Kevin L. Greason, MD, disucsses the advances in endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Aneurysms affect an estimated 6 patients per 100,000 persons per year, an estimated 21,000 patients yearly in the United States. Unfortunately, these patients frequently have comorbid conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, coronary artery disease, or renal insufficiency that can complicate standard open operative repair.
A new technology has emerged in the management of thoracic aortic aneurysm previously treated only with open surgery—the endovascular stent graft. Successful stent graft treatment of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm has the potential to avoid the deleterious effects of a thoracotomy, aortic cross-clamp placement, and major blood loss.
