We assessed the late aortic reoperation after surgery for type A acute aortic dissection (AAAD). Subjects were 108 consecutive patients with AAAD who underwent surgery by routine aortic arch replacement using geratin-resorcin-formalin-glutaraldehyde (GRF) glue between January 1996 and December 2010. Seven of the 94 patients who were discharged after the initial repair of AAAD required reoperation for the residual aorta. Reoperations included 4 procedures on the distal aorta and 3 procedures on the proximal aorta (aortic root or ascending aorta) at a mean interval of 6.1±3.5 (0.9∼13.7) years after initial surgery. There were no hospital reoperation-related deaths. Freedom from reoperation was 96% and 89% at 5 and 10 years. In conclusion, the use of GRF glue may influence the risk of reoperation after surgery for AAAD, but our results showed that there were very few of such cases. Furthermore, routine aortic arch replacement for AAAD may reduce late aortic reoperations after surgery by eliminating possible risks of residual tear at the transverse arch.

A 68-year-old woman with multiple gastric ulcers was admitted to our hospital due to post-prandial abdominal pain. Multirow detector computed tomography (MDCT) showed severe stenoses of both the celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) ; therefore, we decided to operate based on the presumed diagnosis of abdominal angina. We bypassed the stenoses using a saphenous vein graft from the right external iliac artery to the SMA, distal to the stenosis. The patient was symptom-free postoperatively. In summary, this case of abdominal angina was accurately evaluated preoperatively with MDCT and the flow meter^®. Thereafter, a focal stenosis in the superior mesenteric artery was successfully treated with an external iliac-SMA bypass using a saphenous vein graft.

A 69-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to cardiomegaly on plain chest radiography. He did not have any history of chest pain, trauma or fever of unknown origin. Echocardiography showed severe aortic valve regurgitation. Standard enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a localized dissection or an aneurysm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva. However it is difficult to make a definite diagnosis because of cardiac beating artifact. Cardiac multidetecter-row CT demonstrated an aneurysm of the noncoronary sinus of Valsalva connected to the sinus with a small aperture. Aortic valve replacement and patch closure were performed. The postoperative course was uneventful and follow-up CT showed thrombus formation in the sinus Valsalva aneurysm. Cardiac multidetecter-row CT was useful for accurate diagnosis of aortic root disease.