Safety and efficacy of central cannulation through ascending aorta for type A aortic dissection

The femoral and axillary arteries are common arterial cannulation sites for repair of type A dissection. However, these peripheral approaches involve certain problems. From January 2002 to August 2009, a total of 77 patients underwent emergency surgery for acute type A dissection. Central cannulation was applied in 26 patients and peripheral cannulation in 51. The arterial cannulation site was decided according to preoperative computed tomography findings, the patient's condition, and intraoperative epiaortic ultrasonography findings. Central cannulation was avoided in cases of cardiac tamponade with shock. A cannula was inserted under ultrasound guidance using the Seldinger technique. Preoperative patient comorbidities and dissection-related complications were equally distributed between the two groups. Central cannulation was successfully performed in all 26 cases without incident. Operation time, cardiopulmonary bypass time, mean intubation time and mean intensive care unit stay duration were significant shorter in the central group. One patient (4%) died in the central group compared with four patients (8%) in the peripheral group (P=0.45). Direct central cannulation was successful for repair of type A dissection in selected patients and produced equal or superior surgical data to peripheral cannulation, thus providing one option in the approach to this condition.