Axillofemoral bypass relieves visceral malperfusion in type B aortic dissection.

A 58-year-old man with acute type B aortic dissection presented with right lower limb cyanosis, mesenteric ischemia, and acute renal failure. He was treated with extraanatomic right axillofemoral bypass surgery alone, recovered completely from renal, mesenteric, and lower extremity malperfusion shortly thereafter, and lived free of symptoms for the following year. Follow-up computed tomography angiograms documented adequate expansion of the true aortic lumen and good perfusion of visceral organs. Thus, managing such patients with coexisting visceral and extremity malperfusion may be accomplished with axillofemoral bypass exclusively, which can relieve ischemia of upstream abdominal organs and downstream lower extremities effectively and durably.