title: Endovascular repair of nonruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms: systematic review.
abstract: Thoracic aortic aneurysms represent a major health problem. Untreated thoracic aortic aneurysms may rupture, which has a dismal outcome. The standard treatment for thoracic aneurysms is open surgical repair, but it is associated with high mortality and morbidity. Endovascular repair provides a less invasive and safer alternative. A systematic review was performed of all published literature on the above subject. Our primary objective was to measure 30-day mortality for nonruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms. Studies describing other pathologies, such as aortic dissection, mycotic aneurysms, penetrating ulcers, traumatic transactions, and pseudoaneurysms, and studies from which independent data for thoracic aortic aneurysm could not be separately extracted were excluded. Case series describing less than 10 patients and all case series describing ruptures or concealed ruptures were excluded as well. Twenty-six case series and one comparative study were identified. This formed a cohort of 1,038 patients. Technical success was possible in more than 97% of patients. The 30-day mortality was calculated to be 5.1% even though the group under study was mostly those who were refused surgery by a surgeon or had a higher surgical risk. The incidence of paraplegia and stroke was 3.1% and 4.7%, respectively. Early endoleak was seen in 16.7% of patients, whereas 11.7% of patients developed late endoleak, but most did not require any additional procedure. The rate of reintervention was 14.9%. The 12-month mortality rate was 14.2%. Endovascular repair shows encouraging short-term results. It is associated with significantly less mortality and morbidity, but long-term results need to be further investigated.
authors.affiliation: Academic Vascular Department, Sheffield University, Sheffield, United Kingdom. tansheetshah@gmail.com
authors.forename: Syed T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: Umar
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Sadat
authors.forename: Muhammad U
authors.initials: MU
authors.lastname: Majeed
authors.forename: Chih Mun
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Michaels
authors.forename: Steve M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Thomas
mesh_terms: D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000401:mortality; D003422:Critical Care; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology; D019106:Postoperative Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D018570:Risk Assessment; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome