Surgical procedures
Minimally invasive approach via partial upper sternotomy was performed
in the majority of patients (61% in Group 1 and 67% in Group 2;
p<0.01). The remaining patients were operated via complete
sternotomy. The perioperative results and surgical procedures are
summarised in Table 2.
Isolated ascending aorta replacement for treatment of aortic aneurysm
was performed in 4 patients (4%) of Group 1 and 38 patients (79%) of
Group 2 (p<0.01; Table 2). In Group 2 additional hemiarch
replacement was performed in 9 patients (19%) and 1 patient received
complete aortic arch replacement using elephant trunk technique due to a
greater extent of aortic arch aneurysm. Reduction aortoplasty was
performed in 19 patients (20%) of Group 1. Significantly more patients
of Group 1 received pericardial patch augmentation (n=84) in comparison
to Group 2 patients (n=34; p<0.01). The rate of leaflet
plication was similar in both groups (80 patients of Group 1 and 42
patients of Group 2; p=0.8).