Endovascular stent grafting for thoracic aortic disease in elderly patients

: Despite advances in operative technique and management having improved the clinical outcomes of conventional open surgical replacement for thoracic aortic aneurysms, it remains an invasive procedure especially for aged patients. Over the past 10 years, minimally invasive endovascular surgery using a stent graft, has made significant advances for the treatment of aneurysms. For 10 years from 1995, 476 patients of thoracic aortic aneurysms were treated with the endovascular technique using the stent graft in our hospital. Exclusion of the aneurysms without endoleak were achieved within 2 weeks postoperatively in over 95%. Also in elderly patients (46/476), same good results came out. Endovascular stent grafting shows potential as a safe and useful treatment for thoracic aortic aneurysms, but further investigation should attempt to determine its efficacy over a longer postoperative period.