The frozen elephant trunk technique for the treatment of acute complicated Type B aortic dissection.

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to report our preliminary results in patients with acute complicated Type B aortic dissection without a suitable landing zone for primary thoracic endovascular aortic repair who were treated with the frozen elephant trunk (FET) technique.

METHODS: Within a 25-month period, 14 patients with acute complicated Type B aortic dissection underwent surgical repair using the FET technique. The reasons to perform the FET procedure were an ectatic ascending aorta/arch in 6 patients and the lack of an adequate landing zone in 8 patients.

RESULTS: No deaths were observed. A non-disabling stroke occurred in 2 patients. Symptomatic spinal cord injury was not observed. The closure of the primary entry tear was successfully achieved in all patients. In 3 patients, a secondary distal thoracic endovascular aortic repair extension was performed during the same hospital stay. The median follow-up period was 6 ± 5 months.

CONCLUSIONS: The FET technique is an attractive method for the repair of acute complicated Type B aortic dissection without a suitable landing zone for primary thoracic endovascular aortic repair. It should be considered as an alternative in patients who are at high risk for retrograde Type A aortic dissection, in patients with an unfavourable anatomy or in patients with connective tissue disease.