Repair of an unusual aortic coarctation using an extracellular matrix patch

The surgical treatment of neonatal aortic coarctation is usually accomplished with a termino-terminal anastomosis or a subclavian flap. The use of a patch to enlarge the isthmal narrowing may be an alternative but is frequently complicated by aneurysmal dilatation on the aortic wall opposite to the patch, probably because it disrupts the vascular anatomic integrity. Extracellular matrix patches promise to restore the original tissue structure and could therefore be a valid alternative to other materials. We describe an aortic coarctation with an uncommon anatomic aspect treated with a CorMatrix (CorMatrix, Alpharetta, GA) extracellular matrix patch.