In recent years, the increasing number of cardiologists and cardiac surgeons tend to think that surgical treatment of patients with atherosclerotic aneurisms does not fully comply with contemporary ideas of what the disease is. Some data show that early operations in the presence of this pathology are associated with an unreasonably high mortality. Additionally, the use of intra-aortic stents and grafts cannot principally affect the therapeutic efficacy. Therefore, more attention is paid to the development of conservative therapeutic approaches leaving surgery defeated without surgical treatment. Two groups of patients with similar descending thoracic aortic atherosclerotic aneurisms (DTAAA) and abdominal aortic aneurisms (AAA) were retro-and prospectively studied over a 2-year period. Control group (Comparison group), (63 patients) received common surgical treatment from 2009 to 2010 whereas Main group (121 subjects) received multifaceted medical treatment to remove inflammatory reactions, strengthen aortic wall and control its dilation from 2011 to 2012. Operative treatment was used only in case of potential aneurism rupture. The comparison of the two groups of subjects showed that 2-year all-cause mortality in control group was 20.6% while in the main group it amounted to 9.1% due to the similar incidence of aneurism ruptures and deaths associated with concomitant diseases. It suggests that the odds ratio (OR) of survival when using attenuated therapeutic approach to treating atherosclerotic aneurisms is 2.6fold higher compared to conventional surgical approach. One of the principal factors contributing to a higher mortality when using traditional surgical approach was the presence of polyorgan pathology that required constant medical correction irrespective of therapeutic option (surgical or medical) used. Another important factor is aortic aneurism wall frailty. The development of mechanisms that would allow its strengthening is considered a principal challenge of cutting-edge medicine that should be based on studies of triggers, molecular genetic bases of aortic wall immune-depending inflammatory formation, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, metalloproteinase activity that damages elastin and collagen fibers. V. P. Krylov et al.

A comparison of results of sparing treatment obtained at 2, 4 and 6 years of follow-up in subjects with descending aortic atherosclerotic aneurysms (DAAs), and during the period between 1.5 and 8.9 years in subjects with dissecting thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (DTAAs) has been made. All subjects received conservative treatment to maintain optimal levels of BP, cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, as well as to reduce oxidative and inflammatory processes in aorta, strengthen aortic walls and stabilize the course of the disease. Rapid negative changes (diameter increased by more than 5 mm within a 6-month period) and the absence of contraindications for surgery prompted us to perform open or endovascular aortic repair. Available data suggest that both DAAs and TAAs are comorbidities, which at any time can abruptly terminate patient's life, and operative treatment guarantees no safety from ruptures. When using sparing treatment of DAA, survival rates were 90.1% at 2 years, 76.8% at 4 years, and 59.4% at 6 years, with uniform survival increment mainly due to comorbidity. Survival rate seen in TAA group (81.8%) was more acceptable due to a younger age of patients.

A growing number of specialists are now beginning to ascertain that treatment of individuals with descending aortic atherosclerotic aneurysms must be provided by cardiologists on a scheduled basis. Surgery is feasible when there is a risk of aneurysm rupture. It requires for the development of conservative treatments and elaboration of indications for surgery. A total of 97 patients with thoracic aortic atherosclerotic aneurysms (TAAA) and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) have been examined over a 5-year period. They received multifaceted anti-inflammatory medical treatment to strengthen the aortic wall and control its possible expansion. Operative treatment was offered only if there was a risk of aneurysm rupture. One of the principal factors adversely affecting mortality is the presence of co-morbidities requiring permanent medical corrective treatment irrespective of surgical or medical treatment provided. It is also important to outline the indications for surgery based on multifactorial pathogenetic manifestations. Treatment aiming at the reversal of ethiopathogenic mechanisms of disease progression contributes to a significant longer survival in DAA patients.

Within the last few years, there has been a strong trend to rethink the issue of management of atherosclerotic descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). When etiopathogenetic associations among changes observed during the progression of the disease were not fully described, surgeons had successfully applied, although traumatic, but a rather radical method to rescue from the rupture threat. As we gained experience and knowledge about long-term outcomes, mostly concerned mortality, we realized that surgery could not be the main tactical approach to AAAs treatment due to its frequent inefficiency and failure to guarantee that the disease would be suppressed including co-morbidities, polymorphic processes and clinical manifestations. It all required more sparing treatment strategies. The situation gave rise to a more argumentative and sparing medical-and-surgical approach to treatment based on a more in-depth understanding of the etiopathogenesis of the disease whereas surgery would remain of prime importance when appropriate. The following has been developed to improve treatment outcomes for AAA: 1) Multifactorial determination of indications for surgical correction with outlining the area of relative and absolute risk of aneurysm rupture; 2) Method of conservative treatment aimed to attain and maintain optimal blood pressure, target levels of cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins, as well as reduce oxidative and inflammatory processes in aorta, strengthen its wall, stabilize the disease and control co-morbidities. A four-year follow-up of patients using this developed technology has yielded more preferred results suggesting the need for narrowing indications for surgery to treat AAAs. Another advantage of the sparing approach to treat AAA is economic, due to fewer operations and implantations of stent-grafts, considering the fact that medical treatment should be used in operated subjects, too. KeywordsAneurysms, Descending Thoracic and Abdominal Aorta, Indications for Surgery, Surgical, K. V. Petrovich et al.

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