经股动脉带膜支架腔内搭桥治疗动脉瘤的初步应用

目的 探讨带膜支架腔内治疗动脉瘤的临床意义。方法 应用进口及自制带膜支架,在透视下经股动脉放置在动脉瘤的恰当位置上,实现动脉瘤的腔内搭桥。结果 ４例胸主动脉瘤,１例累及肾动脉、肠系膜上动脉及腹腔动脉的腹主动脉瘤及１例髂动脉瘤应用直筒状带膜支架;５例肾动脉下腹主动脉瘤应用分叉状带膜支架腔内治疗,即刻效果满意。随访３～１９个月,定期ＣＴ及ＭＲＡ检查。５例术后５～８ｄ出现延迟性发热。１例术后３个月发现有     

Endovascular Repair of Paraanastomotic Aneurysms after Previous Open Aortic Prosthetic Reconstruction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of endovascular repair of anastomotic and true aortic and iliac aneurysms occurring after prior polyester graft repair for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) or aortoiliac obstructive disease. Between July 1999 and January 2003, 14 patients underwent endovascular treatment of aortic pseudoaneurysms (n = 6) or iliac aneurysms (2 patients with pseudoaneurysms and 6 patients with true aneurysms) occurring 4 to 18.4 years (mean, 8.8 years) after open aortic surgery. No patient had symptoms or positive parameters for infection of the original polyester graft. Eleven patients, including one patient with both a proximal anastomotic and a true iliac aneurysm, were treated with AneuRx (n = 8), Talent (n = 2), or Quantum LP (n = 1) bifurcated stent grafts. Three patients with an infrarenal anastomotic pseudoaneurysm were treated with a tube stent graft (Talent [n = 2] and AneuRx [n = 1]). Endovascular stent grafts were successfully inserted in all patients. Procedure-related complications or death was not seen. During a median follow-up of 12 months (range, 3-40) all anastomotic and/or true aneurysms treated with bifurcated stent grafts maintained excluded. However, two out of three patients, treated with a tube graft for proximal aneurysm exclusion, were converted. In both patients the tube stent graft did not migrate from the level of the renal arteries but fixation failed between the stent graft and the previous polyester graft, creating endotension in the thrombus of the aneurysm sac. In one of these patients the old anastomotic aneurysm ruptured 16 months after stent graft placement and the patient died 1 day after conversion because of mesenterial ischemia. At 1 year follow-up the second patient was converted successfully after enlargement of his anastomotic aneurysm due to similar disconnection between the stent graft and the polyester graft. From this experience with endovascular stent grafts, we conclude that these can be used successfully to exclude anastomotic or true aneurysms after open aortic surgery. Exclusion of aneurysms at the proximal anastomosis with tube stent grafts is apparently not durable because of the insecure distal fixation in polyester grafts. Endovascular repair with bifurcated stent grafts, however, seems to be effective at midterm follow-up.Presented at the Twenty-eighth Annual Meeting of the Peripheral Vascular Surgery Society, Chicago, II, June 7, 2003.     

Endovascular Treatment of Symptomatic and Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Aim: To report our early experience with endovascular treatment of symptomatic and ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) using the Talent bifurcated stent graft.

Patients-methods: From August 2003 to May 2007 nine patients with symptomatic AAA (sAAA) (two after previous endovascular repair and endoleak), and eleven patients with ruptured AAA (rAAA) (one with ruptured iliac aneurysm and one with spontaneous aortic rupture) were treated endovascularly. Seven bifurcated stent grafts, (six Talent), and two iliac extensions were implanted into the patients with sAAA, and nine bifurcated stent grafts (eight Talent) and two aorto-uniliacs were implanted into the patients with rAAA.

Results: The deployment of the endovascular device in the intended location was successful in all patients. There was no conversion to open surgery. One patient with sAAA died after stroke and sepsis resulting in 11.1% 30-day mortality in this group. One required re-intervention for a type I endoleak before his discharge. Eight patients were discharged and during a follow-up period of 4–42 months (median 18 months) they have remained well. Two patients with rAAA died in the 30-day postoperative period. Thirty-day mortality was 18.1%. An unintended occlusion of one renal artery was performed. There were 9 survivors. During a follow-up period of 17–45 months (median 26 months) one more died of myocardial infarction.

Conclusion: Initial experience with endovascular treatment of patients with symptomatic or ruptured AAA, using the Talent bifurcated stent graft is promising. Bifurcated endografts can be implanted into patients with rAAA. A larger number of patients and longer follow-up is necessary to arrive at more reliable conclusions.     

Endovascular treatment of the descending thoracic aorta.

OBJECTIVES: to report our initial experience with endovascular stent graft repair of a variety of thoracic aortic pathology. DESIGN: retrospective single center study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: between February 2000 and January 2002, endovascular stent graft repair was performed in 26 patients: traumatic aortic isthmus rupture (n=3), Type B dissection (n=11) and descending thoracic aortic aneurysm (n=12). The deployed stent graft systems were AneuRx-Medtronic (n=1), Talent-Medtronic (n=13) and Excluder-Gore (n=12). RESULTS: successful deployment of the stent grafts in the intended position was achieved in all patients. No hospital mortality neither paraplegia were observed. Late, non procedure related, death occurred in four patients (15%). Access artery complications with rupture of the iliac artery occurred in two patients and were managed by iliac-femoral bypass. The left subclavian artery was overstented in seven patients (27%). Only the first patient received a carotido-subclavian bypass. The mean maximal aortic diameter decreased significantly in patients treated for descending thoracic aneurysm. Only one patient had an endoleak type II after 6 months without enlargement of the aneurysm. Complete thrombosis of the thoracic false lumen occurred in all but one patient treated for Type B dissection 6 months postoperatively. Two patients underwent a consecutive stent graft placement, due to a large re-entry tear distal to the first stent graft. CONCLUSIONS: endovascular stent graft repair for Type B dissection, descending thoracic aneurysm and aortic isthmus rupture is a promising less-invasive alternative to surgical repair. Further studies are mandatory to determine its long-term efficacy.     

Aortic arch and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms: experience with stent grafting for second-stage "elephant trunk" repair

Reconstruction of aortic arch and descending thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) is technically challenging and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. We report our experience with extensive TAAs using a two-stage "elephant trunk" repair, with the second stage completed using an endovascular stent graft (ESG). Over 6 years, 111 patients underwent ESG treatment of TAAs at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Twelve of these patients were referred for ESG placement for the second stage of elephant trunk reconstruction because comorbidities placed them at high risk of open surgical repair. Our database was analyzed for technical and clinical success and perioperative complications. The mean follow-up was 11.8 months (range 1-64 months). Twelve patients (five women and seven men) with a mean age of 69 +/- 10 years underwent repair of their distal aortic arch and descending TAAs. These aneurysms included nine atherosclerotic aneurysms, one pseudoaneurysm, and two penetrating atherosclerotic ulcers. Three patients were symptomatic. Stent graft repair was technically successful in 91.7% or 11 of 12 patients. Excessive aortic arch tortuosity resulted in failure to deploy a stent graft in one patient. An antegrade approach through the open elephant trunk was used in two patients with severe iliac occlusive disease. Endoleaks (type 2) were identified in two patients with no aneurysm expansion; however, a 14 mm expansion over 1 year occurred in a patient with no identifiable endoleak. One early mortality occurred in a patient with a ruptured 6 cm infrarenal AAA after successful exclusion of the 8 cm TAA. Second-stage elephant trunk reconstruction of an extensive TAA using an ESG is effective in the short term. Its long-term durability remains to be determined.     

Endovascular Treatment of Failed Prior Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair

Failure of endovascular or conventional abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair may occur as a result of attachment site endoleak (type I) or paraanastomotic aneurysm and pseudoaneurysm formation. This study examined the results of the use of secondary endovascular grafts for the treatment of failed prior infrarenal AAA repair procedures. Forty-seven patients were treated with endovascular grafts. These included 14 patients with type I endoleaks (5 proximal, 8 distal, 1 proximal and distal) and 33 patients with paraanastomotic aneurysms after standard open surgical AAA repair (3 proximal aorta, 5 distal aorta, 21 iliac, 4 proximal and distal). The interval between the primary aortic procedure and the endovascular repair was significantly shorter for failed endovascular procedures (mean, 18.2 months; range, 1-42 months) than for failed conventional procedures (mean, 108.9 months; range, 12-216 months) (p <0.01). The endovascular devices used for correction of the failed AAA repairs were Talent (23), physician-made (19), AneuRx (2), Vanguard (2), and Excluder (1). Transrenal fixation was used for repair of all proximal anastomotic failures. Mean follow-up after reintervention was 12.2 months in patients with failed endovascular grafts and 10.6 months in patients with failed conventional grafts. Patient demographics were as follows: average age, 78 years; 36 male and 11 female; and 4.1 comorbid medical conditions per patient. The endovascular graft was successfully deployed in all 47 cases; 1 patient experienced a persistent proximal attachment site endoleak after endograft deployment. Endovascular grafts may be used to treat previously failed endovascular and conventional AAA repair procedures with good short- and intermediate-term results. Endovascular treatments in these cases may avoid the difficulties of aortic reoperation or AAA repair in the setting of prior endovascular aortic grafting.     

Essential Techniques for Intraoperative Composite Endograft (CEG) Formation in the Treatment of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

The development of an ideal aortic stent graft continues to progress. New devices and techniques are expanding the use of endovascular repair in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). We present data with intraoperative composite endograft (CEG) techniques evaluating immediate and short-term compatibility of components and patients outcome. Twenty-five of 66 patients (38%) received intraoperative CEGs for AAA treatment. A total of 50 components were used to treat type I endoleaks, prevent graft limb kinking or treat associated iliac aneurysm. Nine of the components were used to manage type I proximal endoleaks. Forty-one components were used at the iliac limb for distal type I endoleak, hostile iliac anatomy, or graft limb support or to treat an associated iliac aneurysm. Two patients were left with a type I endoleaks at the iliac attachment site on completion of graft placement. With a mean folow-up of 11 months. Two of 25 patients had a type II endoleak at 6 months. One patient had type I endoleak at 1 year follow-up. CEGs are essential to treat endoleaks with a high technical success rate and expand the indications for treating infrarenal AAA. The components short-term compatibility makes this method of stent graft placement safe. Presented at the Annual meeting of the Southern California Vascular Surgical Society, Carlsbad, CA, April 11-13, 2003.     

Aneurysm rupture after endovascular repair using the AneuRx stent graft

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the cause and frequency of aneurysm rupture after endovascular aneurysm repair. METHODS: We reviewed each patient who sustained aneurysm rupture among all patients enrolled for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair in phases I, II, and III of the US AneuRx Multicenter Clinical Trial from June 1996 through October 1999. RESULTS: A total of 1067 patients were enrolled for endovascular aneurysm repair. The AneuRx stent graft was successfully implanted in 1046 patients (98%). Endovascular repair was unsuccessful in 21 patients (2%); 13 patients (1%) were converted to open aneurysm repair. Among these, two patients (0.2%) sustained aneurysm rupture due to procedure-related instrumentation and underwent open surgical conversion. Aneurysm rupture has occurred in seven patients (0.7%) 3 weeks to 24 months (mean, 16 months) after successful endovascular repair. Four patients survived open surgical repair, and three patients died within 30 days. Overall rupture-related mortality was 0.5% and included late deaths after rupture. Before rupture, two patients had endoleak and aneurysm enlargement, and five patients had no endoleak and no aneurysm enlargement. After aneurysm rupture all seven patients had evidence suggesting that there was poor fixation of the stent graft at the proximal distal, or iliac junction fixation sites. The two patients with endoleak declined recommended open surgical or endovascular repair, which could have prevented aneurysm rupture. In retrospect, the five patients without endoleak could potentially have avoided rupture with better patient selection, better stent graft positioning, or reinforcement of fixation points with stent graft extenders. The probability of no aneurysm rupture for all patients undergoing endovascular repair is 0.996 +/- 0.002 at 1 year and 0.974 +/- 0.011 at 2 years by life table analysis with the longest follow-up of 41 months. CONCLUSION: The early risk of aneurysm rupture after endovascular aneurysm repair is low. However, the possibility of rupture persists even in patients with no endoleak after the procedure. Therefore, all patients treated with endovascular aneurysm repair should continue to be monitored after the procedure. Patients with evidence suggesting insecure stent graft fixation should undergo further endovascular treatment or open surgical repair.     

胸主动脉夹层合并腹主夹层动脉瘤的一期腔内治疗

目的：探讨胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤合并腹主动脉夹层动脉瘤病人一期腔内隔绝术治疗的可行性、手术操作技巧及并发症防治原则。方法和结果：1例Stanford B型胸主动脉夹层动脉瘤合并腹主动脉夹层动脉瘤及双侧髂动脉瘤的病人于2006年3月在本中心接受了腔内隔绝术。MRA检查提示．主动脉弓降交界处开始出现夹层．真腔受压变窄,以胸腹交界处及腹主动脉中段最明显,最扁窄处为0．5cm;假腔在腹主动脉中段明显,最大径约5．0cm,假腔再人口位于左髂总动脉近端。双侧髂总动脉迂曲并呈瘤样扩张。腹腔干、肠系膜上动脉及双侧肾动脉均发自真腔。手术在全麻下进行：降主动脉植入规格为34-34-100mm的直管型Talent移植物,封闭夹层裂口：腹主动脉植入规格为AOI26-12-170mm Talent移植物,远端连接12．12．68mmTalent移植物至一侧髂外动脉,行双侧股-股转流。瘤体隔绝完全,手术约耗时300min,失血1000ml,透视6min,使用威视派克450ml。术后21d出院。术后随访半年,病人生活质量良好,复查CTA显示：移植物通畅,瘤腔内均完全形成血栓。结论：腔内隔绝术的微创特点使一期治疗Stanford B型主动脉夹层动脉瘤合并腹主动脉瘤成为一种比较安全的手术。主动脉长段隔绝也有利于降低截瘫的发生率。     

Successful treatment of endotension and aneurysm sac enlargement with endovascular stent graft reinforcement

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) enlarges after successful endovascular repair because of endoleak, which is persistent blood flow within the aneurysm sac. In the absence of detectable endoleak, AAA may still expand, in part because of endotension, which is persistent pressurization within the excluded aneurysm. We report three patients who underwent successful endovascular AAA repair using the Excluder device (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz). Although their postoperative surveillance showed an initial aneurysm regression, delayed aneurysm enlargement developed in all three, apparently due to endotension. Endovascular treatment was performed in which endograft reinforcement with a combination of aortic cuff and iliac endograft extenders were inserted in the previously implanted stent grafts. The endograft reinforcement procedure successfully resulted in aneurysm sac regression in all three patients. Our study underscores the significance of increased graft permeability as a mechanism of endotension and delayed aneurysm enlargement after successful endovascular AAA repair. In addition, our cases illustrate the feasibility and efficacy of an endovascular treatment strategy when endotension and aneurysm sac enlargement develops after endovascular AAA repair.     

腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术后髂支闭塞的原因及治疗策略

目的:探讨腹主动脉瘤(AAA)腔内修复术(EVAR)后髂支闭塞的原因及治疗策略。方法:回顾性收集2016年1月—2018年7月中南大学湘雅医院血管外科收治130例行EVAR的AAA患者临床资料,对其中并发髂支闭塞患者的临床资料进行分析。结果:130例成功接受EVAR的AAA患者中,6例(4.61%)发生术后髂支闭塞,均为单侧闭塞,发生闭塞的平均时间为(55±87)d。临床表现主要为间歇性跛行和静息痛。治疗方式包括:股动脉切开取栓+股-股动脉转流术2例,髂动脉支架植入术1例,股动脉切开取栓+髂动脉支架植入术3例。术后患肢缺血症状均消失。术后随访时间12个月,所有患者均未再次出现下肢缺血症状。结论:髂支闭塞是EVAR术后较为常见的并发症之一,其原因包括瘤颈条件差、髂动脉入路扭曲、髂支远端锚定区解剖异常等;股动脉切开取栓和(或)髂动脉支架植入是行之有效的治疗方法。     

Endovascular stent grafts as a safe secondary option for para-anastomotic abdominal aortic aneurysm.

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience of endovascular repair of para-anastomotic aortic aneurysm. METHODS AND RESULTS: From March 2001 to December 2004 we identified 6 patients with a para-anastomotic aortic aneurysms following previous open repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm. All patients were treated with endovascular surgery under epidural anaesthesia. There were no major complications, surgical conversions or deaths. Four patients received a bifurcated aortic stent-graft, and two an aorto-uniliac stent-graft followed by a femoro-femoral bypass. At follow-up (mean 26.1+/-10.2 months) there were no deaths, endoleaks or graft migrations observed. CONCLUSION: Endovascular surgery, avoiding general anesthesia and re-laparotomy, is the ideal technique for treatment of this complication resulting from failed primary conventional AAA repair.     

Acute and chronic open conversion after endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: a 14-year review

OBJECTIVE: This study reviewed outcomes of patients requiring surgical conversion after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. METHODS: Records for all patients undergoing open conversion after endovascular AAA repair were reviewed. RESULTS: From 1993 to 2006, 574 patients underwent endovascular repair for AAA. Seventeen patients, including three patients who underwent prior endovascular repair at other centers, required surgical conversion with complete (n = 9) or partial graft removal (n = 8). Five patients required immediate conversion (acute), and 12 underwent delayed conversion 4 to 72 months after endovascular repair. Indications for acute conversion were large type I endoleak (n = 3, 60%), including one patient with graft migration, and retroperitoneal bleeding (n = 2, 40%). Indications for chronic conversion were endoleak with increasing aneurysm size (n = 9, 75%), stent fracture without endoleak (n = 1, 8%), delayed retroperitoneal bleeding (n = 1, 8%), and infection (n = 1, 8%). Suprarenal aortic cross-clamping was required in two patients (12%), and endograft components were retained in eight (47%). An aortic occlusion balloon placed through the body of the existing endograft facilitated proximal control in three patients. There were two perioperative deaths in the acute conversion group (2/5; 40%) and none in the delayed conversion group (P = .04). Five-year actuarial survival was 71.9%. Mean follow-up was 41.6 +/- 32.2 months. Retained endovascular components in patients with partial graft removal remained stable during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical conversion after endovascular AAA repair can be performed without suprarenal clamping in most patients. Endovascular aortic control with a balloon avoids suprarenal exposure. Partial endograft removal in selected patients facilitates open conversion and appears durable. Acute conversion is associated with increased mortality.     

一体式覆膜支架在腹主动脉腔内修复中的应用

目的:总结一体式覆膜支架在腹主动脉以及髂动脉病变中的应用效果。方法:回顾性分析应用一体式腹主动脉覆膜支架腔内修复腹主动脉瘤15例、髂动脉瘤5例及腹主动脉或髂动脉夹层5例的临床资料。结果:平均时间42.4 min,手术成功率100%(25/25)。术后无I、III型内漏,发生髂动脉血栓形成1例,围术期无死亡病例。随访3~16个月复查无动脉瘤复发和II型内漏。结论:一体式覆膜支架是腹主动脉瘤和夹层动脉瘤腔内治疗方法的一种较好选择,具有快速、简单、有效的优点;其远期疗效需进一步观察。     

高危复杂腹主动脉瘤腔内修复术临床分析

目的 评估应用多种腔内技术治疗高危复杂腹主动脉瘤的可行性.方法 2001年1月至2010年12月,共138例腹主动脉瘤患者接受腹主动脉腔内修复术(EVAR),其中9例患者为高危复杂性腹主动脉瘤.男性8例,女性1例,年龄26～87岁,平均67岁.其中2例近肾腹主动脉假性动脉瘤,5例近肾腹主动脉瘤,1例腹主动脉瘤合并双髂总动脉瘤及左侧髂内动脉瘤,1例EVAR术后右髂内动脉瘤.所采用的腔内技术包括:主动脉支架开窗技术和扇形技术2例,烟囱技术5例,球囊辅助下髂内动脉瘤腔内治疗1例和球囊辅助反转支架技术1例.结果 所有腔内技术均获得成功.术中支架释放后即刻发现内漏4例,其中1例患者为Ⅰ型和Ⅲ型内漏,经大动脉球囊扩张后内漏消失;2例Ⅰ型内漏,其中1例行弹簧栓栓塞成功,另1例行近端裸支架成功.1例Ⅱ型内漏,经随访瘤腔直径未增大,未处理.随访4～79个月,平均25.9个月.无动脉瘤破裂,动脉瘤瘤体直径均有不同程度的缩小.随访过程中7例患者的靶血管(肾动脉、肠系膜上动脉和髂内动脉)均保持通畅.1例髂内动脉重建支架术后18个月血栓形成,但无盆腔缺血等症状.结论 对于不能耐受手术的高危复杂腹主动脉瘤患者,选择合适的腔内技术可以增加EVAR术的成功率,近、中期效果满意.     

Thoracic aortic aneurysms: treatment with endovascular self-expandable stent grafts

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to evaluate the safety and feasibility of endovascular stent graft placement in the treatment of descending thoracic aortic aneurysms. METHODS: Between November 1996 and February 1999, endovascular stent graft repair was used in 21 patients. There were 5 women and 16 men with a mean age of 67 years (range, 41 to 87 years). An atherosclerotic aneurysm with a diameter of more than 6 cm was the indication for intervention in 19 patients (90.5%). In 2 patients (9.5%), a localized aortic dissection with a diameter of more than 6 cm was treated. In 71.4% (15 of 21) of patients, multiple stents were necessary for aneurysm exclusion. To allow safe deployment of the stent graft, preliminary subclavian-carotid artery transposition was performed in 9 patients (42.9%). Vascular access was achieved through a small incision in the abdominal aorta (n = 6), an iliac artery (n = 8), or a femoral artery (n = 7). Talent and Prograft stent grafts were used. RESULTS: Successful deployment of the endovascular stent grafts was achieved in all patients. Two patients died postoperatively (mortality rate, 9.5%), 1 of aneurysmal rupture and the other of impaired perfusion of the celiac axis. Repeat stenting was done in 3 patients because of intraoperative leakage. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular stent graft repair is a promising and less invasive alternative to exclude the aneurysm from blood flow. This technique allows treatment of patients who are unsuitable for conventional surgical procedures. An exact definition of inclusion criteria and technical development of stent grafts should contribute to further improvements in clinical results.     

The value of late computed tomographic scanning in identification of vascular abnormalities after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of late arterial abnormalities after aortic aneurysm repair and thus to suggest a routine for postoperative radiologic follow-up examination and to establish reference criteria for endovascular repair. METHODS: Computed tomographic (CT) scan follow-up examination was obtained at 8 to 9 years after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair on a cohort of patients enrolled in the Canadian Aneurysm Study. The original registry consisted of 680 patients who underwent repair of nonruptured AAA. When the request for CT scan follow-up examination was sent in 1994, 251 patients were alive and potentially available for CT scan follow-up examination and 94 patients agreed to undergo abdominal and thoracic CT scanning procedures. Each scan was interpreted independently by two vascular radiologists. RESULTS: For analysis, the aorta was divided into five defined segments and an aneurysm was defined as a more than 50% enlargement from the expected normal value as defined in the reporting standards for aneurysms. With this strict definition, 64.9% of patients had aneurysmal dilatation and the abnormality was considered as a possible indication for surgical repair in 13.8%. Of the 39 patients who underwent initial repair with a tube graft, 12 (30.8%) were found to have an iliac aneurysm and six of these aneurysms (15.4%) were of possible surgical significance. Graft dilatation was observed from the time of operation (median graft size of 18 mm) to a median size of 22 mm as measured by means of CT scanning at follow-up examination. Fluid or thrombus was seen around the graft in 28% of the cases, and bowel was believed to be intimately associated with the graft in 7%. CONCLUSION: Late follow-up CT scans after AAA repair often show vascular abnormalities. Most of these abnormalities are not clinically significant, but, in 13.8% of patients, the thoracic or abdominal aortic segment was aneurysmal and, in 15.4% of patients who underwent tube graft placement, one of the iliac arteries was significantly abnormal to warrant consideration for surgical repair. On the basis of these findings, a routine CT follow-up examination after 5 years is recommended. This study provides a population-based study for comparison with the results of endovascular repair.     

Special iliac artery considerations during aneurysm endografting.

BACKGROUND: The feasibility of endograft exclusion of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) has been established. However, the technical challenges of graft delivery through tortuous or diseased iliac arteries and the treatment of associated iliac aneurysmal disease have received little attention. METHODS: Over 19 months, 74 patients underwent endoluminal repair of AAA and/or iliac artery aneurysms. Iliac anatomy that required special consideration during endografting was reviewed. RESULTS: Of the 74 patients, 35 (47%) had iliac anatomy that required special attention. Thirteen patients (18%) had aneurysmal involvement of a common iliac artery. Eleven of these patients required endograft extension into the external iliac artery (EIA) and hypogastric coil embolization due to the proximity of the aneurysm to the hypogastric origin. Eleven patients with ectatic, nonaneurysmal iliac arteries required aortic cuffs to achieve a distal seal in these oversized vessels. Iliac artery tortuosity or stenosis were complicating factors in 27 of the 74 patients (36%), requiring the use of brachial guidewire tension in 2 patients to facilitate tracking of the delivery device. Five patients with severely splayed aortic bifurcations required crossed placement of the iliac limbs to prevent kinking of the endograft. Occlusive atherosclerotic disease of the EIA mandated preprocedural dilatation and stenting in 3 patients and postprocedural surgical EIA reconstruction in another 5 patients. Three patients who underwent successful endograft placement required subsequent endovascular repair of traumatized EIAs. CONCLUSIONS: Iliac artery anatomy plays a significant role in the endoluminal treatment of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms, complicating the procedure in up to 47% of patients with otherwise suitable anatomy. A variety of supplemental procedures, both surgical and endovascular, may be required to facilitate endograft placement. A special understanding of these constraints and proper planning is required for optimal therapy.     

Minimally invasive retrieval of a dislodged Wallstent endoprosthesis after an endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) is being performed more frequently in patients with concomitant iliac artery occlusive disease. We report a case of a 70-year-old male status post angioplasty and stenting of bilateral iliac arteries for occlusive disease who subsequently underwent EVAR for a rapidly expanding abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). One month after the placement of the endograft, it was discovered that the previously placed Wallstent had been dislodged during the endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Minimally invasive retrieval using an Amplatz Goose Neck Snare was successful in recovering the stent. This case underscores the danger of performing EVAR in the setting of prior iliac artery stenting and the potential complications that may ensue.     

Thoracic aorta aneurysm repair using the right axillary approach

We present a 66-year-old man with a 5.7-cm saccular descending thoracic aortic aneurysm and a smaller 4.6-cm aneurysm just proximal to the celiac artery. The patient was judged to be too risky for open surgical repair because of poor anatomy and health. Previous stenting of the iliac arteries for a kinked aortoiliac open graft precluded conventional endovascular aneurysm repair. The descending thoracic aorta was successfully repaired using endovascular methods with a standard Talent (Medtronic, Los Angeles, Calif) thoracic proximal main stent graft, which was reverse-loaded onto the delivery device and delivered antegrade through the right axillary artery.