Endograft and external cinch to control hemorrhage in acute type A aortic dissection

Acute DeBakey I or II aortic dissection (AD) is a surgical emergency with significant mortality if not repaired immediately. We present the case of a 49-year-old man with acute type I AD, who initially underwent zone 2 arch replacement for a primary arch tear. A calcified ductus arteriosus was noted during arch reconstruction. He exhibited exsanguinating hemorrhage from the proximal descending thoracic aorta upon an initial attempt to wean off cardiopulmonary bypass. Hemostasis was achieved with retrograde transfemoral thoracic endovascular aortic repair and transmediastinal external cinch around the descending aorta to obliterate false lumen flow.