title: Secondary interventions after endovascular thoracic aortic repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endovascular stent grafting of the descending thoracic aorta has evolved rapidly and is now the standard of care for certain patient subsets. However, the durability of this technique is limited by the development of technique-specific complications at mid-term follow-up. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence, techniques, and outcomes of secondary intervention for complications after stent grafting of the descending thoracic aorta.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between March 2001 and November 2011, 152 patients underwent endovascular thoracic aortic repair (TEVAR). We identified 19 (12.5%) patients from this cohort who required secondary interventions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The indications for TEVAR were type B aortic dissection in 12 patients, thoracic aortic aneurysm in six patients, and intramural hematoma in one patient. The mean time between TEVAR and secondary intervention was 20.49 ± 24.90 months (range, 1.2-83 months). A secondary endovascular intervention was required in eleven patient, six patients required secondary surgical therapy, and hybrid procedures were performed in two patients. Endoleaks were the most common indication for a secondary intervention. The 30-day mortality rate was 10.5% (2/19). Two perioperative deaths were observed following surgical therapy. During the mean follow-up of 78.06 ± 37.37 months (range, 23-142 months) after TEVAR, four unrelated deaths occurred, two patients were lost to follow-up, and four patients required a further intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Secondary intervention after endovascular stent grafting of the descending thoracic aorta was not infrequently required and can be performed with acceptable risks. However, serial, systematic follow-up is essential to detect late complications and to perform secondary procedures, preferably under elective circumstances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Thoracic- and Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Johannes Hospital Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany; Faculty of Health, University Witten/Herdecke, Witten, Germany.
authors.forename: Spiridon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Botsios
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frömke
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Walterbusch
authors.forename: Karl
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schuermann
authors.forename: Sreekumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Subramanian
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Reinstadler
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dohmen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000784:Aortic Dissection / Q000601:surgery*; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D057867:Endoleak / Q000601:surgery; D057510:Endovascular Procedures / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000601:surgery; D012086:Reoperation; D012306:Risk; D015607:Stents; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome