HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Personal Folders Download to citation manager Author home page(s): Thomas G. Gleason Permission Requests Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gleason, T. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gleason, T. G. Related Collections Great vessels Related Article

J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2006;131:16-18
© 2006 The American Association for Thoracic Surgery

Editorial

Thoracic aortic stent grafting: Is it ready for prime time?

Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.

Received for publication December 13, 2005; accepted for publication December 13, 2005.

^_* Address for reprints: Thomas G. Gleason, MD, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 201 E. Huron St., Galter 10-105, 201 East Huron St, Chicago, IL 60611-3056. (Email: tgleason@nmh.org).

The first 300 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Ricco and colleagues ¹ are to be congratulated for their comprehensive reporting of the operative results of the French thoracic aortic stent grafting experience over the 2-year period from 1999 through 2001. This is the only report of its kind that depicts the results of an entire country's experience. It was designed by the French National Health Insurance Fund, with the data verified by third-party advisors. The report is both timely and provocative in the wake of the US Food and Drug Administration's recent approval of the use of the Gore TAG endograft for thoracic aortic aneurysms in an elective setting.

A total of 166 thoracic aortic stent grafts were placed in 29 centers, with no center performing more than 15 cases, and most centers inserting 5 or less grafts in the 2-year period. Although presumably capturing all or most thoracic aortic stent-grafting cases performed in France during the time period, the report is limited in both its scope and its analysis. The most relevant limitations are the report's retrospective nature and its inherent lack of follow-up data. Despite these flaws, the article reveals several important findings. Devices used included both industrial products (Gore [53%], Medtronic [32%], Stenford [4%], and Boston Scientific [0.5%]) and custom-made grafts designed by the implanting physicians (10%), a profile that is representative of trends around the world. The morbidity and mortality rates by device implanted or by physician specialty (ie, surgeon, radiologist, or cardiologist) are not provided. The overall mortality and major complication rates were significant at 10% and 29%, respectively (although 3 patients were not followed to 30 days). Type I or II endoleaks occurred in 16.3%, but among patients who had proximal descending thoracic aortic coverage (23 patients), 26% had a type I endoleak. Fifteen of the 23 had concomitant left subclavian artery transposition. . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Related Article

Stent-graft repair for thoracic aortic disease: Results of an independent nationwide study in France from 1999 to 2001

Jean-Baptiste Ricco, Jérome Cau, Christophe Marchand, Michel Marty, Marie-Hélène Rodde-Dunet, Pierre Fender, Hubert Allemand, and Andrew Corsini
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 2006 131: 131-137. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. D. Moffatt-Bruce and R. S. Mitchell Endovascular Therapy for the Treatment of Thoracic Aortic Disease Card. Surg. Adult, January 1, 2008; 3(2008): 1299 - 1308. [Full Text]

				A. Marui, T. Mochizuki, T. Koyama, and N. Mitsui Degree of fusiform dilatation of the proximal descending aorta in type B acute aortic dissection can predict late aortic events. J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg., November 1, 2007; 134(5): 1163 - 1170. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]