Synthetic patch aortoplasty. A simplified approach for coarctation in repairs during early infancy and thereafter.

Synthetic patch aortoplasty is an expedient, safe technique for coarctation repairs during early infancy and thereafter for reoperation since it affords both an immediate hemodynamic result and potential for late growth while avoiding sacrifice of a major arch vessel. The surgical advantages include minimization of the total cross-clamp time (10 minutes in infants and 12 minutes in older patients) and elimination of the need to sacrifice collateral vessels and the need for extensive dissection for proximal and distal control. Hence, this technique has minimized the associated severe complications of coarctation repair, even in emergency cases. In our study, there were no operative deaths, spinal cord injuries or recoarctation, and intraoperative cardiac arrest occurred in only 3 percent of the patients.