Usefulness of transesophageal echocardiography in diagnosis of hemolytic anemia post total aortic arch replacement using the elephant trunk technique.
We report a rare case of a patient with hemolytic anemia who underwent emergency total arch replacement using the elephant trunk technique for type A acute aortic dissection 3 years earlier. The 78-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for diagnosis of the cause of the hemolytic anemia, which required twice weekly blood transfusion. Although contrast-enhanced computed tomography could not provide sufficient information, transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) revealed graft flection with high velocity. After percutaneous balloon dilatation, the hemolytic anemia improved and follow-up TEE showed no re-stenosis of the dilatation site.
Division of Cardioangiology, Nephrology, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan. akumagai@iwate-med.ac.jp.
Akiko
A
Kumagai
Division of Cardioangiology, Nephrology, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan.
Atsushi
A
Tashiro
Division of Cardioangiology, Nephrology, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan.
Akihiko
A
Abiko
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan.
Takeshi
T
Kamada
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan.
Hitoshi
H
Okabayashi
Division of Cardioangiology, Nephrology, and Endocrinology, Department of Internal Medicine, Iwate Medical University, 19-1, Uchimaru, Morioka, Iwate, 020-8505, Japan.
Motoyuki
M
Nakamura
D000368:Aged; D000743:Anemia, Hemolytic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000628:therapy*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Elephant trunk technique; Hemolytic anemia; Percutaneous balloon dilatation; Transesophageal echocardiography