Internal temporary aortic shunt for managing lesions of the descending thoracic aorta.

An intraaortic shunt was used to maintain distal organ perfusion during experimental descending aortic cross-clamping and graft interposition in the descending aorta. None of the dogs in which this form of shunt was employed developed paraplegia, whereas 60% of the dogs in which no adjunct was used during aortic cross-clamping became paraplegic.