Abstract
Gelatin-sealed branched knitted Dacron grafts (Gelseal®, Vascutek, UK) were implanted in nine patients for surgical reconstruction of the toal aortic arch. Subjects included Stanford A type acute aortic dessection in five, distal aortic arch aneurysm in three, and aneurysm of the ascending aorta and aortic arch associated with aortic valve stenosis in one patient. There was no hospital death and a good postoperative course was obtained. This graft was soft, pliable and very useful for replacement of the aortic arch especially in emergency cases. However, intensive follow-up is necessary because it dilated about 20% in diameter one month after surgery.
