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A 70-year-old male underwent a transthoracic echocardiography as a screening test for hypertension and an unruptured aneurysm was detected in the right sinus of Valsalva. The right sinus of Valsalva aneurysm obstructed the right ventricle outflow tract but he did not have any symptoms. The sinus of Valsalva aneurysm was treated successfully by a patch closure with a bovine pericardial patch.

Background: Aortic root replacement (ARR) combined with aortic arch replacement (AAR) is an invasive procedure even in elective cases. Nevertheless, such combined operations are often mandatory in acute type A aortic dissection. We examined whether emergency operation might have further incremental risks compared with elective surgery in this type of operations., Methods: Forty-six cases of ARR combined with AAR were divided into 2 groups, the emergency (EM) group and the elective (EL) group. The EM group consisted of 10 cases of acute type A aortic dissection, whereas the EL group of 36:23 of chronic aortic dissection and 13 of true aneurysm., Results: There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups in the durations of aortic crossclamp, selective cerebral perfusion and cardiopulmonary bypass. The incidences in the EM and EL groups were as follows:in-hospital death; 0 vs 3( 8%), respiratory failure; 4 (40%) vs 14 (39%), renal failure; 0 vs 6 (17%), IABP requirement; 1 (10%) vs 3 (8%), and cerebral infarction; 0 vs 1 (3%), respectively., Conclusion: Early surgical results of emergency ARR combined with AAR were almost equal to those in elective surgery.

Background: It is crucial to expose the proximal aorta in distal aortic repair, i.e., replacement of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) or the thoracoabdominal aorta (TAA), after aortic arch replacement. With the elephant trunk (ET), it is usually easy to expose and clamp it. On the other hand, without the ET, it may be difficult or impossible to expose the proximal aorta and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA) will be required., Methods: Between April 1989 and March 2007, 17 patients underwent distal aortic repair after aortic arch replacement. Five patients underwent replacement of DTA and 12 of TAA. Five patients without the ET needed DHCA and open proximal anastomosis [OP (+) group], while in 12 patients, the ET or proximal aorta was successfully clamped [OP (-) group]., Results: The mean extracorporeal circulation time in OP (+) group was significantly longer than that in OP (-) group (415 +/- 131 min v.s. 267 +/- 109 min, p < 0.05). There was no hospital death, cerebral infarction, fatal arrhythmia or low output syndrome in either group, and paraplegia in 2 patients and renal failure requiring hemodialysis in one were found only in OP (+) group., Conclusion: The ET procedure enables to avoid DHCA and may contribute to improving operative results in distal aortic repair after aortic arch replacement.

A 65-year-old man developed graft infection 3 years after total aortic arch replacement for a chronic dissecting aneurysm. Redo total aortic arch replacement was performed using an extended homograft following 2 days of open drainage of the mediastinum. The patient has been free from a recurrent mediastinitis over the last 3 years.

The pathophysiological significance of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in aortic dissection remains poorly understood. The purpose of the present study is to clarify the significance of MMPs in aortic dissection. The activities and distributions of MMP-2, membrane-type 1-MMP (MT1-MMP), and MMP-9 were evaluated by gelatin zymography, immunohistochemistry, and in situ hybridization in 29 patients and seven autopsy cases. To assess if these MMPs are related to a tissue remodeling process, we compared the expression of these MMPs with that of type I procollagen and platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta chain (PDGF Rbeta). Patients were divided into three groups based on histological findings: acute, intermediate, and healed groups. The most remarkable changes were observed in the intermediate group, in which MMP-2 activity peaked and tissue expression of mRNAs for MMP-2 and MT1-MMP were observed in spindle-shaped cells in the neointima, organizing thrombus, and the adventitia. These expression patterns were essentially coupled with those of type I procollagen mRNA and PDGF-Rbeta protein. The association of MMP-2, MT1-MMP, type I procollagen, and PDGF-Rbeta suggests that MMP-2 and MT1-MMP could be involved not only in the degradation of aortic tissue but also in tissue remodeling, which may be associated with the healing process.

Objectives: Wrapping methods have been widely used to reinforce the anastomotic site in vascular surgery; however, postoperative changes in the aortic wall wrapped by nonbiodegradable felt have not been well characterized. The purposes of this investigation are to elucidate the sequelae of wrapping with nonbiodegradable felt on the aortic wall and to modify those changes by using biodegradable felt with or without basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF)., Methods: The descending thoracic aortas of 15 beagles were wrapped with three different materials: nonbiodegradable polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) felt, biodegradable polyglycol acid (PGA) material, and PGA with 100 microg bFGF (n = 5 in each group). The descending thoracic aorta was resected after 3 months. The thickness of the aortic wall, vessel density in the media and the adventitia, and the wall strength were assessed. Untreated native aortic wall served as a normal control., Results: The thickness of the media of the PTFE group was lower than that of the PGA + bFGF group (66% +/- 5% vs 85% +/- 6% of control, P < .05). The adventitia-media ratio in the PTFE group decreased compared with controls (59.1% of normal, P < 0.05), whereas those in the PGA and PGA + bFGF groups increased (172.1% and 189.6% of normal, respectively, P < .01). The collagen-smooth muscle ratio in the media was higher in the PTFE group than in the controls (0.14 +/- 0.02 vs 0.07 +/- 0.01, P < .01). The number of vessels in the adventitia was higher in the PGA + bFGF group than those in PTFE or PGA groups (29.6 +/- 2.5/mm2 vs 6.4 +/- 0.8/mm2, 19.0 +/- 1.1/mm2, P < .01). The PGA + bFGF group demonstrated larger failure force than the PTFE group (4.0 +/- 0.3 kgf vs 1.6 +/- 0.3 kgf, P < .01). The failure stress in the PGA and PGA + bFGF groups was larger than that in PTFE group (PTFE:PGA + bFGF = 5.3 +/- 0.9 x10(2) kPa:11.7 +/- 1.7 x 10(2) kPa, P < .01; PTFE:PGA = 5.3 +/- 0.9 x 10(2) kPa:11.2 +/- 1.2 x 10(2) kPa, P < .05)., Conclusion: The aortic wall wrapped with nonbiodegradable PTFE felt showed a reduced thickness and diminished vessels in the adventitia. Biodegradable felt (PGA), with or without bFGF, modified these histologic changes. The vessel-rich thickened adventitia, after wrapping by PGA with bFGF, was associated with increased aortic wall strength., Clinical Relevance: This investigation was conducted in an attempt to elucidate mechanisms underlying the occurrence of late postoperative false aneurysm after aortic surgery. We hypothesized that sustaining compression of the aorta by the felt strip may cause structural derangement and local ischemia on the aortic wall. We used a simple wrapping of the aorta with a felt strip rather than a felt strip at anastomotic sites to simplify the experimental model and to exclude confounding factors brought by technical inconsistency on the surgical anastomosis. We further attempted to find a clue for preventing adverse effects of wrapping with a conventional felt strip. Practically, we pursued a possible application of a biodegradable felt strip to aortic wrapping in our experimental model before we proceed in a clinical application of the new material.

Objective: Most previous reports on intramural hematoma of the aorta have focused on the initial episode. The purpose of this study was to clarify the long-term outcome of intramural hematoma of the aorta., Methods: Ninety-four cases of intramural hematoma of the aorta (41 type A and 53 type B) were reviewed. There were 69 male and 25 female patients, and their mean age was 66.7 +/- 8.7 years (range, 46-88 years)., Results: Eleven (27%) of the patients with type A hematoma and 1 (2%) of the patients with type B hematoma underwent early surgical intervention. Others were treated medically, and the overall hospital mortality was 7% for patients with type versus 2% for patients with type B intramural hematomas of the aorta (P =.315). Twenty-three patients, 9 (22%) with type A and 14 (26%) with type B intramural hematomas of the aorta, underwent late surgical intervention during the follow-up period, and there were no hospital deaths. A total of 23 patients died during the follow-up period, including 6 of intramural hematoma of the aorta-related deaths (3 in the type A group and 3 in the type B group). The estimated freedom from intramural hematoma of the aorta-related events at 1 and 5 years was 70% +/- 8% and 54% +/- 11% for the type A group versus 73% +/- 6% and 58% +/- 8% for the type B group, respectively (P =.972). After excluding the nonintramural hematoma of the aorta-related deaths, the survival rates at 5 and 10 years were 80% +/- 9% and 80% +/- 9% for the type A group and 91% +/- 8% and 81% +/- 11% for the type B group (P =.211)., Conclusions: Intramural hematoma of the aorta-related events occur equally in both types of intramural hematoma of the aorta. We recommend close follow-up for at least 5 years because most intramural hematoma of the aorta-related events occur during this period.

To identify significant predictors of late mortality, multivariate analysis were applied to the clinical outcome of 150 consecutive patients with true aneurysm of the ascending aorta and/or aortic arch operated between January, 1987 and December, 2000. Mean follow-up was 53.0 months with a total of 6,682 patient-months of follow-up. Multivariate analysis revealed that operation date (before December, 1996), presence of preoperative cerebrovascular disease, rupture and postoperative phrenic nerve palsy were independent determinants of late mortality. The overall 5-year and 10-year actuarial survival rates were 66.0% and 48.2%. The 5-year and 10-year event free rate of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular death were 88.9% and 71.7%. Preoperative evaluation of the brain, operation prior to aneurysm rupture and phrenic nerve protection during operation is necessary to improve long-term survival rate.

A 62-year-old woman with a history of esophageal resection and colon interposition with anterosternal subcutaneous tunnel required replacement of the ascending aorta due to dissecting aortic aneurysm. Preoperative three-dimensional computed tomography enabled us to reveal that right thoracotomy could offer an ascending aortic operation. The patient underwent successful operation under hypothermic circulatory arrest and the right anterolateral thoracotomy provided safe exposure of the diseased ascending aorta even when the suprasternal tunnel precluded conventional median sternotomy.

Between 1988 and 1997, 69 patients underwent surgery for acute aortic dissection: 65 patients had an acute type A (AcA) and 8 an acute type B (AcB) aortic dissection. The hospital mortalities were 16.9% for AcA and 25% for AcB. Actuarial survival rates including hospital deaths after 5 and 8 years were 70% and 58% for AcA patients and no late death or cardiovascular event occurred in AcB patients during follow-up periods. Freedom from cardiovascular events was 88% and 70% at 5 and 8 years, and freedom from reoperation was 94% at 5 and 8 years for operative survivors of AcA. There were no differences on actuarial survival rates between ascending aortic repair and arch repair, ringed-graft and suture anastomosis, and postoperatively patent false lumen and closed false lumen. There were no differences on freedom from cardiovascular events between ascending aortic repair and arch repair, and ringed-graft and suture anastomosis, however, patients with postoperatively patent false lumen showed significantly lower freedom from cardiovascular events registering 85% and 59% at 5 and 8 years compared with 94% at 5 and 8 years in patients with closed false lumen.

The purpose of this study is to analyze our treatment experience on patients with ascending aortic aneurysms, with aortic regurgitation. From January 1974 to December 1995, 49 patients underwent replacement of the aortic valve and ascending aorta with a composite graft, in which primary operation cases were 44 and reoperation ones were 5. The Bentall technique was used in 20 patients, the button technique in 11, the interposition graft technique in 11, and a combination of the interposition graft and button technique in 7. All but one reoperation cases underwent the interposition graft technique. Hospital mortality was 30% for the Bentall technique, and 9.1% for the button technique and 9.1% for the interposition graft technique; there was no hospital mortality in the combination of the interposition graft and button technique. Hospital mortality of interposition graft technique in primary operation cases was 9.1%, and that in reoperation cases was 0%. Hospital mortality in patients underwent from 1974 to 1985 was 30.8%, 27.8% from 1986 to 1991, and 0% from 1992 to 1995. Five late deaths occurred in the Bentall group (35.7%) and one late death in the button technique (9.1%). Not late deaths in the other groups have occurred. In summary, operative mortality in Bentall technique group was higher than that of the other groups. Operative results were improved by the change of operative methods. The interposition graft technique is preferable for patients undergoing reoperation or when tension on the ostial anastomoses may occur. The button technique is best for patients with aortic dissection or inflammation involving the coronary ostia.

Optimal treatment for patients with uncomplicated type B dissection remains a matter of debate. From January, 1987, through June, 1996, 43 patients with acute type B dissection were treated exclusively by medical therapy according to our management guidelines. After discharge, aortography and enhanced computed tomography were performed every 6 months to evaluate the diameter of the dissected aorta. All 43 patients survived the acute phase and were discharged alive from the hospital. There was no death related to aortic dissection. Three patients underwent surgical treatment in the chronic phase because of aortic enlargement. Aortic enlargement in 3 additional patients was managed medically. The values for freedom from aortic enlargement for 43 patients at 1, 3, and 5 years were 100%, 91%, and 86%, respectively. The long-term survival rates of patients treated medically and discharged from the hospital are acceptable.

From January of 1987 to July of 1994, 83 patients with acute aortic dissection were treated at our institution. Of these, 7 patients (8%) sustained acute leg ischemia. Angiography showed that one patient had arterial occlusion at the abdominal aorta, three had occlusion at the right common iliac artery, and one had severe right common iliac artery stenosis. Four patients with acute type A dissection underwent emergency replacement of the aortic arch and/or ascending aorta. Three of them were discharged, but one patient died due to renal failure and multiple organ failure. In three patients with acute type B dissection, one with aortic rupture was successfully treated by replacement of the descending thoracic aorta; of the other two who received bypass operations for leg ischemia, one died due to myonephropathic metabolic syndrome and sepsis which were caused by a delay in surgery. In conclusion, emergency thoracic aortic repair should be performed in acute type A dissection with leg ischemia, whereas bypass operation for ischemic leg should be considered in patients of acute type B dissection with leg ischemia when they are not complicated with rupture or visceral ischemia.

During last 7 years, we performed 24 operations on the thoracoabdominal aorta. There were 9 true and 15 dissecting aneurysms. There were two cases of ruptured aneurysm and thoracoabdominal replacement was performed as a last stage operation for total aortic replacement in 4 cases. Three cases with aortic dissection died within 30 days after surgery. Femoro-femoral bypass was used in 4 cases (1 case died of brain damage, paraplegia and MOF), left heart bypass in 5 cases and separate perfusion of upper and lower body (SPULB) under deep hypothermia in 7 cases (2 cases died of LOS and cerebrovascular accident occurred at 2 weeks after operation) and SPULB with mild hypothermia in 8 cases for circulatory support. There was one case of renal dysfunction and transient mild liver dysfunction occurred in 7 cases. There was no evidence on relationship between surgical outcome and methods of circulatory supports, but we recently prefer SPULB under mild hypothermia for thoracoabdominal surgery since intraoperative massive bleeding and cardiac arrest can be easily treated and major organs can be protected by introducing hypothermia in this perfusion technique.

From 1987 to February of 1994, 42 cases of acute aortic dissection and 31 cases of chronic dissection have been operated in out institution. Our surgical technique for the treatment of aortic dissection is a tubular graft replacement following a resection of the segment of aorta containing the intimal tear. The location of the entry was, therefore, important to determine the extension of graft replacement and to select the circulatory support method during operation. 52%, 33% and 14% of cases in acute aortic dissection had entries in ascending, arch and descending aorta, respectively. Entries of 52%, 32% and 16% of cases in chronic dissection located in ascending, arch and descending aorta, respectively. In cases with the entry in ascending aorta, ascending aorta and partial aortic arch replacement was performed in 12 and 10, respectively, for acute dissection, whereas more extensive graft replacement procedure was selected for chronic dissection including complete arch replacement in three cases and two of them had concomitant Bentall type operation. Likewise, with the entry in aortic arch, partial arch replacement was performed more often in 9 than complete arch replacement in 5 for acute dissection, on the other hand, complete arch replacement procedure tended to be preferable in 6 cases for chronic dissection. For retrograde dissection with the entry in descending aorta, ascending aorta and complete arch replacement were performed in 4 and 6 cases, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Between September 1989 and May 1994, 3 patients with aortic dissection and one with atherosclerotic total aortic aneurysm associated with annuloaortic ectasia underwent successful staged operation for aneurysm of the entire aorta and aortic regurgitation. A composite graft was used for total aortic root replacement. Carbrol and Piehler techniques, Carrel patch and saphenous vein grafting were employed for coronary artery reconstruction. En bloc arch reconstruction was performed in one patient and three vessels graft replacement in 3 patients under hypothermic separate cerebral perfusion. Combined antegrade with retrograde oxygenated crystalloid cardioplegia and terminal warm blood cardioplegia were used for myocardial protection during prolonged aortic cross clamping in a simultaneous total aortic root and arch replacement. Elephant trunk was used at the distal arch anastomosis in 3 patients and useful for following thoracoabdominal surgery. In 3 patients, separate perfusion of upper and lower body technique with moderate hypothermia was employed and seemed to be useful in the patients who require extensive thoracoabdominal replacement to prevent spinal cord injury. All patients had no major complications and have been well.

Between 1986 and 1990, 24 patients with Stanford type A dissection (acute; 14, chronic; 10) underwent surgery through median sternotomy. The patients were divided into two groups by a duration of postoperative ICU stay for respiratory care. Six patients in the long-period group stayed in ICU for more than 15 days and 18 patients in the short-period group stayed for less than 15 days after surgery. Acuity of disease, age, sex, operation time, pump time, aortic clamp time, lowest esophageal temperature, amount of blood transfusion, arch manipulation for cerebral perfusion with or without arch reconstruction, occurrence of phrenic nerve palsy and other postoperative complications, postoperative cardiac, hepatic and renal functions were compared between two groups. Conclusions are as follows: 1) Arch manipulation for cerebral perfusion with or without arch reconstruction, phrenic nerve palsy, other complications (pericardial and pleural fluid accumulation, recurrent nerve palsy, postoperative bleeding and coronary spasm) and high serum creatinine level were main factors for prolonged postoperative ICU stay for respiratory care and 2) arch manipulation in the patients with chronic type A aortic dissection induced high incidence of phrenic nerve palsy.

Between 1986 and 1990, 69 patients underwent surgery either for thoracic aneurysm (27 patients) or aortic dissection (42 patients). Sixty one patients (88%) survived and 8 patients (12%) died after surgery. Main determinants of deaths in 4 patients with true arch aneurysm were bleeding from the sites of aortic clamping or anastomosis and intraoperative severe LOS. Three patients with acute type A dissection died from bleeding due to clamp injury or myocardial ischemia. The cause of death in the patient with chronic type B dissection was associated with brain damage due to hypoxia developed during left heart bypass. Postoperative cardiac, pulmonary, hepatic and renal functions were analyzed in the operative survivors. Cardiac functions were maintained well in all patients except two patients with chronic type A dissection. Four patients, one with true arch aneurysm, 2 with chronic type A and one with chronic type B dissection, required tracheostomy. The mean of maximum total serum bilirubin exceeded 4 mg/dl in the patients with true arch aneurysm, acute and chronic type A dissection. The level of serum creatinine showed slight increase in all patients but prophylactic peritoneal dialysis was performed in one patient with chronic type A dissection. In conclusion, the cause of deaths in most patients with thoracic aneurysm was due to inappropriate operative techniques and circulatory supports during surgery. Without the complication described above, the patients could tolerate surgery well.

A 32-year-old male with Marfan's syndrome was admitted to our Department in June, 1989 due to severe back pain that was diagnosed as type III-b dissecting aneurysm. His infrarenal abdominal aorta and bilateral iliac arteries had been replaced in another clinic in 1984 due to true aortic aneurysm. Two years later, Carbrol's operation was performed in our Department for the late development of DeBakey type II dissecting aneurysm. DSA and CT studies indicated the need for total replacement of the entire remaining aorta, since diffuse and extensive dilatation of the false lumen and the presence of an intimal tear at the origin of the left carotid artery were demonstrated. The arch and upper descending thoracic aorta were replaced in June, 1989, and replacement of the total remaining thoracoabdominal aorta was carried out under left heart bypass on September 26, 1989. Abdominal branch arteries and intercostal arteries of the 9th to 11th levels were reattached to the graft as onlay patches. Hoarseness of voice was the only complication. The patient recovered uneventfully and returned to his job after discharge. Although the native aorta had been completely replaced, ambulatory monitoring of the patient's pressure and ECG, performed two months after the operation, showed the normal reflex.

Between 1982 and 1990, 61 patients underwent the repair of dissecting aneurysm. Retrograde perfusion from the unilateral femoral artery were performed for 56 patients and the selective false lumen perfusion occurred in 3 patients. As for those 3 patients, compression of the true lumen and insufficient cerebral perfusion were suspected. Selective cerebral perfusion and antegrade systemic perfusion from the ascending aortic graft were performed. Although 2 patients took uneventful postoperative courses, 1 patient died of massive brain damage. It is very important to accomplish the means to maintain adequate cerebral circulation as soon as possible toward this fetal complication.

To analyze causes of postoperative hepatic and renal dysfunction in patients with thoracic aneurysm, we examined 31 patients who survived surgeries and 2 patients died of MOF. The patients were separated into three groups as follows; Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used for circulatory support in group A (n = 7), CPB and low flow perfusion during open distal anastomosis in group B (n = 13) and temporary bypass or left atrial distal aorta arterial bypass was used in group C (n = 11). Operation time was significantly longer in group A (9.8 hrs) compared with group C (6.1 hrs). Amount of intraoperative blood transfusion was greater in groups A (4980 ml) and B (4860 ml) compared with group C (2320 ml). Postoperative highest total bilirubin level was significantly greater in group A (7.8 mg/dl) than group C (2.5 mg/dl). LDH was higher in groups A (1322 IU/l) and B (1336 IU/l) than group C (991 IU/l). GOT was higher in group B (200 IU/l) than group C (64 IU/l). There were no significant differences in GPT, creatinine and BUN among the three groups. Operation time and amount of intraoperative blood transfusion were positively correlated with postoperative hepatic function parameters. Two patients died of MOF showed severe hepato-renal dysfunction associated with LOS. The results indicate that hypothermic low flow perfusion during open distal anastomosis do not induce hepatic or renal dysfunction, and postoperative hyperbilirubinemia is resulted from bilirubin overload which patients can tolerate well if they are not complicated with MOF.

Graft replacement therapy was employed in the treatment of 28 patients with aneurysms involving the aortic arch. Of the 28 patients, 14 had true aneurysms, 13 dissecting aneurysms, and 1 pseudoaneurysm. The operative mortality was 75% (6 of 8 patients) between 1979 and 1986, whereas it was 10% (2 of 20 patients) between 1987 and 1989. Temporary or permanent bypass with vascular graft or heparin coated tube were used in 10 patients (7 patients in the early period, 3 patients in the later period). In this group, 50% hospital mortality occurred. Cardiopulmonary bypass and separate cerebral circulation were used in 16 patients (1 case in the early period, 15 patients in the later period). Thirteen of 16 patients survived this technique. In 2 patients, both in later period, profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest were used. Two patients survived without neurological deficit. Operative mortality decreased since 1987 by the change of bypass technique and operative procedures.

During the period between November 1986 and November 1988, 13 consecutive patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection (8 acute and 5 chronic) were treated as follows: (1) urgent operation for cases with pericardial tamponade or severe heart failure, (2) initial medical treatment followed by elective operation for acute but stable cases or chronic cases, and (3) routine use of open distal anastomosis or selective cerebral perfusion. One patient died during medical treatment: 5 patients were operated on emergently. The remaining 2 acute and 5 chronic cases were operated on electively. There were no operative deaths, neurological disturbances, or late deaths. It is suggested that acute dissection of the ascending aorta requires immediate surgical intervention, especially when the entry is in the ascending aorta. On the other hand, it is also suggested that one could avoid emergency operations in selected cases with retrograde extension of the aortic dissection.

21 cases of Stanford type A aortic dissection (15 acute and 6 chronic) were treated with or without surgery in the last 38 months. Out of seven cases who were admitted before October, 1986, three cases were treated medically and all died suddenly within 30 days. The remaining four cases were operated upon as emergency with only one survival. Extensive hemorrhage was the cause of operative deaths. After November 1986, substantial reduction in hospital mortality (one death in eight acute cases) was accomplished by the following strategy for acute aortic dissection, i.e., (1) urgent operative intervention for cases with cardiac involvement, and initial medical treatment followed by elective operation at chronic stage for those without cardiac involvement, (2) routine use of open distal anastomosis, (3) preferential adoption of simple surgical intervention limited to the ascending aorta. There was no operative death in six chronic cases in spite of more extensive approach. These results suggest that the strategy mentioned above is reasonable in treatment for Stanford type A dissecting aneurysm.

10 patients with Marfan's syndrome and cardiovascular disease were operated at Tohoku University Hospital from 1971 to 1988. Surgery included composite valve graft replacement of ascending aortic aneurysm with aortic regurgitation in 5 patients and prosthetic mitral valve replacement in three patients; two had resection of aneurysm with Dacron tube replacement. Operative mortality was 10%. Two late death occurred (22%). It was suggested that regular follow-up examination is important in these patients to detect new lesions and to evaluate known lesion.