Non-Anastomotic Aneurysms of a Knitted Dacron Graft / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

A case of non-anastomotic aneurysms of a knitted Dacron graft is reported. The patient, a 35-year-old female, had had a bypass operation with a Cooley double velour knitted Dacron graft 11 years previously for stenosis of the descending thoracic aorta caused by aortitis syndrome, was admitted complaining of a painful pulsating tumor of the left hypochondral region. We diagnosed multiple aneurysms of Dacron graft with computerized tomography and aortography. The dilated Dacron graft was resected and replaced by a woven polyester graft. The resected specimen showed longitudinal ruptures macroscopically and a decrease of the number of Dacron fibers at the dilated portion was detected microscopically. The nonuniformity of the diameter of Dacron fibers and cracks in the fibers were observed with a scanning electron microscope. Thus, for patients implanted with a knitted Dacron graft, periodical careful follow-up is required for early detection of aneurysmal changes of the graft.