Surgical approach for Stanford type A aortic dissection in a patient with Marfan syndrome and pectus excavatum.

Acute Stanford type A aortic dissection in a patient with severe pectus excavatum constitutes a surgical emergency and presents a major challenge for the surgeon. Decisions must be made regarding the operative approach and whether the pectus excavatum should be corrected during the same session. Herein, we describe a case of acute aortic dissection in a patient who had Marfan syndrome with severe pectus excavatum. Combined partial upper sternotomy and left anterior thoracotomy provided excellent surgical exposure, and the aortic root and ascending aorta were completely replaced. The procedures were successful, and the patient recovered. Technical and surgical considerations led us to postpone concomitant correction of the pectus excavatum.