"Cobrahead" graft for intercostal artery implantation during descending aortic replacement.
A technique for a separate sidearm graft ("cobrahead") to facilitate reattachment of intercostal arteries in descending aortic replacement is described. The technique allows for very prompt restoration of spinal cord blood flow (via a Y attachment from the arterial perfusion circuit). The technique permits a simple, quick, and fully accessible anastomosis, technically more facile than the traditional side-to-side anastomosis. None of 7 patients treated with this technique had early or late paraplegia. Preliminary computed tomographic follow-up scans confirm patency of the cobrahead graft.
Elefteriades
J A
JA
Sections of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06510, USA.
Coady
M A
MA
Nikas
D J
DJ
Kopf
G S
GS
Gusberg
R J
RJ
D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D001158:Arteries; D006801:Humans; D013909:Thorax / Q000098:blood supply*