title: Endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic disease: mid-term follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate the mid-term follow-up in a cohort of patients with acute or chronic descending aortic disease treated by stent-graft repair.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Since 1999, endovascular stent-graft placement has been reported as an alternative treatment to surgical approach for a variety of thoracic aortic diseases; however, results beyond initial short-term follow-up are not widely available for the broad range of applications.
  
  
  METHODS
  From March 2001, 43 consecutive patients with traumatic aortic transection (group A = 16) and complicated type B aortic dissection or aneurysm (group B = 27) underwent stent-graft implantation. All patients underwent computed tomography (CT) scan as preoperative assessment and in 26 a transesophageal echo (TEE) exam was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Technically successful stent-graft deployment was achieved in all patients. No patient required surgical conversion and no cases of paraplegia occurred. The overall in-hospital mortality was 9.3%. A residual endoleak (type II) was detected in one group B patient who was managed conservatively. The mean follow-up was 29 +/- 8 months (range 10-48 months). No patient died during late follow-up after hospital discharge. At 12 months, one patient (2.5%) who had stent graft repair of an aortic dissection developed an asymptomatic type I endoleak. Three asymptomatic patients with chronic dissection had a persistent retrograde perfusion of the thoracic false lumen via a distal tear(s) in the dissection septum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results of stent-graft treatment of complicated and uncomplicated diseases of the descending aorta confirms that this alternative to open repair is a safe, less invasive, and relatively low risk approach. Medium-term follow-up results suggest that it is effective and durable therapy with low associated mortality and morbidity rates.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Department, Division of Cardiology, Ospedali Riuniti di Bergamo, Italy. tespili@katamail.com
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tespili
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Banfi
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Valsecchi
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Aiazzi
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ricucci
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guagliumi
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Musumeci
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferrazzi
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Dake
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*