A procedural step analysis of radiation exposure in fenestrated endovascular aortic repair.

OBJECTIVE: Radiation exposure during complex endovascular aortic repair may be associated with tangible adverse effects in patients and operators. This study aimed to identify the steps of highest radiation exposure during fenestrated endovascular aortic repair (FEVAR) and to investigate potential intraoperative factors affecting radiation exposure. METHODS: Prospective data of 31 consecutive patients managed exclusively with four-fenestration endografts between March 1, 2020, and July 1, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Leveraging the conformity of the applied technique, every FEVAR operation was considered a combination of six overall stages composed of 28 standardized steps. Intraoperative parameters, including air kerma, dose area product, fluoroscopy time, and number of digital subtraction angiographies (DSAs) and average angulations were collected and analyzed for each step. RESULTS: The mean procedure duration and fluoroscopy time was 140 minutes (standard deviation [SD], 32 minutes), and 40 minutes (SD, 9.1 minutes), respectively. The mean air kerma was 814 mGy (SD, 498 mGy), and the mean dose area product was 66.8 Gy cm2 (SD, 33 Gy cm2). The percentage of air kerma of the entire procedure was distributed throughout the following procedure stages: preparation (13.9%), main body (9.6%), target vessel cannulation (27.8%), stent deployment (29.1%), distal aortoiliac grafting (14.3%), and completion (5.3%). DSAs represented 23.0% of the total air kerma. Target vessel cannulation and stent deployment presented the highest mean lateral angulation (67 and 63 degrees, respectively). Using linear regression, each minute of continuous fluoroscopy added 18.9 mGy of air kerma (95% confidence interval, 17.6-20.2 mGy), and each DSA series added 21.1 mGy of air kerma (95% confidence interval, 17.9-24.3 mGy). Body mass index and lateral angulation were significantly associated with increased air kerma (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Cannulation of target vessels and bridging stent deployment are the steps requiring the highest radiation exposure during FEVAR cases. Optimized operator protection during these steps is mandatory.

Multicentric clinical evaluation of a computed tomography-based fully automated deep neural network for aortic maximum diameter and volumetric measurements.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to evaluate a fully automatic deep learning-based method (augmented radiology for vascular aneurysm [ARVA]) for aortic segmentation and simultaneous diameter and volume measurements. METHODS: A clinical validation dataset was constructed from preoperative and postoperative aortic computed tomography angiography (CTA) scans for assessing these functions. The dataset totaled 350 computed tomography angiography scans from 216 patients treated at two different hospitals. ARVA's ability to segment the aorta into seven morphologically based aortic segments and measure maximum outer-to-outer wall transverse diameters and compute volumes for each was compared with the measurements of six experts (ground truth) and thirteen clinicians. RESULTS: Ground truth (experts') measurements of diameters and volumes were manually performed for all aortic segments. The median absolute diameter difference between ground truth and ARVA was 1.6 mm (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.5-1.7; and 1.6 mm [95% CI, 1.6-1.7]) between ground truth and clinicians. ARVA produced measurements within the clinical acceptable range with a proportion of 85.5% (95% CI, 83.5-86.3) compared with the clinicians' 86.0% (95% CI, 83.9-86.0). The median volume similarity error ranged from 0.93 to 0.95 in the main trunk and achieved 0.88 in the iliac arteries. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates the reliability of a fully automated artificial intelligence-driven solution capable of quick aortic segmentation and analysis of both diameter and volume for each segment.

Early and Midterm Outcomes of Endovascular Aortic Arch Repair Using In Situ Laser Fenestration.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to present single-center outcomes in patients treated with in situ laser fenestration thoracic endovascular aortic repair (LFTEVAR) for various aortic arch pathologies and assess the impact of increasing experience. METHODS: The STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement was followed. A retrospective analysis of prospectively collected single aortic center data was conducted, including baseline information and peri- and post-operative outcomes of consecutive patients managed with LFTEVAR for aortic arch pathologies. Patients were enrolled from April 1, 2017 to January 31, 2023. The cohort was dichotomized to compare early (2017-2019) and late experience (2020-2023). Primary outcomes were peri-operative mortality and cerebrovascular morbidity. RESULTS: Thirty patients were included (63.3% males, mean age 69.8±9.6 years); 21.4% presented with aortic ruptures. Aortic aneurysm involving the aortic arch was the most frequent pathology (53.3%). Forty target vessels (TVs) were revascularized, including 19 left subclavian arteries (47.5%) and 17 left common carotid arteries (42.5%). Double fenestrations were performed in 10 patients. The proximal landing zone was Ishimaru zone 0 in 5 patients (16.7%) and zone 1 in 13 patients (43.3%). Technical success was 93%. No spinal cord ischemia was recorded, and 3 patients (10%) suffered a post-operative stroke, of which 1 was major (3.3%). The median follow-up was 12 months (range=1-48 months). Thirty-day and follow-up mortality rates were 13.5% and 15.3%, respectively. Target vessel instability was 10%, of which 3.8% required reintervention. There was no statistically significant difference in outcomes between the early and late experience groups. CONCLUSIONS: Laser fenestration thoracic endovascular aortic repair of the aortic arch performed in experienced aortic centers is associated with low early mortality and stroke rates. It is a safe and effective therapeutic option in patients considered unfit for open repair. CLINICAL IMPACT: Custom-made devices for arch pathologies requiring urgent repair are not an option because of manufacturing delays. Off-the-shelf devices with single branch arch prostheses, and outside IFU techniques such as parallel-grafts and surgeon-modified endografts have been proposed in this setting. Another off-the-shelf alternative is in situ laser fenestration thoracic endovascular repair (LFTEVAR), which addresses many limitations of the other off-the-shelf options. Our study reports the outcomes of 30 patients treated with LFTEVAR, showing that it is a viable therapeutic option in patients considered unfit for open repair acknowledging that sufficient experience with complex endovascular aortic repair is mandatory to achieve acceptable outcomes in these high-risk patients with challenging aortic anatomies.

Uncovering the Unseen: Bordetella hinzii Emerges in a Lung Transplant Recipient.

Bordetella hinzii (B. hinzii), a Gram-negative bacillus commonly associated with respiratory infections in animals, has garnered attention for its sporadic cases in humans, particularly in immunocompromised individuals. Despite its opportunistic nature, there remains limited understanding regarding its pathogenicity, diagnostic challenges, and optimal treatment strategies, especially in the context of immunosuppression. Herein, we present the first documented case of acute bronchitis caused by B. hinzii in an immunocompromised patient following double-lung transplantation. The patient, a former smoker with sarcoidosis stage IV, underwent transplant surgery and subsequently developed a febrile episode, leading to the identification of B. hinzii in broncho-alveolar lavage samples. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing revealed resistance to multiple antibiotics, necessitating tailored treatment adjustments. Our case underscores the importance of heightened awareness among clinicians regarding B. hinzii infections and the imperative for further research to elucidate its epidemiology and optimal management strategies, particularly in immunocompromised populations.

Evaluation of false lumen occluders implanted in the abdominal aorta false lumen.

OBJECTIVE: Management of postdissection thoracoabdominal aneurysms with a fenestrated and/or branched endograft (F/BEVAR) is associated with favorable outcomes. Treatment should include both true lumen endografting and false lumen occlusion (FLO). Favorable results have recently been reported for FLO in the false lumen of the thoracic aorta. The purpose of this study is to analyze the results of FLO of the abdominal aorta in patients treated for post dissection thoracoabdominal aneurysm. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective analysis of prospective data of consecutive patients managed for post dissection thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm from April 2019 to December 2022 with F/BEVAR associated with FLO in the abdominal false lumen was conducted. The STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) was followed. Baseline demographics, operative details, and early outcomes (mortality, length of stay) were recorded. Primary endpoints were technical and clinical success. FLO technical success was defined as complete occlusion of false lumen backflow above the FLO on completion angiogram. RESULTS: During the 3-year study, 23 patients were treated for post dissection thoracoabdominal aneurysm with F/BEVAR and the use of abdominal FLO. Twenty-one patients (91.3%) had received prior endovascular treatment. The technical and clinical success was 95.7%. The abdominal FLO had a technical success rate of 78.3%. The median diameter of the FLO was 34 mm. No patient died during the perioperative period, and one patient had spinal cord ischemia (4.3%) with partial recovery. Six patients (26.1%) required early reintervention. The median duration of hospitalization in the intensive care unit and overall was 1 day (interquartile range, 0-3 days) and 7.5 days (interquartile range, 2-22 days), respectively. During the mean follow-up of 9.9 ± 9.0 months, no patient died. False lumen occlusion was complete or partial in nine (39.1%) and nine (39.1%) patients, respectively. No aortic rupture occurred during follow-up. Maximum aortic diameter decreased in 48% and remained stable in 39% of cases. CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal aorta FLO during endovascular treatment of post dissection thoracic abdominal aortic aneurysm is associated with favorable outcomes. It offers an additional staging therapeutic option before extensive aorto-bi-iliac coverage, associated with low spinal cord ischemia rates. FLO also provides high rates of false lumen occlusion and false lumen remodeling during follow-up. Longer follow-up and larger cohorts are required to confirm these very promising early findings.

Spinal cord ischemia rates and prophylactic spinal drainage in patients treated with fenestrated/branched endovascular repair for thoracoabdominal aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a devastating complication after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. The benefit of prophylactic cerebrospinal fluid drainage (pCSFD) to prevent SCI is still under investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the SCI rate and the impact of pCSFD following complex endovascular repair (fenestrated or branched endovascular repair [F/BEVAR]) for type I to IV TAAA. METHODS: The STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement was followed. A single-center retrospective study was conducted, including all consecutive patients, managed for TAAA type I to IV using F/BEVAR, between January 1, 2018, and November 1, 2022, for degenerative and post-dissection aneurysms. Patients with juxta- or pararenal aneurysms were excluded, as well as cases managed urgently for aortic rupture or acute dissection. After 2020, pCSFD in type I to III TAAAs was abandoned and replaced by therapeutic CSFD (tCSFD), performed only in patients presenting SCI. The primary outcome was the perioperative SCI rate for the entire cohort and the role of pCSFD for type I to III TAAAs. RESULTS: In total, 198 patients were included (mean age, 71.1±3.4 years; 81.8% males), including 50.5% with type I to III TAAA. The primary technical success was 94.9%. The perioperative mortality was 2.5%. and the major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) rate was 10.6%; 4.5% presented SCI of any type (2.5% paraplegia). When comparing the SCI group with the remaining cohort, patients with SCI presented higher MACE (66.7% vs 7.9%; P < .001) rate and longer intensive care unit stay (3.5 vs 1 day; P = .002). Following type I to III repair, similar SCI, paraplegia, and paraplegia with no recovery rates were reported in the pCSFD and tCSFD groups (7.3% vs 5.1%; P = .66; 4.8% vs 3.3%; P = .72; and 2% vs 0%; P = .37). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of SCI after TAAA I to IV endovascular repair was low. SCI was associated with significantly increased MACE and intensive care unit stay. The prophylactic use of CSFD in type I to III TAAAs was not associated with lower SCI rates and may not be justified routinely.

Virtual Reality to Ease Endovascular Repair of Thoracoabdominal Aneurysms Under Local Anesthesia.

Purpose: Virtual reality (VR) has both a non-pharmacological analgesic and anxiolytic action that can be used as an alternative to general anesthesia for very high-risk patients. Case report: We present here the case of a patient treated for a complex endovascular thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm exclusion using a 4-fenestrated aortic endograft using VR. The patient had no postoperative complications and was safely discharged from the hospital on postoperative day 6. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that the use of VR in addition to local anesthesia can be a safe alternative to general anesthesia.

Early Outcomes on Triple-Branch Arch Device With Retrograde Left Common Carotid Branch: A Case Series.

INTRODUCTION: Endovascular aortic arch repair using multibranch devices has been applied in patients considered at high risk for open repair. The aim of this case series was to report the early outcomes in patients managed with a new design 3 branch arch custom-made device, including a retrograde left common carotid artery (LCCA) branch. METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Of CaSe Series in Surgery (PROCESS) guidelines were followed. All consecutive patients undergoing endovascular repair of an aortic arch lesion with a custom-made triple-branch device, including a retrograde LCCA branch (Cook Medical, Bloomington, IN, USA), between October 27, 2022, and February 28, 2023, were included. The presence of an arch aneurysm (degenerative or post-dissection) with diameter ≥55 mm and high risk for a conventional open repair set the indication for treatment. The primary outcomes were technical success and mortality at 30 days. Early morbidity and reinterventions were considered as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: Eight elective patients (87.5% men, mean age 72.3±27.0 years) were included. Five of them (62.5%) had undergone a previous ascending aorta repair of an acute type A aortic dissection. All patients were asymptomatic, except one, with left recurrent laryngeal nerve compression. The mean maximum aortic diameter was 70.4±21.0 mm. Percutaneous femoral and axillary access was used in all cases except three in which a cut down for right carotid access was performed. Technical success was 100%. Femoral access to the LCCA and implantation of the bridging stent was performed without technical challenges. No death nor cerebrovascular event was recorded during the 30 day follow-up. Five patients (62.5%) presented major complications, 3 related to access needing reintervention and the remaining related to congestive heart failure (CHF), which were managed successfully with medical treatment. Follow-up (range 1-4 month) was uneventful, except for one patient who presented a secondary type Ia endoleak. CONCLUSIONS: According to our early experience, the presence of a retrograde branch facilitated the revascularization of the LCCA through femoral access, decreasing the risk of cerebrovascular morbidity. Further analyses with longer follow-up are needed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the device. CLINICAL IMPACT: Data arising mainly from the retrograde branch for the revascularization of the LSA are encouraging from a variety of devices. The premiminary experience with a triple-branched arch device, with a retrograde branche for the LSA but also for the LCCA, was associated with no 30 day mortality and 100% technical success.The device's design allowed swift catheterization and completion of the LCCA revascularization using femoral access exclusively.

In Situ Fenestrated Thoracic Endovascular Repair Using the Upstream Peripheral Go BackTM Re-Entry Catheter.

PURPOSE: The aim is to present a case of in situ fenestrated thoracic endovascular repair, using a re-entry peripheral catheter, needing urgent repair due to recurrent episodes of hemoptysis because of an aorto-bronchial fistula after previous thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). TECHNIQUE: A 74-year-old male with a previous TEVAR presented with hemoptysis, fever, and cachexia. An aorto-bronchial fistula and type Ia endoleak were depicted on computed tomography angiography (CTA). Due to the patient's frail general condition, a proximal TEVAR extension was planned, prior to thoracotomy for debridement, and long-term antibiotics. An in situ fenestrated TEVAR was performed to provide proximal sealing and revascularize the left common carotid and subclavian arteries. For fenestration creation, an Upstream Peripheral Go Back catheter (Bentley, Hechingen, Germany) was used. The Go Back catheter has been approved as a re-entry tool for complex peripheral arterial revascularization. In this case, both fenestrations were successfully created. Proximal seal and target vessel patency were confirmed on CTA. Thoracotomy confirmed aortic exclusion. A wedge lobectomy was performed in combination with pediculated omentectomy to exclude the exposed endograft. CONCLUSION: In urgent cases, where custom-made thoracic devices are unavailable, in situ fenestrations with the Go Back catheter are an alternative to laser fenestrations. CLINICAL IMPACT: Fenestrations are often required in acute TEVAR to achieve a proximal seal in the arch. In situ fenestrations with the Go Back catheter are an alternative to laser fenestrations and PMEGs in this setting.

Systematic Review on Early and Follow-up Mortality Rate in Octogenarians Treated With a Fenestrated and/or Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair.

PURPOSE: Advanced age has been related to conflicting outcomes after fenestrated/branched endovascular aortic aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR). The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare 30-day mortality, technical success, and 1-year and 5-year survival in octogenarians and non-octogenarians who underwent F/BEVAR for complex aortic aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This meta-analysis was pre-registered to PROSPERO (CRD42022348659). The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement was followed. A search of the English literature, via Ovid, using MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL databases, until August 30, 2022, was executed. Randomized Control Trials and observational studies (2000-2022), with ≥5 patients, reporting on 30-day mortality and 1-year and 5-year survival rates among octogenarians and non-octogenarians after F/BEVAR were eligible. The Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tool was applied to assess the risk of bias. The primary outcome was 30-day mortality and secondary was 1-year and 5-year survival in octogenarians and non-octogenarians. The outcomes were summarized as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A narrative presentation was selected in case of missing outcomes. RESULTS: The initial research isolated 3263 articles; 6 retrospective studies were finally included. A total of 7410 patients were managed with F/BEVAR; 1499 patients (20.2%) were ≥80 years old (75.5% males, 259/343). The estimated 30-day mortality was 6% among octogenarians vs 2% in younger patients, with a significantly higher 30-day mortality for patients ≥80 years old (OR 1.21, 95% CI 0.61-1.81; p=0.0.11; Ι2=36.01%). Technical success was similar between the groups (OR -0.83; 95% CI -1.74-0.07, p<0.0.001; Ι2=95.8%). Regarding survival, a narrative approach was decided due to missing data. Two studies reported a statistically significant difference in 1-year survival between groups, with higher mortality in octogenarians (82.5%-90% vs 89.5%-93%), while 3 reported a similar 1-year survival rate in both groups (87.1%-95% vs 88%-89.5%). At 5 years, 3 studies reported a statistically significant lower survival for octogenarians (26.9%-42% vs 61%-71%). CONCLUSIONS: Octogenarians treated with F/BEVAR presented higher 30-day mortality while a lower survival rate at 1 and 5 years was reported in the literature. Patient selection is thus mandatory among older patients. Further studies, especially on patient risk stratification, are needed to estimate the F/BEVAR outcomes on elder patients. CLINICAL IMPACT: Age may be a factor of increased early and long-term mortality within patients managed for aortic aneurysms. In this analysis, patients over 80 years old were compared to their younger counterparts when managed with fenestrated or branched endovascular aortic repair (F/BEVAR) . The analysis showed that early mortality was acceptable for octogenrains but significantly higher when compared to patients younger than 80 years. One-year survival rates are controversial. At 5-year follow-up, octogenarians present lower survival but data to provide metanalysis are lacking. Patient selection and risk stratification are mandatory in older candidates for F/BEVAR.

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Sac Diameter Assessment for Complex Endovascular Aortic Repair.

PURPOSE: Artificial intelligence (AI) using an automated, deep learning-based method, Augmented Radiology for Vascular Aneurysm (ARVA), has been verified as a viable aide in aneurysm morphology assessment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of ARVA when analyzing preoperative and postoperative computed tomography angiography (CTA) in patients managed with fenestrated endovascular repair (FEVAR) for complex aortic aneurysms (cAAs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Preoperative and postoperative CTAs from 50 patients (n=100 CTAs) who underwent FEVAR for cAAs were extracted from the picture archiving and communication system (PACS) of a single aortic center equipped with ARVA. All studies underwent automated AI aneurysm morphology assessment by ARVA. Appropriate identification of the outer wall of the aorta was verified by manual review of the AI-generated overlays for each patient. Maximum outer-wall aortic diameters were measured by 2 clinicians using multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) and curved planar reformatting (CPR), and among studies where the aortic wall was appropriately identified by ARVA, they were compared with ARVA automated measurements. RESULTS: Identification of the outer wall of the aorta was accurate in 89% of CTA studies. Among these, diameter measurements by ARVA were comparable to clinician measurements by MPR or CPR, with a median absolute difference of 2.4 mm on the preoperative CTAs and 1.6 mm on the postoperative CTAs. Of note, no significant difference was detected between clinician measurements using MPR or CPR on preoperative and postoperative scans (range 0.5-0.9 mm). CONCLUSION: For patients with cAAs managed with FEVAR, ARVA provides accurate preoperative and postoperative assessment of aortic diameter in 89% of studies. This technology may provide an opportunity to automate cAA morphology assessment in most cases where time-intensive, manual clinician measurements are currently required. CLINICAL IMPACT: In this retrospective analysis of preoperative and postoperative imaging from 50 patients managed with FEVAR, AI provided accurate aortic diameter measurements in 89% of the CTAs reviewed, despite the complexity of the aortic anatomies, and in post-operative CTAs despite metal artifact from stent grafts, markers and embolization materials. Outliers with imprecise automated aortic overlays were easily identified by scrolling through the axial AI-generated segmentation MPR cuts of the entire aorta.This study supports the notion that such emerging AI technologies can improve efficiency of routine clinician workflows while maintaining excellent measurement accuracy when analyzing complex aortic anatomies by CTA.

Midterm Outcomes of BeGraft Stent Grafts Used as Bridging Stents in Fenestrated Endovascular Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

PURPOSE: Fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (fEVAR) is established for the treatment of juxtarenal, pararenal, and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs). Bridging stents are used to connect the main body of the stent graft to the aortic branch vessels. Complications related to the bridging stents compromise the durability of the repair and require urgent re-intervention. Here we present the midterm results of the BeGraft stent graft system used for fEVAR. MATERIALS AND METHOD: All consecutive patients treated with fEVAR and the current BeGraft Peripheral Stent Graft between November 2015 and September 2016 were included. RESULTS: Thirty-nine consecutive patients (38 men) were enrolled and 101 BeGraft second-generation stent grafts were implanted. The median aneurysm diameter was 60 mm (54.5-67.0 mm). Aneurysms were juxtarenal and pararenal (19/39, 48.1%), type 4 TAAA (3/39, 7.7%), type 1, 2, and 3 TAAA (7/39, 17.8%), type 5 TAAA (4/39, 10.2%), and 15.4% (6/39) had a type I endoleak following a previous EVAR. Fifty-five BeGrafts were implanted in mesenteric arteries (22 in coeliac trunks, 31 in the superior mesenteric artery, and 2 in a hepatic or splenic artery) and 46 into renal arteries (24 right and 22 left). The renal artery diameters were 5, 6, 7, and 8 mm in 9, 7, 26, and 4 patients, respectively. Mesenteric arteries were exclusively stented with 9 and 10 mm diameter devices. The median follow-up was 33 months (IQ25 17-IQ75 36). During follow-up, 11 patients died (28%) from non-aneurysm-related causes. The overall patency rates for bridging stents were 98% and 97% at 1 and 2 years, respectively, with a freedom from secondary procedure rate on BeGraft stent grafts of 96% (97/101). All events occurred on stents implanted in renal arteries. CONCLUSION: Early favorable outcomes are confirmed during longer term follow-up. Vigilant surveillance is required.

The Elevator Technique: A New Bailout Maneuver to Achieve Target Vessel Patency During Challenging BEVAR.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study is to describe a new bailout maneuver for use during branched endovascular thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair (BEVAR) while dealing with challenging target vessel cannulation. TECHNIQUE: A 54-year-old woman underwent urgent BEVAR with a low-profile T-branch device to exclude a type 2 thoracoabdominal aneurysm (TAAA). The endovascular procedure was challenging because the left renal artery ostium was covered by the endograft fabric, compounded by diseased target vessels. A novel bailout maneuver is described. After angioplasty of the left renal artery (LRA), the LRA remained precannulated and a low-profile T-branch was implanted. The 3 proximal branches (superior mesenteric artery, inferior mesenteric artery, and the right renal artery) were connected to their respective target vessels swiftly with a steerable sheath from a femoral approach. Access to the left renal artery was not achieved because it was obstructed by the fully deployed endograft. We subsequently stented the LRA over the "pre-positioned buddy wire," using a balloon-expandable covered stent protruding inside the aneurysm lumen. The proximal stent was then flared and lifted upward using an 8.5 Fr steerable sheath, which made cannulation and stenting of the LRA through the side-branch from above finally achievable. CONCLUSION: The elevator technique described in this article will help achieve technical success in challenging BEVAR cases. CLINICAL IMPACT: We describe in this technical note the "elevator technique" that will complement the "Snare-Ride" and "Balloon Anchoring" techniques over a buddy wire positioned in a target vessel, to provide successful bailout options for challenging TV cannulations during BEVAR.After failed access to the renal artery through the renal branch, a covered stent was implanted in the renal artery over the buddy wire with 10 mm protruding into the aortic lumen. This stent was then flared, prior to advancing a curved steerable sheath into the stent, which shaped it with a superior-facing funneled aortic segment. This maneuver resulted in the renal stent facing its corresponding branch, finally easy to access from the endograft lumen.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Complex Aortic Aneurysm Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID on total case load and peri-operative outcomes in patients undergoing open surgical repair (OSR) and endovascular repair (ER) of complex aortic aneurysms (cAAs). METHODS: A single-center retrospective analysis of prospective data of patients managed with elective cAA ER or OSR from January 2018 to December 2021 was conducted. A comparative analysis on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the case volume and on the 30-day outcomes was assessed using time periods, before (2018-2019) and during the pandemic (2020-2021). RESULTS: During the 4-year study period, 255 patients with cAA were managed with ER and 576 with OSR. The pandemic did not reduce the cAA ER volume (p=0.12), but a statistically significant reduction in OSR case load was recorded (p=0.04). Following OSR, hospital length of stay (11.1 vs 10.3 days), and early mortality (6.94% vs 4.63%), were similar before and during the pandemic. In the ER cohort, baseline characteristics, early mortality (3.6% vs 4.1%, p=0.976), and morbidity (10% vs 14%, p=0.44), were comparable during the 2 periods. For ER cases, the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay both decreased significantly (8±8-6±7 days, p<0.001 and 2±4 vs 1±6 days p=0.01, respectively) during the pandemic. CONCLUSION: Resource pressures drove modifications in clinical practice to reduce the length of hospitalization, without compromising the clinical outcomes, in patients undergoing ER of cAA. This modification was not effective in patients undergoing OSR that resulted in a significant decrease of this activity. CLINICAL IMPACT: The pandemic did not reduce complex endovascular repair (ER) volume (p=0.12) while a significant reduction in open surgical repair (OSR) case load was recorded (p=0.04). For the endovascular cohort, early mortality (p=0.976) and morbidity (p=0.44) remained stable, while the hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stay decreased (p<0.001 and p=0.01, respectively) during the pandemic.

Branched Endovascular Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair Under Electromagnetic Guidance in an in Vitro Model.

PURPOSE: We report a new approach to perform endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aneurysms under electromagnetic navigation guidance using a modified system (IOPS; Centerline Biomedical, Inc., Cleveland, OH, USA) and a modified branched endograft (E-nside TAAA Multibranch Stent Graft System; Artivion Inc., Kennesaw, GA, USA). CASE REPORT: We performed this case in an aortic in vitro model made from transparent polyurethane in our research hybrid room (Discovery IGS 730; GE HealthCare, Chicago, IL, USA). While the implantation of this device typically involves several challenging steps, including precise endograft implantation, snaring of preloaded guide wires, and cannulation of target visceral arteries, all were successfully performed using electromagnetic navigation guidance. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary experience suggests that endograft implantation under electromagnetic navigation guidance in an integrated hybrid operating room is an innovative option to address technical challenges and reduce patient and operator radiation exposure associated with complex endovascular surgery. CLINICAL IMPACT: Most steps of a branched endografting procedure can be performed without X-Ray exposure when using electromagnetic navigation guidance and a modified branched endograft.

Two-Year Results on Real-World Fenestrated or Branched Endovascular Repair for Complex Aortic Abdominal Aneurysm in France.

PURPOSE: To describe and compare mid-term outcomes from 2 real-world data collection efforts on fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair (fbEVAR) for complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in France and to evaluate the potential of health care databases for long-term post-market surveillance (PMS) and continued reimbursement approval. METHODS: Two real-world studies were conducted in France: a retrospective health care database study (SNDS) and a prospective clinical study. In the SNDS study, data from implantation and/or hospital stays occurring during follow-up were extracted for all patients treated with the study devices from April 2012 to December 2018. In the clinical study, high-risk patients undergoing fbEVAR with the study devices were enrolled consecutively at 15 sites in France from December 2016 to November 2018. RESULTS: Data from 1073 patients were extracted from SNDS and compared with analogous variables from 186 patients in the clinical study. Most demographic details were similar between studies (SNDS vs clinical: mean age, 71.9 vs 71.8 years; men, 91.0% vs 89.8%), as was 30-day mortality (SNDS: 5.5%, clinical: 4.3%). Patients received custom-made fenestrated or branched devices (SNDS: 80.7%, clinical: 96.2%) or CE-marked Zenith Fenestrated devices (SNDS: 19.3%, clinical: 3.8%). Initial or technical success was above 94% for both studies. Two-year freedom from all-cause mortality was 80.0% (SNDS) and 85.1% (clinical study). Two-year freedom from aneurysm-related mortality was 93.8% (SNDS) and 94.6% (clinical study). Detailed imaging outcomes were not captured within SNDS; however, information on secondary procedures to restore patency was available and used as a surrogate measure for secondary interventions. Two-year freedom from secondary interventions was 73% for the SNDS study. In the clinical study, at 2 years, aneurysm stability or shrinkage was observed in 92.3% of patients, freedom from target vessel primary patency loss was above 95% for all visceral target vessels, and freedom from secondary interventions was 79.1%. CONCLUSION: Real-world outcomes from the SNDS and clinical study suggest positive mid-term outcomes in high-risk populations following fbEVAR for complex AAAs. The similarities between these studies suggest that the use of health care databases may be an alternative to prospective clinical studies for long-term follow-up and PMS. CLINICAL IMPACT: Positive results following endovascular repair of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms are observed from data extracted from both the French health care database and a post-market clinical study despite initial high-risk patient status and diverse center experience. These outcomes parallel more rigorously designed studies and suggest that with careful study design, real-world data collections have high translatable value to add to the clinical understanding of fenestrated and branched endovascular aortic repair (fbEVAR).

Effect of Sarcopenia on Mortality and Spinal Cord Ischaemia After Complex Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Sarcopenia has been related to higher mortality rates after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. This analysis aimed to assess sarcopenia related mortality and spinal cord ischaemia (SCI) at 30 days, and mortality during the available follow up, in patients with complex aortic aneurysms, managed with open or endovascular interventions. DATA SOURCES: A search of the English literature, via Ovid, using Medline, EMBASE, and CENTRAL up to 15 June 2022 was done. REVIEW METHODS: This meta-analysis was conducted according to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses) guidelines and preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42022338079). Observational studies (2000 - 2022), with five or more patients, reporting on sarcopenia related mortality and SCI at 30 days, and midterm mortality after thoraco-abdominal aneurysm repair (open or endovascular), were eligible. The ROBINS-I tool (Risk Of Bias In Non-Randomised Studies of Interventions) was used for risk of bias, and GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) for the assessment of evidence quality. The primary outcome was 30 day and midterm mortality, and the secondary outcome was SCI at 30 days, in sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic patients. The outcomes were summarised as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: Four retrospective studies (1 092 patients; 40.0% sarcopenic) were included. Thirty day mortality was similar, with low certainty between groups (6% [95% CI 1 - 11] in sarcopenic vs. 5% [95% CI 1 - 9] non-sarcopenic patients [OR 0.30, 95% CI -0.21 - 0.81; p = .94, Ι2 = 0%). The estimated midterm mortality was statistically significantly higher (very low certainty) in sarcopenic patients (25% [95% CI 0.19 - 0.31] vs. 13% [95% CI -0.03 - 0.29] in non-sarcopenic patients (1.11 OR 0.95, 95% CI -0.21 - 2.44; p < .001, Ι2 = 88.32%). SCI was significantly higher (very low certainty) in sarcopenic patients (19%, 95% CI 4 - 34) vs. 7% (95% CI 5 - 20) in non-sarcopenic patients (OR 1.80, 95% CI -0.17 - 3.78; Ι2 = 82.4%), despite an equal distribution of aneurysm type between the groups. CONCLUSION: Early mortality does not appear to be affected by sarcopenia in patients treated for thoraco-abdominal aneurysms. However, sarcopenia may be associated with higher peri-operative SCI and midterm mortality rates.

Midterm Outcomes of Antegrade In Situ Laser Fenestration of Polyester Endografts for Urgent Treatment of Aortic Pathologies Involving the Visceral and Renal Arteries.

OBJECTIVE: Aortic endografting and antegrade in situ laser fenestration of visceral arteries (LFEVAR) may be considered as an alternative to open surgery for the emergency repair of complex abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) in fragile patients. The aim of this article was to evaluate the midterm results of LFEVAR performed with polyester endografts. METHODS: From August 2015 to December 2020, all consecutive LFEVAR performed for non-deferrable treatment of complex AAA were analysed. Polyester endografts were deployed and subsequently fenestrated using an atherectomy laser probe; the fenestrations were enlarged using cutting and semicompliant balloons before implantation of balloon expandable bridging stents into the target vessels. Prospectively collected midterm survival, patency, and re-intervention rates were analysed. RESULTS: Forty four procedures were performed for 11 type 1a endoleaks, five thoraco-abdominal aneurysms, 20 pararenal aneurysms, four segmental renal artery (RA) preservations, three anastomotic aneurysms, and one aortic dissection. One hundred and eight laser fenestrations were performed (26 for the superior mesenteric artery [SMA], 13 for the coeliac trunk, 33 and 31 for the right and left RA, respectively). The median ischaemia duration was 7, 48, 48, and 45 minutes, respectively. The technical success rate was 97%, with no open surgical conversions. The 30 day mortality was 4.5% (n = 2). No spinal cord ischaemia events were observed nor early stent related complications. Kaplan-Meier overall survival at two years was 73%, the aortic related re-intervention free survival was 70%, and the stent related re-intervention free survival was 90.6%. Four target vessel thromboses were detected, of which three were rescued. Three type IIIc endoleaks, one RA false aneurysm, and one SMA stenosis, required re-intervention during a median follow up of 24.7 months. CONCLUSION: Antegrade LFEVAR is feasible, safe, and provides satisfactory early and midterm outcomes for non-deferrable treatment of aortic pathologies involving the visceral segment. Long term data are mandatory to confirm the usefulness of this promising off label technique.

A Review: Single and MultiBranch Devices for the Treatment of Aortic Arch Pathologies with Proximal Sealing in Ishimaru Zone 0.

Recently published experience has shown that endovascular management of the aortic arch, including sealing in the proximal zones, can be a viable option for patients considered unfit for conventional open repair. Endograft designs vary and include single or multibranch devices, with or without the addition of surgical debranching. Initial reports show that both techniques can be performed with high technical success and acceptable perioperative morbidity and mortality rates in high volume centers. Single branch devices, available off-the-shelf, may provide a treatment option for emergent presentations where patients cannot wait for the design and manufacture of a customized endograft. Double or triple branched endografts are now increasingly implanted in high-volume aortic centers. The purpose of this review is to describe the single and multibranched endovascular devices currently available for aortic arch repair, their associated published outcomes, and to discuss their relative advantages and disadvantages.

Fusion imaging guidance for endovascular recanalization of peripheral occlusive disease.

OBJECTIVE: Endovascular procedures are now the first line option for treatment of lower extremity arterial disease. Fusion imaging guidance has been reported to reduce radiation exposure and reintervention rates during fenestrated and branched endovascular repairs, but limited literature exists on its benefits during lower extremity arterial disease endovascular procedures, and more specifically peripheral occlusive disease (POD). This study aims to evaluate the radiation exposure and technical success benefits of fusion imaging guidance in a large cohort of patients treated endovascularly for complex POD. METHODS: From January 2017 to September 2019, in a single center, all consecutive patients presenting symptomatic occlusions (Rutherford Baker categories 3 to 6) in the setting of POD and treated endovascularly were retrospectively assessed for inclusion. All procedures were performed under augmented fluoroscopy guidance (Vessel ASSIST, GE Healthcare), overlaying on live imaging the 3D path for transluminal recanalization based on the preoperative computed tomography angiography. Technical success, dose area product (DAP), total cumulated air kerma (CAK), and fluoroscopy time were collected. DAP results were compared with the literature. RESULTS: During the study period, 179 patients were treated for iliac (n = 56) or femoropopliteal (n = 123) symptomatic arterial occlusions. Technical success was reported in 171 of 179 procedures (95.5%). The use of a re-entry catheter was required to achieve technical success in 11 patients (6.1%). Mean DAP and CAK were 12.70 Gy·cm2 and 135 mGy, respectively, with a mean fluoroscopy time of 15.26 minutes. DAP and CAK were significantly higher in the iliac group when compared with the femoropopliteal group, although fluoroscopy time was not significantly different. DAP was lower than levels reported in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: Routine use of fusion imaging guidance during POD endovascular treatment is associated with low radiation exposure, high technical success, and reduced need for re-entry systems.