Pseudoaneurysm of Thoracic Aorta / 대한흉부외과학회지

ABSTRACT

Pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta is potentially fatal. However, reports of such cases are rare even in large series. We report four csaes of thoracic aortic pseudoaneurysm who underwent surgical repair. The causes were considered as infection in two cases (VSD repair, descending thoracic aortic aneurysm resection) and blunt chest trauma by traffic accident in two patients. The pseudoaneurysms developed on ascending aorta suspected as sites of arterial and cardiolplegic needle insertion in one patient. The others were located at descending thoracic aorta immediatly below the left subclavian artery. One patient died of sepsis associated with bile peritonitis and others were followed up from 10 to 18 months with specific morbidity. This study suggest that the incidence of pseudoaneurysm of the thoracic aorta followed by open heart or aorctic surgery can be repaired succesfuly and careful inspection of associated injury is very important in cases of traumatic thoracic pseudoaneurysm.