Aneurisma del cayado aórtico roto: Reparación exitosa en un solo período de paro circulatorio / Complete repair in a single period of circulatory arrest of a ruptured atherosclerotic aortic arch aneurysm: Report of one case

The aortic arch aneurysm is a complex disease with a growing incidence in our population. We report a 64 year-old female with an atherosclerotic aortic arch aneurysm with a maximum diameter of 9.4 cm and evidence of contained rupture. We performed a complete aortic arch replacement in a single period of 100 minutes of circulatory arrest with deep hypothermia and brain protection with anterograde cerebral perfusión through the right axillary artery. The patient had a complete recovery without evidence of neurological damage and was extubated on the next morning. One year later, the patient is asymptomatic and the peri-aortic haematoma was completely reabsorbed.

Uso de factor VII en el control de sangrados perioperatorios: evidencias actuales / Recombinant activated factor VII for perioperative bleeding

Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is a new haemostatic drug, originally used for the treatment of patients with hemophilia A and B. At the present time it is used for other bleeding conditions such as the perioperative period. When used prophylactically there is a reduction in the number of bleeding episodes but no changes in the need for blood transfusion or other blood products. The adverse effects are arterial or venous thromboembolic events that are mostly related to the severity of the underlying disease of the patient and the concurrent administration of other haemostatic agents, rather than the use of rFVIIa. Its use is recommended when there is a persistent bleeding after the reposition of blood products and when surgical causes of bleeding have been discarded. The cost of the medication should also be considered before its use.