[Chronic dissection of the aorta after coronary bypass surgery]
J F Fuzellier1, D Metz, R El Idrissi
1Service de chirurgie cardio-thoracique, Reims. jffuzellier@chu-reims.fr
Insights
Aortic dissection can complicate cardiac surgery, especially coronary bypass grafting. A novel strategy involving cerebral perfusion and endovascular graft control can manage chronic dissections following bypass surgery.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Surgery
- Vascular Surgery
- Thoracic Surgery
Background:
- Aortic dissection is a recognized complication of cardiac surgery.
- Long-term aortic dissection post-cardiac surgery presents complex surgical challenges.
- Patent internal mammary artery grafts in coronary bypass grafting can exacerbate dissection complexity.
Observation:
- A patient developed chronic aortic dissection 9 months after coronary bypass grafting.
- The internal mammary artery grafts remained patent, complicating the dissection.
Findings:
- A surgical strategy was proposed to manage this complex case.
- The strategy included anterograde cerebral perfusion before sternotomy.
- Endovascular control of the internal mammary grafts was a key component.
Implications:
- This approach may offer a solution for managing chronic aortic dissections after coronary bypass.
- It highlights the importance of considering graft patency in surgical planning.
- Further research may validate this combined strategy for similar complex aortic dissections.
Abstract:
Dissection of the aorta is a potential complication of all forms of cardiac surgery. It occurs after a variable interval. When observed in the long term, surgery may be complex with greater technical difficulties resulting in increased postoperative morbidity and mortality compared with other types of dissection. These difficulties are all the more marked when the initial surgery is coronary bypass grafting and when the grafts, especially internal mammary artery grafts, remain patent. A surgical strategy has to be elaborated to prevent certain per- and postoperative complications. The authors report the case of a patient who developed a chronic dissection of the aorta 9 months after coronary bypass surgery with patent internal mammary artery grafts. In this situation, a strategy associating anterograde cerebral perfusion before the sternotomy and endovascular control of the internal mammary grafts was proposed.
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