COMPOSITE GRAFT REPLACEMENT OF THE AORTIC-VALVE AND ASCENDING AORTA WITH CABROL TECHNIQUE

Replacement of the aortic valve, root and ascending aorta with the tec hnique first described by Cabrol was performed on 17 patients. In five cases the aortic arch was also replaced. The indications were type A aortic dissection with aortic insufficiency (8 cases, with acute disse ction in 7), native endocarditis with severe aortic insufficiency and aortic root abscess (3 cases), prosthetic endocarditis (3), and true a neurysm of the ascending aorta with aortic insufficiency (3). Acute su rgery was performed in 15 cases (88%). The overall operative mortality was 41%. For the patients discharged from hospital the mean observati on time was 30 months. None died, but in one case the right leg of the interposition graft became occluded and reoperation was required 40 m onths after the primary operation for acute type A dissection. The des cribed technique of aortic valve and root displacement can be used in all cases in which use of a composite graft is indicated, except in si tuations where the coronary ostia and arteries are damaged by acute di ssection.