Emergency Endovascular Repair of a Ruptured Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in an Octogenarian: Report of a Case

Emergency conventional surgical repair of the descending thoracic aorta remains a therapeutic challenge and is associated with a high risk of mortality. We describe a case of ruptured descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in an 87-year-old man who presented with chest and back pain. The patient underwent successful endovascular repair of the lesion with the use of Gore TAG thoracic endoprosthesis. Post-procedure computed tomography showed complete exclusion of the aneurysm without endoleaks. Endovascular repair is feasible and can be effective in such cases.