Physician-Modified Thoracic Stent-Graft With Low Distal Radial Force to Prevent Distal Stent-Graft-Induced New Entry Tears in Patients With Genetic Aortic Syndromes and Aortic Dissection

PURPOSE: To describe a novel modification technique to lower the distal radial force of a thoracic stent-graft so as to avert stent-graft-induced new entry tears (SINE) in the fragile aorta of patients with genetic aortic disease and aortic dissection.

TECHNIQUE: A commercially available thoracic stent-graft is partially deployed on a back table. The most distal Z-stent is removed, the distal fabric is marked by vascular clips, and the modified stent-graft is reloaded and deployed in the true lumen of an aortic dissection. The technique is demonstrated in 3 patients with aortic dissection related to genetic aortic diseases.

CONCLUSION: Creating a low distal radial force stent-graft is easy and can be done in a short time. Endovascular implantation appears feasible and safe.