title: Endovascular treatment of descending thoracic aortic disease. A single center experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the study was to assess if endovascular treatment is a feasible alternative in patients with descending thoracic aortic disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-three patients were admitted for stent-grafting of descending thoracic aortic disease during the period 1997-2008. The majority of the patients had aneurysm (35) or type B dissection (21), but also traumas, penetrating ulcers and other conditions were treated. Sixteen (22%) were unfit for open surgery. Thirty-four (47%) of the patients were symptomatic and 18 had rupture. The primary technical success rate was 96%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Early mortality (<30 days) for the whole group was 3%. Early endoleak (<30 days) was identified in 11 patients (15%) of whom 4 (5%) had a secondary procedure. In addition, two trauma patients required insertion of a new stent-graft due to stent-graft collapse. Two patients had stroke, one had paraplegia and two paraparesis. Mean follow-up was 3.1 years (range 0-12 years). Late endoleak (>30 days) was identified in 5 patients (7%) treated by 6 secondary procedures. One patient (1.7%) had an explant. Two patients have had extensions of endografts due to increasing diameter of the aorta at the distal end of the stent-graft.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Endovascular treatment seems to be a viable alternative in patients with descending thoracic aortic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, St. Olavs Hospital, University Hospital of Trondheim, Trondheim, Norway - conrad.lange@stolav.no.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aasland
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ødegård
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hatlinghus
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winnerkvist
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mattsson
authors.forename: H O
authors.initials: HO
authors.lastname: Myhre
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*; D001019:Aortic Rupture / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D020878:Device Removal; D057867:Endoleak / Q000209:etiology; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D012086:Reoperation; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014456:Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D055815:Young Adult