Proper management of dissections of the descending thoracic aorta with intimal disruption close to the left subclavian artery and retrograde extension of the dissection into the aortic arch or the ascending aorta is controversial, because the standard approach for ascending aortic aneurysms is surgical repair, which is difficult to achieve through a median sternotomy if the predominant aortic lesion is located in its descending part. Sixteen patients with descending thoracic aortic dissection, intimal disruption close to the subclavian artery, and extension of the dissection into the aortic arch or the ascending aorta are described here: Eleven patients underwent surgical repair including 9 emergency (82%) and 2 elective (18%) procedures. Retrograde aortic dissection included the aortic arch in 11 of 11 patients (100%) and the ascending aorta in 7 of 11 (63%). Pericardial effusion was present in 1 of 11 patients (9%) and mild aortic regurgitation was found in 1 of 11 (9%). Repair of the ascending aorta and arch with transaortic closure of the entrance tear in the descending thoracic aorta was performed in 4 of 11 patients (36%) via a median sternotomy. In 6 of 11 patients (55%) a lateral thoracotomy was used for repair of the descending thoracic aorta and closure of the entrance tear. Hospital mortality occurred in 1 of 11 patients (9%) and there was 1 late death. Paraplegia occurred in 1 of 11 patients (9%). Five patients with descending thoracic aortic dissection, intimal disruption close to the subclavian artery, and extension into the ascending aorta but without ascending aortic aneurysm (diameter 4.2 +/- 0.2 cm), pericardial effusion, or aortic incompetence were treated medically without early mortality. These results are compared with those achieved in 120 patients operated on during the same period for type A (89/120) and type B (31/120) aortic dissections. Considering the technical difficulties of simultaneous repair of dissections of the ascending and the descending thoracic aorta, we recommend that descending thoracic aortic dissection extending into the arch or the ascending aorta be managed in accordance with the site of the predominant lesion. Replacement of the arch with a varying portion of ascending aorta via a median sternotomy is recommended in patients with enlarged aortic diameter, pericardial effusion, and/or aortic insufficiency. Predominantly distal dissections with dilated descending thoracic aorta and/or distal complications are best approached via a lateral thoracotomy.