Clamp-and-Sew Technique for Traumatic Injuries of the Aorta: 20-Year Experience

Abstract

Traumatic aortic injuries are associated with high morbidity and mortality, and the ideal operative approach for surgical management is unclear. We analyzed our results with the open clamp-and-sew technique over a 20-year period. Twenty patients with transected aorta were given interposition grafts; 19 of them had multisystem injuries. Mean aortic crossclamp time was 21.7 min (range, 12–30 min). Postoperative complications included pneumonia in 4 patients, acute renal failure in 1, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury in 2, chylothorax in 1, and sepsis of unknown etiology in one. There was no incidence of operation-related paraplegia. Although there was no 30-day mortality, one patient died after 90 days from diffuse axonal injuries to the brain. In experienced hands, the clamp-and-sew technique is effective and safe for the management of traumatic aortic transection.