The use of endovascular stents in the treatment of penetrating ulcers of the thoracic aorta

Penetrating atheromatous ulcers of the aorta are increasingly recognized as a distinct entity. Although their natural history remains ill-defined, suc h ulcers may lend to pseudoaneurysmal formation, dissection, rupture, or em bolization.(1-3) Given the morbidity associated with open repair, endovascu lar repair of penetrating atheromatous ulcers may be the treatment of choic e. Although stent-graft replacement of acute aortic dissections has recentl y been described, endovascular repair of penetrating thoracic aortic ulcers has not previously been reported.(4,5) We report two cases of successful e ndovascular repair of penetrating atheromatous ulcers that previously ruptu red.