title: Endovascular treatment of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms with the EndoFit stent-graft.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the mid-term feasibility, efficacy, and durability of descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (DTAA) exclusion using the EndoFit device (LeMaitre Vascular).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three (23) men (mean age 66 years) with a DTAA were admitted to our department for endovascular repair (21 were ASA III+ and 2 refused open repair) from January 2003 to July 2005.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete aneurysm exclusion was feasible in all subjects (100% technical success). The median follow-up was 18 months (range 8-40 months). A single stent-graft was used in 6 cases. The deployment of a second stent-graft was required in the remaining 17 patients. All endografts were attached proximally, beyond the left subclavian artery, leaving the aortic arch branches intact. No procedure-related deaths have occurred. A distal type I endoleak was detected in 2 cases on the 1 month follow-up CT scan, and was repaired with reintervention and deployment of an extension graft. A nonfatal acute myocardial infarction occurred in 1 patient in the sixth postoperative month. Graft migration, graft infection, paraplegia, cerebral or distal embolization, renal impairment or any other major complications were not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The treatment of DTAAs using the EndoFit stent-graft is technically feasible. Mid-term results in this series are promising.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Papageorgiou General Hospital, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saratzis
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Saratzis
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Melas
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ginis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lioupis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lykopoulos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lazaridis
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kiskinis
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006115:Greece; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D015607:Stents; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome