title: Clinical Application of an Original Flexible MK Stent-Graft For Nonruptured Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms: Early Experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  : To obtain early MK stent-grafting results for nonruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms.
  
  
  METHODS
  : The authors analyzed 47 patients who underwent treatment using MK stent-grafting. All patients (40 men and 7 women; mean age, 70.8 years) underwent elective procedures. Straight, curved, or tapered MK stents were constructed from a nitinol wire and covered with seamless, cylindrical woven polyester fabric grafts. The mean stent-graft diameter was 24 to 48 mm. In cases where the aneurysm had a short proximal neck (under 15 mm), supraaortic arch artery bypass surgery was planned to lengthen the neck.
  
  
  RESULTS
  : Simple stent-grafting without bypass was performed in 26 patients, whereas stent-grafting with supraaortic arch artery bypass was performed in 21 patients. An 18 or 20 F sheath was used as the delivery system in 46 patients (96%). In all 47 patients, the stent-grafts were successfully deployed. Two patients died while in hospital, and another 2 patients suffered a stroke. No other perioperative complications were observed. Postoperative computed tomography after 3 months showed complete thrombus formation in 42 patients (93.3%; 42/45 patients).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  : Forty-seven patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm were treated with our original flexible MK stent-graft system. Using a small sheath system, straight or curved M-K stent-grafts could be deployed to adequately fit to the aorta as planned. Furthermore, simultaneous bypass surgery widened the application of stent-grafting. However, careful long-term observation is necessary, and further studies are needed to assess such stent-grafting with bypass surgery.
authors.affiliation: From the Division of Vascular Surgery, *Department of General & Cardiothoracic Surgery and †Department of Radiology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Kanazawa, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohtake
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Go
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Junichiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sanada
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Matsui