[Towards a new management of acute traumatic aortic ruptures].

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of endovascular repair in acute traumatic aortic rupture on the basis of our experience with 16 patients.
Materials and Methods: From January 1996 to December 2001,16 patients, with a mean age 36 years, underwent repair of traumatic rupture of the aorta with the use of stent-grafts. All patients presented with coexisting injuries and 9 of 16 patients were hemodynamically unstable because of other injury. After a delay ranging from 9 to 245 days (mean 78 days), aortic stent-grafting was performed by a multidisciplinary team. All patients had regular follow-up with spiral CT and transesophageal echocardiogram.
Results: Stent-graft placement was successful in all patients with exclusion of false aneurysm. The duration of the procedure was about 120 min and mechanical respiratory assistance could be removed immediately in 80% of patients. Mean stay in the intensive care unit was 24 hours. One complication was noted: compression of the left main stem bronchus successfully treated with endoprosthesis. Maximum follow-up was 7 years.
Conclusion: Endovascular stent-graft repair is a valuable technique and is emerging as an alternative technique for treating thoracic aortic injury in patients in whom coexisting injury increases the surgical risk.