Successful Endovascular Repair of a Symptomatic Descending Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm in a 90-Year-Old Gentleman: A Case Report

TL;DR

A 90-year-old man successfully underwent a minimally invasive aortic repair for a life-threatening chest condition, showing this approach works well for elderly patients.

Contribution

Demonstrates TEVAR's effectiveness in a high-risk elderly patient with comorbidities, supporting its use in fragile populations.

Findings

TEVAR successfully treated a symptomatic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm in a 90-year-old patient.

The patient experienced complete symptom resolution and was discharged within five days.

The case supports TEVAR's advantages over open repair in terms of reduced morbidity and faster recovery.

Abstract

Thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) carry high mortality without intervention, and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has become a preferred minimally invasive option for high-risk patients. We report a 90-year-old male with prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes, who presented with hemoptysis and left-sided chest pain, initially attributed to lobar pneumonia but later diagnosed as a 40 mm saccular descending TAA compressing the left lung on CT angiography. The patient underwent successful TEVAR with complete symptom resolution and was discharged within five days, demonstrating TEVAR's efficacy in fragile elderly patients. This case highlights TEVAR's advantages over open repair, including reduced morbidity and faster recovery, while underscoring the need for further research on long-term outcomes and anatomical limitations in complex cases to refine patient selection and expand applications.

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