Rescue of False Lumen Frozen Elephant Trunk Deployment Intraoperatively.

Abstract

Endovascular devices have become increasingly available, which has led to an increase in use of frozen elephant trunk stents for extended repair during type A aortic dissection. Frozen elephant trunk deployment is usually done under direct visualization of both the true and false lumen but rarely, the endograft can inadvertently end in the false lumen. This can lead to false lumen pressurization and end-organ malperfusion. Herein we describe a novel intraoperative rescue technique for misplaced frozen elephant trunk into the false lumen, easily executed in a standard operating room using transesophageal echocardiography and intravascular ultrasound guidance.