Long-term outcome after surgical intervention and interventional procedures for the management of Takayasu's arteritis in children.
OBJECTIVE
There is little information available on the results of reconstructive arterial surgery for Takayasu's arteritis in children. This study evaluates midterm to long-term outcome after surgical, as well as interventional, procedures.


METHODS
From 1984 through 2004, 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls; age, 12.7 +/- 2.6 years) with Takayasu's arteritis were referred to our center. Baseline cardiovascular assessment included contrast angiography (n = 4), magnetic resonance imaging-angiography (n = 3), and combined contrast angiography plus magnetic resonance imaging-angiography (n = 3). Two patients had disease confined to the thoracic aorta, 4 had disease confined to the abdominal aorta, and 4 had combined thoracoabdominal aortic disease. Steno-occlusive lesions were predominant in 92% of cases. Seven patients were maintained on steroid therapy throughout the follow-up period. Eight children underwent complex surgical procedures, 1 patient had balloon dilatation of the renal and mesenteric arteries, and 1 patient had combined vascular surgery with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. Overall, 24 grafts (polytetrafluoroethylene, Dacron grafts, and cryopreserved homografts) were implanted in various locations.


RESULTS
There were no perioperative deaths. Arterial hypertension regressed in all patients, and cardiac function normalized in all 4 patients with dilative cardiomyopathy. Over a 20-year period, 1 patient presented with sudden death and 2 showed nonfatal disease progression, one of whom required surgical reintervention. The occlusion rate was higher in Dacron grafts.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study shows that despite the extent and severity of vascular lesions, children with Takayasu's arteritis could benefit from reconstructive surgery, with low mortality, morbidity, and satisfactory long-term results.
Kalangos
Afksendiyos
A
Clinic for Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. afksendyios.kalangos@hcuge.ch
Christenson
Jan T
JT
Cikirikcioglu
Mustafa
M
Vala
Dominique
D
Buerge
Anne
A
Simonet
François
F
Didier
Dominique
D
Beghetti
Maurice
M
Jaeggi
Edgar
E
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D013625:Takayasu Arteritis / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods