Endovascular treatment of the persistent false lumen of post-dissection aneurysms with "candy-plug" technique

Abstract

A 79-year-old male patient was operated with Bentall procedure, thoracic aorta-aortic interposition and stent graft implantation for aortic dissection type A. Because of the persistent false lumen a chronic, 60 mm thoraco-abdominal post-dissection aortic aneurysm developed, which we managed with a new endovascular treatment, the so-called "candy-plug" technique. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) can induce the thrombosis of the false lumen and the aortic remodelling via the covering of the proximal intimal tear. However, the thrombosis of the false lumen is often - in 60% of the cases - incomplete. In these cases we have to prepare for the persistent expansion of the aorta, which can be managed only with high-risk open or endovascular repair. Hence a new solution with lower risk was investigated, which combines TEVAR and the false lumen closure devices. Such a new treatment is the "candyplug" technique, which was performed in our case. This minimally invasive technique, which excludes the circulation of the false lumen and stops the progression of the aneurysm expansion, can be an effective and safe solution for the treatment of the chronic post-dissection aortic aneurysms.