Transposition of Isolated Left Vertebral Artery in Hybrid Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair

Objectives: The aim of this study was to present our experience with the management of isolated left vertebral artery (ILVA) during complex thoracic aortic pathology treated with the hybrid thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Methods: This is a single-center, respective cohort study. Between June 2016 and June 2020, 13 patients (12 men; median age 60 years old, range 42–72 years old) who underwent hybrid procedures were identified with ILVA in our center. Demographics, imaging features, operation details, and follow-up in these patients were collected and analyzed. Results: In this study, all patients received the hybrid procedure, and the primary technical success rate was 100%. There were no in-hospital deaths. Complication occurred in two (15.4%) patients. One patient suffered from contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) and recovered before discharge. Another patient required reintervention for acute left-lower-limb ischemia, which was successfully treated using Fogarty catheter embolectomy. Immediate vagus/recurrent laryngeal never palsy, lymphocele, and chylothorax were not observed. The median duration of follow-up was 22 months (range, 13–29 months). No neurologic deficits, bypass occlusion, or ILVA occlusion or stenosis were observed during the follow-up. No aortic rupture, cerebrovascular accident, or spinal cord ischemia was observed during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Our limited experience reveals that hybrid procedures [thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), ILVA transposition, and left common carotid artery-left subclavian artery (LCCA-LSA) bypass] are relatively safe, feasible, and durable for the treatment of thoracic aortic pathology with ILVA. However, further technique durability and larger studies with long-term follow-up periods are warranted.