Replacement of Unilateral Glassy-Carbon-Stented Intraluminal Grafts for Thoracic Aneurysm—Case Reports

Abstract

Glassy-carbon-stented intraluminal grafts were used for the treatment of thoracic aortic aneurysms. As a stent, glassy carbon tubes 22 and 24 mm in outer diameter were cut to a length of 25 mm. The center of each tube was shaved by 5 mm in width and several notches were made. The stents were prepared for use in the assembly of intraluminal grafts, using conventional artificial vascular prostheses. Five cases of thoracic aortic aneurysm are presented as case reports. The location of the stents was always at the distal end of the aorta, but every proximal end-to-end anastomosis was performed with a conventional suture technique. The longest follow-up term is three years and more than one year in the other cases. Complications such as thromboembolism, graft detachment, and pseudoaneurysm formation have not been encountered to date. These new stents performed quite satisfactorily and showed a great advantage over commercially available intraluminal grafts.