Get out of trouble during redo surgery for false aneurysm of the ascending aorta

Abstract

Postoperative thoracic aortic false aneurysm is a challenging complication of aortic surgery. We describe our surgical approach for an 8-cm thoracic aorta false aneurysm in a 59-year-old woman who had previously undergone aortic surgery. Surgery must be planned carefully because massive hemorrhage during resternotomy is a dreadful complication of postoperative false aneurysm surgery. We decided to start cardiopulmonary bypass before resternotomy and use a ventricular vent from the apex, an endo-vent from the pulmonary artery, and an endo-balloon with antegrade blood cardioplegia. We successfully performed the procedure without profound hypothermia and circulatory arrest and with a low risk of hemorrhage.