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Papers by Dawn Olsen

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2009

To evaluate the morbidity associated with thoracic and abdominal aortic repair using endovascular... more To evaluate the morbidity associated with thoracic and abdominal aortic repair using endovascular exclusion alone or combined endovascular and open repair. Between January 1998 and February 2007, 49 patients (36 men; mean age 70 years) underwent treatment for thoracic and abdominal aorta disease with descending thoracic aortic (DTA) stent-graft and abdominal aortic repair. Thirty-nine patients with coexisting thoracic and abdominal pathologies were classified with multilevel aortic disease (MLAD), whereas 10 patients presented with thoracoabdominal aneurysm. Patients were separated into 3 groups: 1: thoracic stent-grafts and open abdominal repair (n = 18), group 2: thoracic and abdominal stent-grafts (n = 21), and group 3: thoracic stent-grafts with visceral artery debranching (n = 10). Prior carotid-subclavian bypass was performed in 3 (6%) patients with a dominant left vertebral artery. Stent-graft deployment was technically successful in all cases. Eight (16%) patients underwent emergent thoracic stent-graft placement. In 9 (18%) patients, the left subclavian artery was covered. No incidence of spinal cord ischemia was observed. The 30-day mortality was 4%, and overall mortality was 6% over a mean 33-month follow-up. The endoleak rate was 6% (1 type I, 1 type II, and 1 type III). Conventional or endovascular abdominal open repair in combination with DTA stent-grafting is feasible and a safe alternative to traditional open repair. Management of MLAD did not show increased incidence of spinal cord ischemia and was associated with fewer complications and deaths than simultaneous or staged open thoracic and abdominal repairs.

Annales de Chirurgie Vasculaire, 2009

ABSTRACT Les séromes après traitement chirurgical conventionnel des anévrysmes de l'aorte... more ABSTRACT Les séromes après traitement chirurgical conventionnel des anévrysmes de l'aorte abdominale ont rarement été rapportés. Dans la littérature, la majorité des cas a été associée avec l'utilisation de prothèses en polytétrafluoroéthylène. Nous présentons un malade ayant un sérome très volumineux et symptomatique développé aux dépens d'une prothèse aortique 10 ans après un traitement chirurgical conventionnel. L'étiologie de tels séromes est d'un intérêt significatif pour le traitement endovasculaire des lésions aortiques.

Annals of vascular surgery

Seroma following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has rarely been described. The majority of... more Seroma following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has rarely been described. The majority of cases in the literature have been associated with use of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Here, we present a patient with a very large, symptomatic periaortic graft seroma 10 years after conventional (open) repair. The etiology of such seromas is of significant interest in endovascular aortic repair.

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2006

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery CME Program is located online at http://cme.ctsnetjournals.org. To... more The Annals of Thoracic Surgery CME Program is located online at http://cme.ctsnetjournals.org. To take the CME activity related to this article, you must have either an STS member or an individual non-member subscription to the journal.

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2005

To review our experience with thoracic endografting for type B aortic dissection using the TAG En... more To review our experience with thoracic endografting for type B aortic dissection using the TAG Endoprosthesis. A retrospective analysis was performed of data collected prospectively from March 2000 to July 2004 under an investigational device exemption protocol for the TAG thoracic endograft. In this time period, 40 patients (29 women; mean age 67 years, range 39-91) were treated with this endograft for type B aortic dissection. Technical success was 95%. There was 1 (2.5%) perioperative death, and 1 (3%) endoleak was treated with an additional graft on postoperative day 2. Fifteen (38%) patients experienced postoperative complications, mainly renal or pulmonary, and 1 (3%) patient developed postoperative paraplegia that did not resolve. The 1-year survival was 85%. Follow-up computed tomography was available for 31 patients with an average 15-month follow-up. There was no significant change in size of the thoracic aorta in 22 patients; 8 aneurysmal segments were significantly reduced in size and 1 thoracic aortic aneurysm expanded. No thoracic aortic ruptures were seen in this series. These early results indicate type B thoracic aortic dissections can be treated with acceptable morbidity and mortality using endografts. Stent-graft repair of the thoracic aorta may decrease the incidence of thoracic aortic expansion and rupture.

Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2008

Purpose: This study assessed the clinical outcome, morphologic changes, and behavior of acute and... more Purpose: This study assessed the clinical outcome, morphologic changes, and behavior of acute and chronic type B aortic dissections after endovascular repair and evaluated the extent of dissection and diameter changes in the true (TL), false (FL), and whole lumen (WL) during follow-up. Methods: From May 2000 to September 2006, preprocedural and follow-up computed tomography scans were evaluated in 106 patients. Indices of the TL (TLi) and FL (FLi) were calculated at the proximal (p), middle (m), and distal (d) third of the descending thoracic aorta by dividing the TL or FL diameter by the WL. Analyses were by paired t test and 2 . Results: Stent grafts were used to treat 106 patients (mean age, 55 years, 70% men) with acute 59 (55.7%) and chronic 47 (44.3%) lesions. The entry site was successfully covered in 100 patients. The incidences of paraplegia and paresis were 2.8% and 1.0%. Mortality was 7.5% (8 patients), including two intraoperative deaths of contained ruptures. Seven (6.6%) early endoleaks occurred. At a mean follow-up of 15.6 months, TLi improved from 0.45 to 0.88 in the proximal third (p/3), from 0.42 to 0.81 in the middle third (m/3), and from 0.44 to 0.74 in the distal third (d/3), demonstrating expansion of the TL. Two patients had decrease in TL due to endoleak needing reintervention. The FLi decreased from 0.41 to 0.06 in p/3, from 0.44 to 0.10 in the m/3, and from 0.42 to 0.21 in the d/3, indicating FL shrinkage. Changes in the TLi and FLi were statistically significant. The decrease in the WL after repair was statistically significant in the proximal and middle aorta. Fourteen patients (13.2%) had increase in WL; seven required a second intervention. FL thrombosis occurred in 69 (65.1%). During follow-up, 36 (36.9%) patients had no retrograde flow, with complete shrinkage of the FL. The FL completely shrank in 28 patients (26.4%) despite retrograde flow. The FL increased in eight patients (7.5%); five needed reintervention. Thrombosis of FL was statistically significant with acute dissections and when dissection remained above the diaphragm (type IIIA; P ‫؍‬ .001 and P ‫؍‬ .0133). Conclusion: Remodeling changes were seen when the entry tear was covered. The fate of the FL was determined by persistent antegrade flow and the level of the retrograde flow. Endografting for thoracic type B dissection was successful and promoted positive aortic remodeling changes. ( J Vasc Surg 2008;47:1188-94.)

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2007

Although endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta has emerged as a viable treatment o... more Although endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta has emerged as a viable treatment option, little is known about its potential to treat patients diagnosed with aortobronchial fistulas. We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regard to the endovascular management and subsequent outcome of patients with aortobronchial fistulas to assess whether endoluminal graft repair is a realistic option. Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft to the descending thoracic aorta. Indications for intervention included: atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (34/255, 13.3%), penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%), and aortobronchial fistulas (7/255, 2.7%). Average patient age was 73.4 +/- 10.1 years, with 4 male patients (4/7, 57.1%) and 3 female patients (3/7, 42.9%). All patients presented with hemoptysis, with 1 patient (1/7, 14.3%) requiring preoperative blood transfusion. Three patients (3/7, 42.9%) were diagnosed with atherosclerotic aneurysms, 3 patients (3/7, 42.9%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior open surgical repair, and 1 patient (1/7, 14.3%) had a prior endoluminal graft placed for a traumatic aortic transection. No standard postoperative antibiotic regimen was followed. There were no endoleaks, no incidences of paraplegia, and no endoluminal graft infections. Survival was 100% (7/7) at both 30 days and 1 year, and all patients are currently alive. Follow-up computed tomography was available for all 7 patients, with an average follow-up of 42.6 +/- 28.5 months. Endovascular management of aortobronchial fistulas appears to be safe and well tolerated, even in surgically high-risk patients, with minimal risk of prosthesis infection. Long-term surveillance and continued investigation are warranted.

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.

Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2007

Purpose: To evaluate our experience of thoracic endoluminal graft (ELG) repair of various thoraci... more Purpose: To evaluate our experience of thoracic endoluminal graft (ELG) repair of various thoracic aortic pathologies using a commercially available device approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Our patient population includes patients eligible for open surgical repair and those with prohibitive surgical risk. Methods: From March 1998 to March 2006, endovascular stent repair of the thoracic aorta was performed on 406 patients with 324 patients (median age 72; 200 male) receiving the Gore Excluder endograft. Patient demographics, procedural characteristics, complications, including endoleak, spinal cord ischemia, and mortality, were retrospectively reviewed during follow-up. All patients were followed with chest computer tomography at 6 months and yearly. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing the SPSS Windows 11.0 program. Logistic regression (univariate) analysis used to identify risk factors for paraplegia; analysis of variance (ANOVA) for endoleak distribution; and 2 used to analyze variables. Survival analysis was done using SAS version 9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results: Three hundred twenty-four patients were treated with Gore Excluder graft between March 1998 and March 2006. One hundred fifty-seven patients (48.5%) had atherosclerotic aneurysms, 82 (25.3%) had dissections type B (DTB), 34 (10.5%) had penetrating ulcers (PU), 26 (8.0%) with pseudoaneurysms (PSA), 11 (3.4%) had transections (MVAT), 9 (2.8%) aorto-bronchial fistulas (AoBF), 4 (1.2%) embolization, and 1 (0.3%) aorto-esophageal fistula (AoEF). Preoperative aneurysm sac size in TAA ranged from 5 to 12 centimeters, average size 6.3 cm. Sac shrinkage occurred in 65% (102 of 157) of patients. Average postoperative sac size of 5.4 cm in a mean follow-up of 20.4 months. One hundred cases (31.5%) were nonelective; 49 (15.1%) were ruptures. Overall complication was 22.7%, 14.2% (46) in elective cases and 8.5% (28) in nonelective cases.

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2007

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2009

To evaluate the morbidity associated with thoracic and abdominal aortic repair using endovascular... more To evaluate the morbidity associated with thoracic and abdominal aortic repair using endovascular exclusion alone or combined endovascular and open repair. Between January 1998 and February 2007, 49 patients (36 men; mean age 70 years) underwent treatment for thoracic and abdominal aorta disease with descending thoracic aortic (DTA) stent-graft and abdominal aortic repair. Thirty-nine patients with coexisting thoracic and abdominal pathologies were classified with multilevel aortic disease (MLAD), whereas 10 patients presented with thoracoabdominal aneurysm. Patients were separated into 3 groups: 1: thoracic stent-grafts and open abdominal repair (n = 18), group 2: thoracic and abdominal stent-grafts (n = 21), and group 3: thoracic stent-grafts with visceral artery debranching (n = 10). Prior carotid-subclavian bypass was performed in 3 (6%) patients with a dominant left vertebral artery. Stent-graft deployment was technically successful in all cases. Eight (16%) patients underwent emergent thoracic stent-graft placement. In 9 (18%) patients, the left subclavian artery was covered. No incidence of spinal cord ischemia was observed. The 30-day mortality was 4%, and overall mortality was 6% over a mean 33-month follow-up. The endoleak rate was 6% (1 type I, 1 type II, and 1 type III). Conventional or endovascular abdominal open repair in combination with DTA stent-grafting is feasible and a safe alternative to traditional open repair. Management of MLAD did not show increased incidence of spinal cord ischemia and was associated with fewer complications and deaths than simultaneous or staged open thoracic and abdominal repairs.

Annales de Chirurgie Vasculaire, 2009

ABSTRACT Les séromes après traitement chirurgical conventionnel des anévrysmes de l'aorte... more ABSTRACT Les séromes après traitement chirurgical conventionnel des anévrysmes de l'aorte abdominale ont rarement été rapportés. Dans la littérature, la majorité des cas a été associée avec l'utilisation de prothèses en polytétrafluoroéthylène. Nous présentons un malade ayant un sérome très volumineux et symptomatique développé aux dépens d'une prothèse aortique 10 ans après un traitement chirurgical conventionnel. L'étiologie de tels séromes est d'un intérêt significatif pour le traitement endovasculaire des lésions aortiques.

Annals of vascular surgery

Seroma following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has rarely been described. The majority of... more Seroma following open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has rarely been described. The majority of cases in the literature have been associated with use of polytetrafluoroethylene grafts. Here, we present a patient with a very large, symptomatic periaortic graft seroma 10 years after conventional (open) repair. The etiology of such seromas is of significant interest in endovascular aortic repair.

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, 2006

The Annals of Thoracic Surgery CME Program is located online at http://cme.ctsnetjournals.org. To... more The Annals of Thoracic Surgery CME Program is located online at http://cme.ctsnetjournals.org. To take the CME activity related to this article, you must have either an STS member or an individual non-member subscription to the journal.

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2005

To review our experience with thoracic endografting for type B aortic dissection using the TAG En... more To review our experience with thoracic endografting for type B aortic dissection using the TAG Endoprosthesis. A retrospective analysis was performed of data collected prospectively from March 2000 to July 2004 under an investigational device exemption protocol for the TAG thoracic endograft. In this time period, 40 patients (29 women; mean age 67 years, range 39-91) were treated with this endograft for type B aortic dissection. Technical success was 95%. There was 1 (2.5%) perioperative death, and 1 (3%) endoleak was treated with an additional graft on postoperative day 2. Fifteen (38%) patients experienced postoperative complications, mainly renal or pulmonary, and 1 (3%) patient developed postoperative paraplegia that did not resolve. The 1-year survival was 85%. Follow-up computed tomography was available for 31 patients with an average 15-month follow-up. There was no significant change in size of the thoracic aorta in 22 patients; 8 aneurysmal segments were significantly reduced in size and 1 thoracic aortic aneurysm expanded. No thoracic aortic ruptures were seen in this series. These early results indicate type B thoracic aortic dissections can be treated with acceptable morbidity and mortality using endografts. Stent-graft repair of the thoracic aorta may decrease the incidence of thoracic aortic expansion and rupture.

Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2008

Purpose: This study assessed the clinical outcome, morphologic changes, and behavior of acute and... more Purpose: This study assessed the clinical outcome, morphologic changes, and behavior of acute and chronic type B aortic dissections after endovascular repair and evaluated the extent of dissection and diameter changes in the true (TL), false (FL), and whole lumen (WL) during follow-up. Methods: From May 2000 to September 2006, preprocedural and follow-up computed tomography scans were evaluated in 106 patients. Indices of the TL (TLi) and FL (FLi) were calculated at the proximal (p), middle (m), and distal (d) third of the descending thoracic aorta by dividing the TL or FL diameter by the WL. Analyses were by paired t test and 2 . Results: Stent grafts were used to treat 106 patients (mean age, 55 years, 70% men) with acute 59 (55.7%) and chronic 47 (44.3%) lesions. The entry site was successfully covered in 100 patients. The incidences of paraplegia and paresis were 2.8% and 1.0%. Mortality was 7.5% (8 patients), including two intraoperative deaths of contained ruptures. Seven (6.6%) early endoleaks occurred. At a mean follow-up of 15.6 months, TLi improved from 0.45 to 0.88 in the proximal third (p/3), from 0.42 to 0.81 in the middle third (m/3), and from 0.44 to 0.74 in the distal third (d/3), demonstrating expansion of the TL. Two patients had decrease in TL due to endoleak needing reintervention. The FLi decreased from 0.41 to 0.06 in p/3, from 0.44 to 0.10 in the m/3, and from 0.42 to 0.21 in the d/3, indicating FL shrinkage. Changes in the TLi and FLi were statistically significant. The decrease in the WL after repair was statistically significant in the proximal and middle aorta. Fourteen patients (13.2%) had increase in WL; seven required a second intervention. FL thrombosis occurred in 69 (65.1%). During follow-up, 36 (36.9%) patients had no retrograde flow, with complete shrinkage of the FL. The FL completely shrank in 28 patients (26.4%) despite retrograde flow. The FL increased in eight patients (7.5%); five needed reintervention. Thrombosis of FL was statistically significant with acute dissections and when dissection remained above the diaphragm (type IIIA; P ‫؍‬ .001 and P ‫؍‬ .0133). Conclusion: Remodeling changes were seen when the entry tear was covered. The fate of the FL was determined by persistent antegrade flow and the level of the retrograde flow. Endografting for thoracic type B dissection was successful and promoted positive aortic remodeling changes. ( J Vasc Surg 2008;47:1188-94.)

The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, 2007

Although endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta has emerged as a viable treatment o... more Although endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta has emerged as a viable treatment option, little is known about its potential to treat patients diagnosed with aortobronchial fistulas. We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regard to the endovascular management and subsequent outcome of patients with aortobronchial fistulas to assess whether endoluminal graft repair is a realistic option. Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft to the descending thoracic aorta. Indications for intervention included: atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (34/255, 13.3%), penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%), and aortobronchial fistulas (7/255, 2.7%). Average patient age was 73.4 +/- 10.1 years, with 4 male patients (4/7, 57.1%) and 3 female patients (3/7, 42.9%). All patients presented with hemoptysis, with 1 patient (1/7, 14.3%) requiring preoperative blood transfusion. Three patients (3/7, 42.9%) were diagnosed with atherosclerotic aneurysms, 3 patients (3/7, 42.9%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior open surgical repair, and 1 patient (1/7, 14.3%) had a prior endoluminal graft placed for a traumatic aortic transection. No standard postoperative antibiotic regimen was followed. There were no endoleaks, no incidences of paraplegia, and no endoluminal graft infections. Survival was 100% (7/7) at both 30 days and 1 year, and all patients are currently alive. Follow-up computed tomography was available for all 7 patients, with an average follow-up of 42.6 +/- 28.5 months. Endovascular management of aortobronchial fistulas appears to be safe and well tolerated, even in surgically high-risk patients, with minimal risk of prosthesis infection. Long-term surveillance and continued investigation are warranted.

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.

Journal of Vascular Surgery, 2007

Purpose: To evaluate our experience of thoracic endoluminal graft (ELG) repair of various thoraci... more Purpose: To evaluate our experience of thoracic endoluminal graft (ELG) repair of various thoracic aortic pathologies using a commercially available device approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Our patient population includes patients eligible for open surgical repair and those with prohibitive surgical risk. Methods: From March 1998 to March 2006, endovascular stent repair of the thoracic aorta was performed on 406 patients with 324 patients (median age 72; 200 male) receiving the Gore Excluder endograft. Patient demographics, procedural characteristics, complications, including endoleak, spinal cord ischemia, and mortality, were retrospectively reviewed during follow-up. All patients were followed with chest computer tomography at 6 months and yearly. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing the SPSS Windows 11.0 program. Logistic regression (univariate) analysis used to identify risk factors for paraplegia; analysis of variance (ANOVA) for endoleak distribution; and 2 used to analyze variables. Survival analysis was done using SAS version 9.1 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC). Results: Three hundred twenty-four patients were treated with Gore Excluder graft between March 1998 and March 2006. One hundred fifty-seven patients (48.5%) had atherosclerotic aneurysms, 82 (25.3%) had dissections type B (DTB), 34 (10.5%) had penetrating ulcers (PU), 26 (8.0%) with pseudoaneurysms (PSA), 11 (3.4%) had transections (MVAT), 9 (2.8%) aorto-bronchial fistulas (AoBF), 4 (1.2%) embolization, and 1 (0.3%) aorto-esophageal fistula (AoEF). Preoperative aneurysm sac size in TAA ranged from 5 to 12 centimeters, average size 6.3 cm. Sac shrinkage occurred in 65% (102 of 157) of patients. Average postoperative sac size of 5.4 cm in a mean follow-up of 20.4 months. One hundred cases (31.5%) were nonelective; 49 (15.1%) were ruptures. Overall complication was 22.7%, 14.2% (46) in elective cases and 8.5% (28) in nonelective cases.

Journal of Endovascular Therapy, 2007

Innovations (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2008

: Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in pa... more : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is frequently recommended in patients undergoing endovascular repair of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA). We reviewed our comprehensive thoracic endografting experience with regards to coverage of the left subclavian artery (LSA) to assess whether mandatory preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition is necessary. : Between February 2000 and November 2005, 255 patients were successfully treated with an endoluminal graft (ELG) to the DTA. Indications for intervention included atherosclerotic aneurysms (109/255, 42.7%), acute and chronic dissections (75/255, 29.4%), miscellaneous (41/255, 16.1%), and penetrating aortic ulcers (30/255, 11.8%). There were 151 males (151/255, 59.2%) and 104 females (104/255, 40.8%) with a mean age of 71 years (range, 23-91 years). : The LSA was completely covered with an ELG in 71 patients (71/255, 27.8%) and partially covered in 47 patients (47/255, 18.4%). In patients who had complete coverage of the LSA, 30 patients (30/71, 42.3%) had acute or chronic Type B dissections, 26 patients (26/71, 36.6%) had aneurysms, 11 patients (11/71, 15.5%) had miscellaneous aortic pathologies, and 4 patients (4/71, 5.6%) had pseudoaneurysms associated with prior coarctation repair. Fifteen patients (15/255, 5.9%) underwent preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass or transposition and subsequently underwent complete coverage of the LSA with an ELG. One patient (1/56, 1.8%) with complete coverage of the LSA required elective postoperative carotid-subclavian bypass secondary to left arm claudication. : Routine preoperative carotid-subclavian bypass is not necessary, except in select patients with a patent left internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending artery bypass graft or contralateral vertebral artery disease.