[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.