ABSTRACT
The surgical management of thoracoabdominal aneurysms requires thoracophrenic laparotomy, prolonged periods of aortic clamping with visceral ischemia, profuse bleeding leading to a difficult postoperative course with pulmonary, renal, neurological complications, coagulation disturbances and others. All this resulting in an elevated morbidity/mortality very often contraindicating it for the very elderly or those with prior respiratory, renal or cardiac symptoms. Rupture of this aneurysm greatly increases the already high rate of morbidity/mortality. Crawford and Borst have described a two-stage surgery with good results, for aneurysms that affect more than one segment of aorta. The objective of our report is to demonstrate a two-stage operation, employing an intraluminal prosthesis without suture. This procedure results in a less agressive surgery since it approaches only the ruptured segment of aorta, therefore, only one cavity is manipulated (thorax or abdomen). The anastomosis with intraluminal prosthesis greatly decreases the time necessary for clamping the aorta and consequently visceral ischemia and also reduces bleeding. The reduction of surgical aggression on these already severely ill patients yielded very good surgical results.