SURGICAL-CORRECTION OF AORTIC DISEASE USING INTRALUMINAL, CRIMPED BOVINE PERICARDIAL GRAFT

We propose the use of a crimped bovine pericardial graft joined to a r igid and grooved ring for the treatment of aortic dissections and aneu rysms. This device was developed to support common tubular vascular pr ostheses of any material, length, diameter, or form, transforming them into intraluminal ones during the surgical procedure. During March 19 89 to May 1994, 74 patients underwent an operation on the aorta in whi ch this intraluminal ring, prepared from a tubular prosthesis of bovin e pericardium, was used. Twenty-seven patients had an acute type A aor tic dissection, 6 had an acute type B aortic dissection, 10 had annulo aortic ectasia, 6 had a descending aortic aneurysm, 3 had a thoracoabd ominal aneurysm, and 22 had an abdominal aneurysm. The global mortalit y rate of 10.8% in the immediate postoperative period cannot be relate d to the surgical technique or the type of prosthesis used. We conclud e from our findings that this modification of the sutureless intralumi nal graft, which allows it to be used to replace diseased segments of the aorta, affords the quickest and simplest means of repair and is at tended by the least likelihood of anastomotic complications.