Repositório RCAAP

32 years-old female patient presented with lumbar pain. Computed tomography revealed varicosity of the communicating vein between the left renal vein and the left ascending lumbar vein. This entity may pose technical difficulties during aortoiliac surgeries and renal surgeries as iatrogenic injury of this vessel may cause life- -threatening retroperitoneal hemorrhage.

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Background: An asymptomatic carotid stenosis (CS) is defined as a stable atherosclerotic luminal narrowing in patients with no history of ipsilateral cerebral or ocular ischemic events in the past six months. The bifurcation of the common carotid artery makes this area vulnerable to atherosclerosis due to the features of haemodynamic flow. The exact prevalence of asymptomatic patients with CS remains unknown and opinions on the treatment of these patients are controversial. Objective: The authors aimed to review the evidence on the management of the asymptomatic CS and describe its clinical characteristics, diagnosis and treatment management. Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was carried out to collate data from relevant studies concerning patients with extracranial moderate to severe asymptomatic carotid stenosis. The data used was identified by a search using PubMed and Google Scholar with the keywords / MESH terms "carotid stenosis", in combination with the term "asymptomatic". For this study, the authors focused on publications in the past two decades, using English publications. Results: A few studies have addressed the prevalence, natural course and/or prognostic impact of asymptomatic CS in patients under medical treatment or undergoing vascular surgery procedures. The prevalence of asymptomatic CS ranged from 0.3% to 4.5% in women and 0.5% to 5.7% in men - The risk of stroke/TIA in these patients was reported between 2% to 5% annually with a downward trend across time to 0.5% with current best medical therapy. Conclusion: A great proportion of patients with asymptomatic CS should be submitted to conservative management with best medical therapy. However, selective surgical management should be considered if high risk features are present.

This review will focus on whole-body functional imaging applied to lung cancer disease and patient management. Lung cancer needs to be avoided… (but if not well succeeded), suspected, screened, histologically confirmed, anatomically inventoried, prognostically staged, molecularly characterized, genetically studied and finally, therapeutically managed. Functional imaging using 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose (FDG) is a non-invasive method that is widely used in oncologic disease, mainly for clinical staging and re-staging, with impact on therapy planning. For lung cancer, the functional imaging with FDG-PET/CT is used for clinical staging and also to provide information on a pre-diagnostic phase, to categorize lung nodules according to the metabolic risk of malignancy. Clinicians need to be aware of the different possibilities of the functional imaging information, to provide the better use of it. This review will focus on data from the different medical fields that are considered important to informed decision making when asking for functional imaging in the daily clinical routine of a lung cancer patient.

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Objectives: To compare 7-year survival and freedom from reoperation, as well as early clinical and hemodynamic outcomes, after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) with mechanical or bioprosthetic valves in patients aged 50-70 years. Methods: single-center retrospective cohort study including adults aged 50-70 years who underwent SAVR in 2012 with a mechanical or bioprosthetic valve. Median follow-up was 7 years. Univariable analyses were performed using Kaplan- -Meier curves and Log-Rank tests for survival and freedom from reoperation analyses. Multivariable time-to-event analyses were conducted using Cox Regression. Results: Of a total of 193 patients, 76 (39.4%) received mechanical valves and 117 (60.6%) received bioprosthetic valves. A trend for better survival was found for mechanical prostheses when adjusting for EuroSCORE II (HR: 0.35; 95%CI: 0.12-1.02, p=0.054), but using a backward stepwise Cox regression prosthesis type was not retained by the model as an independent predictor of survival. Moreover, mechanical prostheses showed trends for higher freedom from reoperation (100% vs. 95.5%, Log-Rank, p=0.076), higher median EuroSCORE II (2.52% vs. 1.95%, p=0.06) and early mortality (7.9% vs. 2.6%, p=0.086). However, after adjusting for EuroSCORE II, there was no significant difference in early mortality (OR: 2.3, 95%CI: 0.5-10.5, p=0.272). Regarding hemodynamic performance at follow-up echocardiogram, there were no differences other than left ventricular mass regression, which was not as pronounced in the mechanical group (-12% vs. -21%, p=0.002). Conclusion: Mechanical and bioprosthetic aortic valves prostheses showed similar mid-term survival in the 50-70 age group. Further prospective and larger studies are needed to provide evidence-based recommendations on this topic.

Introduction: Aortic valve stenosis (AS) is the most common valvular pathology in the elderly and surgery (AVR) remains the gold-standard. However, transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVI) has become an emerging alternative to surgery. In a recent survey from the European Society of Cardiology, 9,4% stated that age was the main reason to propose for TAVI. Methods: Single-center retrospective study including 353 patients (149 ≥80 years-old;204 with 60-69 years-old) submitted to AVR between 2013-2016. Primary endpoint was survival. Secondary outcomes included the rate of post- -operative complications. Long-term survival was determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Continuous variables were analyzed with t-test and linear regression and categorical variables with chi-square or Fisher. Results: clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. Both had similar survival at 30 days, 12 (93,29% 60-69yo vs 91,47% ≥80yo) and 24 months (88,34% 60-69yo vs 86,11% ≥80yo). However, rapid deployment valves (RD) had better survival rates in elderly patients. Cross-clamp time was lower in ≥80yo group, with higher percentage of RD valves (20,1% vs 4.9% in 60-69yo). The rate of post-operative atrial fibrillation was higher in >80yo group (29,06% vs. 17,28%,p=0,0147). In all patients, cross-clamp time was directly related to ventilation time(p=0,025) and chest drainage(p=0,0015). Conclusion: AVR after 80yo is safe. Cross-clamp time is directly correlated with ventilation time and bleeding, with a stronger correlation in patients over 80yo. RD valves reduce cross-clamp times, so their use in elderly may improve surgery outcome. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate if age may be clinical criteria for a RD.

Objectives: Jatene surgery or arterial switch is performed at our institution since the late nineties. We reviewed our results to identify the main causes of reoperation and, more importantly, to determine what variables predict the need for reoperation. Methods: In this retrospective analysis were included all the 91 patients with d-TGA who underwent an arterial switch operation at our institution between 1995 and 2016. Results: Mean follow-up was 10 years (range 5-25 years). Seventy-one percent of patients had simple TGA and 29% had complex TGA. The need of reoperation was 21% (n=19 patients). Right ventricle outflow tract obstruction was the main indication for reoperation (58%). The overall mortality was 9.9%. The gender (P= 0.8), diagnosis (simple or complex TGA) (P= 0,5) or the existence of palliative surgeries (P=0.9) were unable to predict the need for reoperation. The presence of anomalous coronary pattern was the only variable reaching statistical significance (P< 0.05), both in univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions: In our series, the main indication for reoperation after arterial switch operation was right ventricle outflow tract obstruction and the only predictive variable was the presence of anomalous coronary pattern.

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Objectives: Pneumonectomy is a procedure with high post-operative morbidity and mortality. This study aims to assess and identify possible risk factors that can affect post-operative outcome, therefore determining the safety of pneumonectomy in specific groups. Methods: A total of 63 patients submitted to pneumonectomy at our centre, from February 2008 to February 2018, were included in our retrospective study. Age, gender, side of intervention, diagnosis, pre-operative symptoms, substance abuse and comorbidities were assessed. Early and late post-operative complications, as well as death were our major outcomes. We analysed the impact of preoperative variables on major outcomes using SPSS statistics. Results: We found a 9,8% surgery-related mortality and 1-year survival rate of 76,2%. The incidence of early complications in our population was of 35% while eleven patients (17,4%) developed late post-operative complications. No statistical difference was found when comparing survival time between genders or age groups. Right sided pneumonectomies seem to be associated with an higher mortality risk. No other association between risk factors and outcomes reached statistical significance in both univariate and multivariate analysis. Conclusions: Pneumonectomy is a viable option regardless of age whenever the patient has a good functional and cardiopulmonary status. Gender and diagnostic group do not seem to influence adverse event risk, although right- -sided pneumonectomies show an increased risk for post-operative death. Care should be taken with patients submitted to neoadjuvant therapy. All patients should be encouraged to cease smoking as early as possible before surgery, given the increased risks for post-operative complications.

We present 2 cases presented to the emergency department with shortness of breath (SOB). Their preoperative echocardiographies showed ruptured right sinus of Valsalva (RSOV) into the right ventricle (RV). Ventricular septal defect (VSD) was diagnosed only intraoperatively

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Exercise echocardiography is used mainly in the study of patients with coronary artery disease, however the technique is increasingly used in the study of other pathologies. We present the first case of use of exercise stress echocardiography for clinical decision in one patient with biological prostheses in tricuspid position. The clinical exam, the echocardiogram, the cardiac MRI, the NT proBNP were normal and the patient has been considered to have no indication for surgery. The patient was only presented and accepted for surgery after the results of exercise stress echocardiography.

A 19 years-old woman, on her 17th week of pregnancy presented to the emergency department with thoracic pain and vomiting. An empyema was diagnosed and she was transferred to a tertiary hospital for treatment. After drainage of the empyema a mediastinal mass was detected and a thoracic MRI revealed a multicystic lesion of the anterior mediastinum, causing cardiac and left lung compression, suggestive of a complicated teratoma. After a multidisciplinary discussion involving pulmonology, radiology, obstetrics and thoracic surgery, she was operated successfully by clamshell incision. A mature complicated teratoma was resected and a left pleurectomy/decortication performed. She was discharged on day 17 with no obstetrical or respiratory symptoms.

A 31-year-old-woman with an etonogestrel implant on her left upper arm presented with unfavorable change in her menstrual bleeding pattern and requested for its removal. The non-palpable device was perceptible in the left hemithorax by radiography. Thoracic computed-tomography showed migration to a sublobar branch of the left lower pulmonary artery. Despite the absence of thoracic symptoms and the lack of management guidelines, the device was removed by a lung sparing approach with videoassisted thoracic surgery, due to the unknown long-term effect of the embolized implant.

Introduction: Doege–Potter’s syndrome is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome, consisting in hypoglycemia and solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura. These tumors represent <5% of all pleural tumours and can only be cured by surgery. In this article, we report a case of a patient presenting with severe hypoglycemia, as the only symptom, and a mass occupying the entire left hemithorax. Case presentation: A54 year old female with severe hypoglycemia, a chest radiography with almost total opacification of the left hemithorax and a computed tomography scan with a mass in the left hemithorax. Surgery was performed and a mass with 30cm × 18cm × 11cm weighing 3195g was resected. The postoperative course was uneventful with immediate resolution of the hypoglycemia. The immunohistochemistry diagnosis was solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura. Conclusions: Solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura are very rare. Less than 5% are associated with hypoglycemia, taking the form of Doege-Potter Syndrome. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy have shown low response rate and complete surgical resection is the only procedure that offers cure. This case reports describes a rare giant solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura with severe hypoglycemia, successfully treated by surgery. Long-term follow-up of the patient after the surgery is necessary for detection of any possible recurrence.

Aortic mural thrombus is a rare condition with 0.45% incidence in the general population, being the thoracic aorta the most affected portion. In the absence of an atherosclerotic wall lesion, other specific conditions should be studied and excluded. The authors describe two clinical cases of a 64 years old male and a 48 years old female that despite a non- -atherosclerotic diseased aorta, had a thoracic mural thrombus which presented clinically with mesenteric and lower limb microembolization, respectively. Once presented with peripheral embolization, the aim should be to exclude the embolic source and prevent end organ malfunction. TEVAR has been developed as a therapeutic solution to exclude the embolic source, with a high rate of technical success and few comorbidities associated. Long term anti-coagulation is debatable but may prevent further embolization events.

Aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD) remains an area of debate concerning open and endovascular treatment options. A case of a 63-year old female is reported, with previous known vascular intermittent claudication, that presented in the emergency room with acute ischemia of the right lower limb with 24-hours of evolution. The computer tomographic angiography unveiled occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery, occlusion of left common iliac artery (CIA), subocclusive stenosis of right CIA, occlusion of distal runoffs vessels in the right lower limb and diffuse aorto-iliac disease. The first approach was to place the patient under catheter directed thrombolysis (48h) which led to right pedal pulse recovery but the occlusion of left CIA remained. The patient was then electively submitted to Covered Endovascular Repair of Aortic Bifurcation (CERAB) with chimney to inferior mesenteric artery and with an additional bailout left iliac sandwich due to dissection. Distal pulses are still present after 18 months of follow-up. Endovascular techniques provide a low morbimortality option with similar symptomatic improvement, challenging open surgery as the standard of care even in complex AIOD.