Delayed endovascular repair for traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysms: experience from an Asian single center

Traumatic aortic pseudoaneurysms (PSAs) classified as grade III aortic injuries are conventionally repaired as procedural emergencies, generally within 24 h of arrival. These patients typically require adequate resuscitation and treatment of multiple traumatic injuries, which complicate optimal management strategies of aortic PSAs. This study reviews the experience of an Asian single center to evaluate the efficacy and safety of delayed (> 24 h) endovascular repair for PSAs.

Twenty-seven patients with blunt aortic injury (BTAI) were brought to our institution between February 2014 and May 2020. Patients with other grades of aortic injuries (grade I, II, or IV) were excluded from the study, and the remaining patients with grade III aortic injuries were placed into the early (< 24 h) and delayed (> 24 h) groups according to the timing of repair. Medical records and follow-up computed tomography (CT) scans were reviewed to document the outcomes of the procedures. Primary outcomes included mortality and complications.

During this period, there were 14 patients (13 males and 1 females) with aortic PSAs, and each patient received thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). Of these 14 patients, 1 underwent emergent TEVAR, and 13 underwent delayed repair (median 7 days, range, 3-14 days). Over a period of 8 years, the overall survival of our series was 100%. No paraplegia, stroke, ischemia of limb or other serious procedural complications were observed during the duration of follow-up.

The experience of our center indicates that delayed repair for selected PSAs could be permissible, which enables a repair in more controlled circumstances.