title: Deployment Accuracy of the Conformable GORE(®) TAG(®) Thoracic Endoprosthesis in the Treatment of Zones 2 and 3 Aortic Arch Aneurysms Compared with the Previous TAG(®).
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  When placing stent grafts, deployment accuracy and birdbeaking due to inadequate conformability and device apposition along the inner curvature of the arch have been encountered. The new Conformable GORE® TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis (CTAG) is designed to have enhanced compression resistance and improved conformability in difficult anatomy. The present study compared the deployment accuracy and conformability of the CTAG Device with TAG Device.
  
  
  METHODS
  Deployment accuracy and birdbeaking was compared of CTAG Device and TAG Device implantation for initial treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysm conducted by our department between March 2010 and March 2012. Deployment accuracy was defined as the distance between the actual and intended device implantation locations measured from DSA images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Deployment accuracy at the time of implantation (mean ± SD) was significantly better for the CTAG Device compared to the TAG Device (2.2 ± 1.7 mm vs. 4.4 ± 3.0 mm, P <0.05). Also, while birdbeaking was seen in 8 of 20 cases (40%) for the TAG Device, it was only seen in 1 of 12 cases (8%) for the CTAG Device.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study found enhanced deployment accuracy and conformability along the aortic arch using the CTAG Device compared to the previous-generation TAG Device.
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Eisaku
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ito
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanaoka
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Vascular Surgery, Department of Surgery, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohki
keywords: Conformable GORE® TAG® Thoracic Endoprosthesis (CTAG); aortic arch aneurysm; birdbeak; deloyment accuracy; thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR)