False Lumen Embolization with the Candy Plug Technique for Consumptive Coagulopathy after Aortic Repair for Chronic Dissection

INTRODUCTION: Chronic aortic dissection rarely causes consumptive coagulopathy due to disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). REPORT: A 69 year old man who had previously undergone total arch replacement with the frozen elephant trunk procedure for chronic aortic dissection was transferred to our hospital because of sudden back pain. He had a bleeding from the right subscapular artery due to consumptive DIC caused by retrograde blood flow into a residual false lumen (FL). Percutaneous transcatheter embolisation was successfully performed, but DIC findings persisted. Thoracic endovascular aortic repair and FL embolisation with the candy plug technique were performed. Subsequently, DIC improved and FL thrombosis was safely accomplished. DISCUSSION: In this case, FL thrombosis was safely accomplished with the candy plug technique. This strategy expands options in patients with high risk for open repair.