Successful endografting with simultaneous visceral artery bypass grafting for severely calcified thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm

We present two cases of severely calcified thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm treated by means of endografting with a retrograde aortomesenteric bifurcated bypass graft reconstructing the celiac axis and superior mesenteric artery. To avoid spinal ischemia, we monitored evoked spinal cord potential and performed an occlusion test of the intercostal arteries using a retrievable stentgraft. No change in evoked spinal cord potential was noted, and no endoleaks or complications, including paraplegia, were observed. This procedure is a feasible and less-invasive treatment for severely calcified thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:397-9.)