Thoracic endovascular aortic repair for hemolysis 17 years after insertion of classical elephant trunk: a case report

The classical elephant trunk (ET) technique is a very useful surgical procedure; however, haemolysis in the aorta associated with ET has been previously reported. It normally occurs within several years after the surgery, and it is a rare case of rapidly progressing haemolysis 10 or more years after aortic arch replacement with ET.

A 53-year-old man with a history of Stanford type A aortic dissection (DeBakey type Is), who was treated with total arch aortic replacement and aorto-femoral bypass using a prosthetic graft 17 years ago, developed severe progressive haemolytic anaemia. The ET used for the initial surgery was narrowed, and mechanical haemolysis was suspected. We assumed that progressive mechanical haemolysis occurred because of degeneration of the prosthetic graft. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair was performed, and haemolysis and anaemia were mitigated postoperatively.

Haemolysis occurred 17 years after the initial surgery with ET. When haemolysis is suspected in a patient with ET, it must be identified as a cause of haemolysis even if 10 years or more have passed since the ET was inserted. To prevent this complication, attention should be paid to an appropriate ET length and diameter to avoid folding of the ET, particularly when the true cavity diameter is small.