Biaxial rupture properties of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms

International audienceAlthough hundreds of samples obtained from ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (ATAA) of patients undergoing elective surgical repair have already been characterized biomechanically, their rupture properties were always derived from uniaxial tensile tests. Due to their bulge shape, ATAAs are stretched biaxially in vivo. In order to understand the biaxial rupture of ATAAs, our group developed a novel methodology based on bulge inflation and full-field optical measurements. The objective of the current paper is threefold. Firstly, we will review the failure properties (maximum stress, maximum stretch) obtained by bulge inflation testing on a cohort of 31 patients and compare them with failure properties obtained by uniaxial tension in a previously published study. Secondly, we will investigate the relationship between the failure properties and the age of patients, showing that patients below 55 years of age display significantly higher strength. Thirdly, we will define a rupture risk based on the extensibility of the tissue and we will show that this rupture risk is strongly correlated with the physiological elastic modulus of the tissue independently of the age, ATAA diameter or the aortic valve phenotype of the patient

Techniques aiming to reduce the invasiveness of cardiac surgery and of the myocardial ischemia / reperfusion

Dans le cadre du développement d’une stratégie clinique de diminution de l’invasivité de l’acte de Chirurgie cardiaque, axée à la fois sur la réduction du traumatisme de la paroi thoracique, de l’ischémie myocardique peropératoire, et de l’agressivité de la CEC, une étude prospective randomisée a été réalisée pour comparer l’impact sur le métabolisme myocardique en peropératoire de l’utilisation de la cardioplégie cristalloïde Custodiol® versus la solution de cardioplégie de St Thomas au cours de la chirurgie coronarienne. L’objectif de cette étude est de comparer les modifications periopératoire de la concentration dans l’espace interstitiel de lactate, pyruvate, glycérol et glucose dans les deux groupes de cardioplégie et ceci depuis le déclampage jusqu'à 24h en post-opératoire. Matériels et méthodes. Vingt-huit patients ont pu être inclus dans l’étude. Le monitorage a été pratiqué avec la technique de microdialyse (cathéter CMA 70, Analyseur CMA 600, CMA Microdialysis,Sweden), avec une mesure toutes les 10 minutes pendant le temps du clampage et la première heure post déclampage, puis toutes les heures, des concentrations interstitielles des métabolites. Les concentrations plasmatiques des troponines à la sortie du bloc opératoire et à H +12 ont été également évaluées dans les deux groupes. Résultats : Des 28 patients inclus et randomisés, 22 ont pu bénéficier d’un monitorage complet (12 pour le groupe Custodiol® et 10 pour le groupe St Thomas). Six ont été exclus pour des raisons techniques (1 arrachement, 3 plicatures, 1 chute du cathéter et 1 dysfonctionnement de l’analyseur). Une analyse comparative entre les patients inclus et exclus de l’étude ne montre pas de différences significatives pour les facteurs de risque cardiovasculaires, la FEVG, l’âge, le genre. Les valeurs moyennes des concentrations +/- écart type de lactate, pyruvate, glucose et glycérol au déclampage (T0,) sont les suivants : groupe Custodiol® : 2.77+/-1.81 mmol l-1 ; 13.74+/-20.87 μmol l-1 ; 0.46+/-0.84 mmol l-1 ; 196.99+/-122.22 mmol l-1 ; groupe St Thomas : 0.89+/-0.64 mmol l-1 ; 6.49+/-9.10 μmol l-1 ; 0.19+/-0.18 mmol l-1 ; 73.17+/-72.11 mmol l-1. Les temps de CEC et de clampage ont été respectivement dans le groupe Custodiol® de : 94.2+/-14 min et 59.8+/-15 min, et, dans le groupe St Thomas de 82.6+/-15.9 min et 55.8+/-16.29 et min (p=ns). Les concentrations post-opératoires en troponine T (sortie de bloc et H+12) ont été respectivement de 2.8+/-1.8 et 7.4+/-5.3 μmol/L pour le groupe Custodiol® et de 3.3+/-4.0 et 5.0+/-3.6 μmol/L (p=ns) pour le groupe Saint Thomas. Aucun évènement clinique ou électrocardiographique n’a eu lieu en post opératoire dans les deux groupes. Conclusion. Le monitorage de l’état redox myocardique interstitiel a été possible dans les deux groupes de façon sûre et efficace et a permis de déceler des variations des concentrations en métabolites dans les deux groupes en l’absence d’évènements cliniques. Les résultats de ces analyses retrouvent, au déclampage, des concentrations significativement plus hautes de lactate et glycérol dans le groupe Custodiol®. Ces différences s’effacent rapidement pendant la phase de reperfusion avec une tendance (non significative) à une concentration de lactates plus basse dans le groupe de patients du groupe Custodiol®. Des études multicentriques ciblées sur des clampages longs supérieurs à 90 min nous semblent nécessaires pour définir si une différence à la fois métabolique et clinique peut exister entre les différentes solutions de protection cardiaqueIn our unit, the challenge is to develop a clinical strategy of reduction of the invasiveness of the “On pump procedure” of cardiac surgery: that means a reduction of the chest wall trauma, of the cross clamping perioperative myocardial ischemia, and of the invasiveness of the extra-corporeal circulation. In this background, we organized a randomized perspective study in order to assess the impact of the perioperative myocardial redox metabolism during the on pump coronary surgery protected with Custodiol® versus St Thomas crystalloid cardioplegias. Objectives: To assess the presence and the severity of the perioperative myocardial ischemia in the Custodiol® versus St Thomas group, defined as the interstitial myocardial concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, glycerol and glucose, at the time of the removal of the aortic clamp. Materials and methods : Twenty height patients could be enrolled in the study and were randomized in the Custodiol® and in the St-Thomas group. Monitoring was assessed with the technique of the cardiac microdialysis (CMA 70 probe, CMA 600 analyzer, CMA Microdialysis, Sweden), by dosing every ten minutes during the aortic cross clamping period and every hour out of the operating room, up to 24 hours, the interstitial myocardial concentrations of Lactate, pyruvate, glycerol and glucose. The Lactate/pyruvate ratio and glucose/lactate ratios and 12 hours post-operative troponin plasmatic concentrations were also assessed. Statistical analysis comparing the Custodiol® versus ST Thomas group were performed via a t-test. Results: Out of the 28 enrolled patients, twenty-two (12 of the Custodiol® group and 10 of the St Thomas group) could be successfully monitored with the microdialysis technique. Six were excluded because of technical reasons (one intempestive ablation, 3 iatrogenic plication of the tube, 1 felled out of the table, one due to a dysfunction of the analyzer). The comparative analysis between included and excluded patients did not prove any statistical result in terms of cardiovascular risk factors, EF, age and gender. At declamping time (T0), mean values of concentrations of lactate, pyruvate, glucose and glycerol were the following: Custodiol® group: 2.77+-1.81 mmol l-1;13.74+-20.87 μmol l-1;0.46+-0. mmol l-1;196.99+-122.22 mmol l-1 ; St Thomas : 0.89+-0.64 mmol l-1 ; 6.49+-9.10 μmol l-1; 0.19+-0.18 mmol l-1; 73.17+-72.11 mmol l-1. Cross clamping and CPB times were respectively 94.2+/-14 et 59.8+/-15 min (Custodiol®), and 82.6+/-15.9 et 55.8+/-16.29 et minutes (St-Thomas) (p=ns) . Post operative plasmatic levels of Troponin (arrival in the ICU and 12 H+12) were respectively de 2.8+/-1.8 and 7.4+/-5.3 (pour le groupe Custodiol®) et de 3.3+/-4.0 et 5.0+/-3.6 μmol/L (Saint Thomas) (ns). Conclusion: Monitoring of the interstitial myocardial redox state was safely possible in both groups and allowed to assess metabolic different findings in the two cardioprotective methods that were not enhanced by perioperative clinical ischemic events. Microdialysis assessed, at the time of aorta declamping, significantly higher concentrations of lactate and Glycerol in the Custodiol® group. That difference regressed during the reperfusion phase with a tendency for a lower lactate level in the Custodiol® group. Multicentric studies focused on cross clamping time longer than 90 minutes seem necessary to enhance metabolic interstitial and clinical superiority between cardioprotective solution

Early Clinical Experiences of Robotic Assisted Aortic Valve Replacement for Aortic Valve Stenosis with Sutureless Aortic Valve

Robotic assisted aortic valve surgery is still challenging and debatable. We retrospectively reviewed our cases of robotic assisted aortic valve replacement utilizing sutureless aortic valve with following surgical technique: 3 ports, 1 for endoscope and 2 for the robotic arms were inserted in the right chest and da Vinci Si robotic system (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) was adapted to these ports. Cardiopulmonary bypass was initiated through peripheral cannulations. A vent cannula was placed through the right superior pulmonary vein and a cardioplegia cannula in the ascending aorta. After cardioplegic arrest following aortic cross-clamp, the aortic valve was exposed through a clam shell aortotomy. Valvectomy along with decalcification was performed. Next using 3 guiding sutures the Perceval S valve (LivaNova, London, UK) was parachuted down and deployed. After confirming valve position, the aortotomy was closed. There were no major complications during the procedures and no conversion to sternotomy. Exposure of aortic valve was of high quality. Valvectomy required assistance with long scissors by the bedside surgeon for excision of the severely calcified valve cusps and effective decalcification of annulus. Postoperative convalescence was uncomplicated except for postoperative atrial fibrillation in 1 patient. Robotic assistance in aortic valve procedure enabled excellent exposure of the aortic valve and improved manipulation and suturing of the aortic annulus and aorta. There needs to be improvement of instrumentation for valve debridement and removal of calcium from the annulus. In addition, the sutureless valve technology contributes to the feasibility and the efficacy of this procedure. </jats:p