title: Long-term results from a 12-year experience with endovascular therapy for thoracic aortic disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endovascular approaches promise to revolutionize therapy for thoracic aortic disease. This study describes a long-term analysis of endovascular thoracic aortic repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients (mean age, 67.4 years) underwent endovascular thoracic aortic repair from 1993 to 2005. Indications for intervention included aneurysm (38%), dissection (23%), or penetrating ulcer or pseudoaneurysm (34%). Rupture was present in 16 patients (22%). Seventy-one percent were considered high risk for open surgery for reasons of age or comorbid conditions. Treated segments included ascending aorta (n = 1), distal arch (n = 24), and proximal (n = 50) or distal (n = 55) descending aorta. The total descending thoracic aorta was covered in 31 patients. Procedural success was achieved in 96%. Devices were delivered by femoral (79%), retroperitoneal iliac (18%), or carotid (2.7%) exposure. Devices used included Excluder (n = 30), Talent (n = 23), Zenith (n = 3), AneuRx (n = 5), and custom-fabricated (n = 14). Follow-up was 100% complete.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-day mortality was 5.5%. Significant morbidity included stroke (8.2%) and need for dialysis (4.1%). Although 3 patients had transient spinal cord ischemia (4.1%), none had permanent sequelae. Intervention for fusiform aneurysm was independently associated with a composite end point of 30-day mortality, need for dialysis, and stroke (p = 0.015). Eight patients (11%) had new or persistent endoleaks, and aortic reintervention was performed in 7 patients (9.6%). Mean survival for the entire cohort was 46.8 +/- 5.1 months. Intervention for penetrating ulcer or pseudoaneurysm (p = 0.045) was independently associated with long-term all-cause mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An endovascular approach produces acceptable results for a broad range of thoracic aortic disease. However, the potential for endoleak or need for reintervention mandates continued close follow-up to achieve satisfactory long-term results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Michigan Hospitals, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0348, USA. hjpatel@med.umich.edu
authors.forename: Himanshu J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Gilbert R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Upchurch
authors.forename: Michael S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shillingford
authors.forename: Narasimham L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Dasika
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Proctor
authors.forename: G Michael
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Deeb
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome