Hybrid treatment of a ruptured aneurysm in the distal aortic arch: report of a case

An 80-year-old man was transferred to our hospital for surgical treatment of a ruptured aortic arch aneurysm. Based on a history of severe heart failure and coronary artery bypass, we considered him unsuitable for conventional open repair. He underwent a hybrid repair, in the form of supra-aortic vessel debranching followed by endoluminal aortic repair. Although the ostia of the left carotid and left subclavian arteries were occluded by the stent-graft, the left supra-aortic vessels and the left internal thoracic artery attached to the coronary artery were perfused through an extra-anatomic bypass from the right axillary artery to the left carotid artery and the left axillary artery. After additional endovascular repair for recurrent hemosputum, the patient recovered without complications. Although continued follow-up is necessary, acute hybrid arch repair seems feasible for treating ruptured aortic arch aneurysms, even in the setting of severe heart failure and a previous coronary artery bypass.