Acute type A aortic dissection is a life threatening condition, 80% of patients die within two weeks without surgery. Operation has a risk for morbidity and mortality too depending on various factors including adequate cerebral protection influenced by different arterial cannulation methods of cardipulmonary bypass. Data was collected retrospectively of 54 operated patients between 1998 and 2008 (mean age: 52,8 years, 26-77) with a subgroup of 8 Marfan-syndrome patients counted from 2003 (mean age: 33 years, 26-44). There were two groups regarding femoral and axillary artery cannulation points. Total mortality rate decreased with 51,1% and the cerebral with 78,8% accounted to axillary artery cannulation technique. It provides better outcomes and conditons for maintaining cerebral perfusion and shows effectivity in avoiding permanent postoperative brain complications compared to femoral cannulation in acute type A aortic dissection even in Marfan-syndrome cases.
Keywords: aortic dissection, Marfan-syndrome, axillary cannulation, neuroprotection