Haemoptysis from false aneurysm: near fatal complication of repair of coarctation of the aorta using a Dacron patch

We report a case of haemoptysis from a leaking false aneurysm associated with a Dacron patch used to repair coarctation of the aorta twelve years earlier in a 17-year-old girl. This case illustrates a late and potentially fatal complication of this type of operation after a long period of apparent normality. It emphasises the need for informed follow-up and appropriate correctly timed investigations.