Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy associated with thromboexclusion for dissecting aortic aneurysm

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) was demonstrated in a patient who underwent surgical thromboexclusion by blood flow reversal for dissecting aortic aneurysm. Large clots in the descending thoracic aorta and extra-anatomic bypass grafting might have been causative factors of the consumption coagulopathy. Low-dose heparin together with fresh-frozen plasma was effective; however, extreme caution should be adopted with such patients to minimize the development of DIC, because the factors responsible for the coagulation abnormalities are not removed in patients who undergo the surgical treatment of thromboexclusion.