Intravascular stenting of traumatic abdominal aortic dissection

Abstract

We describe the case of a 34-year-old man with blunt abdominal trauma. Initial abdominal computed tomography scan showed retroperitoneal hematoma, pancreatic contusion, multiple fractures of the transverse process in the thoraco-lumbar spine, and infrarenal aortic dissection. Angiography revealed that the aortic dissection originated proximal to the inferior mesenteric artery and extended down to the left common iliac artery without vascular obliteration. The pancreatic trauma was managed without operation, and the dissection was treated with aortic and left iliac endovascular self-expanding Schneider Wall Stents. Immediate angiographic and computed tomography scan examination showed the obliteration of the greater part of the dissection with persistence of a short dissected segment at the level of the aortic bifurcation. Examination a week later showed thrombosis of this false lumen and complete obliteration of the dissection. Intravascular stenting allowed treatment of the dissection without open surgical procedures requiring laparotomy and aortic operation.