The authors describe the operative technique approach and its post-operative course used in an adult patient with coarctation of aorta, in which it was not possible to perform the traditional correction with an end-to-end anastomosis with graft interposition. During the surgery it was necessary to make an extra-anatomic bypass: ascending-descending aorta with an enlarged left posterior-lateral thoracotomy approach. The authors also make a short review of several possible approaches used for extra-anatomic bypass as well as its advantages and drawbacks.