A 73-year-old man presented with DeBakey type IIIa chronic aortic dissection. The aneurysm of the descending aorta was replaced using an open proximal technique with hypothermic circulatory arrest. For cerebrospinal protection, the left axillary artery was cannulated, which perfuses the vertebral artery and affects the Willis arterial circle, the anterior spinal artery, and the collateral blood supply to the spinal cord. Cannulation of the left axillary artery was a safe and effective surgical option for antegrade cerebral perfusion and spinal protection. © 2008 The Japanese Association for Thoracic Surgery.