Three options for incisions for this method of surgery
- traditional 8 - 12 inch incision
- left - smaller minimally invasive skin incision
- right - smaller minimally invasive bone incision
Before
surgery - notice the arrow - the enlarged dissected aorta in a patient
with acute aortic dissection, a life threatening complication of Marfan
Syndrome.
Photographs
from an operation where the aortic valve and coronary arteries are
re-implanted into a new tube replacement of the aortic root.
Photograph
of dacron aortic graft
Sutures
are sewn through the annulus of the aortic valve and the bottom portion
of the dacron graft
The
graft is being lowered into place, around the outside of the aortic
valve.
If
you peer inside the graft (top view), you can see the aortic valve. The
aortic valve is secured within the new tube and the coronary arteries
are reattached. The other portion of the graft is then sewn to the
aorta.
The
final result. With this operation, patients do not need to be on blood
thinners for the rest of their lives. This oeration has good long-term
results in patients with Marfan Syndrome if done early in the disease
process.
The
patient's view - after healing