Gore Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis for treatment of bilateral common iliac artery aneurysms.

OBJECTIVE: The Gore Iliac Branch Endoprosthesis (IBE; W. L. Gore & Associates, Flagstaff, Ariz) has recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treatment of common iliac artery (CIA) aneurysms. Despite early excellent results in clinical trial, none of 63 patients were treated for bilateral iliac aneurysms. The goal of this study was to examine real-world experience using the Gore IBE for bilateral CIA aneurysms. METHODS: A retrospective review of an international multicenter (16 U.S., 8 European) experience using the Gore IBE to treat bilateral CIA aneurysms was performed. Cases were limited to those occurring after Food and Drug Administration approval (February 2016) in the United States and after CE mark approval (November 2013) in Europe. Demographics of the patients, presentation, anatomic characteristics, and procedural details were captured. RESULTS: There were 47 patients (45 men; mean age, 68 years; range, 41-84 years) treated with bilateral Gore IBEs (27 U.S., 20 European). Six patients (12.7%) were symptomatic and 12 (25.5%) patients were treated primarily for CIA aneurysm (aorta <5.0 cm). Mean CIA diameter was 40.3 mm. Four patients had aneurysmal internal iliac arteries (IIAs). Two of these were sealed proximally at the IIA aneurysm neck and two required coil embolization of IIA branches to achieve seal in the largest first-order branches. Technical success was achieved in 46 patients (97.9%). No type I or type III endoleaks were noted. There was no significant perioperative morbidity or mortality. IIA branch adjunctive stenting was required in four patients (one IIA distal dissection, three kinks). On follow-up imaging available for 40 patients (85.1%; mean, 6.5 months; range, 1-36 months), 12 type II endoleaks (30%) and no type I or type III endoleaks were detected. Two of 80 (2.5%) IIA branches imaged were occluded; one was intentionally sacrificed perioperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Preservation of bilateral IIAs in repair of bilateral CIA aneurysms can be performed safely with excellent technical success and short-term patency rates using the Gore IBE device. Limb and branch occlusions are rare, usually are due to kinking, and can almost always be treated successfully with stenting.

Treating complex femoropopliteal lesions.

Peripheral artery disease affects 202 million patients worldwide and may cause disabling intermittent claudication and critical limb ischemia. Next to life style changes, best medical treatment and supervised exercise therapy, it can be necessary to re-vascularize the limb. Treatment of femoropopliteal lesions poses a challenge and a surgical bypass remains recommended in the guidelines for longer and more complex lesions. Bypass surgery is associated with substantial morbidity and even mortality. Endovascular alternatives are quickly evolving from plain balloon angioplasty to drug-eluting stents, drug-coated balloons, polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stents and atherectomy. These developments might challenge the gold standard in the near future. This article focuses on which technique can be used for which femoropopliteal lesion, particularly complex lesions, and summarizes the most recent and important literature on this topic.