Stent-graft repair for blunt traumatic aortic injury as the new standard of care: is there evidence?
Designed to treat degenerative aneurysms of the thoracic and abdominal aorta, endovascular stent-grafts have been increasingly employed as an off-label emergency treatment for blunt traumatic aortic injury (BTAI). In this review we explore the controversies associated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for BTAI. Early versus delayed treatment of aortic injuries is controversial, and stent-graft repair has further confused the issue of timing the repair. The diagnosis and management of minimal aortic injuries remains elusive. We analyze the available literature pertaining to BTAI, including the recent multicenter prospective trial from the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. The strengths and weaknesses of the stent-grafts currently available for use in the US are examined to provide insight into which graft may be best suited for BTAI at the present time. Also of importance, we offer recommendations regarding clinical situations in which TEVAR should not be the first line therapy for BTAI. We conclude with a discussion of upcoming trials and new devices that will shape the future of endovascular treatment of BTAI.
Atkins
Marvin D
MD
Division of Vascular Surgery, Scott & White Hospital & Clinic, Texas A&M University Health Science Center, Temple, Texas 76508, USA. matkins@swmail.sw.org
Marrocco
Christopher J
CJ
Bohannon
W Todd
WT
Bush
Ruth L
RL