Case 49

Leaking type B aneurysm in an elderly chap

An elderly gentleman presented with a leaking type B aortic dissection. It was decided to stent the aorta to stop the leak as this was thought to be of lower risk than an open operation in an elderly arteriopath. The procedure via the femoral artery was without incident. However post procedure he developed a cold arm and leg, and never regained consciousness. CT scanning of his head revealed an intracerebral bleed. At post mortem multiple infarcts were found in his brain, spleen, kidney and liver. His aorta was grossly diseased with soft atheromatous material. It is thought that all his problems were due to atheroembolism that occurred during placement of the stent.