Secondary neurological outcomes in patients with brachiocephalic and coronary artery disease in the early postoperative period after simultaneous and hybrid surgical treatment

Aim. To compare secondary neurological outcomes in patients with brachiocephalic and coronary artery disease in the early postoperative period after different surgical treatment strategies (simultaneous and hybrid).Methods. Secondary neurological outcomes were evaluated in 43 patients with coronary and brachiocephalic artery disease in the early postoperative period after (1) carotid endarterectomy and on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery; (2) percutaneous coronary intervention and carotid endarterectomy. Demographic, clinical, instrumental data were collected. Neuropsychological assessment was performed using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Frontal Assessment Battery. Memory, attention and neurodynamics were measured using the “Status-PF” software at days 2–3 before the surgery and at days 5–7 after it. The presence of postoperative cognitive dysfunction was estimated on the basis of criteria defined as a 20% decline on 20% of the tests. Statistical analysis was performed using the software package “Statistica 10.0”.Results. Patients who underwent hybrid intervention demonstrated improved attention and memory in the early postoperative period. Complex visual-motor reaction significantly increased in patients after simultaneous surgery. Attention differed significantly in both groups. Thus, patients from the hybrid group processed more characters per 1 and 4 minutes while completing the Bourdon proof reading test. The total number of processed characters prevailed in the hybrid group. Cognitive processing speed was higher in the hybrid group according to the brain performance test. The incidence of early postoperative cognitive dysfunction was 60% in patients after simultaneous surgery and 11% in patients after hybrid surgery (p = 0.006, OR±SE 12.5±3.2).Conclusion. Hybrid intervention has shown its superiority over simultaneous intervention in terms of low rate of early cognitive impairment, thereby confirming the necessity to take into account the obtained results while selecting the optimal surgical treatment in patients with coronary and brachiocephalic artery disease present with cognitive deficits at baseline.

Tracheoarterial fistula as a complication of prolonged tracheostomy

The article presents a clinical case of a rare and severe complication of prolonged tracheostomy in the form of fistula formation between tracheal lumen and brachiocephalic artery and the development of massive bleeding from it. The patient’s treatment was urgent and successful. Operative intervention was performed with subsequent allografting of brachiocephalic trunk (vascular prosthesis Vascutek 8 mm was used) and the anastomosis was created using a continuous suture technique. The patient was discharged home in a satisfactory condition on the 17th post-operative day.

Prenatal diagnosis of isolation of aortic brachiocephalic artery

Background Isolated aortic brachiocephalic artery (IABA) is a rare congenital aortic arch anomaly. It is difficult to diagnose IABA prenatally and the prevalence in the prenatal population is unknown. Purpose To evaluate the echocardiographic characteristics and associations in fetuses with IABA. Material and Methods We retrospectively analyzed all cases of prenatal diagnosis of IABA from January 2012 to November 2020 and reviewed the follow-up results. Copy Number Variation Sequencing (CNV-Seq) was performed using the biological specimens of the of the fetuses and family members. Results Ten cases (10/45652, 0.022%) of IABA were identified in our center. The prevalence of the cases with isolated left subclavian artery (ILSCA) in the right aortic arch (RAA) population was 0.98% (6/613). The ILSCA was the most common isolated arch branch. All the isolated branches were on the opposite side of aortic arch in all the cases. The “ice stick” sign in the coronal section could be seen in most cases of IABA. Of the 10 cases, 8 (8/10, 80%) were associated with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Two cases of IABA were combined with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Conclusion IABA is a rare aortic anomaly. ILSCA was the most common isolated arch branch and TOF was the most common associated intra-cardiac anomaly. The “ice stick” sign in the coronal section could indicate a diagnosis of the IABA.

Blunt Trauma to Brachiocephalic Artery: Presentation and Management

Isolated innominate artery injury is very rare and accounts for less than 3% of recognized arterial injuries. Surgical exploration of the artery, especially at the origin of the artery from the arch of the aorta, is surgically challenging. Due to its rarity, any 1 surgeon’s experience in dealing with innominate artery injury is bound to be limited. We report 2 cases of innominate artery injury post-blunt chest trauma. Both patients underwent thoracotomy and innominate artery Dacron graft repair and both had an uneventful postoperative course.

Kommerell's diverticulum of retroesophageal aberrant brachiocephalic artery with right aortic arch in an adult

A retroesophageal aberrant brachiocephalic artery is a very rare congenital aortic arch anomaly. We herein presented a 29-year-old man with right aortic arch, retroesophageal aberrant left brachiocephalic artery, left ligamentum arteriosus, and absent left internal carotid artery. Graft replacement of the descending aorta and anatomical reconstruction of left brachiocephalic artery was successfully performed using a midline sternotomy approach without blood transfusion. We discuss the surgical management for Kommerell's diverticulum.

Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of the outcomes of brachiocephalic artery dissection

Introduction. Vessel wall imaging in patients with dissection plays an impotent role in the differential diagnosis of stenoocclusive processes of the main arteries of the head. However, the interpretation of changes in long-term periods remains difficulties. Purpose: to determine and compare the imaging patterns of the consequences of the postponed dissection using MRI and ultrasound.Materials and methods. 30 patients with confirmed dissection were examined for more than 1 year from the date of diagnosis. MRI was performed using vessel wall protocol imaging before and after contrast enhancement.Results. Postpone dissection imaging patterns were revealed: aneurysmal dilation of the artery (27%) and double lumen (20%) at the site of dissection; prolonged stenosis in 10% of cases, intimal flap — in 3% of cases. Occlusion persisted in 40% of cases.Conclusion. The use of MRI can improve the differential diagnosis of the causes of the stenоocclusive process of the main arteries of the head.

Rare Case of a Newborn with Heterotaxy Syndrome, Right Aortic Arch and an Isolated Left Brachiocephalic Artery Arising from a Left Ductus Arteriosus

Heterotaxy is an abnormal arrangement of viscera across the left-right axis of the body often associated with a variety of complex cardiac lesions. We present a case of left isomeric heterotaxy, a right aortic arch, and a left brachiocephalic artery arising from a left ductus arteriosus.

Inverse T-shaped sternotomy as novel thoracoplasty for severe chest deformation and tracheal stenosis

Background Patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities often suffer from tracheal stenosis due to chest deformation and brachiocephalic artery compression, which sometimes leads to serious complications, such as dying spell and tracheobrachiocephalic artery fistula. We herein described our experience of performing a novel and simple thoracoplastic procedure combined with brachiocephalic artery transection in two patients with severe chest deformation and tracheal stenosis. Case presentation The patients were a 12-year-old female with cerebral palsy due to periventricular leukomalacia and a 21-year-old male with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis stage IV in the Jabbour classification following a laryngotracheal separation. Both patients showed severe chest deformation and symptoms of airway stenosis resulting in dying spells. The sternum was laterally transected between the manubrium and the sternal body, and a manubriotomy was performed longitudinally, ending with an inverse T-shaped sternotomy. Since the clavicle and the first rib remained attached to the halves of the divided manubrium, the sternum was allowed to be left open, resulting in improvement of the mediastinal narrowing and tracheal stenosis. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) showed that the distance between the halves of the manubrium was maintained at 10–11 mm, and that the mediastinal narrowing in both patients improved; the sternocervical spine distance increased from 20 mm to 22 and 13 mm to 16 mm, respectively. The patients’ tracheal stenosis below the sternal end of the clavicle and the manubrium and respiratory symptoms improved, and the patients are currently at home in a stable condition with no chest fragility and no upper limb movement disorder 1 year after surgery. Conclusions Our observations suggested that the inverse T-shaped sternotomy combined with brachiocephalic artery transection may relieve symptoms of tracheal stenosis due to severe chest deformation in patients with severe motor and intellectual disabilities.