title: Endovascular repair of traumatic rupture of the aortic isthmus: midterm results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The endovascular management of aortic traumatic ruptures has been proposed as an alternative to classical surgical procedures. The aim of this work was to report the midterm results of the endovascular treatment of traumatic ruptures of the isthmic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 1996 and July 2005, endovascular repair of blunt traumatic aortic ruptures was performed in 33 patients (mean age, 40 +/- 17 years). The stent grafts used were either Talent Medtronic (n = 27), Gore Excluder (n = 4), or Boston Vanguard (n = 2) grafts. Follow-up was 94.9% complete and averaged 32.4 +/- 28.8 months (maximum, 8 years).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stent graft deployment was successful in all cases without need for surgical conversion. Except for one iliac rupture, which was treated with an iliofemoral bypass during the same procedure, there was no major perioperative complication. The early complications consisted of 3 primary endoleaks (1 type I and 2 type IV), 1 transient paraparesis, 1 occlusion of the main left bronchus, 1 thrombosis, and 2 pseudoaneurysms of the brachial artery. All the primary endoleaks healed within the first month. No patient died, and no aortic reinterventions were performed. The midterm complications were a mild circumferential thrombus at the distal part of the stent graft and a fracture of the nitinol stent. Both complications were asymptomatic and were discovered on systematic computed tomographic scan examination. Actuarial freedom from complication at 1 year was 96.1% +/- 3.8% and 85.5% +/- 10.6% at 3 and 5 years, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that the endovascular treatment of blunt thoracic aortic traumatisms is a safe and effective therapeutic method without increased midterm morbidity and mortality rates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Rangueil University Hospital, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Marcheix
authors.forename: Camille
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dambrin
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Bolduc
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Arnaud
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hollington
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cron
authors.forename: Antoine
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mugniot
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soula
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bennaceur
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chabbert
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Otal
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cérène
authors.forename: Hervé
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rousseau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating