CTICasesElephant Trunk Graft for Aortic Repair
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Imaging findings
Post-operative CT following complex aortic surgery, including prior graft placement, revealed multiple synthetic grafts. Distal to a particular synthetic graft, a distinct pseudo-intimal flap was observed in the proximal descending aorta, representing an "elephant trunk" graft used as part of the aortic repair.
Key takeaways
The "elephant trunk" technique is a surgical strategy used in complex aortic repair, involving a graft segment that is left free within the aorta to facilitate subsequent stages of repair. Radiologists must recognize this intended post-operative appearance as a pseudo-intimal flap to avoid misinterpreting it as dissection.
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