title: Thoracic aortic aneurysm repair with endovascular stent-grafts.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to describe the clinical experience is using endoluminal stent-grafts for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms in high-risk patients. Patients with aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta who were considered high surgical risks underwent evaluation for endoluminal repair. The prosthesis was constructed from Z stents covered with polyester fabric using dimensions based upon preprocedural computed tomography scans and angiography. Through a femoral arteriotomy or left retroperitoneal flank incision, a 22-24 Fr delivery catheter was inserted and advanced through the aorta to the target site under fluoroscopic guidance in the operating suite. The stent-graft prosthesis was deployed at the site of the aneurysm. 44 patients (36 male, 8 female; mean age 36 years) underwent stent-graft repair for thoracic aneurysms (mean diameter 6.3 cm). The deployment was technically successful in all cases, with complete aneurysm thrombosis in 88%. The 30-day perioperative mortality rate was 6.8% and 35-month actuarial survival was 82%. There were no cases of stent migration, surgical conversion or intraprocedural death. Paraplegia occurred in two patients who underwent simultaneous surgical infrarenal aortic aneurysm repair immediately followed by stent-graft placement for a coexisting thoracic aneurysm. The conclusion was that placement of endoluminal stent-grafts for repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms is technically feasible in high-risk patients in whom conventional surgery is contraindicated. Long-term studies are needed to determine protection against aneurysm rupture and patient survival.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular-Interventional Radiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Semba
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Kee
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dake
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*