Objective: To assess the safety and efficacy of off-pump technique with normothemia to extend thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm replacement compared with traditional hypothermic circulatory arrest.
Methods: From January 2004 to December 2013, 128 consecutive patients underwent surgical repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (type Crawford Ⅱ) in Fuwai Hospital. The mean age was (37±11) years. The patients included 74 cases (57.8%) with chronic Stanford A dissection, 34 cases (26.6%) with chronic Stanford B dissection, 20 cases (15.6%) with thoracoabdominal aortic true aneurysm. There were 71 patients who underwent hypothermic circulatory arrest surgery (cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) group) and 57 patients who underwent off-pump surgery with normothermia (off-pump group). The clinic data was compared between the 2 groups using paired t tests and χ(2) test. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used for postoperative survival stays.
Results: The mean CPB time in CPB group was (251 ±87) minuets and the circulatory arrest time was (45±24) minuets. Spinal cord ischemia time in the two groups was (21±12) minuets and (18±10) minuets (t=5.68, P=0.51). The operation time, ventilator time, length of ICU stay and length of hospital stay of off-pump group were shorter than CPB group ((408±114) minuets vs.(630±156) minuets, t=-7.67, P=0.05; (18±13) hours vs. (113±89) hours, t=-3.86, P=0.00; (4±2) days vs.(10±9) days, t=-4.19, P=0.00; (15±7) days vs.(25±14) days, t=-4.47, P=0.00). The intraoperative blood loss in off-pump group and CPB group was (900±750) ml and (1 400±400) ml (t=-2.23, P=0.04). The mortality was 1.7% and 9.8% in the off-pump group and CPB groups (χ(2)=3.544, P=0.05). The cerebral complication rate in the normal temperature group was 1.7% vs. 22.6% in extracorporeal group (χ(2)=9.35, P<0.05). A total of 113 patients were followed up, with a follow-up rate of 88.2%. Duration of follow-up was (78±54) months. Five patients died during the follow-up period, including 2 who died of cerebral infarction and 3 paraplegia patients who died of infection. Eight patients had phase Ⅱ aortic arch replacement after a mean time of 6 months. The overall postoperative survival rate was 97%, 93% and 87% at 3 years, 5 years and 7 years, respectively.
Conclusion: Off-pump technique with normothemia was associated with a lower risk of a composite outcome of mortality and major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events during repair of extensive thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.