Peripheral interventions

Long-term follow-up after recanalisation of aortic arch atresia

EuroIntervention 2021;16:e1274-e1280. DOI: 10.4244/EIJ-D-18-00857

Massimo Chessa
Massimo Chessa1, MD, PhD; Carla Favoccia1, MD; Neerod Kumar Jha2, MD; Mario Carminati1, MD; Luis Fernandez Gonzalez3, MD; Andreas Eicken4, MD; Gianfranco Butera1, MD, PhD; Jose Diogo Ferreira Martins5, MD, MPH; Fatima Pinto5, MD, PhD; Magdi Tofeig6, MD; Mohammad Daud Khan6, MD
1. Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Centre – IRCCS - Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy; 2. Pediatric Cardiac Surgery Division, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; 3. Hospital Universitario de Cruces, Sección de Hemodinámica y Cardiología Intervencionista, Baracaldo, Vizcaya, Spain; 4. Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, German Heart Center Munich, Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany; 5. Pediatric Cardiology Department, Santa Marta Hospital, CHLC, Lisbon, Portugal; 6. Paediatric Cardiology & Adult Congenital Heart Diseases Division, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Aims: Aortic arch atresia (AAA) is one of the rarest obstructive defects. The presence of this anomaly in adult age is uncommon. The typical anatomic feature consists of a complete occlusion of the membranous obstruction resulting in an acquired atresia without flow continuity between the proximal and distal segments. This feature is important in determining the feasibility of percutaneous intervention. The aim of the present study was to share long-term follow-up data of adult patients with AAA requiring percutaneous interventions for the management of this rare anomaly involving five different centres.

Methods and results: Retrospective data of 19 patients (12 males, 63.2%, mean age 32.2±18.9 years) diagnosed with AAA treated in five different centres between 1999 and 2017 were collected. All patients underwent percutaneous recanalisation by (1) radiofrequency (RF) system (five patients, 26.3%), (2) extra-stiff guidewire (12 patients, 63.2%), and (3) transseptal needle (two patients, 10.5%). All procedures were subsequently followed by covered stent implantation. Two patients developed complications during the procedure and one of them died. Over a median follow-up of 4.94 years, four (21%) patients were able to be weaned from medications for hypertension. All the patients underwent reassessment for recurrence or restenosis during the follow-up. Seven (36.8%) patients underwent successful stent dilatation with a balloon. After the intervention, one patient experienced a late complication; however, one patient died due to an unknown cause believed to be unrelated to the previous recanalisation procedure.

Conclusions: Percutaneous treatment of AAA is feasible with good long-term survival. This study reports the largest case series so far available in the literature.

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aortic coarctationclinical researchsingle vessel disease
Coronary interventionsPeripheral interventionsStents and scaffoldsOther coronary interventionsOther peripheral interventions
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