Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Octogenarians and Nonagenarians.

Background: The oldest segments of the population are expanding rapidly, and the number of thoracic endovascular aortic repairs (TEVARs) performed in the elderly parallels this trend. We describe our institutional TEVAR experience in octogenarians and nonagenarians.

Methods: All patients 80 years and older undergoing TEVAR at a single institution were reviewed using a prospectively maintained database.

Laparoscopic versus open celiac ganglionectomy in patients with median arcuate ligament syndrome.

Objective: Median arcuate ligament syndrome (MALS) is a rare disorder characterized by abdominal pain and compression of the celiac artery. Traditional management consists of open MAL division, with or without arterial reconstruction. We present our outcomes using a laparoscopic approach and compare them to patients treated with open MAL division during the same period.

Super hydrophilic thin film nitinol demonstrates reduced platelet adhesion compared with commercially available endograft materials.

Background: Thin film nitinol (TFN) is a novel material with which to cover stents for the treatment of a wide range of vascular disease processes. This study aimed to show that TFN, if treated to produce a super hydrophilic surface, significantly reduces platelet adhesion, potentially rendering covered stents more resistant to thrombosis compared to commercially available materials.

Materials And Methods: TFN was fabricated using a sputter deposition process to produce a 5-μ thin film of uniform thickness.