Endograft stenting in the adolescent population for traumatic aortic injuries

Traumatic thoracic aortic transections are uncommon in the pediatric population. These injuries are currently treated by open operative repair via thoracotomies. We present 2 adolescent patients with traumatic thoracic aortic transections who were repaired by endovascular techniques. Both adolescents, aged 16 and 17 years, were in high-speed motor vehicle collisions and presented with multisystem trauma. Patient 1 had a transection of the descending aorta and was repaired with two 23-mm (diameter), 3-cm-long endograft cuffs at 48 hours after injury because of her multiple organ injuries. She was hospitalized for 40 days. Patient 2 had a thoracic aortic transection just distal to the aortic arch. He was repaired within 12 hours of injury with a 24-mm and two 22-mm AneuRx endograft cuffs. He was hospitalized for 8 days. Both patients have recovered without complications at 13 and 21 months, respectively. Endovascular stenting, especially in critically ill patients, allows for definitive treatment of the vascular injury without the need for bypass and reduces the recovery time that is associated with thoracotomies. Short-term recovery and follow-up are encouraging for endovascular stenting in the adolescent population; however, further long-term follow-up is required.