Immediate endovascular stent-graft repair of an acute traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta: case report and subject review.

We describe a case of emergency endovascular stent-graft placement for acute traumatic rupture of the thoracic aorta in a patient with an associated unstable type II odontoid fracture. The stent-graft placement procedure was performed within 4 hours of admission under sedation and local anaesthesia while the neck remained externally splinted. After exclusion of the rupture the patient could then undergo treatment of the associated cervical fracture and other injuries.