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Ann Thorac Surg 2007;83:1610-1614
© 2007 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original Articles: Cardiovascular

Reoperation for Giant False Aneurysm of the Thoracic Aorta: How to Reenter the Chest?

^a Département de Pathologie Cardiaque, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, Paris, France
^b Service de Chirurgie Cardio-vasculaire, Hôpital Foch, Suresnes, France

Accepted for publication December 27, 2006.

^_* Address correspondence to Dr Bachet, Département de Pathologie Cardiaque, Institut Mutualiste Montsouris, 42, Boulevard Jourdan, 75014 Paris, France (Email: jean.bachet{at}imm.fr).

Background: Giant false or pseudoaneurysm of the aorta is a rare but dreadful complication occurring several months or years after cardiac or aortic surgery. We describe a surgical approach that allowed safe reentry in the chest in five patients, with a mean follow-up of almost seven years.

Methods: From December 1991 to October 1999, five patients aged 34 to 74 years (mean age, 55 ± 11.6 years), who had previously undergone a total of nine operations in other institutions, required reoperation for giant false aneurysm of the ascending aorta in a mean delay of 22.6 ± 20.3 months (3 months to 6 years) after the last surgical procedure. In order to avoid major mediastinal wound and patient’s exsanguination during resternotomy, the following technique has been used: femoral artery cannulation; right atrial cannulation through the femoral vein; femoro-femoral full-flow cardiopulmonary bypass; rectal temperature lowered to 25°C; direct cannulation and cross-clamping of both carotid arteries through a direct cervical approach, and selective cerebral perfusion with cold blood (10°C to 12°C); circulatory arrest of the main circuit; chest opening; and mediastinal division.

Results: Despite the fact that the false aneurysm was entered in all patients, reopening of the chest has been safe in all cases. In four cases, the aortic repair consisted of complete graft replacement (Dacron) of the compromised aortic segment (ascending aorta in two; both ascending aorta and aortic arch in two). In one case, reimplantation of the left coronary ostium and closure of a fistula with the left ventricle was carried out. One patient with ongoing mediastinitis died from intractable septicemia and multiorgan failure. Presently, two patients are in excellent condition; one suffers from light neurologic sequelae (oculomotor nerves palsy) and one patient had a nonrelated stroke one year postoperatively.

Conclusions: The technique of separate carotid cannulation and selective antegrade brain perfusion with cold blood during circulatory arrest at moderate core hypothermia has, in our opinion, many advantages. In addition to allowing harmless opening of the chest in the presence of most dangerous mediastinal false aneurysms, it implies no general deep hypothermia, reduced duration of cardiopulmonary bypass, and circulatory arrest of the lower part of the body, and safe and permanent brain protection throughout chest opening and mediastinal division. It has allowed us to safely reoperate on patients who are generally considered as a major surgical risk.