Endovascular "neobranching" to manage acute aortic syndrome

Covered Stenting as Bail-Out Technique for Central Venous Catheter Malposition Within the Brachiocephalic Trunk

Central venous catheter (CVC) insertion with ultrasound guidance is routine clinical practice in the critically ill patient. Arterial malposition is serious and may lead to severe complications such as hemorrhage, stroke, or death. We describe a bail-out technique for removal of right-sided CVC that was mispositioned into the brachiocephalic trunk (BCT) at the origin of the right common carotid artery (CCA). Covered stenting of the BCT extending into the CCA in combination with plug embolization of the right subclavian artery was utilized.

Visceral malperfusion after thoracic endovascular aortic repair for type B aortic dissection in a post-abdominal aortic grafting patient

A 69-year-old woman with a history of graft replacement for abdominal aortic aneurysm developed a complicated type B aortic dissection that resulted in renal malperfusion after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). The primary entry tear was formed at the aortic arch and the false lumen (FL) continued to the abdominal aorta. The distal end of the FL formed a pouch-like blind alley above the suture line of the bifurcated abdominal graft. The true lumen (TL) was compressed and caused severe limb ischemia. The right renal artery (rRA) originated from the FL. The patient had initially undergone emergent axillofemoral bypass for limb malperfusion. Three weeks later, restenosis of the TL caused visceral malperfusion, and a huge thrombus formed in the FL pouch. TEVAR expanded the TL and restored visceral vascularization. However, the expanded TL compressed the thrombus in the blind alley to the rRA orifice and caused right renal malperfusion. The history of abdominal graft replacement may have increased the risk of a thrombotic event after TEVAR. Primary TEVAR may have helped prevent thrombus formation in the FL pouch. <Learning objective: This case report describes visceral arterial embolism induced by endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for type B aortic dissection in a patient with prior abdominal aortic grafting. A huge thrombus formed in the blind pouch of the false lumen (FL) above the graft suture line. TEVAR expanded the true lumen and the FL thrombus occluded a visceral artery with FL origin. Post-graft replacement has a risk of thrombus formation in the FL pouch and thrombus compression in visceral arteries.>.

Interventional repair of a vascular aneurysm in a patient with Marfan syndrome

Marfan syndrome is a heritable connective tissue disorder affecting skeletal, ocular and cardiovascular systems. Cardiovascular manifestations comprise aneurysmal dilatation of aortic root, aortic dissection and rupture; peripheral arterial aneurysms have been reported in femoral, iliac and subclavian arteries with surgical reconstruction as the first-line therapeutic option. We report a Marfan patient with a symptomatic aneurysm of left subclavian artery in the intrathoracic retro-clavicular space; instead of open surgical resection, an endovascular solution was successfully applied by use of a flexible self-expanding stent-graft (W.L Gore^® Viabahn^® Endoprosthesis 9 × 100 mm) to exclude the aneurysm. This case exemplifies a modern option to manage vascular pathology even in patients with Marfan syndrome. Follow-up over 1 year proved very reassuring with complete remodelling and resolution of the aneurysm; long-term follow-up is certainly warranted, considering the potential of recurrence or initial reactive hyperplasia.

Distal re-entry closure with neobranching technique after thoracic endovascular aortic repair of Type B aortic dissection

Retrograde false-lumen flow after thoracic endovascular aortic repair of Type B aortic dissection occurs occasionally and may have a negative impact on aortic remodelling and even prevent the decompression of the false lumen. A 67-year-old man with a Type B aortic dissection underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair for severe compression of the true lumen and visceral malperfusion 7 weeks after the onset. Intraoperative angiography revealed proximal entry tear closure, but the false-lumen flow increased because of retrograde flow through the re-entry tear. Additional intervention including re-entry tear closure was performed with a neobranching technique with covered stent placement in the visceral artery from the aortic true lumen through the distal re-entry tear. We report a case of Type B aortic dissection and discuss the surgical techniques used.