Systematic total arch replacement with thoraflex hybrid graft in acute type A aortic dissection: A single centre experience

Pierpaolo Chivasso; Generoso Mastrogiovanni; Vito Domenico Bruno; Mario Miele; Mario Colombino; Donato Triggiani; Francesco Cafarelli; Rocco Leone; Felice Rosapepe; Matteo De Martino; Elvira Morena; Ivana Iesu; Rodolfo Citro; Paolo Masiello; Severino Iesu

doi:10.3389/fcvm.2022.997961

Systematic total arch replacement with thoraflex hybrid graft in acute type A aortic dissection: A single centre experience

Front Cardiovasc Med. 2022 Oct 14:9:997961. doi: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.997961. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency Cardiac Surgery, University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Salerno, Italy.
² Bristol Medical School, Translational Health Science Department, Bristol, United Kingdom.
³ Department of Cardiac Anesthesia, University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Salerno, Italy.
⁴ Department of Cardiology, University Hospital San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d'Aragona, Salerno, Italy.

Abstract

Introduction: In the last two decades, a more aggressive approach has been encouraged to treat patients with acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD), extending the repair to the aortic arch and proximal descending thoracic aorta with the frozen elephant trunk (FET) implantation. Here, we report our single-centre experience with the FET technique for the systematic treatment of emergency type A aortic dissection.

Materials and methods: Between December 2017 and January 2022, 69 consecutive patients were admitted with ATAAD; of those, 66 patients (62.9 ± 10.2 years of age, 81.8% men) underwent emergency hybrid aortic arch and FET repair with the multibranched Thoraflex hybrid graft and were enrolled in the study. Primary endpoints were 30 days- and in-hospital mortality. Secondary endpoints were postoperative morbidity and follow-up survival. To better clarify the impact of age on surgical outcomes, we have divided the study population into two groups: group A for patients <70 years of age (47 patients), and group B for patients ≥70 years (19 patients). Time-to-event analysis has been conducted using the Log-rank test and is displayed with Kaplan-Meier curves. A multiple Cox proportional Hazard model was developed to identify predictors of long-term survival with a stepwise backward/forward selection process.

Results: 30-days- and in-hospital mortality were 10.6 and 13.6%, respectively. Stroke occurred in three (4.5%) patients. Two (3.0%) patients experienced spinal cord ischemia. We did not find any statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of main post-operative outcomes. The multivariable Cox proportional hazard model showed left ventricular ejection fraction (HR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.79-0.92, p < 0.01), peripheral vascular disease (HR: 15.8, 95% CI: 3.9-62.9, p < 0.01), coronary malperfusion (HR: 0.10, 95% CI: 0.01-0.77, p =0.03), lower limbs malperfusion (HR: 5.1, 95% CI: 1.10-23.4, p = 0.04), and cardiopulmonary bypass time (HR: 1.02, 95% CI: 1-1.04, p = 0.01) as independent predictors of long term mortality.

Conclusions: Frozen elephant trunk repair to treat emergency type A aortic dissection appears to be associated with good early and mid-term clinical outcomes even in the elderly.

Keywords: FET; acute type A aortic dissection; aortic arch surgery; frozen elephant trunk; hybrid arch surgery.