Outcomes of Anterolateral Thoracotomy With or Without Partial Sternotomy for Kommerell Diverticulum

A systematic review of open, hybrid, and endovascular repair of aberrant subclavian artery and Kommerell's diverticulum treatment

BACKGROUND

Aberrant subclavian artery (AScA) with or without associated Kommerell's diverticulum (KD) is the most frequently encountered anomaly of the aortic arch, it may be life threatening, especially when associated with aneurysmal degeneration. The best management is still debated and depends on many clinical and anatomical factors. A systematic review was conducted to assess the current evidence on the treatment options and their efficacy and safety for AscA and KD repairs.

METHODS

A literature search in PubMed and Cochrane Library was performed, and articles that were published from January 1947 to August 2021 reporting on AscA and KD management were identified. Multicenter studies, single-center series, and case series with three or more patients were considered eligible in the present review. A comparison of outcomes of patients who underwent open surgery (OS), a hybrid approach (HA), and total endovascular repair (ER) (ie, 30-day mortality and stroke were analyzed when available and compared among the three groups (P < .05; Benjamini and Hochberg-adjusted P < .05; Bonferroni-adjusted P < .05). Titles, abstracts, and full texts were evaluated by two authors independently. Primary outcomes included survival rate, perioperative stroke, arm ischemia, and spinal cord ischemia. Endoleak, in the case of HA and ER, and reintervention rates were considered outcomes.

RESULTS

Three hundred thirty-one articles were initially evaluated and 30 studies, totaling 426 patients treated for AScA with 324 KD, were included. Of the 426 patients, 241 were male (56.5%), and the mean patient age was 57.9 ± 12.0 years. The approach was OS in 228 patients, HA in 147 patients, and ER in 51. Dysphagia was the most common presentation in 133 cases. Aortic rupture was observed in 16 of the 426 patients (3.8%), including 14 AScA/KD (3.3%) aneurysm rupture. KD maximum diameter varied widely from 12.6 to 63.6 mm. The overall 30-day mortality was 20 (4.7%) (OS group 8/228 [3.5%]; HA group 10/147 [6.8%]; ER 2/51 [3.9%]; P = NS). The overall stroke rate was 4.9% (21/426) (OS group 10/228 [4.4%]; HA group 6/147 [4.1%]; ER group 5/51 [9.8%]; P = NS), including nine transient and nondisabling neurological deficits. Overall secondary procedures for complications were reported in 36 of the 426 cases (8.4%), mostly owing to endoleak. Follow-up varied from 13 to 74 months.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review assessed the current outcomes of the three types of therapeutic management for AScA and KD and demonstrated that they are all relatively safe and effective, providing satisfactory early and midterm outcomes. Long-term outcomes are warranted, especially for total ERs since the long-term durability of stent grafts remains unknown.

Surgical Outcomes of Kommerell Diverticulum

Background

We aimed to assess the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent surgical repair of Kommerell diverticulum (KD) with individualized surgical methods.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was performed of adult patients (aged ≥17 years) who underwent surgery to treat KD between June 2008 and October 2019.

Results

Nine patients (median age, 45 years; range, 19–67 years; 7 men) underwent surgical repair. The indications for surgical therapy were acute aortic dissection in 2 patients, the presence of compressive symptoms due to dilated KD in 4 patients, and aneurysm growth in 3 patients. Various surgical techniques were used (1) resection of the diverticulum stump and revascularization of the aberrant subclavian artery (n=3), (2) one-stage total-arch replacement including the diverticulum segment (n=3), and (3) hybrid repair (n=3). Early mortality occurred in 1 case of hybrid repair. Transient paraparesis occurred in a patient who underwent total arch repair as part of complicated acute aortic dissection. During follow-up (median duration, 30 months; range, 7–130 months), no late death or associated aortic complications were documented. All survivors were free from symptoms and had no abnormal findings on follow-up computed tomography.

Conclusion

With a customized surgical approach and appropriate consideration of patient-specific anatomy and associated comorbidities, KD can be repaired with favorable outcomes.

Safety and efficacy of a hybrid approach for repair of complicated aberrant subclavian arteries

OBJECTIVE

Aberrant subclavian artery (ASA), a well-described aortic arch anomaly, is frequently associated with dysphagia and development of Kommerell diverticulum (KD) with aneurysmal degeneration. Historically, open repair has been performed, which can be associated with significant morbidity. More recently, hybrid approaches using different arch vessel revascularization techniques in combination with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (hybrid TEVAR) have been described, but there is a paucity of literature describing outcomes. The objective of this analysis was to describe our experience with management of complicated ASAs using hybrid TEVAR, further adding to the literature describing approaches to and outcomes of hybrid ASA repair.

METHODS

A retrospective, single-institution review was performed of all patients treated for ASA complications using hybrid TEVAR (2002-2018). The primary end point was technical success, defined as absence of type I or type III endoleak intraoperatively and within 30 days postoperatively. Secondary end points included complications, reintervention, and survival. Centerline measurement of KD diameters (maximum diameter = opposing aortic outer wall to diverticulum apex) was employed. Kaplan-Meier methodology was used to estimate secondary end points.

RESULTS

Eighteen patients (1.4% of 1240 total TEVAR procedures; male, 67%; age, 59 ± 13 years) were identified (left-sided arch and right ASA, 94% [n = 17]; right-sided arch and left ASA, n = 1 [6%]; retroesophageal location and associated KD, 100%); median preoperative KD diameter was 60 mm (interquartile range [IQR], 37-108 mm). Operative indications included diverticulum diameter (61%), dysphagia (17%), rupture (11%), rapid expansion (6%), and endoleak after TEVAR (6%). All procedures used some combination of supraclavicular revascularization and TEVAR (staged, 50% [n = 9]), whereas partial open arch reconstruction was used in 17% (n = 3). There were no perioperative deaths or spinal cord ischemic events. Major complications occurred in 22% (n = 4): nondisabling stroke, one; arm ischemia, one; upper extremity neuropathy, one; and iatrogenic descending thoracic aortic dissection, one. Technical success was 83%, but 44% (n = 8) had an endoleak (type I, n = 3; type II, n = 5 [intercostal, n = 2; aneurysmal subclavian artery origin, n = 3]) during follow-up (median, 4 months; IQR, 1-15 months). Two endoleaks resolved spontaneously, three were treated, and three were observed (1-year freedom from reintervention, 75% ± 10%). Median KD diameter decreased by 7 mm (IQR, 1-12 mm), and 78% (n = 14) experienced diameter reduction or stability in follow-up. The 1- and 3-year survival was 93% ± 6% and 84% ± 10%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Hybrid open brachiocephalic artery revascularization with TEVAR appears to be safe and reasonably effective in management of ASA complications as evidenced by a low perioperative complication risk and reasonable positive aortic remodeling. However, endoleak rates raise significant concerns about durability. Therefore, if this technique is employed, the mandatory need for surveillance and high rate of reintervention should be emphasized preoperatively. This analysis represents a relatively large series of a hybrid TEVAR technique to treat ASA complications, but greater patient numbers and longer follow-up are needed to further establish the role of this procedure.

Single-Stage Surgical Repair of Kommerell Diverticulum with Annuloaortic Ectasia via a Median Sternotomy: Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique with an Antler-Like Shape Reconstruction of Arch Branches

We present here a case of Kommerell diverticulum (KD) with annuloaortic ectasia, in which single-stage surgical repair was performed via a median sternotomy using frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique. We used this technique for the following reasons: firstly, we could perform surgery only via a median sternotomy without thoracotomy; secondly, we were able to deliver the FET using a guidewire through the severely angulated aortic arch. We here investigate this technique as it could potentially be a good treatment option of KD.