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From 1980 to 1990, 18 patients underwent trans-sternal repair for occlusive disease of the brachiocephalic artery. The mean age was 57 years (43-72). Most of the patients were women (n = 10). All but two patients had one or more symptoms related to the stenosis of the brachiocephalic trunk: right-sided upper limb ischemia (n = 7), transient ischemic attacks (n = 8), vertebrobasilar insufficiency (n = 6), left sided minor stroke (n = 1). Only two patients were asymptomatic before operation. Angiography revealed a tight stenosis (n = 14) or an occlusion (n = 3); in one patient it concerned an ulcerated non-stenotic plaque of the brachiocephalic artery. Eleven patients had coexistent involvement of other supraaortic vessels. Angiographically, clinically and intraoperatively, there was evidence of Takayasu arteritis in three female patients. All patients had direct repair by trans-sternal approach. Six patients with short lesions had thromboendarterectomy with patch angioplasty of the innominate artery. In eleven cases, aorto-brachiocephalic bypass grafting was performed. In one patient, aortic calcification precluded proximal anastomosis, and a carotid-to-carotid bypass was done. In five patients, simultaneous revascularization of subclavian (n = 3), left common carotid (n = 2) or internal carotid artery (n = 2) completed the procedure. In one patient, concomitant coronary revascularization was done. There was no operative mortality. Postoperative morbidity was limited to pulmonary infection (n = 2), transient neurologic deficit (n = 1) and renal insufficiency (n = 1). All patients had relief of symptoms. Duplex echo scan confirmed patency of all reconstructions at a mean follow-up of 46 months.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)