A stepwise aortic clamp procedure to treat porcelain aorta associated with aortic valve stenosis and hemodialysis

Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014:20 Suppl:725-9. doi: 10.5761/atcs.cr.13-00018. Epub 2013 Jun 4.

Abstract

A 62-year-old man was referred for an aortic-valve surgery because of severe aortic stenosis. Thirty years ago, he had undergone a mitral valve commissurotomy and after 9 years, the valve had been replaced by a mechanical valve. He had been undergoing hemodialysis for the past 8 years. A computed tomographic (CT) scan of the chest and abdomen showed a dense circumferential calcification in the wall of the entire thoracic and abdominal aorta, pulmonary artery, and left and right atrium. A conventional aortic-valve replacement was performed. To avoid an embolic event, a "stepwise aortic clamp" procedure was attempted and involved the following: (1) brief circulatory arrest and aortotomy during moderate hypothermia; (2) balloon occlusion at the ascending aorta during low-flow cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB); (3) endoarterectomy by using an ultrasonic surgical aspirator to enable aortic cross-clamping; and (4) a cross-clamp reinforced with felt and full-flow CPB. The patient recovered without any thromboembolic events. Using this procedure to treat a porcelain aorta seemed to reduce the time limit and reduced the risk of brain injury during cardiac surgery.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aortic Diseases / surgery*
  • Aortic Valve Stenosis / surgery
  • Calcinosis / surgery*
  • Cardiopulmonary Bypass / methods
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / methods*
  • Heart Valve Prosthesis*
  • Humans
  • Hypothermia, Induced
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Renal Dialysis*