Method for replacement of the ascending aorta and aortic valve with reimplantation of the coronary arteries.

A method for replacing the entire ascending aorta and aortic valve is described that employs direct anastomosis of the coronary ostia to the graft, facilitated by appropriately time periods of hypothermic ischemic cardiac arrest. The advantages of this technique are that proper placement of sutures around the coronary ostia is simplified and that hemostasis at the aortic annulus and coronary anastomosis can be evaluated before the aortic clamp is removed and suture lines become inaccessible.