Two-Stage Hybrid Repair of Kommerell Diverticulum with Supra-Aortic Debranching

Objectives The surgical treatment of Kommerell diverticula is associated with high mortality and morbidity rates. In the mid-2000s, hybrid aortic arch repair was developed, and the procedure has since been used to repair Kommerell diverticula. In the present study, we focused on the postoperative outcomes of two-stage hybrid repair of Kommerell diverticula that required supra-aortic debranching (type I hybrid arch repair). Methods From August 2010 to July 2013, a total of four patients (aged 73.5 +/- 9.5 years) underwent two-stage hybrid repair (type I hybrid arch repair) for Kommerell diverticula, and their cases were retrospectively studied. All four patients had right aortic arches and aberrant left subclavian arteries. The repair procedure consisted of two stages: (1) debranching of the supra-aortic vessels via a median sternotomy; (2) exclusion of the Kommerell diverticulum by performing thoracic endovascular repair via a femoral approach and coil embolization of the orifice of the aberrant subclavian artery. Results There were no in-hospital deaths. One patient developed an acute kidney injury and required hemodialysis on postoperative day 2, although his renal function recovered within 48 hours. No strokes, paraplegia, or early aortic events were observed in our series. The mean follow-up period was 19.5 months (range, 5-47 months). All patients remained free from aortic events and endoleaks during the follow-up period. Conclusion The early and mid-term outcomes of hybrid repair for Kommerell diverticula that require supra-aortic debranching, which are less invasive and do not involve hypothermic circulatory arrest, are acceptable. However, this procedure requires the insertion of an endograft into the ascending aorta, and careful and long-term follow-up is required to confirm its efficacy.