Replacement of the Ascending Aorta for Severe Atherosclerosis During Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Abstract

Background and Aim: In the present study, we investigated the benefit of ascending aorta replacement in patients with severe aortic atherosclerosis who undergo coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Methods: From January 2001 to April 2011, 3842 patients underwent CABG and in 36 of these patients (31 male, 5 female) the ascending aorta was replaced due to severe atherosclerosis. Total circulatory arrest was used in 22 patients (61\%). The patients were followed for 69 +/- 36 months (1-133 months) and compared to a control group of patients. The control group consisted of patients who underwent CABG with or without a concomitant procedure (n = 3806). Results: For the study group, the mean additive and logistic Euroscores of the patients were nine and 20, respectively. One stroke (2.8\%) was observed and this patient died in the early postoperative period. There were a total of four confirmed deaths (12\%) at any time point over the length of the follow-up among the patients who were discharged from the hospital. Two of them died of malignancy (lung and gastric tumors) and the other two from cardiac reasons. No patients had a stroke during follow-up. For the control group the mean age was 61 +/- 1, the stroke rate was 0.6\%, and the mortality rate was 0.96\%, and the mean logistic and additive Euroscores were 3.7 +/- 4.4, and 3.5 +/- 2.5, respectively. Conclusions: Replacement of highly calcified ascending aortas during CABG can be safely performed in selected patients with good long-term outcomes. doi: 10.1111/j.1540-8191.2012.01510.x (J Card Surg 201227:538-542)