title: Outcomes of Anterolateral Thoracotomy With or Without Partial Sternotomy for Kommerell Diverticulum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Kommerell diverticulum is a rare aortic arch anomaly. The indications for operative intervention and surgical strategy are still controversial. The standard surgical procedure at our institution is total aortic arch plus descending aortic replacement using anterolateral thoracotomy with partial sternotomy. The aberrant subclavian artery is reconstructed anatomically or extraanatomically.
  
  
  METHODS
  From 2002 to 2014, 6 patients (1 woman), aged 55 to 78 years, underwent graft replacement through an anterolateral thoracotomy or anterolateral thoracotomy with a partial sternotomy approach for Kommerell diverticulum. All patients underwent graft replacement of the descending aorta or total aortic arch plus descending aorta in addition to aberrant subclavian artery reconstruction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No hospital deaths or major complications occurred. Recurrent nerve injury developed at discharge in 1 patient. All patients were well during the follow-up period (range, 11 to 116 months).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Kommerell diverticulum and its associated symptoms were surgically treated with acceptable outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. Electronic address: nrd15919@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Gaku
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uchino
authors.affiliation: Department of Endovascular Treatment for Structural Heart and Aortic Disease, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Keiji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yunoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoya
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sakoda
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.affiliation: Department of Endovascular Treatment for Structural Heart and Aortic Disease, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Munehiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saiki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasufumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fujita
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunikazu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hisamochi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yoshida
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D018376:Cardiovascular Abnormalities / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D056346:Sternotomy / Q000379:methods; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D013908:Thoracotomy / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed