Treating the patient with acute rupture of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the thoracic aorta

Abstract

Spontaneous rupture of the aorta - a violation of the integrity of the aortic wall which is not caused by an aneurysm, trauma, dissection or disintegrating tumor process, and is an acute life-threatening condition. According to some authors, the main cause of spontaneous rupture of the aorta is a penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of the aorta, which is an ulceration of aortic atherosclerotic plaque leading to penetration of the internal elastic plate in media. We present a case of successful hybrid surgical treatment of patient with spontaneous rupture of the descending thoracic aorta with the formation of para-aortic hematoma and left-sided hemothorax. The patient underwent a hybrid operation - aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta prosthetic repair, subclavian bypass with left subclavian artery ligation, left-sided thoracotomy, and pleural cavity sanitation. No intraoperative complications were observed, the patient was taken off the ventilator on day 2. The control computed tomography performed on day 10, revealed correct and stable stent graft position with no signs of continued bleeding, endoleak. The patient was discharged in satisfactory condition on day 14. Due to the high hospital mortality of open surgery on the thoracic aorta in case of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers, as well as the predominance of elderly patients with severe comorbidities that contraindicate open surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass, endovascular and hybrid technologies, which are minimally invasive and traumatic, come to the fore. Endovascular prosthetic repair in case of penetrating atherosclerotic ulcer of aortic arch and descending thoracic aorta is an effective and safe procedure in patients at high risk, showing encouraging long-term results.