Chronic traumatic thoracic aneurysm: report of two cases with the question of timing for surgical intervention.

We report on two symptom-free patients with chronic thoracic aneurysms related to prior trauma and address the timing for surgical intervention. In addition, we reviewed our institutional experience with similar cases for the period 1970 to 1990. Although natural history data remain incomplete, we propose that in the setting of improved imaging modalities, it may be reasonable to manage this group of patients nonoperatively and intervene surgically only when symptoms develop or there is radiologic evidence of aneurysm change.