Fistulous communication of aortic sinuses into the cardiac chambers. Fifteen years surgical experience and a report of 23 patients

Percutaneous Closure of a Ruptured Sinus of Valsalva Aneurysm under Transesophageal Echocardiography Guidance

•SOVA is a rare cardiac anomaly. •Ruptured SOVA carries a high mortality rate. •SOVA often coexists with other congenital lesions, most commonly VSD and bicuspid AV. •Ruptured SOVA needs repair; percutaneous repair is a safe alternative to surgery. •Echo plays a vital role in both diagnosing SOVA and guiding percutaneous closure.

Acquired aortocameral fistula occurring late after infective endocarditis: An emblematic case and review of 38 reported cases

AIM

To delineate the features and current therapeutic option of congenital and acquired aortocameral fistulas (ACF) secondary to iatrogenic or infectious disorders.

METHODS

From a PubMed search using the term "aortocameral fistula", 30 suitable papers for the current review were retrieved. Reviews, case series and case reports published in English were considered. Abstracts and reports from scientific meetings were not included. A total of 38 reviewed subjects were collected and analyzed. In addition, another case - an adult male who presented with ACF between commissures of the right and non-coronary sinuses and right atrium as a late complication of Staphylococcus aureus infective endocarditis of the AV - is added, the world literature is briefly reviewed.

RESULTS

A total of thirty-eight subjects producing 39 fistulas were reviewed, analyzed and stratified into either congenital (47%) or acquired (53%) according to their etiology. Of all subjects, 11% were asymptomatic and 89% were symptomatic with dyspnea (21 ×) as the most common presentation. Diagnosis was established by a multidiagnostic approach in 23 (60%), single method in 14 (37%) (echocardiography in 12 and catheterization in 2), and at autopsy in 2 (3%) of the subjects. Treatment options included percutaneous transcatheter closure in 12 (30%) with the deployment of the Amplatzer duct or septal occluder and Gianturco coil and surgical correction in 24 (63%).

CONCLUSION

Acquired ACF is an infrequent entity which may occur late after an episode of endocarditis of the native AV. The management of ACF is generally by surgical correction but non-surgical device intervention has recently been introduced as a safe alternative.

A new and simple classification for sinus of Valsalva aneurysms and the corresponding surgical procedure

OBJECTIVES

The classification system of Sakakibara and Konno for sinus of Valsalva aneurysm (SVA) is highly complex and seldom utilized in clinical practice. In this study, we propose a new and simple classification system; we suggest a novel approach that utilizes four distinct types of SVAs.

METHODS

We retrospectively studied 257 cases of SVAs in which surgical repair was performed between October 1996 and December 2009 and divided these cases into four types: I, rupture or protrusion into the right atrium; II, rupture or protrusion into the right atrium or right ventricle near or at the tricuspid annulus; III, rupture or protrusion into the right ventricular outflow tract under pulmonary valve and IV, others. The surgical results of the different approaches in each respective type were compared as follows: cardiopulmonary bypass time, clamp aorta time, mechanical ventilation time, intensive care unit time and postoperative stay time.

RESULTS

In all the patients, there was no early postoperative death; all the patients recovered and were discharged as expected. There were no significant differences in intensive care unit time and postoperative stay time among different approaches in each type (P > 0.05). Two hundred and thirty-eight (92.61%) patients were followed up.

CONCLUSIONS

Surgical repair of SVAs exhibited good long-term results. Our classification of SVA could be potentially helpful for surgical practice. For Type I, the right atrium approach is advised; for Type II, the transaortic approach with a right atrium incision is advised; for Type III, the transaortic approach with pulmonary incision is advised while for Type IV, repair according to the respective situation is advisable.

Sinus of Valsalva Fistula to the Right Ventricle along with Coronary Artery Fistula to the Pulmonary Artery in a Young Native American Female

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysm is a rare condition and associated with a high rate of mortality if rupture occurs. The aneurysms are rarely diagnosed until rupture occurs. This case describes a young Native American female whose only symptom was intermittent chest pain prior to the detection of the aneurysm along with a small ventricular septal defect. The patient was also found to have a coexisting coronary artery fistula, and it is rare phenomenon to have these coexisting anomalies. The anomalies were demonstrated on both cardiac computed tomography and coronary angiography. The patient underwent surgical closure of both anomalies, which is the recommended treatment to avoid future complications.

Aorto-right atrial fistula following transseptal catheterization and catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation

Aorto-cameral fistula, either congenital or acquired, is an abnormal connection between the ascending aortic root and one of the cardiac chambers. We report a case of a 61-year-old male with history of atrial fibrillation and 2 radiofrequency ablation procedures, referred to us for surgical Cox Maze procedure. Preoperative cardiac computerized tomography revealed a fistulous connection between the aortic root and the right atrium. Later, the patient underwent successful surgical closure of the fistula during the Cox Maze procedure. In this paper, we also discuss the clinical presentation, natural history, anatomy of the interatrial septum, and management of aorto-cameral fistula.

Congenital Heart Surgery Nomenclature and Database Project: aortic aneurysm, sinus of Valsalva aneurysm, and aortic dissection

The extant nomenclature for aortic aneurysms, sinus of valsalva aneurysms, and aortic dissections is reviewed for the purpose of establishing a unified reporting system. The subject was debated and reviewed by members of the STS-Congenital Heart Surgery Database Committee and representatives from the European Association for Cardiothoracic Surgery. All efforts were made to include all relevant nomenclature categories using synonyms where appropriate. Classification was based on morphology, histology, anatomic location, etiology, and acuity. A comprehensive database set is presented that is based on a hierarchical scheme. Data are entered at various levels of complexity and detail that can be determined by the clinician. These data can lay the foundation for comprehensive risk stratification analyses. A minimum database set is also presented that will allow for data sharing that would lend itself to basic interpretation of trends. Outcome tables relating diagnoses, procedures, and various risk factors are presented.

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysms

Sinus of Valsalva aneurysms are rare cardiac anomalies which may be acquired or congenital. The congenital aneurysm is more common than the acquired form, with an incidence ranging from 0.1 to 3.5% of all congenital heart defects. Acquired aneurysms may result from trauma, endocarditis, syphilis, Marfan's syndrome, and senile-type dilatation in which the three sinuses dilate as a result of the normal aging process. This review focuses on both congenital and acquired aneurysms with particular attention to the noninvasive diagnosis of this anomaly.