Intraoperative Fenestration of Frozen Elephant Trunk (FET) and Total Arch Replacement for Aortic Dissection in Aberrant Subclavian Artery

Abstract

Background: Total arch replacement (TAR) and the frozen elephant trunk (FET) routinely are performed to treat aortic dissection. When aortic dissection combines with the aberrant right subclavian artery (aRSA), routine TAR+FET will occlude the ostium of aRSA. But there is no consensus regarding the optimal surgical strategy to revascularize the aRSA. We seek an uncomplicated and less time-intensive way to reconstruct the aRSA. Methods: From July 2020 to April 2022, six patients with aortic dissection and aRSA underwent TAR+FET and intraoperative fenestration on the descending trunk. The mean age of the patients was 51.7 (SD 16.2; range 30.0–72.0). TAR+FET was performed via a median sternotomy and under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and moderate hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA). A fenestra of descending trunk was made intraoperative. Results: There was no operative death in hospital and follow up. The average aortic cross-clamp time, SACP time, and lower body circulatory arrest time was 138.8 (SD 22.5; range 103.0–156.0) min and 28.3 (SD 3.9; range 25.0–35.0) min. Bleeding, neurological deficit, visceral ischemia, injury to the spinal cord, or organ dysfunction was not observed. Follow-up CTA showed the blood flow of aRSA was patent in all patients. Conclusion: TAR+FET and intraoperative fenestration on the descending trunk is an efficacious approach. It also reduces the difficulty of reconstruction the aRSA in aortic dissection patients.