Double-Barrel Anastomotic False Aortic Aneurysm

TL;DR

A 68-year-old woman developed a rare false aortic aneurysm after a heart surgery, with tears at both ends of the graft.

Contribution

This case presents an unreported pathology involving a double-barrel anastomotic false aortic aneurysm.

Findings

Computed tomography revealed a large false aortic aneurysm around the prosthetic graft.

Surgery found tears at both the proximal and distal anastomotic sites with blood circulation underneath the pericardium.

The case highlights a unique pathology of interest to cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

Abstract

A 68-year-old woman, who had been well for two years after ascending aortic graft replacement, experienced sudden chest pain. Computed tomography showed a large false aortic aneurysm around the prosthetic graft. However, the patient was hemodynamically stable and did not have anemia. Urgent surgical procedure under hypothermic circulatory arrest revealed tears at both the proximal and distal anastomotic sites and blood circulating from the proximal (entry) to the distal (re-entry) tears underneath the pericardium. To our knowledge, the present case represents unreported pathology that could be of great interest to cardiologists and cardiac surgeons.

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