Partial distal deployment for precise placement of the GORE Thoracic Endoprosthesis

The GORE TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis (TAG) device (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) and the GORE Conformable TAG Thoracic Endoprosthesis (CTAG) are commonly implanted and effective stent grafts for use during thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Precise placement of the endograft is paramount during thoracic endovascular aortic repair, but like all thoracic stent grafts, maldeployment with inaccurate landing has been reported. The partial distal deployment technique describes an alteration of the TAG and CTAG deployment mechanism to allow isolated deployment of the distal half of the graft, which provides stability during deployment. The graft can be safely repositioned after partial distal deployment, thus allowing precise positioning in the proximal landing zone. Similarly, this technique can be used for precision in the distal landing zone, making the TAG and CTAG devices the only thoracic endografts currently available in the United States with a distal-first deployment option. A discussion of the usefulness of this technique and potential pitfalls is included.