Repair of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms with Ankura Thoracic Stent Graft.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to present the results for patients with atherosclerotic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta (DTA) treated with a novel thoracic stent graft. METHODS: A single-center retrospective review of prospectively collected data was performed. We extracted demographic variables as well as atherosclerotic comorbidities and operation-related and imaging-related data from patients' medical records. We estimated technical success rate, in-hospital and 30-day mortality, and mortality at the end of follow-up as well as complication and reintervention rate in our study cohort. Follow-up computed tomography angiography was performed after 1 month and 6 months and yearly thereafter. RESULTS: A total of 30 patients (80% male; mean age, 73.7 ± 6.33 years) were treated with Ankura Thoracic Stent Graft (Lifetech, Shenzhen, China) for DTA aneurysm from February 2014 until June 2017. Technical success of the thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was 97% (29/30 patients). A surgical conduit was required in one patient; in three patients, we intentionally covered the left subclavian artery because of insufficient proximal landing zone. No aorta-related deaths were recorded during follow-up. During the early postoperative period, two patients (7%) with long DTA coverage developed paralysis or paraparesis, which immediately resolved after lumbar drainage. No renal complications requiring dialysis were observed. One patient (3%) developed postoperative pulmonary infection, whereas access site complications were 7%. Two symptomatic patients treated outside instructions for use (7%) developed early type IA endoleak and one patient (3%) developed type IB endoleak; type II endoleak was recorded in 3% of the study cohort. During the 30-day postoperative period, two patients died of non-TEVAR-related causes, one of gastrointestinal bleeding and the other of pulmonary infection. During a median follow-up of 31.7 (range, 38.4) months, two more patients also died of non-TEVAR-related causes, one of stroke from carotid artery disease and the other of motor vehicle trauma. In the rest of the cohort, no other adverse events were noted. CONCLUSIONS: This novel endograft showed early evidence of a safe, effective, and durable endoprosthesis for the treatment of DTA aneurysms.

Endovascular repair for blunt thoracic aortic injury: 11-year outcomes and postoperative surveillance experience.

OBJECTIVE: Surveillance for patients undergoing thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for blunt thoracic aortic injury (BTAI) varies. Annual chest computed tomographic angiography (CTA) is often recommended but concerns about the risks and costs have emerged. The aim of this study was to examine the optimal follow-up frequency based on 11-year outcomes and surveillance experience. METHODS: Seventy-six patients with BTAI received TEVAR from May 2002 to July 2013. Demographics, cardiovascular risk factors, Injury Severity Score (ISS), types, sizes, timing, and outcomes of stent grafts were collected retrospectively. RESULTS: Mean age was 39.7 years (range, 17-85 years); 8 (11%) were women. Mean ISS was 46.2 ± 18.5 (deceased, 61.0 ± 19.2; surviving, 44.2 ± 17.6; P = .023). Technical success was achieved in 71 patients (93.4%). All-cause mortality was 7 (9.2%), 1 (1.3%) of which was related to the procedure. Six were lost to follow-up (8%). To examine the effect of surveillance frequency on outcomes, after excluding the 2 most recent (<1 year) surviving patients, we arbitrarily divided the remaining 61 with stable repairs based on the timing of their follow-up: 36 underwent timely follow-up (within ± 6 months of the scheduled annual visit; clinical examination, CTA, magnetic resonance angiography, and echocardiography); 25 had delayed follow-up (>6 months after scheduled annual visit). No significant differences were found for survival, graft-related complications, need for reintervention, except for postoperative hypertension, which was higher in the first group. All surviving patients had excellent outcomes, with no cerebrovascular accidents, paraplegia, or paraparesis; the median follow-up for both groups was 3 years (interquartile range 2.0-3.5, 1.5-5.4 years). CONCLUSIONS: Midterm outcomes of TEVAR for patients with stable repair after BTAI are excellent, both with timely (1.0-1.5 years) and delayed (>1.5 years) follow-up intervals after a median surveillance period of 3 years. A larger prospective randomized study could lead to a more relaxed, but equally safe surveillance schedule for these patients, lowering risks and costs.