Hybrid repair of complex thoracic aortic arch pathology: long-term outcomes of extra-anatomic bypass grafting of the supra-aortic trunk

Abstract

Purpose: Hybrid repair constitutes supra-aortic debranching before thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). It offers improved short-term outcome compared with open surgery; however, longer-term studies are required to assess patient outcomes and patency of the extra-anatomic bypass grafts.

Methods: A prospectively maintained database of 380 elective and urgent patients who had undergone TEVAR (1997-2011) was analyzed retrospectively. Fifty-one patients (34 males; 17 females) underwent hybrid repair. Median age was 71 (range, 18-90) years with mean follow-up of 15 (range, 0-61) months.

Results: Perioperative complications included death: 10 % (5/51), stroke: 12 % (6/51), paraplegia: 6 % (3/51), endoleak: 16 % (8/51), rupture: 4 % (2/51), upper-limb ischemia: 2 % (1/51), bypass graft occlusion: 4 % (2/51), and cardiopulmonary complications in 14 % (7/51). Three patients (6 %) required emergency intervention for retrograde dissection: (2 aortic root repairs; 2 innominate stents). Early reintervention was performed for type 1 endoleak in two patients (2 proximal cuff extensions). One patient underwent innominate stenting and revision of their bypass for symptomatic restenosis. At 48 months, survival was 73 %. Endoleak was detected in three (6 %) patients (type 1 = 2; type 2 = 1) requiring debranching with proximal stent graft (n = 2) and proximal extension cuff (n = 1). One patient had a fatal rupture of a mycotic aneurysm and two arch aneurysms expanded. No bypass graft occluded after the perioperative period.

Conclusions: Hybrid operations to treat aortic arch disease can be performed with results comparable to open surgery. The longer-term outcomes demonstrate low rates of reintervention and high rates of graft patency.