title: Endovascular management of traumatic thoracic aortic transection.
abstract: The conventional treatment of traumatic thoracic aortic transection is open surgical repair but it is associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, particularly in patients with multiple injuries. We reviewed our experience of endovascular repair of traumatic thoracic aortic transection. Between March 2002 and December 2007, 7 patients (male 6, female 1; mean age 40 years) with multiple injuries secondary to blunt trauma underwent endovascular stenting. One patient required adjunctive surgery to facilitate endovascular stenting. Mean intensive care unit stay was 8.6 days (range, 3-16 days). Arterial access in all patients was obtained by femoral cut-down. The mean operating time was 122 min. Technical success was achieved in all cases. There was no mortality. One patient suffered a right parietal stroke, but none developed procedure-related paralysis. The mean follow-up period was 18.6 months (range, 6-48 months). There was no evidence of endoleak, stent migration, or late pseudoaneurysm formation on follow-up computed tomography. Endovascular stents can be used to treat traumatic thoracic aortic transection, with low rates of morbidity and mortality. Although early and midterm results are promising, the long-term durability of endovascular stenting for traumatic thoracic aortic transection remains unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac, Thoracic & Vascular Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore. Atasha_ASMAT@nuh.com.sg
authors.forename: Atasha
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asmat
authors.forename: Lenny
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Michael George
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Caleb
authors.forename: Chuen-Neng
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Peter Ashley
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Robless
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015607:Stents; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult