Hybrid interventions for the treatment of the complex aortic arch.

Open surgical replacement of the ascending and arch aorta is a formidable operation that requires extracorporeal circulation and hypothermic circulatory arrest, and may be associated with increased morbidity and mortality. In recent years, endoluminal graft therapy has been increasingly applied to the treatment of thoracic aortic pathologies with decreased morbidity, mortality, and risk of paraplegia. The hybrid approach combines various extra-anatomic debranching procedures with endoluminal graft therapy, providing a less invasive approach for the management of various complex thoracic arch pathologies without the morbidity and mortality associated with hypothermic circulatory arrest. This article reviews the hybrid approach for the management of various complex aortic arch pathologies.