Stent-assisted balloon-induced intimal disruption and relamination in aortic dissection repair: The STABILISE concept

Objectives: The study objective was to describe the Stent-Assisted Balloon-Induced Intimal Disruption and Relamination in Aortic Dissection Repair technique for aortic dissection repair using proximal descending aortic endografting with distal aortic relamination through bare-metal stent and balloon-induced intimal disruption with immediate intimal reapposition.

Methods: Between April 2007 and September 2011, 11 selected patients (10 male; median age, 50 years) underwent proximal descending aortic endografting plus stent-assisted balloon-induced intimal disruption of the thoracoabdominal aorta to treat complicated aortic dissection (7 type A, 4 acute type B). Patients with type A dissection underwent open surgical intervention plus adjunctive retrograde endovascular repair. Serial computed tomography angiography was used to assess aortic remodeling.

Results: There were no intraprocedural complications. Thirty-day incidence of death, stroke, and paralysis/visceral ischemia was 9% (n = 1), 0%, and 0%, respectively. Median follow-up was 18 months (range, 4-54 months). Two patients (18%) required secondary endovascular reintervention. No late adverse events or aortic-related deaths occurred. Complete false lumen obliteration occurred in 90% (n = 10) of patients, with stable maximal diameters in the thoracic (P = .6) and abdominal aortas (celiac trunk: P = .34; renal; P = .6; infrarenal: P = .7) at latest follow-up.

Conclusions: The Stent-Assisted Balloon-Induced Intimal Disruption and Relamination in Aortic Dissection Repair approach is a feasible endovascular technique that shows promise to achieve complete repair of the dissected aorta by inducing complete false lumen obliteration. The restoration of uniluminal flow in the thoracoabdominal aorta has the potential to improve long-term outcomes. Prospective, multicenter investigations are required to implement this strategy more broadly.