Intravascular stenting allowed treatment of the dissection without open surgical procedures requiring laparotomy and aortic operation.

No abstract

We implanted stents in three patients who had traumatic abdominal aortic dissections, complicated by right limb ischemia in one case. The circulating false channel extended to the left iliac artery in one case and to both iliac arteries in the last case. Diagnosis and radiological follow-up included ultrasound, computed tomography, and arteriography. Two patients were treated with Wallstents, one with a Palmaz stent. The occlusion of the false channel was obtained in all patients without any significant residual stenosis. No early or late complication was noted in any of the patients. The longest follow-up was 2 years. We conclude that stent placement is an efficient method for the treatment of noniatrogenic inframesenteric aortic dissections.

Descending necrotizing mediastinitis can occur as a complication of oropharyngeal and cervical infections that spread to the mediastinum via the cervical spaces. Delayed diagnosis and inadequate mediastinal drainage through a cervical or minor thoracic approach are the primary causes of a high published mortality rate (near 40 %). Between 1985 and 1992, six men (mean age, 49 years) with descending necrotizing mediastinitis were surgically treated at our institution. The primary oropharyngeal infection was peritonsillar abscess (three cases) and odontogenic abscess (three cases). In aU cases, occurrence of respiratory insufficiency associated with serious cervical infection suggested the mediastinitis diagnosis. Computed tomographic scans confirmed the mediastinitis, showing mediastinal abscess and mediastinal emphysema. AU patients underwent surgical drainage of the deep neck infection combined with mediastinal drainage through a thoracic approach. The outcome was favorable in five patients who had mediastinal drainage through a thoracotomy; the patient who had mediastinal drainage through a minor thoracic approach (anterior mediastinotomy) died of tracheal fistula on postoperative day 18. In our experience, aggressive mediastinal drainage by a thoracotomy approach regardless of the level of mediastinal involvement led to improvement in survival of these patients, with a 17% mortality rate.

No abstract