Suprasternal innominate artery cannulation for reoperative aortic surgery: a technical note.

Suprasternal cannulation of the innominate artery in aortic reoperations may be useful in specific situations. Over a period of 3.5 years, 9 patients (6 males, average age = 49.2 ± 16.1 years) underwent suprasternal cannulation prior to resternotomy. Cannulation was performed using a side graft. All operations were successfully completed. Two patients died after surgery because of coagulopathy and multiorgan failure. There were no complications related to access or technique, and no site complications were detected during follow-up. Suprasternal cannulation of the innominate artery may play a role in selected reoperations.
(© The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)