CONCLUSION
Graft oozing is a worrying complication seemingly unique to the E-Vita
Open NEO hybrid prosthesis, possibly resulting from its particularly
porous graft material. Our experimental data have emphasised the
significance of graft oozing in this device and made clear the need for
this limitation to be addressed. The recommendation to use BioGlue as a
priming agent to prevent oozing is controversial, as BioGlue, though
safe and useful in certain surgical applications, is also associated
with several major complications.5 These risks are
further amplified considering the amount of BioGlue that would be needed
to successfully prime the arch prosthesis, demonstrated by our data as
well as by reports published in literature. Bearing the design
limitations of E-Vita Open NEO and the added risk of graft oozing in
mind, as well as the supplemental risks associated with BioGlue use, it
is reasonable to suggest that the device falls short of the providing
gold-standard results, especially in comparison to alternative
commercially available devices, such as Thoraflex® HP.