Surgical treatment of aortic dissection (Stanford type A) using hypothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion in patients older than 70 years of age

Since 1991, 27 consecutive patients with aortic dissection (Stanford A) have been operated on using deep hypothermic retrograde cerebral perfusion (RCP). There were no differences in ECC time (247 +/- 15 vs 307 +/- 22 min), and RCP time (47 +/- 2 vs 47 +/- 3 min) between the aged (> or = 70 y.o., n = 11) and non-aged (< 70 y.o., n = 16) group. Although the aged group showed the higher incidences of postoperative neurological complications of prolonged emergence (2 cases) and delirium (3 cases), respiratory disorder (3 cases), and renal dysfunction (3 cases), there was no significant difference in hospital mortality (18% in the aged vs 13% in the non-aged). We concluded that RCP is well acceptable procedure for surgical treatment of the aged patients with aortic dissection.