[Percutaneous placement of intraluminal stent-graft for aortic dissection: experimental study]

Highly porous fabric vascular grafts fabricated of ultrafine polyester fibers (UFPF-graft; porosity, 7,000 ml, 9,000 ml, 11,000 ml at 120 mmHg) were attached between two Gianturco stents connected with two stainless steel struts. UFPF-grafts with two Gianturco stents were placed into the aortas of six adult mongrel dogs without firm contact with the luminal surface. From two days to four months after placement, all the UFPF-grafts were completely sealed with fresh thrombus or neointima. Within two months, complete endothelialization was observed on both surfaces of the neointima. In three dogs, aortic dissections were created experimentally. Then an UFPF-graft (porosity, 9,000 ml) with two Gianturco stents was placed at the site of entry of the dissection, followed by additional Gianturco stents to expand the UFPF-graft. X-ray angiography showed that the entries were closed immediately after placement, and false lumens disappeared within one hour after placement. These results indicated that the method has the possibility of treating aortic dissection with complete sealing of the fabric by the neointima.