Thrombosis of the left anterior descending artery due to compression from giant pseudoaneurysm late after a bentall operation.
BACKGROUND
A postoperative pseudoaneurysm may develop and gradually expand in the mediastinal space even late following Bentall operation for aortic root replacement, particularly in patients with dissection of the aorta.


METHODS
A very large (148 mm) pseudoaneurysm originating of the right coronary ostium suture line was observed in a patient admitted with unstable angina 6 years after Bentall procedure for type A aortic dissection. Angiograms showed reduced flow in the right coronary and thrombotic subocclusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery due to extrinsic compression from the expanding mediastinal mass.


RESULTS
Reoperation was performed during femoro-femoral cardiopulmonary bypass and brief period of circulatory arrest to clamp the tubular graft. After closure of the detected right coronary ostium in the tubular graft double bypass, grafting to the right coronary and LAD arteries was required. Postoperative course was uneventful.


CONCLUSIONS
Close long-term follow-up after a Bentall procedure is required to minimize the risk of developing a large pseudoaneurysmal mass, in particular, after dissection of the aorta.
Division of Cardiac Surgery, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Rome, Italy. zeitani@hotmail.com
Jacob
J
Zeitani
Antonio
A
Scafuri
Alfonso Penta
AP
de Peppo
Achille
A
Gaspardone
Patrizio
P
Polisca
Emanuele
E
Di Marzio
Stefania
S
Sgrò
Pasquale
P
De Vico
Luigi
L
Chiariello
D000328:Adult; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001024:Aortic Valve Stenosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017023:Coronary Angiography; D003328:Coronary Thrombosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012086:Reoperation; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed