Preventing Large Residual False Lumen: Next Step in Evolution of Surgical Treatment of Debakey Type I Dissection

Abstract

Historically standard emergency open surgical repair of Debakey Type I dissections has focused on resecting the ascending aorta and addressing proximal complications to survive a catastrophic medical condition. The fact that the residual aorta almost always remained dissected was accepted by surgeons because they knew if the residual dissected aortic exhibited aneurysm formation, redo aortic surgery, although complicated, could be done at an elective setting. Over the past decade improved operative mortality rates for emergency repair of Debakey Type I dissections have led innovative surgeons to take interest in extending the extent of aortic repair at the time of the initial operation to address both acute malperfusion and long-term aneurysm formation.