Covered stents for true subclavian aneurysms in patients with degenerative connective tissue disorders.
OBJECTIVE
To report the endovascular repair of rare true aneurysms of the subclavian artery in patients with degenerative connective tissue disorders.


METHODS
Two patients, one with Marfan syndrome and the other with idiopathic cystic medial necrosis, presented with 3 subclavian artery aneurysms. A Wallgraft and 2 Viabahn covered stents were used to successfully exclude these aneurysms. After 3 months, the Wallgraft thrombosed, but the contralateral Viabahn remained patent at the most recent examination 13 months after treatment. The other patient with the unilateral aneurysm had a patent Viabahn stent-graft at 10 months.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with degenerative connective tissue disorders may benefit from less invasive treatment with stent-grafts. The more flexible Viabahn stent-graft may be better able to adapt to arterial tortuosity. However, the long-term results of this new technique have not yet been established.
Kasirajan
Karthikeshwar
K
Division of Vascular Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. kkasirajan@aol.com
Matteson
Brian
B
Marek
John M
JM
Langsfeld
Mark
M
D000328:Adult; D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D003240:Connective Tissue Diseases / Q000150:complications*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015607:Stents; D013348:Subclavian Artery