Endovascular treatment of acute Type A aortic dissection-the Endo Bentall approach.

Outcome after classical surgical repair of acute Type A aortic dissection has steadily improved over the years and several modifications in cannulation and perfusion added to this achievement. However, subgroups remain where results of classical surgical repair still have room for improvement, particularly patients with severe preoperative malperfusion as well as elderly patients with a limited physiological reserve. So far, only small case series or case reports have been published on the endovascular treatment of dissected ascending aortas. However, a tube alone is not sufficient to fix the entire complex underlying problem in the vast majority of patients with acute Type A aortic dissection. In addition, these published reports are either due to a favorable anatomy or due to very localized disease processes, which are the exception and not the rule. The concept of an endovascular valve-carrying conduit may significantly increase the number of patients suitable for endovascular therapy and it may soon be common practice.