Post-dissection Thoraco-abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Managed by Fenestrated or Branched Endovascular Aortic Repair.

OBJECTIVE: Fenestrated or branched endovascular aortic repair (F/B-EVAR) is a valuable treatment in patients with chronic post-dissection thoraco-abdominal aneurysm (PD-TAAA). This study aimed to analyse early and follow up outcomes of F/B-EVAR in these patients. METHODS: Thirty day and follow up outcomes of consecutive patients with PD-TAAA treated with F/B-EVAR in a tertiary centre over eight years were analysed retrospectively. All patients presenting with PD-TAAA and managed with F/B-EVAR were eligible. A modified Crawford's classification system was used. Thirty day mortality and major adverse event (MAE) rates were analysed. Time to event data were estimated with Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. RESULTS: Fifty five patients (80% men, mean age 63.7 ± 7.7 years) were included: 12 (22%) were managed urgently; 25 (46%) for chronic type B aortic dissection; and the remainder for residual type A aortic dissection. Of these patients, 88% had undergone previous thoracic endovascular aortic repair. Prophylactic cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) was used in 91%. Fifteen (27%) patients were treated with F-EVAR, nine (16%) with fenestrations and branches, and 31 (56%) with B-EVAR. False lumen adjunctive procedures were used in 56%. Technical success was achieved in 96% of patients. The thirty day mortality rate was 7% and MAE rate was 20%. Spinal cord injury (SCI) grades 1 - 3 and grade 3 rates were 13% and 2%, respectively. Mean follow up was 33.0 ± 18.4 months. Survival and freedom from unscheduled re-intervention were 86% (standard error [SE] 5%) and 55% (SE 8%) at 24 months, respectively. Freedom from target vessel stenosis and occlusion was higher in F-EVAR at the 12 month follow up (p = .006) compared with B-EVAR. CONCLUSION: Fenestrated or branched endovascular repairs in patients with PD-TAAA showed high technical success, with acceptable early mortality and MAE rates. The SCI rate was > 10%, despite CSFD use and staged procedures. Almost a half of patients needed an unscheduled re-intervention within 24 months after F/B-EVAR.

Association Between Psoas Muscle Sarcopenia and Long-Term Survival Following Elective Endovascular Aortic Repair.

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were as follows: i) to identify the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients undergoing elective endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for intact abdominal aortic aneurysm; ii) to assess its association with perioperative morbidity and long-term survival; and iii) to estimate its diagnostic accuracy for prediction of 5-year mortality following the intervention. METHODS: We performed a retrospective review of all patients who underwent elective EVAR from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2019. The lean psoas muscle area (LPMA; cm2 × HU) was calculated on computed tomography angiography by multiplying psoas muscle area and psoas muscle density. The main exposure variable for this study was the presence of preoperative sarcopenia (LPMA value < 350), and the study cohort was divided in two groups for all subsequent analyses. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. RESULTS: The study cohort eventually comprised 338 patients who underwent elective EVAR for intact abdominal aortic aneurysm. In the overall population, 154 patients (45.5%) were classified as sarcopenic. At baseline, patients with sarcopenia were older (mean age: 78 ± 5 versus 75 ± 7 y, P < 0.001) and had lower proportion of males (73.5% versus 93.5%, P < 0.001). At 5 y, the estimated survival rates were 52% versus 74% in sarcopenic and nonsarcopenic patients, respectively (P < 0.001). Using multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression, an independent association was identified between sarcopenia and all-cause mortality in the whole cohort (hazard ratio: 2.63, 95% confidence interval: 1.43-3.36, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Sarcopenia, defined as LPMA <350 as measured on preoperative computed tomography angiography, can be highly prevalent in patients undergoing elective EVAR. Although the intervention remains safe in the short term, presence of sarcopenia was significantly associated to lower long-term survival irrespective of patients' age or gender.

Remodeling of abdominal aortic aneurysm sac following endovascular aortic repair: association with clinical, surgical, and genetic factors.

After successful endovascular aortic repair (EVAR), abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) sac will undergo negative remodeling (i.e., shrinkage) as a measure of successful exclusion. Determinants of shrinkage after EVAR are not fully known. In 84 post-EVAR patients, time course of AAA diameter after repair and occurrence of endoleaks (ELs) have been correlated with clinical history, medications, anthropometric data, vascular anatomy, and matrix metalloprotease (MMP) genetic variants (namely MMP-1 rs1799750, MMP-3 rs35068180, MMP-9 rs2234681, rs917576, rs917577, MMP-12 rs652438, and TIMP1 rs4898). During follow-up, 41 ELs were detected in 37 patients (44%, 10.4 events/100 pt./y), accounting for AAA dilation or reduced shrinkage (P < .001). High-flow ELs (type 1 and/or 3) occurrence was associated with warfarin use, MMP9 rs17577 polymorphism, and unfavorable anatomy, while low-flow type 2 ELs occurred more often in TIMP1 rs4898 non-T carriers. In EL-free patients, AAA diameter decreased for the first three years, (-4, -3 and - 2 mm/year respectively) and remained stable thereafter. Shrinkage between two measurements (n = 120) was associated with smaller AAA diameter at the baseline, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), patients' older age at intervention, and G-/G- genotype in MMP1 rs1799750 (binary logistic regression, P = .0001). Aneurysmal sac shrinking occurs for few years after EVAR, only in patients without EL, and is related to older age, PAD, smaller aneurysm size and putative lower MMP1 expression while EL occurrence prevents such a remodeling and is mainly related to local-acting factors like unfavorable anatomy, anticoagulation, and MMP9 and TIMP1 genetic polymorphisms.

Prognostic interaction between age and sex on outcomes following carotid endarterectomy.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic interaction between age and sex on peri-operative and follow-up outcomes following elective carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis. Patients and methods: A retrospective review of all patients admitted to a single vascular unit who underwent elective CEA between January, 2015 and December, 2019 was performed. The primary endpoints of the study were overall survival (from index operation) and cumulative stroke rate at thirty days. Results: A total of 383 consecutive patients were included in this study; of these 254 (66.4%) were males. At baseline, males were younger (mean age 73.4±11 vs. 76.3±10 years, p=.01) and with lower proportion of octogenarians (20.4% vs. 28.7%, p=.05). The rate of stroke in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients (males vs. females) were as follows: a) whole cohort 1.9% vs. 2% (p=1.00) and 2.7% vs. 1.3% (p=.66), respectively; b) ≥80 years old 3.7% vs. 0% (p=1.00) and 4% vs. 5.9% (p=1.00), respectively; c) <80 years old 1.2% vs. 3.3% (p=.47) and 2.5% vs. 0% (p=.55), respectively. The 3-year survival estimates were significantly lower for males (84% vs. 92%, p=.03). After stratification by age groups, males maintained inferior survival rates in the strata aged <80 years (85% vs. 97%, p=.005), while no differences were seen in the strata aged ≥80 years (82% vs. 79%, p=.92). Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards, age (HR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.29-3.3, p=.002) and male gender (HR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.16-5.5, p=.02) were associated with increased hazards of all-cause mortality. Conclusions: In this study of elective CEA for asymptomatic and symptomatic carotid stenosis, similar peri-operative neurologic outcomes were found in both males and females irrespective of age. Despite being usually older, females have superior long-term survival rates.

Secondary Relining With Focal Flaring of Novel-Generation Balloon-Expandable Covered Stents for Endovascular Treatment of Significant Diameter Mismatch in the Aorto-Iliac Territory.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to report on the safety and feasibility of secondary relining with focal flaring of novel-generation balloon-expandable covered stents for endovascular treatment of significant diameter mismatch in the aorto-iliac territory. Significant diameter mismatch was defined as >20% difference in the nominal diameter between the intended proximal and distal landing zones. METHODS: Patient A was an 84-year-old man with prior abdominal aortic aneurysm open repair with a straight 20 mm Dacron tube. He presented with a right common iliac artery aneurysm (Ø88 mm) with contained rupture. The Gore Viabahn endoprosthesis (9 mm × 5 cm) was inserted proximally about 15 mm above the occluded ostium of the internal iliac artery. Subsequently, the BeGraft Aortic® (16 mm × 48 mm) was inserted proximally up to the common iliac artery origin; its proximal portion was flared to 22 mm. Patient B was a 77-year-old man with prior endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair with a Medtronic Endurant stent-graft. He presented with occlusion of the right limb of the aortic endoprosthesis and thrombosis that extended down to the level of the superficial femoral artery. After mechanical thrombectomy, two Gore Viabahn endoprosthesis (first one, 8 mm × 10 cm; second one, 10 mm × 15 cm) were inserted into the right iliac limb. Subsequently, the BeGraft Aortic® (12mm × 39mm) was inserted proximally up to the gate of the aortic stent-graft; its proximal portion was flared to 16 mm. RESULTS: Technical success and clinical success were achieved in both patients. Imaging follow-up (6 months for Patient A, 12 months for Patient B) showed correct placement of all stent-grafts without any graft-related adverse event. The patients remained free from new reinterventions or recurrent symptoms. Patient A died 8 months after the index procedure from acute respiratory failure after community acquired pneumonia. CONCLUSION: Secondary relining with focal flaring of novel-generation balloon-expandable covered stents for endovascular treatment of significant diameter mismatch in the aorto-iliac territory is safe and feasible. Although mid-term results seem to be effective, longer follow-up is warranted to establish durability of the technique.

Novel Application of Custom-Made Stent Grafts with Inner Branches for Secondary Treatment After Stent Graft Migration of Previous Infrarenal Endovascular Aortic Repair.

PURPOSE: We present a novel application of custom-made stent grafts (CMSGs) with inner branches to incorporate target vessels (TVs) as an alternative to fenestrations or directional branches for secondary treatment after stent graft migration of previous infrarenal endovascular aortic repair (EVAR). CASE REPORT: Two consecutive patients with stent graft migration of previous EVAR were electively treated at our institution from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2018. Stent graft migration was defined as radiologic evidence of stent graft displacement >10 mm. In both cases, a proximal type I endoleak was noted, and the residual infrarenal aorta above the previous endograft was unsuitable as the proximal landing zone for a nonfenestrated cuff. Repair was planned by means of a CMSG with 4 inner branches. The procedures were conducted in two-stage fashion to minimize the risk of spinal cord ischemia. The procedures were technically successful with a total of 8 TVs stented. Both patients did not suffer from any early (i.e., up to 30 days) major adverse events, and no access-site complications were noted. At one-year follow-up, computed tomography angiography showed regular placement of the CMSGs, widely patent TVs, absence of any type I or III endoleak, and stable sac size. No late reinterventions were recorded. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary treatment of stent graft migration after previous EVAR is safe and feasible using CSMGs with 4 inner branches. This technique is effective as showed by stable sac size and 100% freedom from TVI at mid-term imaging follow-up. Larger cohorts and longer follow-up are needed to confirm the preliminary results.

Secondary Endovascular Repair of Recurring Lesions and Perioperative Complications after Open Aortic Repair: The Complementary Role of Different Technical Solutions.

BACKGROUND: The aim of our article was to describe the complementary role of different technical solutions for secondary endovascular repair of recurring lesions and perioperative complications after open aortic repair (OAR). METHODS: We describe our clinical experience of secondary endovascular repair after OAR. We included in the analysis all consecutive patients who presented recurring lesions and perioperative complications after OAR and underwent secondary endovascular repair between January 1, 2015 and June 31, 2018. Both elective and nonelective cases were captured. Early end points were technical success, 30-day mortality, 30-day major adverse events, and 30-day vascular access complications. Late end points were survival and freedom from secondary interventions. RESULTS: Three different techniques were used in 6 patients: 2 cases of fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (F-BEVAR), 2 cases of parallel-graft EVAR (pg-EVAR), and 2 cases of off-label use of standard devices. Technical success was 100%. One patient died within 30 days from acute pulmonary embolism. One patient developed acute kidney injury not requiring renal replacement therapy, whereas the remaining 4 patients were free from 30-day major adverse events. The cumulative rate of 30-day vascular access complications was 0%. All the 5 patients who survived the index hospitalization had ≥12 months of clinical and imaging follow-up. At the longest individual follow-up, they all were alive and free from secondary interventions. Computed tomography angiography showed in all cases sustained clinical success. CONCLUSIONS: Secondary endovascular repair of recurring lesions and perioperative complications after OAR is safe and feasible and offers a minimally invasive effective treatment option when a redo surgical operation would be associated with a considerable risk to the patient. Different solutions are available (including F-BEVAR, pg-EVAR, and off-label use of standard devices) and are complementary rather than competitive. Careful preoperative assessment and familiarity with advanced techniques are essential to achieve satisfactory outcomes.