"Cobrahead" graft for intercostal artery implantation during descending aortic replacement

A technique for a separate sidearm graft ("cobrahead") to facilitate reatta chment of intercostal arteries in descending aortic replacement is describe d. The technique allows for very prompt restoration of spinal cord blood fl ow (via a Y attachment from the arterial perfusion circuit). The technique permits a simple, quick, and fully accessible anastomosis, technically more facile than the traditional side-to-side anastomosis. None of 7 patients t reated with this technique had early or late paraplegia. preliminary comput ed tomographic follow-up scans confirm patency of the cobrahead graft. (C) 2000 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.