VISUALIZATION OF PATTERN FLOW IN ABDOMINAL ARTERIES BY TRANSGASTRIC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY AFTER AORTIC DISSECTION REPAIR

The persistence of false lumen after surgical repair of aortic dissect ion is frequent. This event has a negative impact on the prognosis and is secondary to the persistence of unrepaired entry sites and of diss ected major aortic branches. We describe three cases in which visualiz ation of a dissected celiac trunk with an anomalous flow pattern was p ossible with transesoghageal echocardiography. Two of these cases died in the early postoperative period and the echo findings were confirme d at necropsy. We suggest that visualization of anomalous pattern flow in the celiac trunk is of prognostic relevance because it plays a maj or role in mantaining the false lumen persistence and, therefore, shou ld be part of the routine examination after surgical repair of aortic dissection.