title: Endovascular stent-grafting of anastomotic pseudoaneurysms following thoracic aortic surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anastomotic pseudoaneurysm is a rare but life-threatening complication after thoracic aortic surgery. Endovascular stent-grafting is a less invasive treatment for thoracic aortic aneurysm; however, its clinical usefulness for anastomotic pseudoaneurysms following thoracic aortic surgery is unclear.
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 12 anastomotic pseudoaneurysms in 10 patients, which occurred following thoracic aortic surgery, underwent endovascular stent-grafting in our university hospital. Eight emergent endovascular stent-grafting cases were included in this study. A hand-made stent-graft, reconstructed by suturing graft material to an endoskeleton of modified Gianturco Z stents, was used in all cases.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The delivery success rate was 91.7%, and the hospital mortality rate was 25.0%. Two cases were converted to open surgery during the postoperative phase because of a type I endoleak. Complete absorption or shrinkage of the anastomotic pseudoaneurysm was observed in seven of nine cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular stent-grafting for patients with anastomotic pseudoaneurysms of the thoracic aorta following thoracic aortic surgery has become a possible optimal treatment. However, long-term outcome remains unclear, and periodical follow-up is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Sapporo Medical University, Chuo-ku, Sapporo, Japan. t.ito@sapmed.ac.jp
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
authors.forename: Nobuyoshi
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kawaharada
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyanagi
authors.forename: Hitoki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hashiguchi
authors.forename: Akitatsu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyaki
authors.forename: Akihiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.forename: Masanori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Higami
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017541:Aneurysm, False / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000401:mortality