[Anesthetic management for distal aortic arch aneurysm stent grafting]

A 76-year-old woman with thoracic aortic aneurysm involving distal aortic arch was scheduled for graft replacement from ascending to proximal aortic arch with endovascular stent graft to descending aorta. Surgical procedures were performed under median sternotomy with hypothermic systemic circulation arrest and selective cerebral perfusion. The stent graft composed of 30 mm Gianturco Z stent and 27.5 mm woven Dacron graft was introduced into the descending aorta under the guidance of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and fluoroscopy. Ascending and proximal aortic arch replacement was then performed with four branched woven Dacron graft. The aortic pathology was confirmed by TEE and the extent of the aneurysmal lesion was defined. TEE was also useful to find the dislodgement of the stent graft after deployment. This surgical technique, being less invasive than conventional thoracotomy, would be indicated for elderly patients with distal aortic arch aneurysm. TEE is the vital imaging technique for placement of the stent graft, as well as for intraoperative cardiac monitoring.