Primary repair of acute traumatic aortic disruption.

A technique that facilitates primary repair of acute traumatic aortic disruption is described. With this technique, primary repair has been possible in 5 of our most recent 9 patients with this injury, whereas all 46 of our previous patients were treated by insertion of a prosthetic graft. Primary repair of traumatic aortic disruption is feasible in many more patients than we initially thought possible and should always be considered, particularly in the young patient with a healthy, elastic aorta that is only partially transected.