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. 1985 Jun;12(2):143–146.

Chronic Traumatic Aneurysms of the Descending Thoracic Aorta

Eugenio Quaini 1, Tiziano Colombo 1, Francesco Donatelli 1, Cristiano Rossi 1, Ettore Vitali 1
PMCID: PMC341826  PMID: 15227022

Abstract

Between 1970 and December 1984, 28 patients with post-traumatic chronic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta were consecutively operated on in our Division of Cardiac Surgery. Ages ranged from 16 to 66 years (mean 38 years); 25 were male and three were female. In all cases, a history of a major deceleration injury was documented. The interval between trauma and operation ranged from 2 to 50 years (mean 11.4 ± 7.8). Twenty-three (82.1%) were asymptomatic. Only one operation was performed on an urgent basis for recurrent episodes of hemoptysis. All patients underwent resection with prosthetic tubulargraft (25 cases) and patch-graft (3 cases) replacements. In all patients but one, left heart bypass was employed. No hospital deaths, late deaths, paraplegia or graft-related complications occurred.

Considering the risk of late rupture and the young age of most of the patients, surgery in chronic post-traumatic aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta is always indicated. We consider left heart bypass a safe technique in preventing renal and medullar ischemic injuries.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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