Endovascular repair of aortic perforation and type B aortic dissection after axillary intra-aortic balloon pump insertion

We present the successful endovascular repair of an iatrogenic aortic dissection in a 57-year-old woman with decompensated heart failure. An intra-aortic balloon pump was inserted in the patient via a percutaneous axillary approach for circulatory support. Six days later, she developed symptoms of abdominal pain and lower extremity malperfusion. Computed tomography angiography demonstrated a type B aortic dissection with associated retroperitoneal hematoma secondary to aortic perforation. The patient underwent emergent endovascular aortic repair and intra-aortic balloon pump removal with return of lower extremity perfusion. She recovered well and underwent heart and kidney transplant less than 2 months postoperatively.