Pseudoaneurysm of the Ascending Aorta

A 37 year-old woman underwent aortic and mitral valve replacement and 3 months later developed a pseudoaneurysm from the anterior aspect of the proximal ascending aorta (aa). the pseudoaneurysm was approached through a redo-median sternotomy, on cardiopulmonary bypass (cpb), moderate hypothermia, and repaired successfully using autologous pericardium. the standard approach to such pseudoaneurysm is a cbp and hypothermic circulatory arrest prior to mid- sternotomy, and repair or replacement of the aa; but when a pseudoaneurysm arises from a narrow ostium on the anterior aspect of the aa, as in this case, it can be repaired under cpb with moderate hypothermia.