Pericardial Reinforcement for Hemostasis in Aortic Aneurysm Surgery

Multiple anastomotic suture lines in aortic aneurysm surgery are prone to bleeding. To improve hemostasis, a 15-mm-wide strip of native pericardium was used to reinforce all anastomotic suture lines. This technique was used in 4 consecutive patients who underwent modified Bentall and elephant trunk procedures for extensive aortic aneurysm. The mean cardiopulmonary bypass time was 230 minutes and the mean aortic crossclamp time was 92 minutes. Mean blood loss through the mediastinal drainage tubes was 193 mL in the first 12 hours postoperatively and the mean blood requirement was 3 units. It was concluded that this technique markedly improved hemostasis in extensive aortic aneurysm surgery.