Retrograde type A aortic dissections after endovascular stent-graft placement for type B dissection

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as promising and a less invasive alternative to open surgery for high risk patients (HRP) with type B thoracic aortic dissection (TAD). One of the most serious complication of TEVAR is the retrograde type A TAD (rATAD). This review will focus on an interesting rATAD case and will review the literature, regarding the true incidence, mortality, causes, diagnosis, complications and management of rATAD. Until the development of a specific device for TAD, efforts must be made for better patient and device selection, careful and precise instrumentation, and life-long surveillance to minimize this lethal complication.