title: [Endovascular treatment of thoracic aneurisms: indications, techniques and results].
abstract: CLINICAL ISSUE OF THORACIC ANEURYSMS: Aneurysms are among the most common diseases affecting the thoracic aorta, with a continuous increase in incidence over the recent decades. The main cause of thoracic aneurysms is atherosclerosis, which, due to the frequent lack of major symptoms and the potentially lethal complications such as ruptured aortic aneurysm, remains a challenge in clinical practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  CT angiography remains the imaging method of choice for acute aortic aneurysms, with MR angiography being increasingly used for follow-up imaging. THRESHOLD FOR TREATMENT: In the ascending aorta a diameter larger than 5-5.5 cm (descending aorta 6.5 cm) is regarded as the threshold for treatment. THORACIC ENDOVASCULAR AORTIC REPAIR: The continuous evolution of aortic stent grafting (i.e., thoracic endovascular aortic repair [TEVAR]) since Parodi, Palmaz and Dake has led to a steep rise in stent grafting procedures in recent years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Particularly in elderly patients with multiple comorbidities, TEVAR is a valuable, less invasive option compared to open surgical repair.
authors.affiliation: Institut und Poliklinik für Radiologische Diagnostik, Universitätsklinikum Carl-Gustav Carus Dresden, Fetscherstr. 74, 01307 Dresden, Deutschland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hofmockel
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Plodeck
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grützmann
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Laniado
authors.forename: R-T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
mesh_terms: D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*