Retrieving a lost needle in the descending aorta during hemi-arch replacement

A 73-year-old man diagnosed with moderate aortic insufficiency and dilatation of the aortic root and ascending aorta underwent a modified Bentall procedure and hemi-arch aortic replacement. During open distal anastomosis of the ascending aorta, the surgical needle was lost. Because of circulatory arrest, the operation was continued; before closing the chest, radiography and a transesophageal echo were located in the needle in the descending aorta. It was retrieved using a snare catheter via the graft branch under fluoroscopic guidance. Thus, locating the needle in the descending aorta and leaving the graft branch uncut led to its removal without a new incision.

Modular Endo-Bentall Procedure Using a “Rendez-Vous Access”

Purpose: The concept of a single endovascular valve-carrying conduit device was designated endo-Bentall, but published experience is limited to a single case. This technical note describes an alternative modular endo-Bentall technique and a novel access technique to implant it. Technique: A 82-year-old woman with chest pain referred for a 10 cm symptomatic aneurysm of the distal arch and descending aorta. An ascending aortic aneurysm of 5.5 cm prevented endovascular aortic arch repair due to lack of a proximal landing zone. The technique is a modular approach combining a physician-modified endograft (PMEG) with 3 large fenestrations for coronary artery perfusion and a transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). A “rendez-vous access” with a transapical and transfemoral through-and-through wire offered rapid sequential deployment in a modular fashion of both components. The PMEG was deployed first, landing 5 mm deep in the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) and the transcatheter aortic valve was implanted few millimeters below. The endo-Bentall procedure was combined with endovascular aortic arch repair. Conclusion: A modular endo-Bentall procedure combining a PMEG and TAVI is feasible and adaptable to emergent setting using the “rendez-vous access.”

Aortic root aneurysm with right atrial clot: a rare combination

Though the incidence of aneurysms involving the aortic root and/or ascending aorta is common, the combination of aortic root aneurysm and the right atrial clot is extremely rare. No such case is reported in literature till date. This case report presents a 52-year gentleman who came to our emergency department with complaints of breathlessness, abdominal distention, pedal swelling, and decreased urine output with extremely poor general condition. After hemodynamic stabilization and preoperative optimization and workup, he was managed with Bentall procedure with right atrial clot removal. The immediate postoperative course was normal except for deranged liver function tests. The patient was discharged on postoperative day ten.

Role of Multimodal Imaging in Patients With Suspected Infections After the Bentall Procedure

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the diagnostic performances of multimodal imaging [i.e., white blood cell single-photon emission computed tomography/CT (99mTc-HMPAO-WBC SPECT/CT) and 18-fluoride-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT ([18F]FDG PET/CT)] in patients with suspected infection after the Bentall procedure, proposing new specific diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis.Methods: Between January 2009 and December 2019, we selected within a cardiovascular infections registry, 76 surgically treated patients (27 women and 49 men, median 66 years, and range 29–83 years). All the patients underwent molecular imaging for a suspected infection after the replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta according to the Bentall procedure. We analyzed 98 scans including 49 99mTc-WBC and 49 [18F]FDG PET/CT. A total of 22 patients with very early/early suspected infection (<3 months after surgery) were imaged with both the techniques. Positive imaging was classified according to the anatomical site of increased uptake: to the aortic valve (AV), to both the AV and AV tube graft (AVTG) or to the TG, to surrounding tissue, and/or to extracardiac sites (embolic events or other sites of concomitant infection). Standard clinical workup included in all the patients having echocardiography/CT, blood culture, and the Duke criteria. Pretest probability and positive/negative likelihood ratio were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc labeled hexamethylpropylene amine oxime-WBC SPECT/CT (99mTc-HMPAO-WBC SPECT/CT) and [18F]FDG PET/CT imaging were calculated by using microbiology (n = 35) or clinical follow-up (n = 41) as final diagnosis. 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scintigraphy and [18F]FDG PET/CT findings were compared with 95% CIs by using the McNemar test to those of echocardiography/CT, blood culture, and the Duke criteria.Results: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC were 86, 92, and 88%, respectively, with a slightly higher sensitivity for tube graft infection (TGI) as compared to isolated AV and combined AVTG. Overall, sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of [18F]FDG PET/CT were 97, 73, and 90%, respectively. In 22 patients with suspected very early and early postsurgical infections, the two imaging modalities were concordant in 17 cases [10 true positive (TP) and 7 true negative (TN)]. [18F]FDG PET/CT presented a higher sensitivity than 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scan. 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC scan correctly classified as negative three false-positive (FP) PET/CT findings.Conclusion: Our findings supported the use of 99mTc-HMPAO-WBC SPECT/CT and [18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with suspicion infection after the Bentall procedure early in the course of the disease onset to confirm the diagnosis and provide a comprehensive assessment of disease burden through the proposed criteria.

Can left ventricular function recover following Bentall procedure in a patient with concomitant noncompacted left ventricular myocardium?

We report a rare case of successful left ventricular restoration of left ventricular hypertrabeculation/noncompaction (LVHT) after Bentall procedure in a patient with severe aortic regurgitation (AR) and aortic root aneurysm. At 1-year follow-up, he remained well with echocardiography showing the improved contractility of the noncompacted left ventricle. This case report emphasize that timely surgical correction of severe AR may also lead to improvement of systolic dysfunction along with concomitant LVHT.

Inappropriate shocks from a transvenous implantable defibrillator caused by atrial fibrillation and a missed atrial septal defect in a patient with a modified Bentall procedure

Background Inappropriate shocks have been reported in approximately 1/3 of patients with implantable cardiac defibrillators (ICDs). We report an unusual case of inappropriate ICD shocks due to atrial fibrillation (AF) caused by a missed atrial septal defect (ASD) in a patient with a modified Bentall procedure. Case summary A 67-year-old Caucasian male, with an ICD and a history of a modified Bentall procedure 24 years ago, reported to our outpatient clinic with recurrent inappropriate ICD shocks due to episodes of fast AF. The transthoracic echocardiographic exam revealed 2 large aneurysms at the ostia of the coronary arteries. We performed further evaluation with transesophageal echocardiogram (TOE) and computed tomography (CT) angiography. The aneurysms measured on CT were 3.14*2.29 cm on the right ostium and 1.9*0.99 cm on the left. A large secundum-type atrial septal defect (ASD) of 1.5 cm was revealed that was missed in all previous echocardiographic studies. The therapeutic options of surgical closure of the ASD and repair of the aneurysms or a more conservative approach with percutaneous closure of the ASD and closer follow-up were discussed with the patient. The patient declined the surgical option due to high complication risk, and closure of the ASD with an Amplatzer device was performed 3 months later. A 3 -year Follow-up was uneventful. Conclusion It is of major importance to comprehensively and thoroughly assess patients before and after a surgical intervention to not miss other treatable conditions preoperatively and complications in the postoperative period.

Type A aortic dissection in a young 37 weeks pregnant lady successfully treated by Bentall procedure: A case report

Aortic dissection is intimal tear in aorta and collection of blood in between the layers of aortic wall. The incidence of acute type A aortic dissection is between 2.1 and 16.3 per 100,000 persons [1]. Aortic dissection is an infrequent but potentially life threatening complication of pregnancy with most of the cases occurring in third trimester and post-partum period [2]. The most important predisposing factors to aortic dissection are Marfan, Ehlers-Danlos, Turner and Loeys-Dietz syndromes [3]. However, the non sporadic cases can also occur in pregnancy [4].