RF04 AORTIC ARCH ANEURYSM: OUR SURGICAL EXPERIENCE

Background and aim: The introduction of the so-called “branch first technique” in the field of aortic arch surgery allowed cardiac surgeons to eliminate the need of performing the operation very quickly, which is a relevant problem of the traditional techniques of aortic arch reconstruction. In addition, operations are now performed at moderate hypothermic rather than deep hypothermic core temperature. Thus, neurological complications occur with less frequency in the surgically managed patients. Methods: We use these new techniques to avoid the risks of traditional aortic arch surgery. The main innovative aspects of our procedure includes: These modifications allow to preserve cerebral perfusion throughout the operation. Results: Our series is made up of 8 patients. We experienced neurological complications only in one patient with a previously implanted left carotid stent, probably due to a bad superior venous drainage. Conclusions: The modified “branch first technique” avoids the neurological risks of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest. This is a preliminary work about the use of this technique. Thus, a large number of patients is required to confirm our actual good results.