Between 1979 and 1986, 28 patients underwent surgery for subadventitial rupture of the aortic isthmus from blunt trauma; 16 had an acute lesion which was operated within three days after the trauma, three had a delayed repair between the first and third months, while nine had a chronic post-traumatic aneurysm (2 to 27 years after the initial accident). Transection was complete in 13 cases. A left atrium-to-descending thoracic aortic bypass or ilioiliac extracorporeal bypass were used in 14 (50%) patients whereas simple clamping was employed in the 14 remaining patients. Aortic repair was performed in 22 cases by direct suture (78.5%), more often in acute ruptures (84%) than in chronic aneurysms (66%). Five of the 16 patients operated on within three days of their accident died during the first postoperative month from associated lesions. There were no in-hospital or late deaths among the patients operated on for chronic aneurysm. All of the 23 surviving patients (82%) were followed postoperatively for six to 90 months (mean: 36 months). Of the 19 who had direct suture, 15 underwent digital subtraction arteriography which demonstrated an excellent reconstruction of the aortic isthmus. Of the techniques available for repair of traumatic aortic lesions, direct suture allows the shortest clamping time (mean: 25 minutes in our series). The long-term risks of prosthetic replacement, i.e. late infection, false aneurysm due to suture breakdown, and secondary embolism arising from mural thrombosis, can therefore be avoided.