Open surgical technique for thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections

Between June 1994 and August 1995, 15 patients were operated on for thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms in our clinic. The open technique was used in all patients. In three patients, aortocoronary bypass grafting was carried out before aneurysm surgery. The mean spinal cord ischaemia time was 20 minutes (range, 8-38 minutes) and the mean visceral ischaemia time was 31 minutes (range, 16-50 minutes). There was no paraplegia or oliguric renal failure as a postoperative complication. Two patients died, one as a result of duodenal necrosis and sepsis in the early postoperative period, the other of unknown causes. The other 13 patients were followed up for between one and 13 months. One patient had an anastomotic false aneurysm repair two months after surgery. In conclusion, surgery can be performed safely and with acceptable mortality in patients with thoracic and thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysms. Open surgical technique decreases the chance of the postoperative development of paraplegia and acute renal failure and increases the success of the operation.