Aortic aneurysm 31 years after coarctation repair with direct anastomosis : surgical repair avoiding circulatory arrest.
BACKGROUND
Despite primary success, 9% of patients develop aortic (pseudo)aneurysms after surgical repair of aortic coarctation at or near the site of repair late after operation.


METHODS
A chest X-ray in a 32-year-old asymptomatic man, 31 years after coarctation repair, depicted a ballooning of the distal aortic arch. A multislice CT confirmed an aneurysm. The aneurysm was resected using selective head perfusion.


CONCLUSIONS
At follow-up of patients after coarctation repair, one should anticipate aneurysm formation, even decades after successful surgery and even if clinically silent. Therefore, the chest X-ray should be part of the follow-up examination. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest can be avoided in selected patients.
Schreiber
Christian
C
Clinic of Cardiovascular Surgery, German Heart Center Munich at the Technical University Munich, Germany. schreiber@dhm.mhn.de
Pörner
Michael
M
Tassani-Prell
Peter
P
Kostolny
Martin
M
Eicken
Andreas
A
Lange
Rüdiger
R
D000328:Adult; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001014:Aortic Aneurysm / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D001017:Aortic Coarctation / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis; D019918:Heart Valve Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D012769:Shock / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome