Outcomes after surgical treatment for type A acute aortic dissection in octogenarians: a multicenter study.

Background: Management of octogenarian patients with acute type A acute aortic dissection is controversial. This study analyzed the surgical outcomes to identify patients who should undergo operations.

Methods: Beginning January 2000, we established a registry including all octogenarian patients operated on for type A acute aortic dissection.

Ventricular patch endocarditis caused by Propionibacterium acnes: advantages of gallium scanning.

Propionibacterium acnes is a weakly pathogenic commensal of the skin. When isolated from blood cultures it is often considered a contaminant. However, P.

Retroesophageal subclavian artery aneurysm arising from Kommerell's diverticulum.

This report describes a novel technique used for management of retroesophageal subclavian artery aneurysm arising from Kommerell's diverticulum. The procedure consists of endoaortic exclusion of the aneurysmal neck, using a prosthetic patch after sternotomy during circulatory arrest, and antegrade cold blood cerebroplegia. The advantages of this technique are avoidance of hemorrhagic complications during clamping of the aneurysmal neck, limiting of the extent of dissection of the aortic arch, and elimination of the risk of inadvertent left recurrent nerve paralysis.

[Technical problems during coronary revascularization in case of massive calcified aorta].

A massively calcified ascending aorta which may make aortic clamping impossible, is a major obstacle to coronary revascularisation surgery. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that by the use of certain technical modifications, these patients can be treated even in multivessel disease. In the author's experience, two patients with this condition underwent complete revascularisation with a good surgical result controlled by angiography.

[Postoperative acute aortic dissection. Apropos of two cases].

Aortic dissection after cardiac surgery is a rare complication. The prognosis is often poor: 33-78% of mortality. The study of two cases out of 2100 patients operated upon during the last three years, and the review of the literature, allows to recall the mechanism, the anatomic origin and the different surgical techniques.