Background We evaluated an open stented elephant trunk (sET) technique combined with cardiac operations for a one-stage treatment of patients with complicated Stanfordtype B aortic dissection (AoD) and cardiac diseases.Methods Between April 2007 and March 2010, 16 patients with Stanford B AoD and cardiac diseases (mean age 49.75 _ 13.42 years) underwent sET combined with cardiac operations.Under deep hypothermic cardiac arrest (DHCA), a stented graft was directly delivered via the incision of aortic arch and the proximal graft was sutured on the normal distal aortic arch wall in a continuous circumferential full-thickness fashion.The combined cardiac operations (Bentall procedure, etc.) were performed before sET implantation while cooling.Results Average time of cardiopulmonary bypass, aortic cross clamping durance, and DHCAwas 131.62 _23.85, 64.69 _9.72, and 21.94_3.60 minutes, respectively.There were no early deaths and no neurological complications.During a follow-up of 18.69 _9.94 months, computed tomographic angiography was performed in all patients.Neitherendoleak nor stent shifting was observed.Retrograde type A AoD was not found during follow-up.Thrombus was formed in the false lumen from the proximal descending aorta to the diaphragmatic section.Conclusions The open sET technique combined cardiac procedures can reliably treat Stanford type B AoD concomitant with surgical cardiac disease in a single stage.