[Endovascular stent-grafting of ruptured aortic aneurysms]

Ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms expose the patient to a major risk of death and remain a therapeutic challenge. Hemorrhage control and prevention of fatal bleeding are primary treatment goals in this medical emergency. Early postoperative mortality of surgically treated patients is estimated to be still high. An increasing number of reports on successful endovascular treatment of the ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms by endovascular stent-grafting have been published, and they provide better early results. Since 2002, 59 patients with thoracic aortic aneurysms have been treated with the endovascular technique using stent-graft in our institute. Initial success of stent-grafting, which means exclusion of the aneurysms without endoleak, were achieved in 98.3%. Treatment using stent-grafting for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms (13/ 59) also presented satisfactory early outcome. Endovascular stent-grafting is a low invasive and useful treatment for ruptured thoracic aortic aneurysms, and is strongly recommended if the aneurysms are morphologically susceptible.