Surgical treatment of aneurysm of the thoracic aorta under a temporary external by-pass shunt

Abstract
Twenty-eight patients were operated upon for aneurysm of the thoracic aorta using a temporary external by-pass shunt. Four early deaths occurred, the cause of which could not be related to the by-pass procedure itself. The temporary long external by-pass from the left subclavian artery or from the ascending aorta to the femoral artery was preferable for resection of an aneurysm of the descending aorta or the distal aortic arch which required cross-clamping of the aorta.