Bypass grafting from the ascending thoracic aorta to the common iliac artery was performed to manage proximal hypertension in a patient with atypical coarctation of the thoracic aorta. The patient's history was significant for an acute aortic thrombosis at the level of the diaphragm for which she underwent an axillo-bifemoral bypass grafting as an emergency operation. Although she was doing well following the initial bypass grafting, the second bypass grafting was required to treat proximal hypertension refractory to medical management. The axillo-femoral bypass graft had a smaller diameter and a longer subcutaneous distance, and the blood supply to the abdominal viscera may have been insufficient. The proximal hypertension was well controlled following ascending thoracic aorta to common iliac bypass, because the diameter (16mm) of the graft is larger than that of the axillo-bifemoral bypass graft (8mm).

A 59-year-old man, who had received graft replacement for the “inflammatory” abdominal aortic aneurysm two years previously was admitted to our hospital because of preshock caused by intermittent intestinal hemorrhage. Gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed an ulcer at the 3rd portion of the duodenum. As aortoenteric fistula was diagnosed and he underwent an emergency operation. After initial axillo-bifemoral bypass grafting, the aortic graft was removed and the aortic stump was closed directly. The duodenal rent was closed by Albert-Lembert suture, He survived the operation and was discharged. We suggest that extra-anatomic bypass is safer than in situ graft replacement in patients with secondary aortoenteric fistula after operation for “inflammatory” abdominal aortic aneurysm, because adjacent organs adhere firmly to the proximal suture line in such cases.