Multidisciplinary management of the aortic arch: Benefits and keys to successful collaboration

In the modern era, the management of complex disease is often accomplished via a multidisciplinary approach. Aortic arch pathology is well suited to team-based management, given the inherent complexity associated with this anatomic domain. Multidisciplinary aortic teams allow for the improved care of a challenging subset of conditions. Management of aortic arch disease integrates medical therapy, genetics, open surgical procedures, and endovascular therapies to produce effective, safe, and durable solutions for patients. Given the complexity of the disease, no one specialty possesses all the necessary tools for comprehensive care and treatment. Multispecialty collaboration results in improved patient care through the standardization of treatment pathways. Such standardization allows for the establishment of quality benchmarks and promotes a shared understanding among all members of the treatment team. Furthermore, this approach can improve interactions among specialties and facilitate open communication and idea sharing. There may be significant institutional benefits to the adoption of a multidisciplinary aortic team, such as improved patient follow-up, increased patient referral, and improved cost-effectiveness of care. In this article, we discuss the benefits, challenges, and practical application of a multidisciplinary approach to the management of the aortic arch, with a specific focus on our own institutional pathway.