Symptomatic or aneurysmal aberrant subclavian arteries: results of surgical and hybrid repair.

Objectives: Indications and techniques of repair for symptomatic or aneurysmal aberrant subclavian arteries (ASA) are controversial. This study analyses presentation, treatment and outcome of patients with symptomatic and/or aneurysmal ASA.
Methods: Retrospective analysis of consecutive adult patients undergoing symptomatic and/or aneurysmal ASA repair between January 2000 and June 2016.
Results: Of 12 patients (4 females) with a median age of 66 years (range 24-75), 10 had right ASA and 2 had left ASA originating from a right aortic arch. Six patients (50%) had Kommerell's diverticulum and 6 patients had aneurysmal dilatation of the ASA itself. Six patients presented with symptoms (dysphagia n = 4, chest pain n = 1, recurrent aspiration n = 1). Nine patients (75%) were treated by open ASA resection/ligation with or without aortic repair. Three patients (25%) underwent hybrid repair using thoracic endovascular aortic repair to exclude the aberrant artery. ASA revascularization was achieved by subclavian-carotid transposition (n = 7), carotid-subclavian bypass (n = 1), aorto-subclavian bypass (n = 3) or reimplantation after aortic graft replacement (n = 1). Thirty-day mortality was 8% (n = 1). The median follow-up duration was 44 months (range 24-151). Symptoms were relieved in 4 and persisted partially in 1, while symptom relief remained unknown in 1 patient who died during follow-up. Imaging after a median of 34 months (range 2-134) after the operation showed patent ASA revascularization in all patients and no endoleaks in the hybrid group.
Conclusions: Surgical and hybrid repair allows satisfying results in patients with symptomatic and/or aneurysmal ASA. The optimal procedure has to be defined on an individual patient basis. Further studies, preferably with a multicentre approach, are required to answer more specific questions on the management of these patients and especially to assess long-term results following hybrid repair.
(© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)