The authors report their experience with the treatment of descending aorta aneurysms and dissection with or without arch involvement using an intraluminal auto-expandible prosthesis surgically inserted through the aortic arch. Eleven patients were operated on, nine were male and age varied from 49 to 78. The diagnosis was aneurysm in six (ruptured in two) and dissection in five (acute in two, ruptured in one). Four patients had associated surgical lesions: coronary artery disease (one), ascending aorta aneurysm (one), arch aneurysm (one) and aortic valve incompetence (one). All patients were operated under deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest and the prosthesis was introduced through longitudinal aortotomy in the arch. In four patients associated procedures were performed: aortic valve replacement (one), ascending aorta replacement (two), arch replacement (one) and coronary artery bypass (one). There was an intraoperative death due to intraoperative ascending aorta dissection and two hospital deaths due to multiple complications. Eight patients were discharged, one of them died three months after the operation. All the survivors were well and underwent image studies through image means that showed adequate correction of the aortic disease. The authors conclude that the use of endoluminal expansible prosthesis technique simplifies the operation and corrects the aortic disease. The morbidity and mortality observed is due to other factor independent of the technique
Blood vessel prosthesis implantation; Aortic aneurysms; Aortic aneurysms; Aorta; Aorta
