Effectiveness of a new inflatable balloon device for gluing dissected layers in an experimental model of aortic dissection.

Acute dissection is the most frequent catastrophic condition involving the aorta and remains the leading cause of death from aortic pathology. Aortic disease is characterized by the separation of the layers of the media by a column of circulating blood with variable proximal and distal extension throughout the entire length of the aorta (1). Tissue glues are widely used to achieve adhesion between the dissected layers in aortic dissection pathologies. However, during application, some difficulties with their effective use are observed, such as the necessity of circular and longitudinally homogeneous distribution, and rapid application of the glue between the aortic layers. In addition, there is a risk of distal embolization of the glue (2–4). For these reasons, we have developed a novel cylindrical balloon to enable more efficient, safe and simple use of tissue glue for the treatment of aortic dissection. In the present study, the device was evaluated in an ex vivo experimental model involving fresh bovine aortic samples; the effectiveness of the balloon was also evaluated and compared with the standard technique.