[Surgical treatment of dissecting aneurysms of the aortic arch]

Since May 1987 to May 1988, 8 cases of dissecting aneurysms of the aortic arch were treated surgically at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery. Justus-Liebig University. Four cases were Standford A type and 4 were Stanford B type. All the patients were operated on under deep hypothermia (20 degrees C) and circulatory arrest, and aneurysms were repaired using pre-clotting graft without clamping the aortic arch. Bleeding from anastomosis line was controlled by fibrin coagulum. In addition, the auto-blood transfusion was applied using the cell saver system. This procedure could be performed in a short circulatory arrest and cardiac ischemic time. Seven patients were alive and discharged without neurological complication. Only one patient died because of the carotid artery dissection to the aortic dissection on the 2nd. post-operative days the clinical results were almost satisfactory. It appeared that surgical repair for dissecting aneurysm of the aortic arch could be performed safely and easily by this surgical technique and the know-how.