Thoracic Aortic Endovascular Repair
Arnoud Kamman, MD
Karen M. Kim, MD
David M. Williams, MD
Himanshu J. Patel, MD
INTRODUCTION
Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR), introduced by Dake et al in 1994,1 has emerged as the preferred management strategy for multiple pathologic entities in the descending thoracic aorta such as complicated type B aortic dissection, fusiform and saccular aortic aneurysm, penetrating aortic ulcer, and blunt traumatic rupture.2,3 TEVAR is less invasive than conventional open aortic repair and has also been successfully applied in more frail patients who are not candidates for conventional open repair. Unlike open repair, which requires significant physiologic reserve, TEVAR has anatomical constraints, such as adequate landing zones and access vessels needed for device delivery. Although open surgical repair is commonly used when TEVAR is not possible, several advances such as branched/fenestrated devices4 and controlled rupture of iliofemoral vessels5 have made endovascular procedures possible in these more complicated clinical scenarios. Complications unique to TEVAR include endoleak, stent graft-induced new entry tears, and less commonly, stent migration.6,7,8,9 Neurologic complications such as spinal cord ischemia can occur after extensive coverage of the descending thoracic aorta.10 In this chapter we will illustrate the use of TEVAR in several case scenarios and in stepwise complexity from treatment of an isolated descending aortic aneurysm to one encompassing use of branched endografts. For each case, we will present images in sequence from preoperative diagnosis to intraoperative angiograms and postoperative results. The accompanying legends will provide explanation about the specific phase of the procedure.
CASE 1 TEVAR in an isolated saccular thoracic aortic aneurysm (FIGURES 24.1, 24.2, 24.3, 24.4, 24.5, 24.6, 24.7, 24.8, 24.9, 24.10 and 24.11)
FIGURE 24.3 The left femoral artery was exposed for access and the right femoral artery was accessed percutaneously under ultrasound guidance. |
FIGURE 24.7 A second Medtronic Valiant proximal non-tapered main stent graft (32 mm diameter, 117 mm length) was then used with approximately a 6 to 7 cm overlap. |
FIGURE 24.10 Completion of thoracic aortography revealed a sluggish type 4 endoleak and the opinion was that it was due to graft porosity and would resolve after heparin reversal. |
CASE 2 TEVAR in an isolated thoracic aortic aneurysm with intramural thrombus (FIGURES 24.12, 24.13, 24.14, 24.15, 24.16, 24.17, 24.18, 24.19, 24.20, 24.21 and 24.22)
FIGURE 24.14 The distal landing zone was also of sufficient length, and the visceral vessels were not involved in the aortic aneurysm. |
FIGURE 24.18 Proximal extension was deemed necessary and a second Medtronic thoracic stent graft was advanced (36 × 36 × 150 proximal main device). |
FIGURE 24.19 An intravascular ultrasound was performed and the location of the intraluminal thrombus as well as the left subclavian artery was noted. |
FIGURE 24.20 The second device was then deployed such that the proximal bare-metal flares were placed just distal to the origin of the midarch thrombus. |
FIGURE 24.21 Completion thoracic aortography revealed brisk filling of the arch vessels and the celiac artery, and satisfactory exclusion of the thoracic aneurysm. |
CASE 3 TEVAR for aortic aneurysm encroaching on the left subclavian artery necessitating revascularization (FIGURES 24.23, 24.24, 24.25, 24.26, 24.27, 24.28, 24.29, 24.30, 24.31, 24.32, 24.33 and 24.34)