Early Renal Function Alterations in Renal Branches vs. Renal Fenestrations - A Dynamic Scintigraphy Based Prospective Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective single centre study was to assess whether branches and fenestrations have different outcomes on renal function in the early phase. METHODS: From March 2018 to June 2019, 67 patients who underwent elective fenestrated and branched endovascular aneurysm repair (F/BEVAR) procedures were enrolled in this study. The patients were divided into two groups according to the renal bridging component configuration (fenestration vs. branch). All of them underwent dynamic renal scintigraphy with 99mTc diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), two weeks pre-operatively, and three months and one year post-operatively. The primary end points were peri-procedural technical success, 30 day major adverse events, differences in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) between the branch and fenestration configurations, and variations between the pre-operative and the post-operative dynamic renal scintigraphy. RESULTS: Overall, 135 kidneys were analysed: 63 in the 32 patients treated with fenestrations, and 72 in the 35 patients treated with branches; the mean GFR on baseline scintigraphy was 58.4 ± 30.9 mL/min in the fenestration group, and 65.1 ± 29.2 mL/min in the branch group. Only kidneys associated with a patent fenestration/branch were included in the split GFR final analysis. The mean total GFR at three month scintigraphy decreased by 6.0 ± 2.9 mL/min in the fenestration group and by 23.4 ± 6.4 mL/min in the branch group. The split GFR decreased by 3.5 ± 0.6 mL/min in the fenestration group, and by 15.4 ± 5.4 mL/min in the branch group. The GFR decrease remained stable at one year. CONCLUSION: In this study, the use of branches for renal arteries during F/BEVAR resulted in a greater decrease in the GFR than in those patients who were treated with fenestrations alone. The scintigraphic alterations were evident at an early phase.

EVAR with Aortic Placement of a Single JOTEC E-iliac Stent-graft System in a Patient with Poliomyelitis Aortoiliac Deformities.

Small-sized vessels can represent a contraindication to standard endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), and more specifically, aortoiliac deformities resulting from poliomyelitis may add an adjunctive challenge for total endovascular repair. Herein we report a case of a 62-year-old man with a 55 mm abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and a history of poliomyelitis. More specifically, a computed tomography angiogram (CTA) showed a very narrow infrarenal aortic neck, measuring 13 mm in maximum diameter, and severely atrophic external iliac and common femoral arteries. A total endovascular repair was planned and realized with a single aortic JOTEC iliac branch and contralateral VBX placement. All prosthetic materials were delivered from the nonatrophic side. At the 1-year CTA, the aneurysm was successfully excluded and both iliofemoral axes were patent.

The "bare branch" for safe spinal cord ischemia prevention after total endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: Staged endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) with temporary perfusion of the sac through a branch left unstented or a dedicated branch is a strategy intended to reduce the risk of postoperative spinal cord ischemia (SCI). However, potential complications of this approach are aneurysm sac progression between stages, visceral embolism, and occlusion or displacement of components. We here present the "bare branch" technique, a safe adjunct to TAAA repair in terms of interstage complications. METHODS: In the first step, one branch, preferentially the one for the celiac trunk, is stented by a bare stent; in the second step, the bare branch is relined with a covered stent. There were 32 TAAAs (5 type I, 6 type II, 16 type III, 5 type IV) treated by this approach at our center from January 2015 to December 2017 (median follow-up, 13 months [range, 2-24 months]). Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed. Primary end points were aneurysm sac exclusion and freedom from major adverse events, which included SCI. Secondary end points were freedom from aneurysm growth between the stages and freedom from minor adverse events. RESULTS: Preoperative mean maximum diameter was 68.4 mm; 32 endografts (8 off-the-shelf and 24 custom-made devices) were used. The mean aortic coverage was 364 mm. The mean interval time between the two stages was 10.5 weeks (range, 7-20 weeks). In-hospital mortality was 0%. Type I or type III endoleak rate was 3.2%, whereas one type II endoleak was registered (3.2%). Two patients showed paraparesis, one after the first stage and one after the second stage, both noted at 4/5 on the Tarlov scale, and fully recovered so that the SCI rate was 6.4% with 0% permanent neurologic deficit. Interstage mean maximum diameter was 68.6 mm (P > .05). After the second step, there was an average of 4.7 spinal arteries (standard deviation, 1.4; P < .05) per patient with an increase in visibility and of diameter by 0.7 mm (standard deviation, 0.4 mm). CONCLUSIONS: This is a reproducible adjunct to staged TAAA endovascular repair. The use of a bare branch instead of a branch left completely open has the clear advantage of an easy catheterization in the second step. Furthermore, by having the target vessel stented with a bare stent, the risk of embolism is avoided. In this experience, there was no significant aneurysm sac growth in between the steps. Further comparative studies may determine whether there are different hemodynamic forces with this technique with respect to those already described in the literature.

The "Destino-guided BEVAR" to Catheterize Downward Branches from a Femoral Access: Technical Note and Case Report.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to report the Destino-guided branched endovascular aortic repair approach as a valid alternative to catheterization downward branches in complex aortic arch/descending thoracic anatomies. METHODS & RESULTS: A 53-year-old woman with Marfan syndrome underwent a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair for a type III dissecting aneurysm. A custom repair with an endograft having 3 fenestrations (for renal arteries and superior mesenteric artery) and 1 branch for the celiac trunk was planned. The right axillary artery was chronically occluded; the left subclavian artery (LSA) was aneurysmatic. The catheterization of the celiac trunk branch was demanding but ultimately a bare stent was used as a bridging component between the graft and the target vessel, for spinal cord preconditioning. At the 2-month computed tomography angiography, when planning the relining of the bare metal stent, a 1 cm increase in diameter of the LSA aneurysm was documented and therefore a Destino-guided branched endovascular aortic repair was planned. This approach consists of branch catheterization via femoral access using the Destino steerable guiding sheath inside which, after bending, a smaller Cook Flexor is placed to easily deliver the stent, while maintaining stability. CONCLUSIONS: The Destino-guided branched endovascular aortic repair is a reproducible and effective alternative to the classic catheterization of side branches via brachial/axillary access allowing their completion from a femoral access.

Late failure of a Nellix endoprosthesis treated with the t-Branch off-the-shelf multibranched stent graft.

A 66-year-old man arrived at our emergency department 3 years after an endovascular aneurysm sealing procedure performed at another center. Computed tomography angiography showed distal migration of a Nellix endoprosthesis (Endologix, Irvine, Calif) and a posterior contained rupture. The left kidney was excluded by an occluded iliac-left renal bypass, which was performed at the time of the Nellix implantation because of unintended coverage. A t-Branch (Cook Medical, Bloomington, Ind) was implanted in an emergency, but the delivery caused disruption of the Nellix limb, requiring relining. Target vessels were bridged with VBX stents (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz). The postoperative course was uneventful except for renal function impairment that was restored 2 weeks later.

Benign multicystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum: a case report.

The aim of this study is to report the experience of a case of benign multicystic mesothelioma of the peritoneum presented with acute appendicitis symptomatology. A 28 years old man with right lower and upper abdominal pain was admitted into hospital. Because of the clinical picture, the symptomatology and the leukocytosis a diagnosis of acute appendicitis was made and the patient underwent appendicectomy according to Mc Burney. At laparotomy some cc of purulent fluid were sucked and a cystic mass that contained clear fluid was revealed. In consequence of the incidental diagnosis a following middle laparotomy was made with a careful surgical excision of the mass and of the appendix. Macroscopically the lesion was identified like a neoplastic mass 25 centimeters in diameter, with a multicystic and fibrous-adipose aspect, with cysts 5 centimeters in diameter. The cystic spaces were lined by a layer of eptelial cells which presented positive reaction for cytokeratin and EMA, whereas endothelium markers were absent. The ultrastructural, morphological and immunohistochemical findings were diagnostic of a benign multicystic mesothelioma.