Shiiya Norihiko, Kunihara Takashi, Matsuzaki Kenji, Sugiki Takashi
Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Hokkaido University Hospital, N14W5, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8648, Japan.
Eur J Cardiothorac Surg. 2006 Aug;30(2):402-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ejcts.2006.05.014. Epub 2006 Jul 7.
As a previously unrecognized late graft-related complication, we report a case of spontaneous perigraft hemorrhage, which was evidenced by contrast extravasation on computed tomographic scan seven years after thoracic aortic replacement with a knitted Dacron graft. There was no anastomotic problem or graft tear, and the hematoma seemed to result from transgraft hemorrhage. Inadequate graft healing and use of a knitted graft in the thoracic aorta seem underlying. Surgeons should be aware of this complication and we advocate careful long-term follow-up.