Question: My brother had a dissected Aortic open heart surgery. It is likely due to pre-existing condition, but it burst when a grill fell on his chest. Surgery went well because of his being life lighted to U 0f Mich. Came home after two weeks and after several weeks home quickly developed massive bleeding rectally. He was immediately taken to local hospital. Doctors did colonoscopy and found a large ulcer they cauterized. During the cauterization his heart stopped but was resuscitated by CPR. He also had a descending dissection of the aorta, treated conservatively. Is it common to have gastric bleeding problems after the major surgery or is something going wrong with the descending aorta? I have read of complications with the surgery but not there is not much about gastric problems. Also, now doctors are saying he needs additional surgery in his arm and shoulder because the dissection expanded. Did that happen at the same time of the original surgery or develop after surgery.