Unsuspected Limitations of 3D Printed Model in Planning of Complex Aortic Aneurysm Endovascular Treatment.

OBJECTIVE: Static 3-dimensional (3D) printing became attractive for operative planning in cases that involve difficult anatomy. An interactive (low cost, fast) 3D print allowing deliberate surgical practice can be used to improve interventional simulation and planning. BACKGROUND: Endovascular treatment of complex aortic aneurysms is technically challenging, especially in case of narrow aortic lumen or significant aortic angulation (hostile anatomy). The risk of complications such as graft kinking and target vessel occlusion is difficult to assess based solely on traditional software measuring methods and remain highly dependent on surgeon skills and expertise. METHODS: A patient with juxtarenal AAA with hostile anatomy had a 3-dimensional printed model constructed preoperatively according to computed tomography images. Endovascular graft implantation in the 3D printed aorta with a standard T-Branch Cook (Cook® Medical, Bloomington, IN, USA) was performed preoperatively in the simulation laboratory enabling optimized feasibility, surgical planning and intraoperative decision making. RESULTS: The 3D printed aortic model proved to be radio-opaque and allowed simulation of branched endovascular aortic repair (BREVAR). The assessment of intervention feasibility, as well as optimal branch position and orientation was found to be useful for surgeon confidence and the actual intervention in the patient. There was a remarkable agreement between the 3D printed model and both CT and X-ray angiographic images. Although the technical success was achieved as planned, a previously deployed renal stent caused unexpected difficulty in advancing the renal stent, which was not observed in the 3D model simulation. CONCLUSION: The 3D printed aortic models can be useful for determining feasibility, optimizing planning and intraoperative decision making in hostile anatomy improving the outcome. Despite already offering satisfying accuracy at present, further advancements could enhance the 3D model capability to replicate minor anatomical deformities and variations in tissue density.

Early outcomes of the Conformable endograft in severe neck angulation from the Triveneto Conformable Registry.

OBJECTIVE: The study reports retrospective evaluation of early outcomes from a multicentric experience with the Excluder conformable endograft with active control system (CEXC Device) in the treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Its design allows more flexibility, given by proximal unconnected stent rows and a bending wire within the delivery catheter enables control of proximal angulation. This study specifically focuses on the severe neck angulation (SNA) subgroup (≥60°). METHODS: All patients treated with CEXC Device in nine vascular surgery centers of Triveneto area (Northeast Italy) between January 2019 and July 2022 were enrolled prospectively and analyzed retrospectively. Demographic and aortic anatomical characteristics were evaluated. Endovascular aneurysm repair in SNA were selected for analysis. Major investigated outcomes were technical success, endoleaks, morbidity, mortality, and reinterventions at 30 days and during follow-up. Endograft migration and postoperative aortic neck angulation changes were also analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 129 patients were enrolled. An infrarenal angle of ≥60° was observed in 56 patients (43%) (SNA group) and their data analyzed. The mean patient age was 78.9 ± 5.9 years and median abdominal aortic aneurysm diameter 59 mm (range, 45-94 mm). Median aortic infrarenal neck length, angulation and diameter were 22 mm (range, 13-58 mm), 77° (range, 60°-150°), and 22.0 ± 3.5 mm respectively. Analysis revealed a technical success rate of 100% and perioperative major complication rate of 1.7%. Intraoperative and perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 3.5% (one buttock claudication and one inguinal surgical cutdown) and 0%, respectively. No perioperative type I endoleaks were observed. The median follow-up was 13 months (range, 1-40 months). Five patients died during follow-up from aneurysm-unrelated causes. Two reinterventions occurred (3.5%): one conversion for a type IA endoleak and one sac embolization for a type II endoleak. Aneurysm sac shrinkage was observed in 15 patients (26%) and aneurysm stability in 35 patients (62%), respectively. Estimated freedom from reinterventions at 24 months was 92%. Aortic neck median postoperative angulation was 75° (range, 45°-139°). CONCLUSIONS: The Triveneto Conformable Registry shows good early results of the CEXC device in severely angulated aortic infrarenal necks. These data need confirmation on longer follow-up and a wider cohort of patients to further increase endovascular aneurysm repair eligibility in SNA.

Results of iliac branch devices for hypogastric salvage after previous aortic repair.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this multicentric study was to assess the "REsults of iliac branch deviceS for hypogastriC salvage after previoUs aortic rEpair (RESCUE)." METHODS: All consecutive patients who underwent implantation of iliac branch devices (IBDs) after previous open aortic repair (OAR) or endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) at seven centers were captured. The study cohort was divided into two groups according to the type of repair originally performed. Early outcomes included immediate technical success and perioperative adverse events. Late outcomes included survival, side branch (SB) primary patency, SB instability, and new onset buttock claudication. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients (82 male) were included in the study, 10 of them received bilateral implantation of IBDs. This resulted in a total of 104 devices included in the final analysis. Indication for treatment were endoleak 1b or progressive iliac aneurysmal degeneration or distal para-anastomotic aortic aneurysms; 73 were implanted after previous EVAR and 31 after previous OAR. Technical success was 100% in both groups. The 3-year rate of freedom from SB instability was 90.1% after previous EVAR and 85.4% after previous OAR, respectively (P = .05). The 3-year estimates of SB primary patency were significantly lower in patients who had received OAR as compared with those that had received EVAR (89.8% vs 94.9%; P = .05). CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular treatment with IBDs following previous OAR or EVAR is safe and effective up to 3 years. Freedom from SB instability during follow-up was lower in patients who had previously undergone OAR than EVAR.

Midterm results on a new self-expandable covered stent combined with branched stent grafts: Insights from a multicenter Italian registry.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the technical periprocedural and midterm outcomes of endovascular repairs with multibranched endovascular repair or iliac branch devices combined with a new self-expanding covered stent. METHODS: The COvera in BRAnch registry is a physician-initiated, multicenter, ambispective, observational registry (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04598802) enrolling patients receiving a multibranched endovascular repair or iliac branch devices procedure mated with Bard Covera Plus (Tempe, AZ) covered stent, designed to evaluate the outcomes of the covered stent mated with patient-specific and off-the-shelf branched stent graft. Primary end points were technical success, branch instability, and freedom from aortic and branch-related reintervention within 30 days and at follow-up. Preoperative characteristics, comorbidities, and outcomes definitions were graded according to the Society for Vascular Surgery reporting standards. RESULTS: Two hundred eighty-four patients (76 years; range, 70-80 years; 79% males) in 24 centers were enrolled for a total of 708 target vessels treated. The covered stents were mated with an off-the-shelf graft in 556 vessels (79%) and a custom-made graft in 152 (21%). Three hundred seven adjunctive relining stents in 277 vessels (39%) were deployed, of which 116 (38%) were proximal, 66 (21%) intrastent, and 125 (41%) distal. Adjunctive relining stent placement was more frequent when landing in a vessel branch instead of the main trunk (59% vs 39%; P = .031), performing a percutaneous access (49% vs 35%; P < .001), using a stent with a diameter of 8 mm or greater (44% vs 36%; P = .032) and a length of 80 mm or greater (65% vs 55%; P = .005), when a post-dilatation was not performed (45% vs 29%; P < .001) and when an inner branch configuration was used (55% vs 35%; P < .001). Perioperative technical bridging success was 98%. Eight patients (3%) died in the perioperative period. Two deaths (1%) were associated with renal branch occlusion followed by acute kidney injury and paraplegia. Follow-up data were available for 638 vessels (90%) at a median of 32 months (Q1, Q3, 21, 46). Branch instability was reported in 1% of branches. Forty-six patients (17%) died during follow-up, nine (3%) of them owing to aortic-related causes. Primary patency rates at 1, 2, and 3 years were 99% (581/587), 99% (404/411), and 97% (272/279), respectively. Branch instability was associated with patient-specific devices (9% vs 4%; P = .014) and intrastent adjunctive stent placement (12% vs 2%; P = .003), especially when a bare metal balloon-expandable stent was used (25% vs 3%; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The use of this new self-expanding covered stent mated with branched endografts proved to be safe and feasible with high technical procedural success rates. Low rates of branch instability were observed at midterm follow-up. Comparative studies with other commercially available covered stents are warranted.

Endovascular repair of an intrathoracic subclavian artery aneurysm with a single-branched thoracic endograft in a hostile anatomy.

OBJECTIVE: Subclavian artery aneurysms (SAA) are rare and usually involve the proximal segment of the artery. In this setting traditional surgical treatment or hybrid procedures are associated with significative morbidity rate so that new endovascular solutions are preferred. METHODS: Authors report a case of a patient with an intrathoracic left SAA involving the aortic arch's outer curve. Patient's comorbidities contraindicated open surgical treatment while anatomical issues were not favourable to hybrid or standard endovascular solutions. Thus a single-branched custom-made thoracic stent-graft (Castor, MicroPort Medical, Shanghai, China) was implanted. RESULTS: Technical success was achieved with no intra-operative complications and technical steps of the procedure are accurately described.A pre-discharge CT scan showed the correct position of the endograft, complete aneurysm exclusion and branch patency. CONCLUSION: Single-branched thoracic stentgrafts could be a good option in unfavourable anatomies with supra-aortic vessels disease involving the aortic arch, with good results in terms of morbidity and early outcomes.

Distensibility of Deformable Aortic Replicas Assessed by an Integrated In-Vitro and In-Silico Approach.

The correct estimation of the distensibility of deformable aorta replicas is a challenging issue, in particular when its local characterization is necessary. We propose a combined in-vitro and in-silico approach to face this problem. First, we tested an aortic silicone arch in a pulse-duplicator analyzing its dynamics under physiological working conditions. The aortic flow rate and pressure were measured by a flow meter at the inlet and two probes placed along the arch, respectively. Video imaging analysis allowed us to estimate the outer diameter of the aorta in some sections in time. Second, we replicated the in-vitro experiment through a Fluid-Structure Interaction simulation. Observed and computed values of pressures and variations in aorta diameters, during the cardiac cycle, were compared. Results were considered satisfactory enough to suggest that the estimation of local distensibility from in-silico tests is reliable, thus overcoming intrinsic experimental limitations. The aortic distensibility (AD) is found to vary significantly along the phantom by ranging from 3.0 × 10-3 mmHg-1 in the ascending and descending tracts to 4.2 × 10-3 mmHg-1 in the middle of the aortic arch. Interestingly, the above values underestimate the AD obtained in preliminary tests carried out on straight cylindrical samples made with the same material of the present phantom. Hence, the current results suggest that AD should be directly evaluated on the replica rather than on the samples of the adopted material. Moreover, tests should be suitably designed to estimate the local rather than only the global distensibility.

Unusual Endovascular Treatment of Iliac Occlusive Disease With a Physician-Modified Endograft to Preserve a Transplant Renal Artery.

PURPOSE: We describe the feasibility and early results of iliac stenting using a physician-modified endograft (PMEG) to preserve a transplant renal artery in patient with iliac occlusive disease. CASE REPORT: A 70-year-old male patient, with sub-occlusive left common iliac artery stenosis at the level of the transplanted kidney arterial anastomosis, presented with left critical limb ischemia (CLI) and pseudo-transplant renal artery stenosis (pseudo-TRAS) symptoms. He was treated with a physician-modified fenestrated covered stent introduced percutaneously via ipsilateral femoral artery after failure of simple angioplasty (percutaneous transluminal angioplasty, PTA). The modified graft was created by performing a square fenestration graftotomy on a Medtronic iliac limb stent graft (Medtronic Cardiovascular, Santa Rosa, CA, USA). The procedure was technically successful with no intraoperative complications. Procedural time was 110 minutes, including 35 minutes for device modification. On short-term follow-up, the patient had early improvement of renal function and resolution of CLI. The iliac and transplant renal artery remained patent with no sign of stent migration or kinking on 6 months surveillance computed tomography angiography and 1 year color Doppler ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: Use of PMEG to preserve visceral branches in occlusive iliac disease is a feasible endovascular technique with encouraging technical success and satisfying early results.

Early and midterm outcomes following open surgical conversion after failed endovascular aneurysm repair from the "Italian North-easT RegIstry of surgical Conversion AfTer Evar" (INTRICATE).

OBJECTIVE: To report the early and mid-term outcomes following open surgical conversion (OSC) after failed endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) using data from a multicentric registry. METHODS: A retrospective study was carried out on consecutive patients undergoing OSC after failed EVAR at eight tertiary vascular units from the same geographic area in the North-East of Italy, from April 2005 to November 2019. Study endpoints included early and follow-up outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 144 consecutive patients were included in the study. Endoleaks were the most common indication for OSC (50.7%), with endograft infection (24.6%) and occlusion (21.9%) being the second most prevalent causes. The overall rate of 30-day all-cause mortality was 13.9% (n = 20); 32 patients (22.2%) experienced at least one major complication. Mean length of stay was 13 ± 12.7 days. On multivariate logistic regression, age (odds ratio [OR], 1.09; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1-19; P = .02), renal clamping time (OR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.02-1.13; P = .01), and suprarenal/celiac clamping (OR, 6.66; 95% CI, 1.81-27.1; P = .005) were identified as independent predictors of perioperative major complications. Age was the only factor associated with perioperative mortality at 30 days. Renal clamping time >25 minutes had sensitivity of 65% and specificity of 70% in predicting the occurring of major adverse events (area under the curve, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.61-0.82). At 5 years, estimated survival was significantly lower for patients treated due to aortic rupture/dissection (28%; 95% CI, 13%-61%), compared with patients in whom the indication for treatment was endoleak (54%; 95% CI, 40%-73%), infection (53%; 95% CI, 30%-94%), or thrombosis (82%; 95% CI, 62%-100%; P = .0019). Five-year survival rates were significantly lower in patients who received emergent treatment (28%; 95% CI, 14%-55%) as compared with those who were treated in an urgent (67%; 95% CI, 48%-93%) or elective setting (57%; 95% CI, 43%-76%; P = .00026). Subjects who received suprarenal/celiac (54%; 95% CI, 36%-82%) or suprarenal (46%; 95% CI, 34%-62%) aortic cross-clamping had lower survival rates at 5 years than those whose aortic-cross clamp site was infrarenal (76%; 95% CI, 59%-97%; P = .041). Using multivariate Cox proportional hazard, older age and emergency setting were independently associated with higher risk for overall 5-year mortality. CONCLUSIONS: OSC after failed EVAR was associated with relatively high rates of early morbidity and mortality, particularly for emergency setting surgery. Endoleaks with secondary sac expansion were the main indication for OSC, and suprarenal aortic cross-clamping was frequently required. Endograft infection and emergent treatment remained associated with poorer short- and long-term survival.

Surgical "New Aortic Carrefour Technique" for Late Open Conversion After Endovascular Aortic Repair.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study is to report the early and midterm outcomes of late open conversion (LOC) after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) using the "new aortic carrefour technique" (NACT) for preservation of the stent-graft iliac limbs. Late conversions were defined as explants >6 months after previous EVAR. METHODS: Patients treated for elective or urgent LOC after EVAR with the NACT at a single center (2009-2019), and with ≥6 months of follow-up, were included. Briefly, after completing the proximal aortic anastomosis, the endograft iliac limbs were truncated and sutured together to create a "new aortic carrefour" (Veraldi's technique). A Dacron-knitted straight graft was therefore sutured to the newly created aortic bifurcation. Outcomes of interest were as follows: immediate technical success, intraoperative characteristics, and reinterventions. Results are reported as the number (and percentages) or median (and interquartile range [IQR]). RESULTS: During the study period, 433 patients underwent standard EVAR for abdominal aortic aneurysm and 20 underwent LOC. Of these, 9 consecutive patients were deemed suitable and treated with NACT. The indication for conversion was endoleak in 6 (type IA n = 1, type II n = 4, type III n = 1), complete graft thrombosis (n = 2), and one case of sac enlargement without any clear signs of endoleak at computed tomography angiography. Of these cases, six were treated electively, while three were treated in urgent setting including one case of rupture. The median procedure, aortic cross-clamping, and distal anastomosis times were 280 minutes (IQR: 225-290), 24 minutes (IQR: 22-29), and 15 minutes (IQR: 14-18), respectively. The median blood loss was 1,600 mL (IQR: 700-1,900), and the median hospital stay was 8 days (IQR 7-12). None of the patients died and neither required unplanned reintervention within 30 days. At a median imaging follow-up of 13 months (IQR 8-43), there were no reinterventions due to residual leaks or technical defects. One patient died during follow-up, and the recorded cause of death was heart failure. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the NACT with preservation of the original endograft iliac limbs for LOC after EVAR is a safe and feasible technique, which results in a low perioperative morbidity and mortality rate in selected patients. The technique is effective during midterm follow-up and might represent a valuable tool to expand the armamentarium of vascular surgeons for surgical regrafting after EVAR.

Endovascular aortic repair with the Gore Excluder Conformable endograft in severe neck angulation: Preliminary experience and technical aspects.

OBJECTIVES: Endovascular procedures are now the standard of care for endovascular aortic aneurysm repair but treatment of hostile proximal neck anatomy is still challenging. New endografts were brought to the market specifically designed to accommodate severe neck angulation. Authors describe a preliminary experience and early results using the Gore Excluder Conformable endograft (W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) and its active control system in severe neck angulation with a standardized technical approach to achieve precise deployment in this hostile anatomy. METHODS: From June 2019 to May 2020, five patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and severe neck angulation (≥70°) were treated with the Gore Excluder Conformable endograft at two different centers. Deployment of this endograft in this kind of anatomy should be aggressive starting over the level of renal arteries due to risk of distal migration downward on the external curvature and difficulty in upward repositioning. Authors suggested a standard technique with a routine through-and-through axillary-femoral approach, using a floppy guidewire together with preventive cannulation of the lower renal artery if a short neck (<15 mm) is associated. RESULTS: Endovascular aortic procedures were successfully completed in all patients. Final deployment of the stent graft using our standardized technical approach was extremely precise in all cases even if redeployment of the graft was necessary in all cases. No other secondary procedures were needed. At 30 days, no type IA endoleak was recorded and no aneurysm-related secondary procedures were performed. Median follow-up for this group of patients was 5.2 months (range 1-11). Early results revealed no type IA endoleak and no migration at Ct angiogram. No aneurysm-related secondary procedures were required. CONCLUSION: Routine use of through-and-through axillary-femoral guidewire associated with selective pre-cannulation of the lower renal artery allows a precise deployment of the Gore Excluder Conformable endograft in difficult anatomies possibly affecting early outcomes.

Early and midterm outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair with an ultra-low-profile endograft from the Triveneto Incraft Registry.

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the early and midterm outcomes of the Incraft (Cordis Corp, Bridgewater, NJ) ultra-low-profile endograft by analyzing data from the Triveneto Incraft Registry (TIR). METHODS: TIR is an independent multicenter cohort registry of 10 vascular surgery units in the Triveneto area (Northeast Italy). A prospective analysis of patients electively treated with Incraft from September 2014 to June 2019 was performed. The main outcomes were technical success, major 30-day complications, 30-day aneurysm-related death, freedom from reintervention, and mortality rate during follow-up and were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariable Cox regression was used to evaluate the associations between anatomic complexity factors and reintervention. RESULTS: During the study period, 209 patients were included in the registry. Their mean age was 76.9 ± 7.7 years and the Society for Vascular Surgery comorbidity score was 0.97 ± 0.52. Most patients (n = 181; 86.6%) had presented with at least one complex anatomic factor: aortic neck angle α <135° in 31 patients (14.8%), conic neck in 17 patients (8.2%), iliac tortuosity index τ >1.5 in 102 (48.8%), iliac artery calcification >50% in 106 (50.7%), and external iliac artery <6 mm in 45 (21.5%). The concurrent presence of two or more complex iliac anatomic factors was present in 67 patients (32.1%). The technical success rate was 99.5%, and the early major complication rate was 1.5% (one limb occlusion, one iliac branch stenosis, one type III endoleak [EL]). No 30-day mortality was recorded. The mean follow-up period was 18.5 ± 13.2 months. The overall mortality was 9.5% (n = 18), none related to the aneurysm. The freedom from reintervention rate was 92.1%. Of these patients, six (3.2%) had been treated for type II EL embolization, one (0.5%) for type IA EL, four (2.1%) for iliac branch occlusion, and one (0.5%) for flow-limiting external iliac artery dissection. None of the single anatomic factors analyzed were predictive of reintervention. However, the association of two or more complex iliac anatomic factors was predictive of related reintervention (hazard ratio, 7.25; P = .014). The crude reintervention rate in this complex subgroup of patients was low (4 of 67; 6%). CONCLUSIONS: Data from the TIR have demonstrated excellent early and midterm outcomes of endovascular aneurysm repair using the Incraft stent graft in patients with complex anatomy. The concurrent presence of two or more complex iliac anatomic factors still represent an issue for endovascular aneurysm repair success. However, the technical characteristics of this device resulted in low intervention rates, even for patients with these challenging issues.

Endovascular Aortic Repair with the "Step-by-Step" Deployment of the Endurant Stent-Graft System in Severe Neck Angulation: Technique and Review of the Literature.

OBJECTIVES: To describe a new technique based on a different deployment of the Endurant Stent-Graft System (Medtronic Cardiovascular, Santa Rosa, CA) during endovascular aortic aneurysm repair to guarantee a more precise deployment in presence of severe neck angulation (SNA). TECHNIQUE: The "step-by-step" deployment technique consists of an alternate partial release of the main body and of the free-flow suprarenal stents to approximate the radiopaque markers of the graft fabric to the aortic wall, obtaining a more precise delivery, reducing the possibility of downward dislodgments along the external curve of the infrarenal angle and asymmetrical deployments in presence of SNA. CONCLUSIONS: The "step-by-step" technique is a simple, safe, and effective graft-deployment method, which allows a very precise release in SNA and possibly achieves better results in the long-term period in such difficult anatomies.

Twenty-two Year Multicentre Experience of Late Open Conversions after Endovascular Abdominal Aneurysm Repair.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to report indications, technical aspects, and outcomes of a multicentre experience of late open conversions (LOCs) after endovascular abdominal aneurysm repair (EVAR), in order to identify risk factors which may influence early morbidity and mortality rates, and long term survival. METHODS: Ten vascular centres retrospectively reviewed all patients requiring LOC (≥30 days from initial EVAR, undergoing total or partial endograft explantation) from 1996 to 2017. Baseline characteristics, endograft data, indications, procedural details, post-operative outcomes, and follow up data were reviewed and analysed. RESULTS: Included patients totalled 232 (90.1% males, mean age 74.3 ± 7.9 years). The number of LOC per year significantly increased during the study period, reaching 22 in 2017 (correlation r = 0.867, p < .0001). Reasons for LOC were 80.2% endoleak (186/232), 15.5% endograft infection (36/232), and 9.9% endograft thrombosis (23/232). Sixty-nine patients (29.7%) were operated on urgently; rupture was present in 18.5% (43/232). Eighty-nine patients (38.4%) underwent endovascular re-interventions prior to LOC. The proximal aortic cross clamp site was infrarenal in 40.5% (94/232), suprarenal in 25.4% (59/232), supracoeliac in 32.8% (76/232), and thoracic in 1.3% (3/232). Endograft explantation was total in 164/232 patients (70.7%), and partial in the remaining 68/232 (29.3%). The overall 30 day mortality was 11.2% (26/232). Early mortality was significantly higher for patients operated on urgently (26.1% vs. 4.9%, p < .001). Suprarenal clamping (odds ratio (OR) 2.34, 95% CI 1.12-4.88) and pre-existing renal insufficiency (OR 2.11, 95% CI 1.03-4.31) were independent risk factors for post-operative renal failure on multivariable analysis. Median follow up was 24.1 months (IQR 4.4-60.6). The estimated overall one and five year survival rates were 79.7% and 58.6%, respectively. Survival estimates were significantly lower for patients with endograft infection (83.8% vs. 59% at one year, 65.2% vs. 28.9% at five years; log rank p = .005), as well as for urgent patients (87.2% vs. 62.1% at one year, 65.1% vs. 43.7% at five years; log rank p < .0001). CONCLUSION: The annual number of LOC increased over time. LOCs performed urgently or for endograft infection are associated with poor survival. Infrarenal aortic clamping has lower post-operative complication rates.

Technical Success and Long-Term Results with Excluder/C3 Endoprosthesis in Narrow Aortic Bifurcations: First Italian Multicentre Experience.

BACKGROUND: This study aims at evaluating technical success and long-term results using Gore Excluder/C3 endoprosthesis in patients with narrow aortic bifurcation (NAB; inner aortic diameter < 18 mm). METHODS: Clinical and anatomical data were collected retrospectively from patients treated in 2 high-volume Italian vascular centers between 2005 and 2017. A total of 1325 endovascular aneurysm repair procedures were performed, of which 195 involved Excluder/C3 Gore endoprosthesis. One hundred forty-one patients had a regular aortic bifurcation (RAB; maximum inner diameter ≥ 18 mm), whereas 54 presented with NAB (<18 mm). Technical success and procedural time were considered as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes were perioperative complications, long-term graft-related complications and reintervention rates. RESULTS: Demographic data and risk factors were similar in the 2 groups. The mean diameter of aortic bifurcation was 29.8 ± 10.4 mm in RAB versus 17.1 ± 0.9 mm in NAB. Technical success was 100% in both groups. Incidence of intraoperative kinking/stenosis of limb graft was significantly higher in NAB (40.7% vs. 12.8%; P < 0.001), which was treated by means of kissing balloon technique (KiBaTe) and selective stenting. Time of procedure was similar. Post-operative complications rate was similar in both the groups (9.5% in RAB versus 4.2% in NAB, P = 0.180). Mean follow-up period was 40.0 months (range, 1-130). No significant difference was registered in long-term graft-related complications between RAB and NAB (38.3% vs. 38.8%; P = 0.939). Reintervention rate after 70 months was 21.8% vs. 24.6% in RAB and NAB, respectively (log rank = 0.517). Primary patency at 6, 12, and 48 months was 99.3% vs. 100%, 99.3% vs. 100%, and 98.5% vs. 97.9%, respectively (log rank = 0.497). Assisted primary patency was 98.6% vs. 96.0%, 97.8% vs. 96.0%, and 97.8% vs. 96.0%, respectively (log rank = 0.789). Secondary patency was 100% in both the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Endovascular aneurysm repair of NAB using Gore Excluder/C3 graft can be considered safe and effective in early and late follow-up. Intraoperative graft kinking is frequent in NAB and KiBaTe is recommended to prevent occlusive complications.

Critical Upper Limb Ischemia Due to Brachial Tourniquet in Misdiagnosed Thoracic Outlet Syndrome after Carpal Tunnel Decompression: A Case Report.

We present the case of a 68-year-old woman, referred to our department for critical upper limb ischemia, which had occurred a few days after homolateral surgical ligamentotomy for carpal tunnel syndrome, diagnosed and confirmed by electromyography, and performed with a brachial tourniquet. The patient was later admitted for subsequent progressive necrosis of the first three fingers of the left hand, accompanied by signs of upper limb ischemia. An accessory cervical rib was identified, completely obliterating the subclavian artery distally at the origin of the suprascapular artery. A complete humeral artery occlusion was also found at the middle third of the humerus. The accessory rib was resected and the subclavian artery recanalized. A few days later, necrosis of the distal third of the first two fingers appeared and surgical resection was performed. Despite this chronic condition, the acute occlusion of collateral circles was probably induced by the brachial tourniquet. This represents a rare event, never previously reported in the literature: a case of critical upper limb ischemia due to a brachial tourniquet in a patient with misdiagnosed thoracic outlet syndrome. Until specific electrophysiological criteria for this syndrome can be found, attention should focus on history and clinical examination in patients with suspected carpal tunnel syndrome.

Use of a Thoracic Endograft in an Acute Abdominal Aortic Setting: Case Report and Literature Review.

PURPOSE: We report the case of a thoracic endograft used to achieve exclusion of a ruptured proximal paranastomotic abdominal aortic aneurysm (PAAA) as a consequence of aortic ballooning. CASE REPORT: A type I proximal endoleak was evidenced following endovascular repair of a PAAA with an aortic cuff. The leak was treated with ballooning, which caused distal aortic rupture. A thoracic endograft was deployed inside the cuff, achieving complete exclusion. At 1 year, there are no signs of migration or endoleak with complete PAAA thrombosis, according to computed tomographic angiography. CONCLUSION: In hostile proximal abdominal aortic neck, challenging anatomies, or urgent cases, the structural adaptability of thoracic endografts could provide safe and successful abdominal aortic endovascular exclusion.

Systemic Inflammatory Response and Severe Thrombocytopenia after Endovascular Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Repair.

After Endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm, a systemic inflammatory response, named postimplantation syndrome, can develop. This syndrome is characterized by fever, leukocytosis, and elevated CRP plasma levels and its pathogenetic mechanisms are still unknown. Although this syndrome generally resolves within few days, some patients develop a persisting severe inflammatory reaction leading to mild or severe complications. Here we describe the case of a male patient who developed postimplantation inflammatory syndrome and severe thrombocytopenia after endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm. Treatment with prednisone (50 mg/bid) for two weeks did not improve the clinical and laboratory findings. We utilized danazol, a weak androgen that has been shown to be effective in the treatment of immune and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and after 12 days of treatment with danazol (200 mg/bid), the patient improved progressively and platelet number increased up to 53,000/µL. Patients undergoing endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysm should be carefully monitored for the development of postimplantation syndrome. This clinical condition is relatively common after the endovascular repair of aortic aneurysm but is rarely observed after endovascular repair of thoracic aortic aneurysms. The different known therapeutical approaches are still empiric, with reported beneficial effects with the use of NSAID, corticosteroids, and danazol.

Outcomes of polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent versus bare-metal stent in the primary treatment of severe iliac artery obstructive lesions.

OBJECTIVE: This study compared early and midterm outcomes of polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents (CSs) vs bare-metal stents (BMSs) in the primary treatment of severe TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus for the Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease (TASC II) C and D iliac artery obstructive lesions. METHODS: Between January 2009 and June 2014, 128 patients underwent stenting of 167 iliac arteries; CSs were implanted in 82 iliac arteries (49%) and BMSs in 85 (51%). All patients were prospectively enrolled in a dedicated database. Thirty-day outcomes, mid-term patency, limb salvage, and survival were compared, and follow-up results were analyzed with Kaplan-Meier curves. Clinical presentation, lesion site, extension, and laterality were evaluated for their association with patency in the two groups using multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS: Patients were a mean age of 70 ± 10.3 years, The Society for Vascular Surgery comorbidity score was 0.89 ± 0.57, with no differences after stratification by CS and BMS (P = .17). Iliac lesions were classified by limb as TASC II C in 86 (51%) and D in 81 (49%). Comparing CS and BMS, technical success was 99% in both groups (P = 1.0); the 30-day cumulative surgical complications rate (7.3% vs 4.7%; P = .53), mortality (1.8% vs 0%; P = .45), and morbidity (1.8% vs 1.4%; P = .99) were equivalent. At 24 months (average 22 months; range, 30 days-56 months), primary patency of CS vs BMS was similar (93% vs 80%; P = .14), and this finding was maintained after stratification by TASC II C (97% vs 93%; P = .59) and D (88% vs 61%; P = .07); secondary patency was 98% vs 92% (P = .22), and limb salvage was 99% and 95% (P = .35) respectively. Multivariate analysis indicated that BMS in long-segment stenosis involving the common and external iliac arteries was a negative predictor of patency (odds ratio, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.04-0.62; P = .007); within this subgroup of TASC II D lesions, primary patency at 24 months was significantly higher for CS than for BMS (88% vs 57%; P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the use of CSs for severe iliac lesions has similar early and midterm outcomes compared with BMS. In a subcategory of TASC II D lesions with long-segment severe stenosis of both the common and external iliac arteries, CS should be considered as the primary line of treatment.

Aortic hybrid sutureless anastomosis on porcelain aorta.

PURPOSE: To describe a hybrid sutureless anastomosis technique between a prosthetic graft, an endograft, and a circumferentially calcified infrarenal aorta. TECHNIQUE: The technique is demonstrated in a 65-year-old man with flush distal aortoiliac occlusion and patent infrarenal porcelain aorta (IPA). After laparotomy, the IPA was occluded below the renal arteries by inflating an aortic balloon introduced via an axillary access. The IPA was transected in its distal part and aortic thrombectomy performed. A Zenith iliac extension was modified on a back table by cutting the terminal tip; the device was then was inserted and deployed into the IPA in a standard fashion and the sheath removed. A Dacron bifurcated graft was sutured in an end-to-end anastomosis to the endograft and terminal aorta. The 12-month computed tomography scan showed patency of the graft. CONCLUSIONS: This sutureless anastomosis technique seems safe and feasible and represents a valid alternative to standard surgical approaches in cases of heavy and circumferentially calcified infrarenal aorta.