Stentgrafts in the thoracic aorta - The best application of a new idea - But still in its beginning?

From the point of statistics, evaluation of the new method would require a prospective randomized trial. This however is difficult to perform, because most of the endovascular technique is performed by radiologists and the open procedure of course by surgeons. Our own team is a surgical one and we have performed the open clamp and sew technique for 5 years before starting endovascular treatment. Comparing our own limited historical data from open procedures with the new endovascular era clearly reveals evident advantages of the stent method. So if our midterm results will translate into long time durability and efficacy, most aneurysms and acute traumatic ruptures of the descending thoracic aorta will in the future be handled by the endovascular way.