Surgical treatment with wrapping of the moderately-dilated ascending aorta

The aim of this study is to present early and mid results associated with the treatment of dilatation of the ascending aorta using the wrapping technique.

A total of 54 patients (16 males, 38 females; mean age 56.9±12.7 years; range 21 to 77 years) who were subjected to the wrapping technique due to dilatation of the ascending aorta between January 2010 and Fabruary 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The Dacron grafts were used in all patients. Wrapping was performed in all patients in combination with the other cardiac surgical procedures. Wrapping was performed with aortoplasty in 32 patients and as an isolated procedure in 22 patients. Preoperative clinical findings, concomitant cardiac procedures, intraoperative parameters, postoperative early and long-term outcomes were evaluated. The ascending aorta and descending aorta diameters, ejection fraction, left ventricle end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters were measured using a computed tomography scan and/or transthoracic echocardiography after surgery, and was compared with the preoperative values.

The median follow-up was 3.8 (range, 1 to 7) years. No intraoperative complication associated with the wrapping procedure was reported in any of the patients. One patient died during the early postoperative period. Relapse-free intra-arterial fibrinolysis was used to correct postoperative cerebral infarct in one patient without any sequelae. Revision surgery was required in two patients due to bleeding and in another two patients due to sternal dehiscence. A postoperative decrease in the aortic diameter and an increase in the ejection fraction were found to be statistically significant. Findings such as sinus of Valsalva and distal aortic dilation, rupture, pseudoaneurysm, and graft mobilization were not observed during follow-up.

Our study results show that the wrapping techniques may be safely performed in patients with moderate dilatation of the aorta who do not require replacement of the ascending aorta.