Abstract
The increasing use of total arch replacement and frozen elephant trunk (FET) is expected to lead to an increase in the prevalence of graft infections requiring replacement involving an FET, which is generally a more invasive procedure than the initial surgery. Herein, we describe a novel method for FET removal using a polyvinyl tube as the storage device. The procedure is completed using the same median sternotomy approach as the initial surgery. We report on the outcomes for six patients. Our procedure is simple to perform and safe and caused no injury to the aorta in our case series.
Highlights
Over the last decade, the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique has replaced the conventional elephant trunk procedure for the treatment of complex and extensive aortic arch aneurysms
Deep sternal wound infection (DSWI) is a rare but potentially devastating complication of the median sternotomy that is performed during cardiac surgery, with an incidence rate of 0.2–3% [1]
We have developed a novel approach for complete FET removal using a polyvinyl tube as the storage device via a median sternotomy; this technique is less invasive and can be completed within the same surgical field as the initial surgery
Summary
The frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique has replaced the conventional elephant trunk procedure for the treatment of complex and extensive aortic arch aneurysms. We have developed a novel approach for complete FET removal using a polyvinyl tube as the storage device via a median sternotomy; this technique is less invasive and can be completed within the same surgical field as the initial surgery. Our approach to removing the FET from the distal arch to the descending aorta uses a polyvinyl tube as a storage device and is performed via a median sternotomy.
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