title: Development of Mega-Aorta Following Incompletely Treated Giant Cell Arteritis.
abstract: An 82-year-old male presented with a 9.3 cm ascending aorta and arch aneurysm with additional aneurysms of the innominate, right subclavian, and left common carotid arteries. The patient had a history of temporal arteritis that was only briefly treated in 1989 and a 6 cm ascending aortic aneurysm that was repaired in 1993. Our operative strategy was to construct a temporary parallel cerebrovascular circuit for cerebral protection during the redo-sternotomy and aortic arch reconstruction, with the added benefit of permanently excluding the branch arch vessel aneurysms. Pathological analysis of the aortic specimen at the first operation may have identified giant cell arteritis, prompting medical therapy against further disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Section of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Department of Surgery, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois;
authors.forename: Darwin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Eton
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois;
authors.forename: Atman P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Clinical Research Unit, Barnabas Heart Hospitals, Newark, New Jersey;
authors.forename: Aurelie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Merlo
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, Illinois; and.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Dill
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Russo
keywords: Aortic aneurysm; Carotid artery; Inflammation; Subclavian artery