The authors report their experience with 14 patients who underwent correction of aneurysms of the aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta, utilizing a technique based on aortic exclusion. The approach was accomplished with an ascending abdominal aortic by-pass, and the aneurysm was isolated with a ligature of the aorta above and below it. In 5 patients, this ligature was done with staplers. Six patients died in the immediate post-operative period, mainly from preoperative clinical condition related to acute aortic dissection of the descending thoracic aorta. Severn patients have been followed from 6 months to 4 years and all of them showed a progressive reduction of the aneurysmal sac.
aneurysms, thoracic aorta