Traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta.

Aortic transection secondary to blunt trauma is not an uncommon injury. Prompt recognition and treatment of the injury is required to salvage patients with this type of injury. Ten patients with transection of the thoracic aorta at the isthmus have been treated in the past two years at our institution. There have been two operative deaths, one delayed hospital death, and seven survivors. We believe the use of a temporary shunt of heparin-bonded polyvinylchloride during the repair of the aorta offers significant advantages over other methods which have been described.