TREATMENT: TOTAL ARCH

The aortic arch consists of the curved part of the aorta where 3 blood vessels come off that supply the head, neck and arms.  Operating on this part of the body involves complex management of circulation to the brain and lower body in order to visualize and sew.

Intraoperative photograph of total arch replacement with individual reanastomoses of all 3 head vessels.

The operation is done via a midline sternotomy incision. The patient is placed on the heart lung machine. The aneurysm in the arch is resected and a Dacron graft is sewn to the proximal descending aorta and individual bypasses are done to the head vessels.

Illustration of ascending and aortic arch aneurysm and completed repair.