Frozen Elephant Trunk Procedure for Treatment of Acute Complicated Type B Aortic Dissections

Abstract

Introduction: This study aimed to define midterm clinical outcomes and morphological changes of acute complicated type B aortic dissections after the application of frozen elephant trunk technique. Patients and Methods: Data were collected from 143 patients treated with frozen elephant trunk procedure for complex thoracic aortic diseases between May 2012 and October 2018. Twenty-seven patients with acute complicated type B aortic dissection were included in the study. Results: The mean age of the study population was 56.9 ± 9.1 years, and 23 (85.2%)patients were male. Complete false lumen thrombosis in the descending aorta before the distal end of the stent graft was achieved in 88.9% of cases. There was no late mortality observed at a mean follow-up of 50.7 ± 22.5 months. Only one patient died due to multiple organ failure 62 days after the operation. Five patients underwent secondary distal aortic endovascular repair because of stent graft-induced new entry (n= 3) and second-stage treatment for post-dissection aneurysm (n= 2). Conclusion: Aortic arch involvement in acute complicated type B aortic dissections requires more extensive treatment, and frozen elephant trunk procedure serves as an alternative treatment modality.