title: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair as emergency therapy despite suspected aortic infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) as emergency therapy despite suspected aortic infection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Within a 5-year period, we treated 6 patients with a strategy of primary TEVAR despite suspected aortic infection in patients with symptomatic or already ruptured thoracic aortic pathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In-hospital mortality was 16.7%. The reason for death was septic multiorgan failure. During follow-up, 2 patients were converted to secondary open surgery in a stable elective setting. The median follow-up was 42.5 months. All surviving patients are not receiving continuing antibiotic therapy. Freedom from infection is 100% to date.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TEVAR as emergency therapy despite suspected aortic infection is feasible and may well serve as a definite treatment option in selected cases. As recurring infection cannot be entirely excluded, life-long clinical and morphological surveillance remains mandatory.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, University Hospital Berne, Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Arno
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stellmes
authors.forename: Regula
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Von Allmen
authors.forename: Urs
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Derungs
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dick
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Makaloski
authors.forename: Dai-Do
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Jürg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidli
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Czerny
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D000785:Aneurysm, Infected / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001027:Aortography / Q000379:methods; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D004630:Emergencies; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents