The implications of extensive cerebral vascular dysplasia in surgical repair of coarctation of the aorta and ventricular septal defect

comitant repair of a long-segment aortic coarctation and ventricular septal defect (VSD) under hypothermic circulatory arrest. Despite a satisfactory cardiovascular outcome, he had a cerebral infarction during follow-up. Modern magnetic resonance (MR) methods may assist in the diagnostic work-up of patients with arch anomalies, including coarctation. Ischemic Although acute neurologic problems are relatively common postoperatively in patients with arch anomalies,1 associated anomalies of the head and neck vessels are not routinely excluded preoperatively. In this report we describe the case of a patient with severe dysplasia of the intracerebral vessels and incomplete circle of Willis who underwent successful conTHE IMPLICATIONS OF EXTENSIVE CEREBRAL VASCULAR DYSPLASIA IN SURGICAL REPAIR OF COARCTATION OF THE AORTA AND VENTRICULAR SEPTAL DEFECT