A rare case of aortocoronary dissection following percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty: successful treatment using off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting

Retrograde dissection of the aorta is a rare but potentially life threatening complication of percutaneous coronary intervention. We describe a case of retrograde aortic dissection, which occurred during attempted percutaneous transluminal coroanary angioplasty (PTCA) of chronically occluded left anterior descending artery (LAD). Emergency coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) was performed to revascularise LAD distal to the site of entry tear with pedicled left internal mammary artery (LIMA). This was achieved off-pump. Ascending aorta was not replaced as the dissection was localised. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.