Wrapping of the Ascending Aorta in Acute Type A Retrograde Aortic Dissection

We describe off-pump wrapping of the ascending aorta in 3 high-risk patients with acute type A aortic dissection when the primary intimal tear was not located in the ascending aorta and in the absence of aortic insufficiency. A Teflon plaque (Bard Inc, Murray Hill, NJ) was tailored to tightly wrap the aorta from the coronary ostia to the innominate artery. The mean age of the patients was 80.3 years. All patients were at high risk for conventional surgery. A postoperative computed tomographic scan showed a reapplication of the intimal flap and containment of the false lumen in the reinforced ascending aorta in all patients. (Ann Thorac Surg 2011; 92:e49-50) (C) 2011 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons