[Open distal anastomosis or aortic balloon occlusion technique during complete aortic arch replacement]

The technique of open distal anastomosis or application of aortic balloon occlusion catheter designed to occlude the descending thoracic aorta have been used in 33 and 19 patients, respectively, to control bleeding during the procedure of distal anastomosis for complete aortic arch replacement with a prosthetic graft. These two techniques allowed us a simple approach to the lesion and the avoidance of clamp injury to the fragile aortic tissue. Open distal anastomosis was applied for 91% patients of operated aortic dissection and all emergent cases, it's duration ranged from 10 to 110 minutes with an average of 58 minutes under 18.2 degrees C of lowest esophageal temperature. On the other hand, aortic occlusion balloon was inserted for mainly true aortic aneurysm patients without an emergency, and helped to maintain the perfusion pressure on a lower part of body around 50 mmHg by the 1550 ml/min in an average of perfusion flow femoral artery under 21.2 degrees C of temperature. The difference of postoperative renal and liver function evaluated by serum enzyme levels of total bilirubin, GOT, GPT, LDH, creatinine and BUN did not reach to statistical significance between the patients using open distal anastomosis and balloon occlusion, however, the incidence of postoperative complication including either renal, liver dysfunction, abdominal problem or paraplegia was significantly higher in the patient group with open distal technique. Either open distal anastomosis or aortic balloon occlusion technique would be appropriately selected according to the patient's characteristics or the condition of aortic disease to be operated.