[Prognosis of chronic post-traumatic thoracic aorta aneurysms in 15 patients (author's transl)]

False chronic post-traumatic aneurysms of the ascending aorta were detected in 15 patients. These aneurysms were false because only a few cells were present in their walls: it is only after survival for more than 3 weeks tht one can speak of chronic aneurysms, and only 5% of the injured patients survived for this period of time. The lesions show marked progression for one year, but rupture of apparently quiescent aneurysms may occur up to 20 years after the initial injury. The prognosis of these lesions is therefore comparable with that of other aortic aneurysms. Cardiovascular surgery has progressed to such an extent, and the risks are so low (0% in this series), that surgical correction should be systematically considered.