. CT scanning was performed at 1, 3 months after surgery and annually thereafter. The overall survival rate was 76.6%. During the follow-up period, there was 4 deaths, and 2 of them were aortic artery related (5.3%). There were 4 de novo complications during the follow-up period, 1 stroke attributed to bypass occlusion was cured by medical treatment, 2 pseudoaneurysm was successfully treated with open surgery, 1 stent-graft induced new distal entry tear was successfully treated with a tapered stent-graft, there was no new endoleak during follow up period, 3 type I endoleak disappeared spontaneously, and 1 type II endoleak disappeared after secondary intervention.

CONCLUSIONSEndovascular repair of aortic arch disease hybrid with supra-arch debranching procedure is low invasive with favorable long-term outcomes. It is suitable for high risk patients of poor general condition with little tolerance to aortic arch replacement. The in-hospital mortality is higher in the ascending aorta based debranching group than in the non-ascending aorta based debranching group. Stroke is a critical fatal complication and should be attached attention.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aneurysm, Dissecting ; surgery ; Aorta ; pathology ; surgery ; Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic ; surgery ; Aortic Diseases ; surgery ; Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation ; Endoleak ; complications ; Endovascular Procedures ; Female ; Hospital Mortality ; Humans ; Kaplan-Meier Estimate ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Stents ; Stroke ; complications ; Survival Rate ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

BACKGROUNDAortic valve replacement (AVR) is a safe and effective method in the treatment of aortic valve diseases. This study aimed to increase the understanding on re-treatment of aortic diseases after aortic valve surgery through a retrospective analysis of 47 related cases.

METHODSForty-seven patients (38 males and 9 females) with previous aortic valve surgery have received reoperation on aorta from January 2003 to June 2012, and the mean interval time of re-intervention to aortic disease was 6 years ((6.0 ± 3.8) years). The secondary aortic surgery included aortic root replacement (14 cases), ascending aorta replacement (10 cases), aortic root/ascending aorta plus total arch replacement with stented elephant trunk implantation (21 cases), and total thoracoabdominal aorta replacement (2 cases). All these patients have received outpatient re-exams or follow-up by phone calls.

RESULTSAfter the initial aortic valve replacement, patients suffered from aortic dissection (25 cases, 53%), ascending aortic aneurysm (12 cases, 26%) or aortic root aneurysm (10 cases, 21%). Diameter in ascending aorta increased (5.2 ± 7.1) mm per year and aortic sinus (3.3 ± 3.1) mm per year. The annual growth value of diameter in ascending aorta was higher in patients with rheumatic heart disease than that in Marfan syndrome (P < 0.05). All 47 patients have received reoperation on aorta. One patient died in operating room because aortic dissection seriously involved right coronary artery. Seven patients had renal insufficiency after operation; neurological complications occurred in 14 patients including 7 patients with stroke and the others with transient brain dysfunction. All patients were followed up, the mean survival time was (97.25 ± 17.63) months, 95% confidence interval was 55.24-73.33 months. Eight cases were died during follow-up and five-year survival rate was 83%.

CONCLUSIONTo reduce the aortic adverse events after first aortic valve surgery, it is necessary to actively treat and strictly follow-up patients with previous aortic operation especially patients with Marfan syndrome and rheumatic heart disease.

Adult ; Aortic Diseases ; mortality ; surgery ; Aortic Valve ; surgery ; Female ; Heart Defects, Congenital ; mortality ; surgery ; Heart Valve Diseases ; mortality ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the surgical morbidity and mortality of thoracic endovascular repair (TEVAR) as compared with open surgical repair (OSR) for isolated descending thoracic aortic disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From January 1, 2006 through May 31, 2010, a total of 68 patients with isolated descending thoracic aortic disease were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of perioperative complication, 30-day mortality, and clinical success. The patients were divided into two groups (group 1, OSR, n = 40 vs. group 2, TEVAR, n = 28) and these groups were compared for major variables and late outcomes. RESULTS: The mean age was 58 years (group I = 54 vs. group II = 63 years, p = 0.011). Significant perioperative complications occurred in 12 patients: 8 (20%) in group I and 4 (13%) in group II (p = 0.3). There were five 30 day mortalities of which 4 occurred in group I and 1 in group II (p = 0.23). Clinical success (effective aortic remodeling and complete false lumen obliteration or thrombosis) was achieved in 20 patients (71%). Mean Kaplan-Meier survival rate at 1 year was similar for both groups (group 1 = 87% vs. group 2 = 80%, p = 0.65). CONCLUSION: Thoracic endovascular repair for isolated thoracic aortic disease shows comparable results to OSR. However, the potential for endoleak or rupture remains a challenge that needs to be addressed in the future. Therefore, close follow-up study is needed for the evaluation of satisfactory long-term outcomes.
*Aorta, Thoracic ; Aortic Diseases/mortality/*surgery ; Chi-Square Distribution ; Drainage ; Endovascular Procedures/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Survival Rate ; Thoracotomy ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo summarize the clinical characteristics, surgical management and postoperative complications in patients with congenital bicuspid aortic valve (CBAV) over 50 years of age.

METHODSFrom January 2009 to September 2011, 73 CBAV patients aged 51-76 years (mean 61.8∓0.73 years) were treated in our center. Except for 1 patient who underwent Bentall surgery and another having Wheat surgery, all the patients received aortic valve replacement (AVR), including 7 with double (mitral and aortic) valve replacement (DVR), 6 with mitral valvular plasty, 11 with tricuspid valvular plasty, 8 with coronary artery bypass graft implantation, 1 with aortic-left ventricular tunnel repair, 1 with atrial maze ablation, and 1 with left atrial thrombosis removal.

RESULTSTwo patients died after the surgery, with a perioperative mortality rate of 2.7%. The cardiopulmonary bypass time was 78-217 min (mean 131.9 ∓6.0 min) with an aortic blocking time of 56-158 min (mean 88.2 ∓4.8 min) and total postoperative ICU time of 23.0-647.4 h (mean 97.9∓10.5 h). The postoperative complications included low heart output syndrome in 5 cases, bleeding in 4 cases, wound debridement in 4 cases, and hemodialysis due to acute renal failure in 1 case. The left ventricular end diastolic diameter reduced significantly after the surgery (52.6∓1.7 vs 43.2∓1.0, P=0.001). No significant changes were detected in the left ventricular ejection fraction (62.3∓2.5 vs 65.5∓1.3, P=0.257).

CONCLUSIONThorough preoperative examination, preoperative risk factor assessment, timely perioperative interventions, careful evaluation of patients' tolerance of surgery, and prevention of surgical complications are essential to decrease the perioperative mortality in elderly patients with CBAV.

Aged ; Aortic Valve ; abnormalities ; surgery ; Coronary Artery Bypass ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases ; mortality ; surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Retrospective Studies

INTRODUCTIONThe purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the short- to mid-term results of the endovascular repair of thoracic aortic disease and to present an overview of our experience with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in our institution.

MATERIALS AND METHODSA retrospective review of all patients who were treated and underwent TEVAR in our institution between August 2004 and November 2009 was conducted.

RESULTSTechnical success was achieved in 100% of the patients and the 30-day mortality rate was 0%. Perioperative endoleak was visualised at the end of the procedure in 4 patients. Secondary endoleak was observed in 2 patients. Mean hospital length of stay post-TEVAR was 15.4 days. Postoperative major complications were observed in 4 patients. The 30-day mortality rate was 0%, with 2 mortalities (11.1%) during the followup period.

CONCLUSIONThis study adds to the growing body of literature that support TEVAR as an effective procedure in the management of thoracic aortic diseases and reflects its feasibility in our population. Further technical advancement in stent grafts, careful selection of patients and standardised peri-procedural care would contribute to further improvements in clinical outcomes.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aorta, Thoracic ; surgery ; Aortic Diseases ; mortality ; surgery ; Endovascular Procedures ; adverse effects ; mortality ; Female ; Humans ; Length of Stay ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postoperative Complications ; etiology ; Retrospective Studies ; Young Adult

Triple valve surgery is usually complex and carries a reported operative mortality of 13% and 10-yr survival of 61%. We examined surgical results based on our hospital's experience. A total of 160 consecutive patients underwent triple valve surgery from 1990 to 2006. The most common aortic and mitral valve disease was rheumatic disease (82%). The most common tricuspid valve disease was functional regurgitation (80%). Seventy-four percent of the patients were in New York Heart Association (NYHA) class III and IV. Univariate and multivariable analyses were performed to identify predictors of early and late survival. Operative mortality was 6.9% (n=11). Univariate factors associated with mortality included old age, preoperative renal failure, postoperative renal failure, pulmonary complications, and stroke. Of them, postoperative renal failure and stroke were associated with mortality on multivariable analysis. Otherwise, neither tricuspid valve replacement nor reoperation were statistically associated with late mortality. Survival at 5 and 10 yr was 87% and 84%, respectively. Ninety-two percent of the patients were in NYHA class I and II at their most recent follow-up. Ten-year freedom from prosthetic valve endocarditis was 97%; from anticoagulation-related hemorrhage, 82%; from thromboembolism, 89%; and from reoperation, 84%. Postoperative renal failure and stroke were significantly related with operative mortality. Triple valve surgery, regardless of reoperation and tricuspid valve replacement, results in acceptable long-term survival.
Adult ; Aged ; Anticoagulants/adverse effects/therapeutic use ; Aortic Valve/*surgery ; Female ; Heart Valve Diseases/complications/mortality/*surgery ; Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation/*methods ; Hemorrhage/chemically induced/epidemiology ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications/mortality ; Kidney Failure/etiology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitral Valve/*surgery ; Postoperative Complications/mortality ; Reoperation ; Risk Factors ; Severity of Illness Index ; Stroke/etiology ; Survival Analysis ; Thromboembolism/epidemiology ; Tricuspid Valve/*surgery