[Treatment of type A aortic dissection by exclusive glueing]

From 1984 to 1990, 24 patients suffering from type A aortic dissection were treated by directly suturing the entry orifice of the dissection and glueing (gelatin-resorcin-formaldehyde glue) the dissected aortic tunicae, without any prosthetic replacement. Associated aortic insufficiency in 21 patients was treated by valve replacement (8 patients) or plasty (8 patients). Deep hypothermia with circulatory arrest was required in 13 patients, whose aortic arch was involved by the dissection. All patients survived the operation. All these patients were followed up from 6 to 60 months. All were controlled with Doppler echography. In addition, 21 of them were examined with angiography, 17 with CT and 5 with MRI. 21 patients had an ascending aorta and an apparently normal aortic arch. Limited dissection of the descending aorta, requiring no second surgery, was noted in 2 patients. Persisting dissection of the descending aorta was present in 13 patients. Valve replacement was necessary 18 months later in 1 patient. Heart transplantation was necessary 14 months later in a patient suffering from associated cardiomyopathy. These results demonstrate that aortic glueing is effective and safe in the middle term for the treatment of aortic dissection.