The outcomes of surgery for Acute Stanford type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) have significantly improved in recent decades due to advances in surgical techniques and, surgical adhesives such as BioGlue. However, this convenient material can sometimes cause complications such as thrombotic embolism and pseudoaneurysm. Here, we present the case of a 61-year-old male with ATAAD who successfully underwent total arch replacement. Five days after the surgery, he collapsed due to right hemiplegia. We immediately performed cerebral thrombectomy and removed the thrombotic embolus caused by BioGlue, which was used to obliterate the false lumen of the dissected aorta during ATAAD repair.

A 53-year-old male undergoing emergency aortic valve replacement for infective endocarditis developed a hypertensive crisis early during the operation. Suspecting a pheochromocytoma, intravenous phentolamine was immediately administered, after which the procedure was completed as scheduled. Although quite rare, a pheochromocytoma can be encountered during emergency open heart surgery, thus early recognition of abnormal blood pressure change and appropriate management are important. Here, we present details of blood pressure control mainly by phentolamine use in this case to demonstrate effective management of a hypertensive crisis during emergency cardiac surgery because of a pheochromocytoma.