[Endovascular prostheses and extra-anatomical bypasses to mesenteric and renal vessels in a patient with a thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm: a possible alternative to the standard operation].

A 57-year-old male had a thoraco-abdominal aortic aneurysm that was increasing in diameter, accompanied by pain in the right lower abdomen and groin. Ten years earlier he had had a dissecting thoraco-abdominal aneurysm that extended from the left subclavian artery to the aortic bifurcation. A CT-scan revealed further growth of the aneurysm. He was treated by an open and an endovascular operation. The distal aorta was replaced by a bifurcation prosthesis via a laparotomy, with 2 other bifurcation prostheses to 2 mesenteric and 2 renal arteries. In a second session, a carotid-subclavian bypass was constructed and the aorta was reinforced by an endograft from the left subclavian artery to the bifurcation prosthesis. Postoperatively he suffered a transient ischaemic attack, hypertension, pneumonia, and vocal cord paresis. At follow-up 1.5 years later, the patient was free of symptoms, with the exception of slight hoarseness during forced speech, and the aneurysm was totally under control. This procedure may be an alternative to the classical thoracophrenicolaparotomy.