Endovascular stent grafting for the treatment of blunt thoracic aortic injury

Objective: Recent advances of endovascular stent-grafting (ESG) provide a n ew therapeutic option with minimum surgical damage for blunt aortic injury (BAI) during its acute phase. To clarify the effectiveness of ESG for BAI, a prospective clinical study at a university hospital was conducted. Methods: All patients with blunt thoracic injury underwent thoracic contras t-enhanced computed tomographic (CT) scan. Six patients age 48.8 +/- 19.8 y ears, with Injury Severity Scores of 35.8 +/- 8.1, and with BAI were treate d according to our protocol. The stent-graft covered by woven Dacron was pl aced at the injury site. Endoleakage was then checked by aortography and CT scan was again performed once a day on days 7 through 14. Results: All patients had injury of the aortic isthmus. ESG placement was p erformed within 8 hours after injury except in one (48 hours). The operatin g time was 159.5 +/- 21.1 minutes and bleeding volume was 105 +/- 26.6 ml. No endoleakage was found, Repeat CT scan revealed disappearance of hematoma . All patients except one had an event-free clinical course. One patient di ed because of rupture of the ascending aorta on day 6; however, autopsy rev ealed evidence of the healing process at the injury site sealed by ESG. Conclusion: An ESG is a valid therapeutic option with minimal surgical inva sion for patients with acute-phase aortic injury.