Long-term outcome after aortic arch replacement with a trifurcated graft

We describe the long-term results of aortic arch replacement using a trifurcated graft, including an assessment of survival, neurologic complications, and graft patency.

A retrospective review was conducted on data from 206 consecutive patients (125 male; median age, 67 years; range, 20-87 years) who had a trifurcated graft used for aortic arch replacement between September 1999 and September 2009. Seventy-four patients (35.9%) had chronic dissection, 68 patients (33.0%) had atherosclerotic aneurysms, and 39 patients (18.9%) had degenerative disease. Ninety-one patients (44.2%) had undergone previous cardiac surgery.

An elephant trunk was placed in 190 patients (92.2%) and completed in 101 patients (53.1%), with an interval of less than 365 days between stages in 94 of 101 patients. Hospital mortality was 6.8% (14/206). Adverse outcome (death/stroke within the first year postoperatively) occurred in 27.7% of patients (57/206; 50 deaths/7 strokes). Among 152 1-year survivors, the annual rates of transient ischemic attack and stroke were 0.85% and 1.1%, respectively. At 6 years, 75% of patients were still alive, compared with 92% in a matched New York State control population (P < .001). Follow-up computed tomography scans (189 studies in 176/206 patients [85.4%]) revealed 100% patency of the trifurcated graft limbs at a mean of 2.3 years.

Aortic arch replacement using a trifurcated graft is highly durable, with excellent patency in the branch grafts, and is associated with a low incidence of cerebral embolization. However, the long-term outcome in these patients is compromised by extensive comorbidities.