Continuous monitoring of hepatic venous oxygen saturation (SHVO2) as a new diagnostic indicator of abdominal malperfusion in acute aortic dissection]

A 73-year-old woman was admitted with sudden-onset back and abdominal pain. Computed tomography scanning revealed type B acute aortic dissection with narrowing of the true lumen. We inserted an oximetric catheter into the right hepatic vein and started continuous measurement of ShvO2. The initial value was 20%. Consecutive aortograms showed an intimal tear in the thoracic descending aorta. Endovascular stent graft placement was performed to close the entry, and ShvO2 rose to more than 60% immediately after the stent graft expansion. ShvO2 is an excellent indicator of abdominal blood flow, not only for early diagnosis but also for the evaluation of treatment.