Placement of endovascular stent-grafts for emergency repair of acute traumatic aortic rupture: a single-centre experience

Eur Radiol. 2007 Jul;17(7):1727-37. doi: 10.1007/s00330-006-0451-7. Epub 2006 Nov 18.

Abstract

The aim of this retrospective study was to evaluate mid- and long-term results of endovascular stent-graft placement for emergency repair of acute traumatic thoracic aortic rupture. From 1996 through 2005, 22 consecutive patients (mean age: 38.7 years) underwent endovascular repair of acute traumatic thoracic aortic rupture located at the aortic isthmus in most cases. All patients were at high surgical risk due to severe associated injuries. The endografts were inserted via femoral or iliac artery access under fluoroscopic guidance. Follow-up was performed postinterventionally, at 6 and 12 months and yearly thereafter, and included clinical examination and computed tomography (CT) scans. Technical and clinical success rates were 86.3%. Mean follow-up was 31.7 months. Three patients developed early type I endoleak due to the inability of the rigid graft to adapt to the curved aortic contour. In two of them conversion to open surgery was necessary. One patient had late type I endoleak and died. No other complications were observed. The outcome was successful in most patients. The mid- and long-term results of our current study are promising. However, early type I endoleak represents a problem, especially in adolescent patients with a marked curvature of the aortic arch.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Angioplasty*
  • Aorta, Thoracic / injuries*
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / mortality
  • Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / surgery*
  • Aortic Dissection / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Dissection / mortality
  • Aortic Dissection / surgery*
  • Aortic Rupture / diagnostic imaging
  • Aortic Rupture / mortality
  • Aortic Rupture / surgery*
  • Aortography*
  • Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation*
  • Emergencies*
  • Female
  • Hospital Mortality
  • Humans
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted*
  • Imaging, Three-Dimensional*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Postoperative Complications / diagnostic imaging
  • Postoperative Complications / mortality
  • Prosthesis Design
  • Reoperation
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Stents*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Tomography, Spiral Computed*