Thoracic Aortic Stents Best Open Surgery
Superiority of endovascular repair with stent-graft for thoracic artery injuries was highlighted by two studies presented at the annual Society of Interventional Radiology meeting. Surgery is the current standard of care. However, this procedure carries the risk of neurologic complications and death. Thoracic aortic stenting, based on the studies presented, appears to have less associated morbidity and mortality.
Data from one British and one Canadian study were collected by retrospective chart review. The British study considered all patients who received thoracic stents from 1997 to 2006. The Canadian study examined outcomes for 82 patients treated for acute traumatic injury.
Stenting is more expensive than performing open surgery. However, the superior safety profile may negate the increased costs. Further, the overall cost to treat patients with endovascular repair with lower associated morbidity may be less than the overall cost to treat with open surgery and accompanying complications.
March 8, 2007 Related topics: Conferences & Events, Surgery, Radiology, Cardiology