ObjectiveTo summarize our clinical experience of surgical treatment for 51 patients with Stanford type A aortic dissection (AD). MethodsClinical data of 51 patients with Stanford type A AD who received surgical treatment in Shanghai Yuanda Heart Hospital between February 2009 and January 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 29 males and 22 females with their age of 35-63 (47.2±11.1)years. The diagnosis of all the patients was confirmed by enhanced CT scan and Doppler echocardiography. Surgical procedures included Bentall procedure and Sun's procedure in 29 patients, Bentall procedure, mitral valve replacement and Sun's procedure in 2 patients, ascending aorta replacement and Sun's procedure in 17 patients, valsalva sinus plasty, ascending aorta replacement and Sun's procedure in 2 patients, ascending aorta replacement (stage 1), Sun's procedure (stage 2)and endovascular exclusion of the thoracic aorta (stage 3)in 1 patient. ResultsMean operation time was 320.6±77.3 minutes, cardiopulmonary bypass time was 190.4±63.4 minutes, aortic cross-clamp time was 123.2±45.1 minutes, duration of circulatory arrest with hypothermia was 28.2±11.1 minutes, and mean length of hospital stay was 13.4±4.2 days. Two patients (3.9%)died perioperatively including 1 patient with intraoperative bleeding and another patient with delayed bleeding after operation. Postoperative complications included bleeding, paraplegia, perivalvular leak and sternal dehiscence in 1 patient respectively, and endoleak in 2 patients. Forty-nine patients were followed up for 3-48 (25.3±10.5)months and no late death occurred. ConclusionSurgical treatment is effective for patients with Stanford type A AD.