title: Repair of aortic false aneurysm using deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aortic false aneurysms are a rare complication of surgery of the aorta that can occur several months to years after the initial operation. We reviewed our results with false aneurysm repair using deep hypothermia and circulatory arrest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients were reoperated on for false aneurysm of either the ascending or descending thoracic aorta. Femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass with full-dose aprotinin and a heparinized system was used in all patients. Hypothermic circulatory arrest at an average of 20 degrees C was instituted in all patients for repair. Six patients had a patch repair with either polyethylene terephthalate fiber (Dacron) or bovine pericardium, 4 had tube replacement of the aorta, and 1 had primary repair of the defect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three patients had false aneurysm formation at a site of coarctation repair in the descending aorta, and the 8 others had false aneurysms in the ascending aorta at the site of a previous aortotomy. Six patients had proven infection as the cause; the causative agent was Staphylococcus species in all cases. Mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 178 +/- 51 minutes, and circulatory arrest time averaged 39 +/- 18 minutes. Operative mortality was 18% (2 of 11); the cause of death was cardiogenic shock in both patients. The mean time to extubation in survivors was 5 days, and the average time to discharge was 16 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although mediastinal infection is a common cause, aortic false aneurysms can be safely approached using femorofemoral cardiopulmonary bypass, hypothermic circulatory arrest, and patch repair with acceptable operative mortality and long-term survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Research Center of the Montreal Heart Institute and the University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dumont
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carrier
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cartier
authors.forename: Michel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellerin
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.forename: Denis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bouchard
authors.forename: Louis P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Perrault
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000601:surgery*; D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000601:surgery; D001025:Aortitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D001705:Bioprosthesis; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D005260:Female; D006324:Heart Arrest, Induced; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008480:Mediastinitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000150:complications; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000150:complications; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates