title: Open Stented Grafts for Frozen Elephant Trunk Technique: Technical Aspects and Current Outcomes.
abstract: With growing experience in patients with aneurysms and dissections in the arch and proximal descending aorta, the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique has been shown to be safe and effective, and has achieved favorable short to mid-term outcomes. As the FET technique is gaining wider acceptance, there is a growing need for versatile, technically simple, and highly durable open stented grafts involving less complicated deployment mechanisms enabling use in various indications. This paper gives a brief review on the technical aspects and clinical outcomes of currently available open stented grafts used in the FET technique, including the E-vita Open Plus, Thoraflex Hybrid, Cronus, and J Graft. While none of these grafts can claim to be an ideal device, technology continues to improve towards this goal. As newer devices and systems are developed, more widespread use of the FET technique can be expected; such progress promises to improve the clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients with complex aortic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Vascular Prostheses, Beijing, China; Aortic Institute at Yale-New Haven, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: Wei-Guo
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Vascular Prostheses, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Institute of Heart, Lung and Blood Vessel Diseases, and Beijing Engineering Research Center of Vascular Prostheses, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Li-Zhong
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Aortic Institute at Yale-New Haven, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Elefteriades
keywords: Aneurysm; Aorta; Aortic dissection; Blood vessel prosthesis implantation; Frozen elephant trunk; Stents; Surgery