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A New Murine Model of Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Published on: July 7, 2013
Balloon expandable covered stents as primary therapy for hemodynamically stable traumatic aortic injuries in children
Gurumurthy Hiremath1, Gareth Morgan2, Damien Kenny3
1Division of Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Masonic Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Insights
Balloon expandable covered stents offer a safe and effective treatment for traumatic aortic injuries in children. This method is a viable alternative to surgery, especially when standard grafts are unsuitable for pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular surgery
- Pediatric trauma care
- Endovascular interventions
Background:
- Traumatic aortic injuries (TAI) in children are rare but serious conditions.
- Endovascular grafts are often preferred for TAI repair but have limitations in pediatric patients due to size and delivery system constraints.
- Limited literature exists on the use of balloon-expandable covered stents for pediatric TAI.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of using balloon-expandable covered stents for treating traumatic aortic injuries in pediatric patients.
- To compare this endovascular approach with traditional surgical repair and standard endovascular grafts in the pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, retrospective chart review was conducted.
- Pediatric patients with TAI resulting from blunt chest trauma were included.
- Procedural details, follow-up data, and reintervention rates were analyzed.
Main Results:
- Six balloon-expandable covered stents were successfully implanted in five pediatric patients (median age 12 years).
- All procedures achieved technical success without immediate or delayed complications.
- Median follow-up was 24 months, with no reported adverse events.
Conclusions:
- Balloon-expandable covered stents represent a feasible and safe alternative for pediatric TAI treatment.
- This technique is advantageous over standard endovascular grafts in children due to device size and delivery system compatibility.
- It offers a viable option when open surgical repair is not preferred or feasible.
Objectives:
To expand on the limited available literature regarding the use of balloon expandable covered stents for the treatment of traumatic aortic injuries (TAI) in the pediatric population.
Background:
Although endovascular grafts have largely replaced surgery for TAI repair, there are significant limitations to the use of these grafts in pediatric patients.
Methods:
Multicenter, retrospective chart review of pediatric patients with TAI following blunt chest wall trauma. Procedural characteristics, follow-up, and reinterventions are described.
Results:
Six covered stents implanted in five patients. Median patient age was 12 years (11-13 years) and median weight 50 kg (44-54 kg). Procedural success was achieved in all cases. No procedural or postprocedural complications were noted. Median follow-up time was 24 months (11-36 months).
Conclusions:
Balloon expandable covered stent treatment of pediatric patients with TAI is a feasible alternative to open surgical repair, and preferred over endovascular grafts due to graft size limitations and the large delivery systems.

