Surgical Treatment of Giant Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysm: a Case Report
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Successful Surgical Treatment of Giant Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysm: A Case Report SalahEldien Altarabsheh MD*, Salil Deo MD**, Lyle Joyce MD** ABSTRACT A 72 year-old-male patient who had coronary artery bypass grafting twice in the past, presented with shortness of breath. Coronary angiography showed a giant saphenous vein graft aneurysm, surgical excision of the aneurysm with bypass of the right coronary artery using new vein conduit was performed. The pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities and therapeutic options will be discussed in light of this case. Key words: Saphenous Vein Graft, Giant Aneurysm, Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting, Coronary Artery Disease JRMS June 2012; 19(2): 76-78 Introduction located in the middle part of the vein graft and dye Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting (CABG) is a swirled in the aneurysmal sac without any flow into widely used surgical therapy for coronary artery the distal coronary circulation (Fig. 1A). The other disease. Great saphenous vein is the traditional grafts were patent with no obvious major pathology conduit used in this procedure. Saphenous Vein Graft identified. A contrast enhanced Computed Aneurysms (SVGA) is rare and usually found Tomogram (CT) scan of the chest measured the incidentally. SGVA should be considered as a aneurysm to be 6.4 x 4.3 cm in cross-section. There possibility in any patient presenting with a was significant mass effect on the right atrium (RA) mediastinal mass after CABG, as early diagnosis and and superior vena cava (SVC) as depicted in (Fig. intervention may avert fatal complications. We report 1B). Additionally, a preoperative Transthoracic a case of a giant SVGA which was successfully Echocardiogram (TTE) showed preserved left treated by surgical excision and coronary ventricular function with severe calcific aortic valve revascularization. stenosis. Surgery was performed through a repeat median sternotomy, with cannulation of the ascending aorta Case Report and right atrium. Antegrade and retrograde A 72-year-old male patient underwent CABG in cardioplegia were used to achieve cardiac standstill 1994 and a subsequent redo CABG in 2000. He and patient was cooled to 32oC. The aortic valve was presented with fatigue and dyspnea in the fall of excised and replaced with a bioprosthesis. The 2010. A cardiac stress test showed inferior and SVGA was identified and the normal vein graft inferoseptal ischemia. Coronary angiogram showed a proximal and distal to it was isolated. Care was taken giant saphenous vein graft aneurysm in the to minimize manipulation so as to decrease the Saphenous Vein Graft (SVG) to the distal right chances of distal embolization. (Fig. 2A) shows the coronary artery. The neck of the aneurysm was SVGA opened longitudinally. From the Departments of Cardiovascular Surgery: * Queen Alia Heart Institute, King Hussein Medical Center, (KHMC), Amman-Jordan ** Mayo Clinic, 100 2nd St. SW, Rochester 55905 USA Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. L. D. Joyce, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Mayo Clinic 100 2nd St. SW, Rochester 55905 USA, E-mail: [email protected], or Dr. SE. Altarabsheh: [email protected] 76 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL SERVICES Vol. 19 No. 2 June 2012 AO SVC SVGA LV RA A B Fig. 1A: Coronary angiography shows the right coronary artery bypass graft marked by the white arrow, and the giant saphenous vein graft aneurysm marked by the smaller white arrows. Fig. 1B: A computed tomographic angiography with contrast reconstructed in an oblique coronal maximum intensity projection demonstrating (AO) the aorta, (SVC) superior vena cava, (SVGA) saphenous vein graft aneurysm, (RA) right atrium and (LV) left ventricle. SVGA SVGA A B Fig. 2: The intraoperative photographs showing the (SVGA) which has been incised longitudinally, with the proximal part of the saphenous vein graft marked by the white arrow, while the distal part is marked by the blue arrow. The proximal orifice (white arrow) and the distal clinical presentations of these aneurysms are normal part of the vein graft (blue arrow) are seen. variable. As in our patient, angina is the most On opening the sac, a large amount laminated common presenting symptom in these patients.(3) thrombus was present lining the wall as shown in Accumulation of clots and debris in the sac may (Fig IIB). All debri and clots were removed without compromise distal flow into the native coronary allowing any particles to migrate into the distal circulation. Additionally distal embolization from coronary circulation. Most of the wall of the intraluminal thrombi may cause acute events aneurysm was excised and the distal part of the depending upon the degree of ischemia. Progression coronary artery was identified, and revasularized of native coronary artery disease can also be one of using a new saphenous vein conduit, which was the causative factors. Rarer patient presentations anastomosed proximally to the ascending aorta. include recurrent shortness of breath, infection, Patient was weaned from the cardiopulmonary hemoptysis, hemothorax, hemopericardium, and bypass uneventfully, and was dismissed from the sudden cardiac death.(4,5) hospital on the sixth postoperative day. SVG aneurysms represent a diagnostic challenge. It is highly crucial to diagnose these aneurysms early in Discussion their course, since they have the potential to Mild dilations of the saphenous vein grafts are embolize, rupture, compress and form fistulae with common, with a reported incidence of up to 14% at other cardiac or vascular structures.(4) Trans Thoracic 5-7 years after coronary artery revascularization Echocardiogram (TTE) may be of importance in surgery utilizing vein conduits.(1) They may be routine detection of mediastinal masses in patients underreported since many of the patients are being with cardiac symptoms. Trans Esophageal asymptomatic. Giant SVG aneurysm is rare and Echocardiography (TEE) is valuable in delineating defined as being greater than 4 cm in diameter.(2) The the size and intraluminal pathological process. Chest JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL SERVICES 77 Vol. 19 No. 2 June 2012 CT scan and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are Conclusion considered to be highly useful diagnostic modalities SVG aneurysms after coronary artery by pass for such aneurysms, they usually show a mass with grafting; pose a diagnostic and management central enhancement and eccentrically distributed challenge to the cardiac surgeon, an early diagnosis thrombi. Coronary angiography is very important in with a timely planned management considered to be assessing graft patency and defining coronary the corner stone in approaching such aneurysms. anatomy. SVG aneurysms are usually fusiform in shape and hypothetically form at these weak, thin References walled areas in the vein grafts; however it is highly 1. Kim D, Guthaner D, Wexler L. Transcatheter likely that it may be superimposed by the formation embolization of a leaking pseudoaneurysm of of an atheromatous plaque in the setting of the saphenous vein aortocoronary bypass graft. Cathet degenerative process, which creates a tunica media Cardiovasc Diagn 1983; 9: 591–594. suitable for aneurysmal formation. Venous 2. Scott DH. Aneurysms of the coronary arteries. Am varicosities and surgical trauma during the harvest Heart J 1948; 36:403–421. process and the shear stresses encountered by the 3. Basar S, Schaff HV, Ibrahim U, et al. Surgical arterialization of the venous grafts may be attributed Treatment of Saphenous Vein Graft Aneurysms (6) after Coronary Artery Revascularization. Ann to the added risk of aneurysmal formation. Thorac Surg 2009; 88:1801–5. The exact incidence of rupture in these aneurysms 4. Mylonas I, Sakata Y, Salinger MH, et al. has not been reported but is related to the size of the (7) Successful Closure of a Giant True Saphenous Vein aneurysm. So early surgery is essential to prevent Graft Aneurysm Using the Amplatzer Vascular fatal complications. Conventional treatment of SVG Plug. Catheterization and Cardiovascular aneurysms is still operative excision of such Interventions 2006; 67:611–616. aneurysms with simultaneous revascularization.(3) 5. Ludger W, Birgitta S, Sarah R, et al. Thrombosis The increased risk of sternal reentry after of a large saphenous vein graft aneurysm leading to sternotomy and the possibility of fatal hemorrhage acute myocardial infarction 21 years after coronary from these aneurysms during re-entry are major artery bypass grafting: role of cardiac multi-slice deterrent for surgical therapy. As the cardiac surgical computed tomography. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg. 2011 Feb; 12(2):284-6. Epub 2010 Nov 4. patient has become more elderly with multiple 6. James B, Augustine T, Anoop C. Complete comorbidities, interest has been shifted towards excision of giant calcified saphenous vein graft lesser invasive modes of therapy. Alternative aneurysm in redoes coronary artery bypasses approaches, include coil embolization, thrombin grafting. Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic injection and percutaneous interventions using stent Surgery 13 (2011) 214-216. grafts or vascular occluder devices.(6) Given the 7. Wester DJ, Martinez HO, Camp A. Aneurysm of variability in the anatomy of these aneurysms and the a saphenous vein graft manifested as a mediastinal status of the coronary artery distal to the aneurysm, mass on chest radiographs. American Journal of the type of percutaneous intervention is usually Roentgenology. 1993; 161(5):951–952. selected on case by case basis. Endovascular covered 8. Tamirisa PK, Rinder M, Singh J, et al. Thrombin injection to treat pseudoaneurysm of internal stents are useful when there is continuous antegrade mammary artery bypass graft: a case report. flow in the SVG graft is the aim, however when the Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. distal SVG graft is occluded, Coil embolization or 2002; 57(4):548–551. (8) thrombin injection may be used. 78 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL MEDICAL SERVICES Vol. 19 No. 2 June 2012 .