The authors report 14 cases of aneurysms and/or dissections of the thoracic aorta, treated with deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest. There were 6 aneurysms of the aorta (1 of the ascending aorta, 3 of the aortic arch, 1 of the ascending aorta and aortic arch, 1 of the descending aorta) and 8 cases of aortic dissections. The patients were gradually colled down to 18ºC of nasopharingeal temperature. The mean circulatory arrest time was 35 minutes. There were 4 hospital deaths; 1 patient died in the operating room, from persistent surgical bleeding; 1 patient died from acute renal failure, which was already present in the pre-operative period; 1 patient died after an acute myocardial infarction followed by ventricular fibrillation; 1 patient died from pulmonary infection following a carebro-vascular accident. This was the only death directly related to the circulatory arrest technique. Among the 10 survivors, there were 2 patients who required prolonged ventilatory support and 4 minor neurological abnormalities with complete recovery. The technique of deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest proved to be a good alternative in the treatment of difficult aortic lesions.
thoracic aorta