Transfemoral Stent-Graft Placement to Treat a Complication of the Frozen Elephant Trunk Procedure

Abstract

Purpose:

To report a novel complication of a hybrid “frozen elephant trunk” endograft used in the treatment of a multisegmentally diseased aorta.

Case Report:

A 53-year-old man with chronic type A aortic dissection and previous replacement of the supracoronary ascending aorta underwent a “frozen elephant trunk” procedure using a hybrid endograft. The stent-graft was placed deep in the descending aorta to cover the multiple distal re-entries. Due to ineffective covering of the re-entries, a patent false lumen led to rapid repressurization of the false lumen immediately distal to the circumferential elephant trunk anastomosis. Compression of the non-stented portion of the hybrid endograft caused a functional aortic stenosis, with severe hemodynamic consequences. Endovascular treatment of the compression by retrograde transfemoral placement of a stent-graft in the non-stented portion of the hybrid endograft achieved free flow in the distal aorta.

Conclusion:

This case documents a new complication of the frozen elephant trunk procedure; a pseudocoarctation from a repressurized proximal false lumen was successfully managed with a stent-graft to support the non-stented segment of the hybrid endograft.

Keywords

aortic dissection thoracic aorta aortic arch endovascular repair stent-graft hybrid stent-graft complication aortic stenosis

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