Treatment of descending thoracic XXXX by endovascular stent grafting.

@entity1 @entity64 @entity712 @entity1755 @entity63 @entity1070 @entity177 @entity439 @entity397 @entity1576 @entity451
PURPOSE: Endovascular stent-graft treatment for true @entity439 of the descending thoracic aorta is a valid and effective alternative to conventional surgery. A review of our experience with 21 consecutive @entity1 is reported and technical considerations are discussed. METHODS: Twenty-one @entity1 (mean age 73 years) with true @entity439 of the descending thoracic aorta (n = 14) or contained @entity397 (n = 7) were treated between October 1999 and July 2001. Seven @entity1 (33%) underwent emergency endovascular procedure. Postoperatively, the @entity1 were followed with CT scans at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Follow-up, which averaged 17 months, was 100% complete. THIRTY-DAY RESULTS: No conversions to open repair were necessary. Two @entity1 died (10%), one of acute intestinal @entity63 and the other because of @entity177 . Four @entity1 showed @entity1070 immediately after stenting. Two @entity1 required new endovascular stentgrafts, while the remaining two were treated conservatively. Besides @entity1070 , eight major complications occurred in six @entity1 (two @entity64 , two @entity451 , two @entity1576 , and one @entity177 ). MID-TERM RESULTS: Three more @entity1 died during the follow-up period. One @entity1 died of @entity712 after a complicated postoperative course, 91 days after stenting. The second @entity1 died because of @entity1755 , 139 days after stenting. The third @entity1 died of @entity712 , 15 months after the endovascular procedure. The remaining 16 @entity1 are alive and have been regularly controlled by CT scans. No late migration or @entity1070 have been detected. In all the survivors, the size of the @entity439 was unchanged or diminished. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment of descending thoracic aortic @entity439 by endovascular stentgraft devices has good early and mid-term results. More accurate selection of @entity1 may further reduce mortality and morbidity.
