Modification in aortic arch replacement surgery

Feng Gao, Yongjie Ye, Yongheng Zhang, Bo Yang

We modified the conventional aortic arch replacement procedure to avoid circulation arrest and a prolonged extracorporeal circulation time, especially in cases of acute aortic dissection. We herein present our experience with a modified branch-first approach to acute aortic dissection, with anastomosis of the supra aortic vessels prior to commencing cardiopulmonary bypass. Since 2012, 41 patients (aortic dissection, 36; arch aneurysm, 5) have undergone the modified procedure. Procedurally, the implanted graft was used as a landing zone for second-stage endovascular stent-graft deployment intended to manage the residual descending dissection. Antegrade and retrograde systemic perfusion was instituted during cardioplegic arrest. The brain was actively perfused via the graft throughout the procedure. Arch replacement surgery could generally be completed within approximately 4 h. During a 2-year period of aortic dissection or arch aneurysm treatment, only four anastomoses were required during the first stage of operation: two in the aorta, and one each in the innominate and left common carotid arteries. No patient died of surgical causes, and no stent grafts were deployed into the false lumen, a characteristic of procedures using traditionally antegrade deployment. We recommend that our procedure for acute aortic dissection be performed in two stages (graft replacement first and stent graft deployment second), particularly for patients underwent preoperative hypotesion. If malperfusion syndrome still exists after graft replacement, stent graft should be deployed in one stage. The arch aneurysm can be treated in one stage because there is no concern about false lumen deployment.