Expanding options to manage traumatic thoracic vascular injuries

Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injuries

T raumatic blunt injury to the thoracic aorta is one of the most formidable challenges surgeons face. This devastating condition can lead to immediate death at the time of injury in the majority of cases, due in part to either aortic transection or acute rupture.1 Although blunt aortic injury accounts for less than 1% of all adult level I trauma center admissions, this condition represents the ...

Endovascular management of traumatic thoracic aortic injuries.

BACKGROUND Endovascular surgery has recently been extended to the treatment of blunt traumatic aortic injuries. Since most of these injuries occur at the aortic isthmus, graft fixation in proximity to the origin of the left subclavian artery (LSA) has been a concern. Covering the LSA with graft fabric lengthens the proximal fixation site and should minimize proximal endoleaks. We therefore wish...

endovascular repair of blunt traumatic thoracic aortic injuries

Endovascular Repair of Blunt Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injuries

A 42-year-old female is involved in a motor vehicle accident and presents with a number of injuries. She is hemodynamically stable and is found to have multiple rib fractures, a hemopneumothorax, and several uncomplicated long bone fractures. A CT scan of her chest reveals a traumatic injury to her proximal descending thoracic aorta with evidence of pseudoaneurysm formation and surrounding hema...

Many Options to Manage Laterally Spreading Tumors

(LSTs) are found frequently in the colon but not in other sections of the gastrointestinal tract. These tumors are usually less invasive than protruding or depressed tumors of the same size; thus, we have much freedom in selecting treatment modalities for LSTs. However, a pitfall lurks in the technical difficulties. It is preferable to resect every single tumor in one piece if possible, since e...