TREATMENT: ACUTE TYPE B DISSECTION

Open repair is also known as open heart surgery and involves general anesthesia, or ‘being put under,’ and having the breastbone divided to open the chest for access to the heart. The surgeon will use a bypass machine to allow good blood flow throughout the body while the diseased section of the aorta is removed and replaced with a nylon graft. The surgeon will then ensure the graft is functioning properly with no leaks and will close the chest wall with surgical stainless steel wires and suture the skin. Patients can expect to remain in hospital for 7-10 days.