New surgical approach to aortic dissection: flow reversal and thromboexclusion.

With the aim of decreasing the complications and mortality associated with the current techniques for aortic dissections, we have developed an operation which consists of bypassing the dissected aorta and creating flow reversal in the dissected segment. Seven patients with either acute (five) or chronic aortic dissections (two) were operated upon successfully, with no early or late deaths. Three transient postoperative complications were encountered: low cardiac output, hemiparesis, and renal insufficiency. Postoperative arteriography was performed in five patients and demonstrated exclusion of the dissected lesions by thrombosis following flow reversal in the descending aorta. Follow-up is available from 2 to 28 months (average 13 months), with no long-term complications.