[Twenty Years' Experience of the Surgical Treatment of Giant Ascending Aortic Aneurysms].

Giant ascending aortic aneurysm is one of the worst lesions of the cardiovascular system. Timely surgical treatment provides the only chance to prolong the lives of such patients. Life expectancy without surgery in these patients is minimal; they die from a ruptured aneurysm or decompensation of organs and systems. In this paper, based on two decades' experience of treating patients with giant aneurysms of ascending aorta and aortic arch in B.V. Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery we have assessed evaluated immediate results of surgery and proposed measures for prevention of possible complications. Out of 53 patients with giant. ascending aortic aneurysms spontaneous rupture after sternotomy or opening of the pericardium occurred in 5 cases. Overall hospital mortality was 1.9%. Our results indicate that with the right tactics surgical repair of giant ascending aortic aneurysms can be performed with a low mortality. Preliminary cardiopulmonary bypass with peripheral cannulation and cooling prior to sternotomy for the possibility of circulatory arrest is a prerequisite of the prevention of fatal massive hemorrhage.

[Twenty Years Experience of the Surgical Treatment of Giant Ascending Aortic Aneurysms].

Giant ascending aortic aneurysm is one of the worst lesions of the cardiovascular system. Timely surgical treatment provides the only chance to prolong the lives of such patients. Life expectancy without surgery in these patients is minimal; they die from a ruptured aneurysm.

[Clinical management of patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms combined with coronary artery disease and multifocal atherosclerosis].

We have analyzed clinical management of 137 patients with atherosclerotic aneurysms of the abdominal aorta combined with coronary artery disease treated during last 10 years in the First Cardiac Surgery Department (Surgery of the Aorta and its Branches) of the Petrovsky National Research Center of Surgery. All patients were subjected to surgery involving both vascular regions: in 130 patients (94.9%) the procedures were staged while 7 patients underwent myocardial revascularization simultaneously with the reconstruction of the abdominal aorta from the minimal access. According to our results staged procedures are safer for patients with atherosclerotic aneurysms of the abdominal aorta combined with coronary artery disease given the organism's limited capacity due to age and comorbidities. Endovascular repair techniques applied both to the coronary arteries and to the abdominal aorta should be always regarded primarily as a gentle form of intervention. In cases where open surgery is required one should try to avoid blood loss, reduce the duration of the procedure and use minimal access surgery when applicable. The overall mortality rate in patients treated for this disorder over the last 10 years was 2.1%.