Findings in 54 patients (mean age 39 years, range 18-66 years, 25% female) were analyzed. Of these patients, 21 had dissection of the ascending aorta (15 acute and six chronic) and 33 had aneurysm of the ascending aorta. Surgery was classified as emergency surgery in three cases, as urgent in 15, and as scheduled surgery in 36. The Bentall-De Bono procedure was performed in 39 patients, aortic valve reimplantation was carried out in nine, Cabrol's operation was performed in three, and a homograft was used in three. The mean diameter of the ascending aorta was 66.6 mm. Overall, in-hospital mortality was 3.7% (33.3% for emergency surgery vs. 2.8% for scheduled surgery; P< .001). During the mean follow-up period of 4 years (range, 2 months-14 years), seven patients died, including four who died due to type-B aortic dissection. The actuarial survival rate at 2, 5 and 10 years was 94%, 83% and 75%, respectively, with 88%, 67% and 43% of patients, respectively, not requiring reoperation. Elective aortic root replacement was associated with a low risk and a good survival rate.