The stent-graft may offer a minimally invasive alternative for some patients, particularly those considered at high risk for complications with invasive open-heart surgery. These devices have been studied more extensively among people with descending aortic dissection. Although they have been evaluated among people with life-threatening acute aortic dissection, the outcomes appear to be worse in general.

In this procedure, a self-expanding tube called a stent-graft (also called endovascular prostheses) is inserted into an artery in the groin and advanced to the location of the aortic tear. At the site, the surgeons release the stent-graft and it expands to cover the site of the tear, blocking any leakage of blood.