Vascular injuries of the thoracic inlet and mediastinum present formidable difficulties in terms of exposure and management. The majority of patients with gunshot wounds to the thoracic aorta and brachiocephalic vessels do not reach the operating room alive, but those who do present unique problems for thoracic and vascular surgeons. In such cases, operative repair must be individualized and of...

A thoracic aortic aneurysm is a potentially life-threatening condition that involves a structural weakness of the aortic wall, which can lead to aneurysm, rupture, or dissection. Optimal treatment strategies for lesions of the thoracic aorta are still controversial. Open surgery is complex and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Endovascular stenting has emerged as an altern...

This note describes the sudden death of a dog by the rupture of the thoracic aorta caused by the presence of Angiostrongylus vasorum. A female mongrel canine with a history of weight loss and exhaustion died two hours after clinical examination. At necropsy, performed one hour after death, showed the presence of clotted blood in the thoracic cavity. Haemothorax was diagnosed. The thoracic aorta...

Background Many high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis cannot undergo valve replacement surgery due to calcification of the ascending aorta. Aortic valve bypass (AVB) surgery uses a conduit and prosthetic valve placed transapically into the left ventricle to divert flow from the apex of the heart through the conduit and prosthetic valve to the descending thoracic aorta to improve cardia...

The endovascular repair of thoracic aorta (TEVAR) has significantly decreased the overall incidence of neurologic complications when compared with open surgery. Nevertheless, the risk of paraplegia remains an important concern, with rates ranging from 2% up to 8% (1). Risk factors for spinal cord ischemia following TEVAR include prior abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, prolonged hypotensio...

Stiffening of the central elastic arteries is one of the earliest detectable manifestations of adverse change within the vessel wall. Although an association between carotid artery stiffness and adverse events has been demonstrated, little is known about the relationship between stiffness and atherosclerosis. Even less is known about the impact of age, sex, and race on this association. To eluc...

Stiffening of the central elastic arteries is one of the earliest detectable manifestations of adverse change within the vessel wall. Although an association between carotid artery stiffness and adverse events has been demonstrated, little is known about the relationship between stiffness and atherosclerosis. Even less is known about the impact of age, sex, and race on this association. To eluc...