Combining Endovascular Aneurysm Sealing with Chimney Grafts - 5 Year Follow-Up after 47 Procedures.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate longer-term results of a cohort treated with primary chimney endovascular aneurysm sealing (ChEVAS) for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms or secondary ChEVAS after failed endovascular aneurysm repair/endovascular aneurysm sealing. METHODS: A single-center study was conducted of 47 consecutive patients (mean age 72 ± 8 years, range 50-91; 38 men) treated with ChEVAS from February 2014 to November 2016 and followed through December 2021. The main outcome measures were all-cause mortality (ACM), aneurysm-related mortality, occurrence of secondary complications and conversion to open surgery. Data are presented as the median (interquartile range [IQR]) and absolute range. RESULTS: 35 patients received a primary ChEVAS (=group I) and 12 patients a secondary ChEVAS (=group II). Technical success was 97% (group I) and 92% (group II); 30-day mortality was 3% and 8%, respectively. The median proximal sealing zone length was 20.5 mm (IQR 16, 24; range 10-48) in group I and 26 mm (IQR 17.5, 30; range 8-45) in group II, respectively. During a median time of follow-up of 62 months (range 0-88), ACM amounted to 60% (group I) and 58% (group II); aneurysm mortality was 29% and 8%, respectively. An endoleak was seen in 57% (group I: 15 type Ia endoleaks, four isolated type Ib, and 1 endoleak type V) and 25% (group II: 1 endoleak type Ia, one type II, and 2 type V), aneurysm growth in 40% and 17%, migration in 40% and 17%, resulting in 20% and 25% conversions in group I and II, respectively. Overall a secondary intervention was performed in 51% (group I) and 25% (group II), respectively. The occurrence of complications did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. Neither the number of chimney grafts, nor the thrombus ratio significantly affected the occurrence of abovementioned complications. CONCLUSIONS: While initially delivering a high technical success rate, ChEVAS fails to provide acceptable longer-term results both in primary and secondary ChEVAS, resulting in high rates of complications, secondary interventions and open conversions.