Annals of vascular surgery
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Acquired coarctation of the thoracic aorta is a rare phenomenon in adults. The etiology is often idiopathic, but severe stenosis can develop from prior surgery, blunt thoracic aortic injuries, or severe atherosclerotic/atheroembolic disease. ⋯ We present the case of a 52-year-old man who developed acquired thoracic aortic coarctation 30 years after a blunt trauma and deceleration injuries to the aorta requiring open surgical aortic repair. He presented with poorly controlled hypertension and new-onset heart failure and was treated surgically with endovascular repair.
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Case Reports
Successful emergent endovascular repair of a ruptured mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysm.
Mycotic thoracic aortic aneurysms are a life-threatening diagnosis and carry a high risk of morbidity and mortality in the perioperative setting. Traditional open repair consists of debridement, drainage, and either in situ or extra-anatomic bypass. Acute rupture portends a dismal prognosis; however, emergent endovascular repair of ruptured mycotic aneurysms has been described in the literature and we present a case of successful endovascular treatment of a ruptured mycotic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm. ⋯ TEVAR can be safely employed to treat a ruptured mycotic thoracic aneurysm when open repair is not possible because of patient's comorbidity or complex rupture, as these patients face imminent death. Long-term follow-up is necessary for detection of endoleak, recurrence, or propagation of the aneurysm, and persistent bacterial infections.
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Trauma is the leading cause of injury and death for individuals aged 1-44 years. Up to 8% of the US population participates in winter sports, and although vascular injuries are uncommon in these activities, little is published in this area. We sought to identify the incidence, injury patterns, and outcomes of vascular injuries resulting from winter sports trauma. ⋯ Although vascular injury is an uncommon associated finding in winter sports trauma, it is associated with a significant increase in mortality. These findings highlight the need for rapid identification of traumatic vascular injuries, which predicts worse overall outcomes in this patient population.
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Noncompressible torso hemorrhage remains an ongoing problem for both military and civilian trauma. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been characterized as a potentially life-saving maneuver. The objective of this study was to determine the functional outcomes, paraplegia rates, and survival of 60-min balloon occlusion in the proximal and distal thoracic aorta in a porcine model of controlled hemorrhage. ⋯ REBOA placement in the proximal or distal thoracic aorta does not alter mortality or paraplegia rates as compared with controlled hemorrhage alone. Functional recovery improves in the presence or the absence of REBOA, although at a slower rate after REBOA as compared with negative controls. Additional research is required to determine the ideal placement of REBOA in an uncontrolled hemorrhage model to achieve use compatible with survival outcomes and quality of life.