Endovascular repair of contained rupture of the thoracic aorta.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of stent-grafts for the treatment of acute rupture of the thoracic aorta.


METHODS
Four patients with acute contained ruptures of the thoracic aorta were treated by insertion of stent-grafts. The underlying aortic lesions were aneurysm, acute aortic ulcer, acute type B dissection and giant cell aortitis. The procedures were performed under general anesthesia in three patients and local anesthesia in one patient.


RESULTS
All stent-grafts were successfully deployed. All patients survived the procedure and are now alive and well at follow-up (mean 6.3 months, range 44 days-16 months). One patient underwent a second stent procedure 10 days after the first procedure because of a proximal endoleak. All hemothoraces have resolved. There were no complications.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment of acute contained ruptures of the thoracic aorta by the insertion of stent-grafts is feasible. The technical success rates, complication rates and patient survival compare favorably with emergency surgery.
D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015607:Stents; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed