Reinforcement and reapproximation of the aortic stump during surgery for acute aortic dissection.

Anastomosis of the fragile aortic wall in patients with acute aortic dissection presents a challenge to cardiovascular surgeons. Reinforcement of the stump is a key to accomplishing successful anastomosis. Surgical glues such as gelatin-resorcin-formalin (GRF) glue and Bioglue are easy to use and have radically changed the process of the reinforcement and reapproximation. However, as surgical glues have been associated with disadvantages such as tissue necrosis, enthusiasm for their use has waned. In this review, we discuss the various methods for reinforcement and reapproximation of the aortic stump during operations for acute aortic dissection, mainly outside the category of surgical glues.