Contemporary outcomes of open thoraco-abdominal aortic repair: a single-centre experience.

Objectives: Untreated cases of thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms pose significant challenges, often leading to severe morbidity and high mortality. While promising, endovascular treatment is not suitable in all cases, particularly younger patients and those with collagen disorders. This study reports on the contemporary outcomes of open thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm repair at our academic medical centre from 2015 to 2023.

Staged, hybrid approach by zone 2 arch replacement and completion thoracic endoprosthesis in retrograde acute type A aortic dissection.

We describe a case of retrograde acute type A aortic dissection approached by a hybrid, staged approach consisting of a zone 2 arch replacement and completion thoracic endovascular aortic repair procedure combined with distal balloon-assisted stent graft dilatation to prevent retrograde false lumen flow. This technique may be an alternative and more complete when compared with a frozen elephant trunk procedure at onset. Additionally, favorable remodeling of the entire thoracic aorta is observed.

Measures to Prevent Neurologic Deficits in Urgent CABG Surgery With Bilateral Carotid Occlusion.

Patients with bilateral high-degree carotid stenosis or occlusion impose high risk for neurologic complications during coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG). Former articles have described successful CABG in patients with bilateral carotid artery occlusion with uneventful recovery, with perioperative cerebral blood flow monitoring consisting of electroencephalography or near-infrared spectroscopy. In this case report, we describe the use of pulsatile flow on cardiopulmonary bypass and transcranial Doppler monitoring during successful CABG in a patient with bilateral carotid occlusion, leading to a safe approach where changes in cerebral blood flow were seen and analyzed with no lag between event and monitoring.

Mitral Valve Repair Versus Replacement in The Elderly.

The disadvantages of mitral valve replacement with a bioprosthesis in the long-term may not play an important role if the shorter life expectancy of older patients is taken into account. This study aims to evaluate whether mitral valve replacement in the elderly is associated with similar outcome compared to repair in the short- and long-term. All patients aged 70 years and older undergoing minimally invasive mitral valve surgery were studied retrospectively.

Reoperative Mitral Valve Surgery Through Port Access.

Minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS) has become the standard approach for mitral valve pathology in many centres. The anterolateral mini thoracotomy access is beneficial in reoperative surgery by avoiding repeat sternotomy associated risks. The aim of this study is to analyse the safety of this technique.