Aortic intimal dehiscence: A complication of percutaneous balloon fenestration for aortic dissection

A patient with acute type B dissection and a tube configuration of the inti mal flap presented with signs of advanced mesenteric and renal ischemia as well as decreased pulses in the lower extremities. The patient was referred for emergency percutaneous fenestration of the abdominal aorta as a salvag e procedure and a possible bridge to later surgery. After fenestration, fem oral pulses became transiently stronger and then disappeared. The patient d ied after exploratory laparotomy. Postmortem examination demonstrated dehis cence of the infrarenal abdominal aortic intima with occlusion of the aorti c bifurcation.