Chronic kidney disease classification stratifies mortality risk after elective stent graft repair of the thoracic aorta.

OBJECTIVE: Risk factors for perioperative and late mortality after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) remain ill-defined. In this study, we examined the prognostic significance of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a well-known predictor of death after thoracic aorta open repair, employing a stratification based on CKD stages derived from glomerular filtration rate (GFR) values. METHODS: A prospective database was evaluated for 179 consecutive patients electively submitted to TEVAR between 1999 and 2007. Preoperative GFR was estimated by using the Cockcroft-Gault equation. Patient groups were stratified into four quartiles by baseline serum creatinine (SC) and GFR values, with quartile I being the lowest, and quartile IV the highest, and into the five CKD stages in reverse order (I GFR >or= 90 ml/min/1.73 m(2); II 60-89; III 30-59; IV 15-29; V < 15). Prognostic significance of preoperative GFR values and CKD stages were investigated by means of univariate and multivariate analyses, and the Kaplan-Meier log-rank method. RESULTS: A primary technical success was achieved in 166 of 179 patients (92.7%), and an initial clinical success in 158 (88.3%). Thirty-day mortality was 5% (nine cases). Paraplegia or paraparesis were observed in 11 (6.1%) patients, and completely resolved in six cases after cerebrospinal fluid drainage. Preoperative GFR quartiles and CKD stages were significant predictors of 30-day mortality (P = .004 and P < .0001 respectively), whereas SC quartiles did not affect the outcome (P = .12). In particular, GFR quartile I (<60 ml/min/1.73 m(2)) was associated with a ten-fold greater risk of perioperative death compared with the other three quartiles (Odds Ratio 11.4, 95% Confidence Interval 2.3-57.0, P = .003). Midterm survival was 88.8% (159 of 179) at a mean follow-up of 35.6 +/- 23.7 months. Actuarial survival at 60 months was 57.8%, 81.1%, 92.3%, and 100% for GFR quartiles I to IV respectively (P < .0001), and 0.0%, 66.7%, 59.2%, 88.6%, and 100% (P < .0001) for CKD stage V to I respectively. At univariate analyses, age (P = .019), preoperative SC quartiles (P = .001), GFR quartiles (P = .0002), and CKD stages (P < .0001) were all predictive of mid-term mortality. At multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis, only CKD stages remained independently associated with the outcome (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: GFR is an accurate prognostic predictor in patients submitted to TEVAR. Also, perioperative and midterm mortality directly correlate with the severity of CKD stages, allowing a risk stratification model to be employed both for risk-adjusted preoperative evaluation, and to establish accurate matching criteria for comparative studies

Evaluation of a new disease-specific endovascular device for type B aortic dissection

Objective: The study objective was to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and early technical and clinical success rate of a new endovascular device specifically designed for aortic dissection that has recently become available in Europe. Methods: From June of 2005 to the present, the Zenith Dissection Endovascular System (William Cook Europe, Bjaerverskov, Denmark) was used in 11 selected patients (all male, with a median age of 58 years [range, 45-76 years]) with type B chronic aortic dissection with a compression or collapse of the true lumen. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia with preoperative cerebrospinal fluid drainage in 4 patients. One-step open surgical supra-aortic vessels re-routing was performed in 6 patients to obtain an adequate proximal landing zone: Left carotid-subclavian artery bypass was performed in 5 patients, and right-to-left common carotid artery bypass and left subclavian to common carotid artery transposition was performed in 1 patient. Clinical follow-up visits and computed tomography scans were obtained at 1, 6, and 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Results: A secondary technical success was obtained in all patients (100%), and 30-day clinical success was achieved in 10 patients (91%). A type IA entry flow was observed in 1 patient. No mortality was recorded. Occlusion of visceral/renal arteries, retrograde dissections, and device-induced tears in the intimal lamellae were not observed. Periprocedural morbidity included temporary renal failure in 1 patient and postimplantation syndrome with fever and leukocytosis for 23 days in 1 patient. No cases of paraplegia were recorded. At a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 2-30 months), we observed a clinical success rate of 91%. No migration of the device was observed. No late occlusion of the visceral or renal arteries was recorded at follow-up. Conclusion: The perioperative and short-term follow-up results showed that the Zenith Dissection Endovascular System for the treatment of aortic dissection can be safely used without affecting the patency of the branches covered by the bare stent. However, these results need to be validated in a larger group of patients with a mid-term follow-u

Current evidence in predictors of aortic growth and events in acute type B aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Acute type B aortic dissection can have a stable course or evolve into aneurysm and subsequent adverse events. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the morphologic predictors of an adverse course to establish their validity based on consistency of results. METHODS: Fifty-one studies were included in this review, reporting on aortic size, false lumen (FL) size, primary entry tear (ET) size and location, status of FL thrombosis, number of ETs, branch vessels involvement, and FL longitudinal extent. RESULTS: Some predictors showed good consistency, whereas others did not. Aortic size was the most investigated predictor. A larger diameter at presentation predicted worse outcomes, with few exceptions. Both FL size and size relative to true lumen size also predicted an adverse course, although a standardized measurement method was not used. Regarding primary ET size and location, evidence was sparse and somewhat conflicting. Although FL complete thrombosis was consistently associated with a more benign course, the role of partial thrombosis remained unclear and the concept of FL saccular formation might account for the inconsistency, but further evidence is needed. A higher number of re-entry tears was considered to be protective against false channel expansion, but results need to be confirmed. The predictive role of branch vessels involvement and FL longitudinal extent remain controversial. CONCLUSIONS: Among several predictors of aortic growth and events in acute type B aortic dissection, controversial and even conflicting results have been described. Consistent evidence has been demonstrated only for two predictors: aortic size at presentation is associated with adverse events and total FL thrombosis has a protective role

Prevalence of type III arch configuration in patients with type B aortic dissection

OBJECTIVES: Type III aortic arch configuration consistently presents anatomical and biomechanical characteristics which have been associated with an increased risk of type B aortic dissection (TBD). Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of type III arch in patients with TBD and type B intramural haematoma (IMH-B). METHODS: A multicentre retrospective analysis was performed on patients with TBD and IMH-B observed between 2002 and 2017. The computed tomographic images were reviewed to identify the type of aortic arch. Exclusion criteria included previous arch surgery, presence of aortic dissection or aneurysm proximal to the left subclavian artery and bovine arches. An ad hoc systematic literature review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to assess the prevalence of type III arch in non-TBD and non-aneurysmal patients. RESULTS: Two hundred and sixty-one patients with TBD/IMH-B were found to be suitable for the study and were stratified according to aortic arch classification. The ad hoc literature search provided 10 relevant articles, from which a total of 7983 control cases were retrieved. TBD/IMH-B patients were significantly younger than controls [64.3, standard error: 0.74 (62.84-65.76) vs mean pooled age 70.5, standard error: 0.40 (69.71-71.28)]. Patients with TBD/IMH-B presented with a significantly higher prevalence of type III arch [41.0% (107/261) (35.2-47.1)] than controls [16% (1241/7983) (10-22)]. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate an association between type III arch configuration and the occurrence of TBD/IMH-B. These findings warrant further studies to disclose the potential role of type III arch configuration as an anatomical risk factor for TBD/IMH-B