title: [Endovascular treatment of diseases of the descending thoracic aorta].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endovascular repair as treatment of aortic diseases seems promising. We report the first Danish results of endografting of the descending thoracic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen patients (median age 68 years, range 22-78 years) underwent endovascular treatment of diseases in the descending thoracic aorta: atherosclerotic aneurysm (n = 7), ruptured aneurysm (n = 3), Type B dissection (n = 3), traumatic rupture (n = 3), pseudoaneurysm (n = 2) and a defective aortic prosthesis (n = 1). The patients were followed with chest CT scans and clinically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all cases the endograft was successfully deployed in the intended positions. Median total hospital stay was 5 days, range 2-21 days. Eight patients had post-implantation syndrome. No deaths occurred within the first post-operative month. During the follow-up period (median 12 months, range 1-56 months) five deaths were observed. One of the patients died from aortobronchial fistula related to the endograft. One patient had an endoleak, and two had expanded aneurysm. None of these patients was treated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In selected patients, endoluminal grafting of the descending thoracic aortic is a safe and successful alternative to open graft repair in treating aneurysm, ruptured aneurysm, traumatic rupture and dissection. However, long-term evaluation is still required.
authors.affiliation: Odense Universitetshospital, Røntgendiagnostisk Afdeling, og Thorax-karkirurgisk Afdeling. akholst@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Anette Koch
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: Mikkel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Quaade
authors.forename: Lars Ib
authors.initials: LI
authors.lastname: Andersen
authors.forename: Nils
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rohr
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Justesen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000601:surgery; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000601:surgery; D017542:Aneurysm, Ruptured / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006350:Heart Valve Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D011859:Radiography; D015607:Stents; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*