Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Surgery: DON'T QUIT—JUST DO IT

Abstract

Surgical aortic repair has progressed from aneurysm ligation to homografts to Dacron grafts to totally endovascular interventions. These fields will continue to evolve, and new endovascular technology will be used in virtually every part of the aorta, eventually dominating this field of surgery. However, as surgeons, we must be cautious and not let go of our open-surgery skills, as they will always be the ultimate bailout solution.