The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, Vol 48, 686-688, Copyright © 1989 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons
Thromboembolism from undersized Dacron grafts in the descending thoracic aorta
A Verdant, A Page and R Baillot
Division of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Hopital du Sacre-Coeur de Montreal, Universite de Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Three patients were referred to our institution for major thromboembolic
complications secondary to the use of undersized Dacron grafts (14, 16, and
18 mm) in the descending thoracic aorta. The progressive accumulation of
thrombotic material in the prosthesis caused recurrent coarctation in 1
patient and peripheral embolisms in the other 2. With a 9-mm Gott shunt
providing distal perfusion, excision of the clotted graft and its
replacement with a 22-mm Dacron prosthesis was successfully achieved in
each patient.