Endovascular repair of traumatic thoracic aortic injury: final results from the relay endovascular registry for thoracic disease.

BACKGROUND: In blunt thoracic aortic injury, thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) offers a less invasive alternative to open chest surgery. New reliable and accurate stent grafts have widened the endovascular treatment options. We report our experience with the Relay stent graft Bolton Medical, Sunrise, FL; Barcelona, Spain) for treatment of this injury. METHODS: Relay Endovascular Registry for Thoracic Disease (RESTORE) is a multicenter, prospective European registry, which enrolled patients treated with the Relay stent graft for thoracic aortic diseases from April 2005 to January 2009. Regular follow-up examinations were conducted for up to 24 months. This paper analyzes the cohort of patients treated for traumatic aortic injury. RESULTS: Forty adult trauma patients from 12 European centers underwent TEVAR. Mean age was 40 years and 34 patients were male. The proximal landing zone involved aortic arch zones 1 to 2 in 40% and zone 3 in 55% of procedures. Technical success was achieved in all cases. One (2.5%) patient suffered a rupture of the iliac artery. No patient developed procedure-related paraplegia or required conversion to open surgery. Follow-up imaging demonstrated complete exclusion of the traumatic tear and regression of the false aneurysms without endoleak or graft infolding. One late device-related complication was reported; penetration of the distal end of the stent graft treated by stent-graft extension. Thirty-day mortality was 2.5 % (n = 1), and late mortality 2.5% due to a secondary accident. Actuarial 2-year survival was 93.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair with the Relay stent graft is a safe and effective treatment for patients with traumatic aortic injury.

New technology in the management of liver trauma.

The liver is the second most frequently injured solid organ in patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Hence the diagnosis and clinical assessment of hepatic trauma is of great importance because of the relationship of the liver to high morbidity and mortality. Multi detector-row computed tomography is the main diagnostic modality for the examination of hepatic parenchyma and other associated organ injuries, such as acute or delayed complications. Based on clinical and radiological findings, the majority of patients are managed conservatively, with the most important criterion of surgical therapy being hemodynamic instability. Radiologists must demonstrate a high knowledge of imaging recommendations and standardization of reporting to enable the selection of the appropriate treatment algorithm. Transcatheter embolization therapy is a method of great potential for the management of patients with traumatic hepatic injuries.

Increased pulse wave velocity and arterial hypertension in young patients with thoracic aortic endografts.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is a medical complication not widely investigated. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that TEVAR in young patients suffering from thoracic aortic transection alters pulse wave velocity (PWV) and reflected wave velocity and induces arterial hypertension. METHODS: The data concerning 11 young patients (all men with a mean age of 26.9 years [range: 18-33]) treated with TEVAR for thoracic aortic transection were retrospectively collected and analyzed. PWV, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and pulse pressure (PP) were evaluated and compared with those recorded in 11 healthy young individuals matched for age and gender. RESULTS: Nine patients had postoperative arterial hypertension after TEVAR, and four had durable hypertension during the follow-up period (13-66 months after TEVAR). The SBP, the PP, and the PWV of the patients were greater compared with those of the control group (SBP: 134.1 ± 13.7 vs. 121.36 ± 7.1 mm Hg, P = 0.016; PP: 60.45 ± 19.42 vs. 44.1 ± 4.37, P = 0.020; and PWV: 10.41 ± 2.85 vs. 7.45 ± 0.66 m/sec, P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Aortic endografts could produce a discontinuation of the pulsatile waves with a subsequent increase of aortic PWV. Increased PWV is an important risk factor for future cardiovascular events and should be evaluated in all patients after TEVAR.

Entire stent grafting of the thoracoabdominal aorta in a renal transplant recipient subsequent to extra-anatomical bypasses of the main abdominal vessels.

We present a complex case of a renal transplant recipient with ruptured suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm who had previously undergone endovascular repair of descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysm. This patient was treated successfully combining extra-anatomical bypasses of main abdominal arteries and subsequent endovascular stent grafting covering the entire thoracoabdominal aorta.

Endovascular versus open repair for blunt thoracic aortic injury: short-term results.

BACKGROUND: Endovascular stent grafting has been increasingly used as an alternative treatment modality. The aim of this study is to evaluate the immediate and short-term results of endovascular stent grafting repair after blunt thoracic aortic injury due to trauma. METHODS: A review of a tertiary trauma center registry identified all patients who suffered blunt thoracic aortic injury from 2002 to 2006. All patients underwent either open repair with synthetic graft interposition or endovascular stent grafting (EVS) of the descending thoracic aorta. Type and severity of injury, concomitant injuries, clinical factors, and outcome were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis was performed. RESULTS: Endovascular stent grafting was performed in 22 patients, and 10 patients underwent open surgical repair. In the open group, the 30-day mortality rate was 10%, the paraplegia rate was 10%, and incidence of major complications was 30%, which were comparable with the incidences observed in the EVS group of 4.5%, 4.5%, and 13.6%, respectively. No statistically significant differences were demonstrated. Multivariate regression analysis identified associated thoracic injury as the main independent predictor of hospital length of stay (p = 0.03, 95% confidence interval: 0.53 to 18.85). In the EVS group, 1 patient died in the short-term follow-up period and 2 cases of endovascular leak required additional treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Although postoperative mortality and morbidity between open and endovascular repair were comparable, EVS can be considered a safe alternative treatment modality in the therapeutic algorithm of blunt thoracic aortic injury particularly for the higher risk multitrauma patients.

Endovascular stenting for primary aortobronchial fistula in association with massive hemoptysis.

Aortobronchial fistula is a potentially lethal complication secondary to the repair of a descending thoracic aneurysm or the placement of a prosthetic graft. Few cases have been reported. Very rarely, primary aortobronchial fistula occurs in a patient who has no history of cardiac surgical intervention. Herein, we present the cases of 2 patients whose massive, life-threatening bleeding from primary aortobronchial fistulae was successfully treated with endovascular stenting. Endovascular stenting is an emerging treatment method that can be used in this emergency setting with promising results and without early graft-related sequelae.

Bilateral inferior petrosal sinuses sampling in the routine investigation of Cushing's syndrome: a comparison with MRI.

OBJECTIVE: Identifying the cause of Cushing's syndrome (CS) is a perplexing issue. Bilateral inferior petrosal sinuses sampling (BIPSS) is an invasive and elaborate but established procedure in distinguishing Cushing's disease (CD) from ectopic adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) syndrome. We compare the diagnostic performance of BIPSS and MRI in detecting an ACTH-secreting source, and we suggest the diagnostic protocol that we found beneficial for the management of patients with CS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seventy-eight consecutive patients with CS were included. All patients underwent biochemical investigation and pituitary MRI. Consequently, patients were routinely referred for BIPSS; 25 received stimulation with corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) and 53 with CRH and desmopressin. The diagnosis of CD was established on the basis of complementary biochemical, imaging, and BIPSS criteria. The diagnostic performances of BIPSS and MRI were calculated for patients with final diagnosis. RESULTS: A final diagnosis was available for 54 patients (46 CD confirmed, five ectopic confirmed, three adrenals). No (known) patient was misclassified based on our suggested diagnostic criteria. MRI rendered 25 false-negatives and two false-positives (incidentalomas). Successful BIPSS yielded two false-negatives and three false-positives (adrenals). The calculated accuracy for detecting a pituitary source of ACTH was 50% and 88% for MRI and successful BIPSS, respectively. CONCLUSION: MRI is of only limited diagnostic performance, while BIPSS is the most accurate way to establish the diagnosis of CD. The routine use of a multimodality diagnostic approach including BIPSS, MRI, and biochemical tests is suggested to avoid the risk of mismanagement for patients with CS.

Right diaphragm rupture with extended traumatic dissection of the descending aorta.

A 45-year-old man, with severe thoracic injury from a motor accident, is reported with traumatic aortic dissection type B and projection of the liver into the thoracic cavity due to a large rupture of the right hemidiaphragm. The patient was successfully managed with endoluminal stent placement in the descending thoracic aorta, and right thoracotomy for the repair of the diaphragmatic hernia. His postoperative course was uneventful. The co-existence of aortic traumatic dissection and right diaphragmatic rupture in trauma patients has never been reported in the literature previously, to our knowledge. Furthermore, the initial x-ray examination findings advocated injury of the right hemithorax and could be misleading. The diagnostic assessment must have a high index of suspicion, whereas the surgical manipulation needs to be fast and targeted to the major thoracic injuries of the patient.

Clinical experience with Günther temporary inferior vena cava filters.

This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of Günther temporary inferior vena cava (IVC) filters. Fifteen Günther temporary filters were placed in 13 patients because of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) with pulmonary embolism (PE) despite DVT prophylaxis (9/13) or temporary contraindications for anticoagulants as well as recent or pending surgery (4/13). No clinical manifestation of PE was observed during the filtration or during the removal. Günther temporary IVC filters are easy and safe to use, and are effective in clot trapping, protecting patients at high risk for PE in whom anticoagulation treatment failed or is contraindicated.

Successful endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm in a renal transplant recipient.

A renal transplant recipient presented in the early post-transplantation period with rupture of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The high mortality rate of the surgical repair of ruptured aneurysm in addition to the concern of preserving the renal graft prompted us to seek alternative approaches, such as repairing the aneurysm by means of endovascular techniques. The ruptured aneurysm was confirmed by performing computed tomography and digital angiography and thereafter was successfully repaired by endovascular stenting technique (Talent stent-graft), which seems to be a safe and effective method of preserving a renal graft.