Successful Ascending Aorta-Abdominal Aorta Bypass Graft through the Left Thoracic Cavity in a Patient with Atypical Coarctation.

A 67-year-old woman admitted with severe hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and dyspnea was found to have hypertension and congestive heart failure due to stenosis of the descending aorta. Atypical aortic coarctation was diagnosed. Extra-anatomical bypass was performed from the ascending aorta to the terminal abdominal aorta and the pulmonary vein was isolated. The graft was arranged to pass through the left thoracic cavity from the pericardium via a transretroperitoneal approach to the terminal abdominal aorta. Direct contact was avoided between the graft and the abdominal organs, and the pressure gradient between the ascending aorta and the abdominal aorta was decreased.