Preoperative hepatic insufficiency and type III endoleak: A confirmed potential fatal association following endovascular treatment

Abstract

Consumptive coagulopathy is known to occur in patients with aneurysm, especially in the thoracic localization. Compared to open chest surgery, the endovascular treatment leaves in place a large thrombosed aneurysmal sac, which might induce andyor exacerbate the coagulopathy. Although exceptional, some recent reports have raised the potential disastrous issue related to this complication. We report the case of a 74-year-old patient treated for an asymptomatic thoracic aorta aneurysm by endoprosthesis who developed a fatal disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. This complication has been related to a type III endoleak associated with a preoperative hepatic insufficiency. © 2008 Published by European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.