title: Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic disease with the EndoFit stent-graft: short and midterm results from a single center.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the outcomes of endovascular treatment of thoracic aortic pathologies performed at a single center with the EndoFit thoracic stent-graft system.
  
  
  METHODS
  From January 2002 to January 2007, 41 patients (33 men; mean age 69.3+/-9.7 years, range 48-84) were treated for thoracic aortic disease with the EndoFit stent-graft system. Patient data were retrieved from a retrospective review of hospital records. Indications for treatment were progression of aneurysm size in atherosclerotic aneurysms (n = 24, mean aneurysm diameter 7.19+/-1.48 cm), acute contained aortic rupture (n = 5), aortic dissection (n = 6), penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers (n = 4), post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm (n = 1), and post coarctation repair aneurysm (n = 1).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EndoFit stent-graft was successfully deployed in all 41 patients. The in-hospital and 30-day mortality rate was 7.3% (3 patients). Three (7.3%) postoperative endoleaks were recorded: a proximal type Ia and a distal Ib both resolved spontaneously at 1 and 3 months, respectively. The third patient had a persistent type Ia endoleak; conversion was necessary after 1 year. There was only 1 case of spinal ischemia, with consequent lower extremity weakness; no paraplegia was observed. During a mean 24.8-month follow-up, 2 secondary type Ia endoleaks were treated with additional stent-grafts. There were 7 (17%) deaths during follow-up. At 2 years, overall patient survival by Kaplan-Meier analysis was 70%; aneurysm-related survival was 89%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular treatment of vascular disease involving the descending thoracic aorta can be safely performed with the EndoFit thoracic stent-graft system.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Interventional Laboratory, San Donato Milanese Hospital, Via Morandi 30, San Donato Milanese, Milan, Italy. luigi.inglese@tin.it
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Inglese
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mollichelli
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Medda
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sirolla
authors.forename: Valerio
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tolva
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grassi
authors.forename: Cecilia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fantoni
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neagu
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pavesi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome