Early outcomes of thoracic endovascular stent-graft repair for acute complicated type B dissection using the Gore TAG endoprosthesis.

We assessed the technical success and early outcome of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for complicated acute type B thoracic aortic dissection treated at a single institution using a commercially available device. All patients with symptomatic complicated acute type B thoracic aortic dissection treated with TEVAR since Food and Drug Administration approval of the Gore (Flagstaff, AZ) TAG endoprosthesis were identified from a prospectively maintained vascular registry. Clinical indications, operative technique, perioperative complications, follow-up imaging, and mortality were analyzed. Between March 2005 and November 2007, 127 TEVARs using the TAG endoprosthesis were performed, of which 15 (11.8%) were for complicated acute type B thoracic aortic dissection. Indications for repair were malperfusion (53%), persistent pain (27%), and primary aortic failure (33%). Technical feasibility and success with deployment proximal to the entry tear was 93.3%, requiring at least partial coverage of the left subclavian artery in seven (46.7%). Adjunctive procedures required at the time of TEVAR included renal stent (n = 2), iliac stent (n = 3), and access-artery open repair (n = 2). Twelve patients (80%) had immediate resolution of the malperfusion deficit. Major perioperative complications included paraplegia (13.3%), renal failure requiring hemodialysis (13.3%), and stroke (6.7%). Perioperative mortality was 13.3%, occurring in one patient presenting with rupture and one with profound heart failure on admission. For complicated acute type B thoracic aortic dissection, TEVAR using commercially available stent grafts showed high technical success, excellent results at resolving malperfusion, and acceptably low complications and perioperative mortality.