Background: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) with stent-graft has emerged as an alternative treatment for patients with complicated type B aortic dissection to surgery. However, characteristics of the patients with favorable or unfavorable clinical outcomes after implantation of stent-graft are not well known. Volume analysis of aorta with computed tomography (CT) is a sensitive method to evaluate true lumen (TL) and false lumen (FL) remodeling. We investigated clinical characteristics and CT findings of the patients with progressive positive remodeling of false lumen.
Methods: From January 2001 to July 2008, a total of 52 patients (mean age 52±31, 35 male) with chronic type B dissection were treated with implantation of stent-graft at Severance Cardiovascular Hospital. Serial pre- and post-procedural CT images of 29 patients were eligible for volumetric analysis of TL and FL changes. Follow-up CT was performed either at discharge or at 1 month, and at 6 months, 12 months, and yearly thereafter. Clinical characteristics and CT parameters were compared between the patient groups with or without negative remodeling of FL.
Results: All cases except one patient were treated with S&G thoracic aorta stent-graft. Technical success was achieved in all patients. Follow-up duration was 22±19.6 months. Negative remodeling of FL was found in 17 patients (group I; 58.6%), whereas progression or no interval change in FL volume was observed in 12 patients (group II; 41.4%). In group II, one patient died at 20 months due to aortic rupture and 2 patients underwent additional treatment due to progression of aneurysmal dilatation. In group I, one patient had sudden aortic rupture at the distal margin of stent 2 months after procedure. Baseline clinical characteristics were similar between the two groups. Neither CT parameters such as FL volume, maximum diameter, dissection length, number of entry and reentry tear, size of entry tear nor the length and the position of stent showed any difference between the two groups.
Conclusion: There were no specific clinical characteristics or CT parameters in prognosticating negative remodeling of FL, We suggest serial CT follow up to monitor patients after stent-graft.
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