Open stent graft repair with upper-half Sternotomy for blunt thoracic aortic injury: a case report

BACKGROUND: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is now widely applied to the treatment of blunt aortic injury. However, its long-term outcomes remain unclear. Endoleakage and migration might occur in the long term, especially when younger patients undergo endovascular aortic repair. In open stent grafting, the proximal end of the open stent graft is directly sutured to the native aorta, which may reduce the risk of endoleakage and migration. We applied open stent grafting to the treatment of blunt aortic injury in the subacute phase and herein report the patient’s clinical course. CASE PRESENTATION: A 20-year-old man with a developmental disorder collided with a steel tower while skiing. He was transferred to our hospital by helicopter. X-ray examination and computed tomography revealed fractures of left humeral head and femoral neck and aortic isthmus dissection. We did not perform an acute-phase operation because of the presence of multiple trauma and instead performed open stent grafting with an upper-half sternotomy 42 days after the injury. He recovered uneventfully without psychological problems other than his preexisting developmental disorder. No endoleakage or aneurysm was observed during an 18-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Open stent grafting might be an alternative to open surgery and thoracic endovascular aortic repair for blunt chest trauma, although intensive follow-up is needed.