title: Emergency stent-graft placement for impending rupture of the descending thoracic aorta.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present initial experience with emergent stent-graft placement for impending rupture of the descending thoracic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intramural hematoma (IMH) of the descending thoracic aorta was diagnosed by transesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography in 3 patients with acute onset of severe thoracic pain. Because of signs of impending rupture, e.g., pleural effusion, sustained pain, or transadventitial bleeding, the patients underwent emergency stent-graft placement, which was successful in all cases. No procedure-related complications were observed. Follow-up to 18 months has revealed no evidence of endoleak, and all patients remain free of symptoms.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Emergency stent-graft placement may be a promising alternative to conventional surgery in patients with impending aortic rupture due to IMH.
authors.affiliation: Zweite Interne Abteilung mit Kardiologie und Angiologie, A.ö.Krankenhaus der Elisabethinen, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: H Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Nesser
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eggebrecht
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Baumgart
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.forename: Manfred
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gschwendtner
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barkhausen
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Erbel
authors.forename: Christoph A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Nienaber
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014456:Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*