Surgery of the innominate artery.

The authors describe their experience with the surgical treatment of 28 patients with obliteration or stenosis of the innominate artery. In 18 (64.3%) patients an intrathoracic operation was done and in three of these a multiple bypass from the aorta to the affected trunks was carried out. In the remaining 10 patients (35.7%) extrathoracic operations were carried out. Immediate results were good in 24 (85.7%) of cases. Thrombosis occurred in 3 during the first 30 days after operation. One patient suffered thrombosis of the bypass and following removal of this became comatose and subsequently died. Long term results were good inasmuch as at 5 years 94.8% of patients survived with a patent reconstruction. The clinical procedures reviewed as is the topography of associated lesions of the other supra-aortic trunks together with the different techniques employed and their indications. The authors express their preference for the technique of an end to side graft in the aorta and end to end in the innominate artery, when the distal portion of this artery is patent and the age and general state of the patient permits a thoracic approach. This technique assures revascularization of the right carotid and vertebral areas, apart from complying with optimal hemodynamic conditions.