Human fibrinogen/thrombin-coated collagen patch to control intraoperative severe pulmonary hemorrhage and air leakage after correction of a ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysm.

Lung erosion represents a dreadful complication in patients affected by thoracic aortic aneurysms. Intraoperative occurrence of severe bleeding and extensive air leakage from the pulmonary erosion is usually quite particularly dangerous and challenging because of fragile lung tissue to be repaired, hypo-coagulative state, and the need for full mechanical ventilation. We report the case of a patient who had uncontrollable pulmonary bleeding and marked air leakage from an aortic aneurysm-induced lung erosion and laceration, which were effectively treated with a hemostatic patch (Tachosil, Nycomed, Linz, Austria) after unsuccessful conventional surgical approaches.